Saints Vs Rams 2nd Quarter Analysis

You join me in the Saints Vs Rams 2nd Quarter having just been advised that I'm watching FOX NFL Sunday by a baritone voice.  That's lucky they confirmed that or I would have been left thinking I was watching the sound of music in Slavic.  Now a fan holds up a sign confirming we are watching Fox as we return to the game; did the PR department pay him for that?

OK so the score is Saints 0 Rams 0.

Drew Brees throws to David Thomas who is stopped short and then forces his way for an extra 3.  GREAT effort.  4th catch of day by the backup Tight End.  Only 7 catches before today, how bout that?

1st down Black and Gold. 
Draw to Bush who does his Michael Jordan leap and gets a... 3 yard TOUCHDOWN!! His 5th of the season.

The Reggie Bush mph read +22 on that one!

That was a 13 play, 78 yard drive in 7.30. Brees went 6 for 6 for 58 yards.  Textbook drive - Very impressive. Brees spread the ball around to receivers and tight ends and was complimented by some good runs by the backs.  There were also 3 straight 3rd down conversions on the drive which is akey indicator of ruthless efficiency.

New Orleans Saints 7 St Louis Rams 0

1st down Rams at their own 25, 14.09 on the clock.
Steven Jackson big run for 14 - An important open field tackle by Usama Young or he could have broken it.

1st down. 
Steven Jackson again through middle for 8.
Play action pass and a big gain.  Great hit by Usama Young - CRACK!!

1st down at Saints 35.
Steven Jackson again over right tackle.  He is running at will against us.
2nd and 2.  Some other Rams back up runs through the middle for 3.

1st down at 29.
Toss out left and Will Smith tackles for 0.

Mark Bulger is sacked and looses the ball which Jackson manages to recover for a loss of 3.  He had loads of time but still got sacked.

3rd and 15.  That's the 16th forced fumble in Will Smiths career; he also has an Oscar I believe.
Mark Bulger to Avery deep and... TD.  He beat Randall Gay for 29 yard TD reception.

9.23 left in 2nd. 8 plays 75 yards.

Saints 7 Rams 7,

Courtney Roby takes the kick off out to the 27 where the Saints will have a 1st down.

End around to Robert Meachem (great block by David Thomas) who takes it a season long 41 yards for a Saint to the Rams 36. 

1st down New Orleans. 
Thomas scampers for 3.
Brees to Henderson to the Rams 15, a gain of 13.

1st down. 
Brees is hit as he throws incomplete.  1st time Brees has been pressured so far.
Brees throws it away on the next play bringing up 3rd and 10.
Brees to Bush over the middle and... TOUCHDOWN!!  Bush caught it at the 12 then used his speed to get to the end zone and dive to the put ball over the plain of the goal line.  Great catch and run.  6 plays 72 yards in a cool 2.32.

The 'Reggie Bush Vertical Leap' as patented by Bush Inc.

Saints 14 Rams 7

1st down Rams 27.
Steve Spagnola is talking to the LB beaten by Bush.  He's demanding that he be a bit more like Usain Bolt in future please.

Rams pass for 7 yards.  2nd and 3. 
Encroachment by Remi Ayodele.  1st down Rams at own 38.

Jackson 8th rush over left tackle of the day picks up 5.  (69 yards rushing and 21 receiving already today).

Mark Bulger is pressured and sacked by Remi Ayodele and Charles Grant.  3rd and 7.
Bulger completes to Gibson.  Usama Young makes the tackle again after Gay slipped which left him open.

1st down Rams.
Jackson is tackled by just about every Saints player although Charles Grant gets the official credit.  2nd and 8.  Bulger throws a pass for another 1st down - 10 yard pick up.

1st down. 
Jackson tackled by everyone again although Bobby McCray is credited. 
2nd and 8.  Saints burn a second timeout.
Steven Jackson again but Demario Pressley wraps him up in the backfield for a loss of 1.  Ball at Saints 28.  Steven Jackson again for 13 up the middle.  We just cannot stop this guy.

2 minute warning.  1st down at 15.
Jackson AGAIN for 2.

The Saints call another timeout.

Jackson stopped 3 yards short of 1st down marker but then carries WILL SMITH ON HIS BACK DOWN TO THE SAINTS 4. 

1st down.  Jackson up the middle for 1.
Jackson ploughs in for... A TOUCHDWON OVER LEFT TACKLE.  Mike Karney, the ex Saint FB, led the way - TRAITOR.  Although we did cut him the day before his wedding so I guess we owe him that.  Cut throat business or what?

Saints 14 Rams 14.
 
Courtney Roby returns the kick off out to the 24. 

50 seconds left in half, 0 timeouts New Orleans.

1st play and Brees is going down for a sack but flips it to Bush for 0 pick up.  Great effort to avoid the sack and keep the play alive.

Brees to Shockey for 9.  Brees stops clock but that makes it 4th and 1 so the Saints will punt with 6 seconds left.

End of first half with the scores level:

New Orleans 14 Steven Jackson 14

Football New Orleans Saints style!

• Saints Defence saves the day - Anthony Hargrove, Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma, Darren Sharper and Co. take a bow
  
• Saints set franchise record with perfect 8 and 0 start
• This was football New Orleans Saints style - hard fought and never easy
  

Carolina Panthers 20 - New Orleans Saints 30

The Carolina Panthers rode into New Orleans Sunday with a win streak of 8 straight in the Super Dome and almost came away with yet another victory.  But for some resolute defending and a couple of quick fire drives the Saints would have kissed goodbye to their 2009 perfect record and been left wondering if they would ever beat the Panthers at home again.

Saints snap loosing streak at the Super Dome Vs Panthers

Instead the Saints got the job done thanks to some impressive performances by a group of lesser known names to record a come from behind 30 to 20 win over the Panthers… but it was a tight run thing.

Gregg Williams works the problem

The Saints played some uncharacteristic football with penalties, turnovers and miscues littering their day and all but killing them at various stages of the game.  That the Saints defence turned up with their A game helmets on whilst the normally explosive offence dozed through the first half owes as much to Gregg Williams aggressive play calling as anything else.

Whilst the D was culpable for the early DeAngelo Williams 66 yard touchdown run, thereafter they solidified the middle of the field and forced the Panthers into a number of 3rd and long situations which they failed to convert. 

Williams used a lot of blitz packages to unnerve Jake Delhomme on the few occasions he dropped back to pass.  This ensured the Saints had an 8 or 9 man front to stop the repetitive Panthers running attack.

The Saints should be thankful for the telling contribution of back up Defensive Tackle Anthony Hargrove, filling in for the injured Sedrick Ellis, who soon found a way to plug holes whilst making a telling contribution with key tackles, a forced fumble and recovery for a touchdown.  Along with more recognised starters Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma, Darren Sharper, Roman Harper, Tracy Porter, Jabari Greer et al, the Saints D once again showed that they are a vastly improved unit from years gone by with some great run pursuit and forced turnovers to keep the score competitive.

Brees, Colston and Co. stutter

That the Panthers were able to rack up such an impressive rushing total owes as much to the frequency with which the Saints offence gave up possession as it does to the Panthers conservative play calling.  The failure of many key Saints O personnel to turn up for this game is at first worrying and in some ways comforting.  If the Saints are able to pull out a win with a misfiring passing attack then it further demonstrates the total team package New Orleans can call upon this season.

Amongst the more anonymous and downright sloppy were receiving stalwarts Jeremy Shockey and Marques Colston who had disappointing games by their standards.  Speaking of which Drew Brees did not look his usual self assured best throwing a bad interception Colstons way as well as fumbling a bobbled snap in a key 3rd down on two drives in the red zone.

Marques Colston Loves Butter Fingers

He still had the presence to pick out Robert Meachem and Devery Henderson for deep pass plays and use Reggie Bush in the flat on the way to racking up yet another 300+ yard game but this was far from his best.  That fact alone is encouraging.  If the Saints can pull out a win against a tough Panthers team with Brees, Colston and Shockey far from their A game then it bodes well for our championship prospects.

Pierre Thomas to the rescue

Some of the Saints early offensive play calling came back to haunt them as they looked to jump out to an early lead.  Instead of establishing the running game head coach Sean Payton elected to throw from the offset.  Whilst this was not an unreasonable strategy given the success the Saints have had so far this season it did leave them struggling to recapture the initiative when this tactic failed to deliver.  It was only through the introduction of Pierre Thomas in a more central second half roll that the Saints were able to move the ball more freely and start to wear down the physical Panthers defence.

One drive in particular stood out with the Saints taking over possession at their own 2 yard line with 11.02 left on the clock.  Payton employed a combination of inside running by Thomas and Mike Bell as well as dumping the ball to Reggie Bush and Thomas in the flat.  8 consecutive plays resulted from employing the trio and within 13 plays the Saints had marched all the way to the Panthers 16 before a dropped pass by Colston saw the Saints settling for a John Karney field goal for the go ahead score.

This was the balance of offence that had been so effective for the Saints all season but it took until well into the 4th Quarter to employ it.

Special praise should go to another unsung unit following this game; the Saints Offensive line.  They did a great job of protecting Drew Brees who, with the exception of an early forced fumble, had plenty of time to pick his targets.  Honourable mention goes out to Jermon Bushrod who kept the mighty Julius Peppers quiet all night.  Jermon Bushrod for the Pro Bowl; is that such an extravagant claim?

The DNA of Champions

To win and to win ugly is the mark of champions.  This was not the best we have seen the Saints play, far from it, but it did tell us a lot about the make up of the team and the depth of quality on the roster.  When the A team were miscuing New Orleans were able to call on some impressive performances by lesser known names to get the job done.  As Al Davis would say "Just Win Baby".

Anthony Hargrove Saints Player of the Week

This week’s win against the Carolina Panthers once again underlined the depth of the Saints roster and the total team effort it takes to win games this deep into the season.  So without further ado please step forward Mr Underdog, Saint of the Week himself Anthony Hargrove:

Anthony Hargrove Saints Defensive Tackle - Hargrove was required to fill the big shoes of much missed and injured Sedrick Ellis, and he did this with some aplomb.  After finding himself, and the rest of the run defence, culpable for an early 66 yard touchdown run by DeAngelo Williams, Hargrove set about solidifying the Saints soft under belly to keep the score competitive.  He was able to fill the middle channels forcing Williams and Stewart into congestion and slowing down the Panthers progress.  Yes he got penalised for a stupid penalty early on but he learnt from it and applied himself diligently to the team cause.  This high work rate was later rewarded with a forced fumble recovery for a touchdown late in the 4th to see out the Saints win.

Without such a telling contribution from the Saints number 69 the game could have gotten away from us and Saints fans would now be saying prayers to the Gods of injury to get Sedrick Ellis back and healthy soon.  As it stands we've found a willing and hard working down veteran lineman in Anthony Hargrove, a valuable addition to the roster.  We'll still pray for Sedrick Ellis as we love the big man but at least Hargrove has proven he can fill the big mans shoes.


And the Runners Up are:

Robert Meachem Wide Receiver - With Marques Colston dropping his fair share of passes it was left to number 17 to spare the Saints receiving corps blushes with a stellar performance.  His 54 yard touchdown catch and run to close out the 3rd Quarter and level the scores was a key moment in the game.  He finished with 5 receptions for 98 yards and 1 TD.  He was only narrowly shaded out by Anthony Hargrove for the Saint of the Week award and should feel himself hard done by - hey what can I say?  I love the under under dog!

Jermon Bushrod Saints Tackle - Bushrod kept Panthers legend Julius Peppers quiet all game.  Not once did I see or hear anything of the pass rushing All Pro beyond his introduction at the start of the game.  For a lineman to so totally shut down such a great player is work indeed and Bushrod deserves huge helpings of praise for his efforts.

Will Smith Defensive End - Again the Hollywood moonlighting defensive end brought the outside pressure to register two important sacks and further reclaim his Saints sack king crown.  I for one am glad to see the big man dominating opposing linemen.  His sack in the 2nd Quarter was a highlight as he walked through the Panther tackle to jump all over Jake Delhomme.

Pierre Thomas Saints Running Back - When finally given more playing time in the 4th Quarter he made some great runs to get the Saints offence going.  With the Saints backed up close to their own end zone Thomas took a pass out in the flat, broke a tackle just shy of the 1st down marker and tacked on a further 6 yards.  It was a heck of a second effort and indicative of the running power Thomas brings to this offence.  He finished with 13 for 50 and 1 TD rushing and a further 5 for 31 receiving.

Reggie Bush Saints Running Back - Nothing flashy here but a solid performance none the less.  With Jeremy Shockey taken away as a short yardage receiver Brees looked more and more to Bush in the flat and Reggie did not let him down.  He picked up some useful first downs and ended up with 7 for 37 receiving and 2 for 16 on the ground.