Saints Super Bowl Shopping List

Like many a good Saints fan who can't make it down to Miami I will be watching the big game at home with a group of friends and a nervous disposition. I'm excited as hell but the fact is I'm developing a slight twitch and am already finding it difficult to hold a drink without spilling it such is the inner tension. So the only course of action I can see is to write a big Saints Super Bowl shopping list to keep my mind at bay. So here's what Dr. Falconer is ordering.

1. A Drew Brees 400+ yard game, 3/4 TD haul and 0 ints - check,

2. A Pierre Thomas 100+ yard game - check,

3. A Will Smith Bobby McCray Peyton Manning sandwich with a side of Reggie Wayne fumbles - check, check,

4. 2 Reggie Bush game changing moments for the highlights reel - I'll have to see what they've got out back but I'm pretty sure we can accommodate,

5. Another Darren Sharper Jonathan Vilma same game interception haul - absolutely, check,

6. About 100 tins of beer for the Falconer troop + whisky when we win - goes without saying and already in the house,

7. A Who half time performance we can all sing along to safe in the knowledge the Saints are almost home and dry - hmm, might struggle with this one but we'll see if there's any in the warehouse,

8. A combo of ribs, pizza, chips and dips to be on hand throughout the game - you sure that's all? I think we have more stuff en route for delivery.

 

Is that all you want dear?  

N.B. Not actually Lady Falconer

Good lady Falconer is off to the grocery store shortly to get the complete Saints Super Bowl Shopping List order fulfilled. Anything you want ordered please holla now.

Saints Super Bowl Preview

Now that the dust has settled, the initial hangovers have become but a distant headache of a memory and the hype has truly kicked in it's time to turn our attentions to the realistic battles that are going to need to be won if the Saints are to come home with the Vince Lombardi trophy.  In my totally unbiased moments (basically when I wake up in a cold sweat thinking about a Manning Monday) I have thought through the real battles we must win.

1.  It goes without saying but Drew Brees needs to play at or close to his peak for us to stand a decent chance.  I'm thinking the Patriots or Giants games from earlier this season.  If Drew was to suffer a Super Bowl nerve display day, think Jim Kelly or John Elway (early years) to name but a few, then the Saints will really struggle.  It's clear the Saints MVP and leader needs to be at his accurate best for the Who Dat to come out flying.

 

Drew Brees MVP Super Bowl

2.  As per my last point our Saints need to come out flying.  We need to put the points on the board early to steady the nerves and make the Colts play catch up.  Easier said than done but given the past Super Bowl and big game experience many Colts players hold it's imperative we come out fighting in the first to help steady many a young Saints players heart.

3.  Getting to Payton Manning will be key.  As Gregg Williams has identified it doesn't matter whether we get there with a clean sack but we have to let Mr Unflappable himself know that we are there and we mean business.  If that means Bobby McCray paying another $20K fine come Monday morning for late hits then so be it... I'm sure Bourbon Street will be happy to gather the cash in a hat to help out.  Manning will pick us apart if left standing too often.

4.  Jeremy Shockey needs to impose himself.  The big man truly is the Saints talisman and when he is in the game he gives opposing D's a heck of a headache.  With all the other weapons on the Saints O the presence of number 88 frees up space for the likes of Bush and Thomas in the flat given the mismatches it causes.  I for sure will feel more confident if Jeremy Shockey is out there running routes from early as he can make a physical and emotional difference.

5.  Jonathan Vilma, Darren Sharper, Roman Harper, Will Smith, Tracy Porter... heck they'll all have to play out of their skins.  The D needs to be aggressive, strip some balls and hope they can throw Mannings reads off enough if we are to have a better than evens chance.  

6.  Thomas Morstead to continue his great kick offs and punts and Reggie Bush and Courtney Roby to continue making good yardage on their returns.  The play of the special teams and the field positions they leave the O and D with respectively will be all important.

That may all seem negative but if I was a bookie I would be giving the Colts the better odds because I think they are that little bit better all round.  That's tough for me to say but it's the honest truth.  We will need to put in an A-team performance across the board.  That said it is well within our capabilities to do so and Sunday night will be a time for hardcore mental strength.  Yes they can do it, yes they should believe, yes they will!!

Saints Vs Redskins 3rd Quarter

Welcome to the 2nd half of this tight game between the Saints and Redskins.  The Redskins are getting to Drew Brees more than is healthy and the Saints secondary is being exposed by Jason 'I'm not very good' Campbell.  Fingers crossed for some much needed improvements in the 3rd. 

Saints 17 Redskins 17

1st down Redskins at their own 25.
Cartwright picks up 5 on a right sweep.  2nd and 5.
Campbell throws towards Kelly but it goes out of bounds.  Good coverage by McKenzie.  3rd and 5.
Campbell to Randle El for 12.  Campbell was under pressure and stepped up to avoid the rush.

The Mike McKenzie Jersey - Not As Tight As That Coverage

1st down Redskins at the 43.
Campbell down the left sidelines completes to Thomas over Malcolm Jenkins.  Great throw into tight coverage.

1st down Redskins at the Saints 28.
Campbell to Thomas who beats McKenzie with a step and picks up 6.  2nd and 4.
Cartwright runs through a BIG hole before Hargrove brings him down.

1st down at the Saints 16.
Campbell to Moss but he can't hold on.  2nd and 10.
Campbell under pressure gets it out to Cartwright in the flat and picks up 6.  3rd and 4.
Campbell pressured by Darren Sharper and unloads incomplete.  4th and 4.
So the Redskins have to settle for a field goal.

Saints 17 Redskins 20

Courtney Roby continues his excellent day with a big return out to the Saints 48.

1st down Saints.
Pierre Thomas up the middle for 2.  2nd and 8.
Mike Bell up the middle for a good 7 yards.  He hit that hole hard.  3rd and 1.
Mike Bell again and he bounces on a second effort close to the marker.  The chains will come into measure and...  The Saints are short by half a yard.  So it brings up 4th down and the Saints are going for it.
Mike Bell again but he's stopped well short.  That looked far too complicated for a short yardage pick up with Nicks pulling around right.

1st down Redskins at their own 44.
Campbell goes deep down the right sidelines to Thomas all the way to the Saints 16.  A 40 yard pass play.

1st down Redskins.
Cartwright carries for 3.  2nd and 7.
Campbell under pressure and...  It goes in and out of Malcolm Jenkins hands.  Oh man he had the whole field ahead.  He would have gone untouched for 6.  Good pressure by Will Smith.  3rd and 7.
Campbell to Thomas who breaks two tackles and tip toes down the sideline for a Touchdown.  Oh man that was poor.  It looks like Darren Sharper knocked Mike McKenzie over just as he was about to make the tackle.

Saints 17 Redskins 27

1st down Saints at their own 27.
Mike Bell cuts back and picks up 7 after the inside was closed off.  2nd and 3.
Drew Brees completes to Jeremy Shockey at the 46 for a pick of 12.

1st down Saints.
Brees to Shockey on a slant for 8 more.  2nd and 2.
Mike Bell out left and he's up ended spectacularly for no gain.  3rd and 2.
Brees play fakes and finds David Thomas all the way down at the 26.  Great pass in good coverage.

1st down Saints.
Brees drops back and finds Devery Henderson at the 12.  This is more like it.

1st down Saints.
Pierre Thomas up the middle for 3 good yards.  2nd and 7.
Brees to Colston in the end zone... but it's broken up.  3rd and 7.
Brees to Henderson on a screen but no gain.  4th and 7.
So Garrett Hartley comes in for a 27 yard field goal attempt and...  It's good.

Saints 20 Redskins 27

We need a good stand by the D now to pull this back level as the longer this goes on the more it feels this is not going to be our day.  The Redskins have an answer to most things we are doing today.

1st down Redskins at their own 35.
Cartwright carries for 5.  Again we has him closed for no gain and he was able to make a cut and pick up 5.  That epitomizes our day so far.  2nd and 5.
Campbell to Randle El for 5.

1st down Redskins.
Cartwright is stopped by Bobby McCray in the back field for a loss of 1.  Finally some penetration to stop the run.  2nd and 11.
Campbell to Randle El again but it goes incomplete.  3rd and 11.  Come on D, we need a stop here.  Big play coming up.
Campbell steps up and completes to Randle El all the way down to the 14 yard line.  He was wide open.  This is not good as we end the 3rd Quarter.

Saints Vs. Patriots 2nd Quarter

Welcome to the 2nd Quarter of the Patriots Saints game with the Pats leading by 7 to 3 and New Orleans driving. 

1st down Saints at the Pats 30.
Mike Bell hammers through the middle for 1.  Oh no… Mike Bell is on the floor after that.  He hits so hard he knocked himself out.
Drew Brees to Robert Meachem on the right sideline for a pick up of 6.  3rd and 3.
Pierre Thomas takes it 2 over left tackle.  4th and 1 and... We’re going for it.  Come on Saints!!!
Pierre Thomas goes through a Jermon Bushrod hole and... Picks up the 1st.

1st down Saints at the Pats 20.
Brees drops back checks off and sees Pierre Thomas in the flat and... Thomas breaks tackles all the way for a Saints TOUCHDOWN!!  Great run by Thomas.  Genius!!

The Pierre Thomas jersey moonwalks into the end zone

Patriots 7 Saints 10

1st down Pats at the Saints 25, 12.49 on the clock.
Wes Welker on a reverse for 3.  2nd and 7 and a Pat goes out injured... excellent... sorry but we need every edge we can get.
Brady to Welker (wonder how often I'll write that tonight) and he takes it to the Pats 40.

1st down Pats.
Maroney for 4.  2nd and 6.
The Super Dome is LOUD... and the Pats will take a timeout.
Brady to Morris and the doof drops it.  Perfect drop, love it.  3rd and 6.
Brady to Aitken and Mike Mckenzie hits him before he can turn so he is short by 3.  Great play McKenzie!! 
Pats punt.

1st down Saints at their own 25.
Drew Brees to Devery Henderson and... TOUCHDOWN!!!  OH MY GOOD GOD!!  Henderson was wide open and took it at the 50 and went totally untouched all the way.  It must have been a busted play for him to be that open.  LEGENDS!!!

Drew Brees to Devery Henderson Touchdown - Henderson feels lonely

Patriots 7 Saints 17

1st down Patriots at their own 24, 9.48 on the clock.
Maroney runs over Harper and co. for 10.  He should have been wrapped up at the line but beat Vilma with a cut and then knocked Harper over.

1st down Pats.
2 yard run by someone or other.
Tom Brady drops back and... Will Smith sacks him with Bobby McCray!!  3rd and 12.
Brady to Aitken and... he connects big all the way to the Saints 35.

1st down Pats.
Maroney runs left for 3. 2nd and 7.
Brady to Welker and... It’s dropped!!  Malcolm Jenkins got away with blatant pass interference there.  Fantastic.  3rd and 7,
Brady looks but can't find anyone so steps up to run and... Scott Fujita comes in and wraps him up but... oh no Roman Harper is called for illegal contact.  So the Pats have a 1st down at the Saints 25 and karma has come and bit us in the ass for the Malcolm Jenkins pass interference that wasn't called.

1st down Pats at the Saints 25.
Hand off to Maroney who takes it for 4.  2nd and 6.
Maroney up the middle but Scott Shanley wraps him up for just 1.  3rd and 5.  Come on Saints.  Deeeeeeee FENCE.
Brady to Welker but he's hit short by Roman Harper and it brings up 4th and 3.  Huge play by Harper.
Patriots go for a field goal and get it.

Patriots 10 Saints 17

1st down Saints at their own 23, 4.07 on the clock.
Brees to Pierre Thomas who weaves his way for 3.  Great effort.  2nd and 7.
Brees to Devery Henderson on the sidelines who takes it short but makes a move and moves the chains.  Great play Devery.

1st down Saints at their 35.
Pierre Thomas up the middle for 2.  2nd and 8.
Drew Brees pumps two fakes and stops the D and... Finds Saints legend in the making David Thomas for 25!!

1st down Saints at the Pats 38.
Drew Brees drops back and looks deep... and hits Robert Meachem for a Saints TOUCHDOWN!!  Awesome, absolutely awesome.  Now Drew Brees should get the recognition he deserves.  That was just sensational.

Robert Meachem Touchdown - 'Hey 24, watch this catch'

Patriots 13 Saints 24

Come on Defence.  Let's stop them scoring before the half.

1st down Patriots at their own 20.
Brady to Maroney on the screen for pick up of 9 and gets out of bounds.  2nd 1.
Brady hit by Anthony Hargrove as he throws and it falls incomplete.  Great pressure Hargroves you legend!!
Brady to Aitken and they convert.

1st down Pats at their 35, 1.07 on the clock.
Brady hit by Bobby McCray as he releases and falls incomplete.   But Malcolm Jenkins is called for holding in the secondary so the Pats get a 1st down at their 40.

1st down Pats.
Brady to Welker on the sidelines for 8.  2nd and 3.
Brady to Moss at the Saints 42.

1st down Pats with 46 ticks left on the clock.
Brady to Faulk who gets jacked up by Darren Sharper.  That was HARDDDDDD!!  Faulk is being checked on the sidelines.

1st down Pats at the 32.
Brady down the middle and... it's broken up.
Brady to the end zone and... it sails over the receiver.  3rd and 10.  Come on D.
Brady down the middle and... it sails incomplete again.  Beautiful.  The Saints secondary are doing an outstanding job on coverage.
So they go for a 50 yard field goal and... It goes wide left!!

Still Patriots 10 Saints 24 to end the 1st half.  Everyone has played just great so far.