Saints Gab

Saints head coach Sean Payton said left tackles Zach Strief and Jermon Bushrod would continue to alternate at the position as they did for last week’s game against the Tampa Bay Bucs. Strief, a four-year veteran, was a surprise starter after Bushrod had started the eight games he was healthy for earlier in the season.

Payton said the coaching staff just wanted to get Strief some playing time after performing well in recent practices. “We really came out of the St. Louis game (on Nov. 15) wanting to get him some work, and we were able to do it in this week’s game,” Payton said. “We’ll continue to look at both of those players as options as we move forward. Both of those guys are going to play.”

NFL.com reports that Sedrick Ellis may be back for the game vs the Pats Monday night:

The Saints’ defense should get a boost with the return of DT Sedrick Ellis for Monday night’s game against the visiting Patriots. Ellis, who has missed the past four games with a knee sprain, has gone through all portions of practice this week, according to a team source, and he could resume his starting position. New Orleans has been vulnerable against the run with Ellis out of the lineup, allowing more than 100 yards on the ground in each of the past four games and having Falcons RB Michael Turner, Rams RB Steven Jackson and Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams each rush for 131 yards or more in three of those games.

Pro Football Weekly reports that the Saints may part ways with SLB Scott Fujita at the end of the year:

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ system has made just about every member of the Saints’ “D” look better this year, but sources say SLB Scott Fujita, in part because of a calf injury that kept him out for three games, hasn’t taken off like some of his teammates have. Observers say he looks past his prime, although he did have his first sack and forced fumble of the year vs. the Buccaneers in Week 11. The 30-year-old will become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, and while he’s been a solid player – the Saints like him for his intelligence and leadership – it would not be a big surprise if the team decides to let him go elsewhere.

Saints rookie punter Thomas Morstead has been named the NFC’s special teams player of the week. Morstead had for punts for a 48.8-yard gross average and a 46.0 net in a victory against Tampa Bay. Morstead had one punt downed at the Tampa Bay 1-yard line and another at the 5, and also handled kickoff duties and had three touchbacks.

The Times Picayune reportsSaints Place CB Leigh Torrence On Injured Reserve that the Saints have put cornerback Leigh Torrence on injured reserve:

To make room on the 53-man roster for newly signed cornerback Mike McKenzie, the New Orleans Saints placed cornerback Leigh Torrence on injured reserve, a team official said. Torrence, a four-year veteran, injured his shoulder in Sunday’s 38-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Torrence had been active for five games this season, mostly on special teams, but was pressed into more extensive duty during the last two games when the Saints’ cornerback position was hit hard by injuries.

The New Orleans Saints are 10-0 for the first time in franchise history.

Brees and the offense rolled to a 38-7 win against the 1-9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With the offensive line not allowing any sacks, Brees threw for less than 200 yards; however, he had 3 touchdown passes and 0 interceptions.

Robert Meacham finished the game with only 10 yards but had two touchdown receptions. This was his third straight game with a receiving touchdown. He now has 6 in the season.

Mike Bell added two touchdowns of his own. The running game overcame a slow start as they gained 147 of their 183 rushing yards in the second half.

The defense picked off Bucs rookie quarterback Josh Freeman 3 times and recovered a fumble. All three quarterbacks selected in the first round of this year’s draft have thrown 3 interceptions against the Saints. Josh Freeman is the only one who has thrown a touchdown pass between them.

The Saints face the New England Patriots next Monday night.

Running back Reggie Bush and defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis are not traveling with the Saints for Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay.

A team spokesman said Saturday that both players had been downgraded on the official injury report from questionable to out with knee injuries. Both players are expected to be back at practice next week.

Bush missed practice this week with swelling in his left knee, the same knee on which he had surgery last December to repair cartilage. Bush is coming off one of his best games of the season in St. Louis last Sunday, when he gained 98 yards and scored two touchdowns on six rushes and a pair of receptions.

Bush has 484 yards and six touchdowns in combined rushing and receiving this season. Head coach Sean Payton said earlier in the week that he was hopeful Bush could play against the Buccaneers, but that he was wary of pushing him and causing a setback.

Ellis sprained his right knee in Miami in Week 7 and returned to practice this week on a limited basis. A first-round draft choice in 2008, he is one of New Orleans’ primary run-stuffers.

Surprisingly, the Saints had to put up a fight against the St.Louis Rams last Sunday to remain undefeated. This week, the Saints are facing a Tampa Bay team that has found a promising leader in Josh Freeman.

Freeman, with four touchdown passes and two interceptions in the season, is 1-1 in his two starts, with the loss having more to do with the Bucs’ defensive letdown at the end of the game against the Dolphins. He has the Bucs averaging 30.5 points/game in the last two games.

However, I expect Freeman, and the Bucs to come up short at home against the Saints. But, if the Saints get complacent and take Tampa Bay lightly, they will be undefeated no more.

Why the Saints will win:

1. The Bucs are 31st, both in points allowed, and rushing yards allowed. It will be a field day for Brees, as well as the running game.

2. The Bucs are second in the league with 19 fumbles this season (Redskins have 20). However, they have only lost three of them. If the defense scoops those loose balls up, the Saints will score in bunches.

3. The Saints are 2-0 against quarterbacks chosen in first round of the 2009 draft. Mark Sanchez and Matthew Stafford have thrown a total of six interceptions against the Saints. Expect the defense to keep that streak going.

Final Score: 38-20.

Reggie Bush has missed two practices this week as the Saints try to rest their running back’s left knee. It’s the same knee Bush had surgery on last December to repair cartilage.

Bush is coming off one of his best games of the season in St. Louis last Sunday, when he gained 98 yards and scored two touchdowns on six rushes and a pair of receptions.

Saints coach Sean Payton says Bush has had some swelling in the knee and is getting some rest. Payton would not say what Bush’s chance of playing are this Sunday in Tampa Bay.

Payton says he hopes Bush can practice Friday, but that the team will be cautious about doing anything that could set him back.

Bush was not available for comment.

With a perfect record at the halfway mark of the 2009 season, the Saints are the easy pick to represent the NFC for Super Bowl XLIV in South Florida. However, as the Saints march onto the second half of the season, the road will not be as easy as they will encounter some roadblocks.

Yes, a perfect record would be nice; however, it will not determine the success of the 2009 season. This season will only be successful if the Saints are Super Bowl winners eighty-four days from now. Having blown by Detroit, showing resiliency by surmounting a 21-point deficit against the Dolphins, and by beating quality opponents, the Saints have shown they are no fluke. Nonetheless, the November 30th, Monday Night showdown against the Patriots should tell us what the Saints are really made of.

Upon reviewing the remainder of the schedule, the Saints should finish with no less than 14 wins, with a must-win game against the Cowboys in late December. This is crucial because the Saints must lock up home-field advantage in the playoffs if they are to make a serious push for the Super Bowl. The Saints do not want to face the Cowboys or the Vikings on the road in the playoffs.

In the second half of the season, the Saints must continue their success with the aerial and ground attack, ranking fourth and fifth respectively in the league, if they want to continue picking away defenses. The defense, sixteenth overall, much improved this year under Defensive Coordinator Greg Williams, must keep teams out of the endzone.

They have allowed nearly 22 points a game. It all comes down to discipline. The defense is fourth in the league in penalty yards, which has allowed opposing teams to move down the field and score against them. To date, the Saints have not won any close game, and the defense has been getting by with the outstanding play of Drew Brees and the offense.

The Saints have won their games by an average of sixteen points. Should teams start figuring out a way to slow down Drew Brees and the rest of the offense, the Saints will be in trouble, unless the defense picks up their act.