Saints Gab

This game turned out to be everything we thought it would be–two powerhouse offenses slugging it out until the finish. But it was the electric offense of the Saints that stole the show.

Mounting up over 552 yards of total offense, New Orleans picked up right where it left off, effectively mixing up passes and runs to keep the Chargers off balance. And it was Drew Brees who set the tone. Playing into the 3rd quarter, he exploited the Chargers’ defense, completing 18 of 24 passes for 240 yards and 2 TDs. His first touchdown pass was a 46-yard strike to Devery Henderson, who miraculously hauled it in off a deflection of  Antoine Cason’s helmet tying the game up at 7. But that wouldn’t be the last bomb Brees threw this evening. In the 2nd quarter, he zipped a 15-yarder in to Robert Meachem (victimizing Cason yet again) to put the Saints ahead 14-7. They never looked back.

As expected, Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas both contributed with some impressive hard runs and screens during their limited playing time. Once again, Bush exhibited both speed and toughness when he powered a backhanded flip from Brees down the field for a 38-yard gain. He had seven catches for 70 yards.  Marques Colston had four catches for 55 yards. 

But it was the performance of undrafted rookie sensation, Chris Ivory, that dazzled the 70,000+ who were in attendance. From a simple swing pass, he totally embarrassed the Chargers’ defenders as he meandered his way down the field, breaking tackles and stiff-arming to take it in for a 76-yard score. He also rushed for 45 yards in this one.

I must tell you, this kid gets more impressive by the week. Once a long-shot to make the team’s roster, it would be hard at this point not to imagine him being a Saint by the time the regular season starts on September 9th. He has played solid in all three preseason games, and from what I heard of him prior to that, he wowed coaches and spectators all during training camp. He is a tough, exciting player who has, in my opinion, set himself comfortably apart from the other running backs competing for a roster spot.

The Chargers’ offense wasn’t bad either, just a bit inconsistent. At times, they took it right to the Saints’ secondary, capitalizing on miscues that are proving to be problematic for New Orleans. Rivers and company’s opening drive was perhaps their most impressive. Utilizing a perfect balance of passes and runs, the first-team offense struck quickly when the capable quarterback led them 82 yards for the game’s first score, a tough, grinding 6-yard touchdown punch by a stream-lined Jacob Hester (who, by the way, showed a lot of athleticism on the score). In the 12-play drive, Rivers was 5 of 6 for 44 yards, while Ryan Mathews gained 32 yards on five carries, breaking one for an impressive 16-yd run. Rivers’ other touchdown pass was a 9-yard toss to Malcolm Floyd. Leaving the game in the middle of the 3rd quarter, he finished with 16 of 27 for 167 yards. Antonio Gates had 5 catches for 66 yards.

The Saints defense had a solid performance overall despite a rocky start in which it gave up a touchdown.  Jabari Greer was true to form as he darted back and forth batting down passes and disrupting plays.  Characteristic of  its new improved reputation, the unit recorded two interceptions–one by Usama Young and the other by Leigh Torrence who ran it back 87 yards for a touchdown in the waning seconds to end the game on a high note.

What I saw in terms of Saint performances was that there are still some serious issues on special teams coverage, though it was somewhat better than in the previous two games.  Dropped passes were also a problem that killed otherwise productive drives.  And there were way too many penalties.  Players are going to have to stay focused and disciplined in order to avoid flags that only hurt the team.  I don’t know about this new rule concerning having to wait until the officials get into position before the ball can be snapped either.  Judging from this game alone, it just looks like a lot of confusion to me. Neither the coaches nor the players appear to be in favor of it.  It’s going to be interesting to see how it affects teams as the regular season cranks on.

Of special note,  MLB Jonathan Vilma went down with what’s being reported as a right groin injury early in the 3rd quarter.  Although he left the field under his own power, we don’t know the severity of the injury.  Vilma had been playing extremely well, making his presence felt all over the field.   Zack Strief also had to leave the game with an injury–I’ve heard ankle and knee so I’m exactly sure which.   We can only hope and pray that their injuries are not serious so they can be back in action soon.

Other Notes:  Patrick Ramsey was 10 of 18 for 191 yards and 1 TD–impressive!  Adrian Arrington also continued to shine by pulling down rather difficult catches, although I don’t get him back there returning kicks.  Courtney Roby and Montez Billings both showed moments of brilliance.  Garret Hartley was reliable once again, nailing FGs of 27 , 35 and 40 yards.

The last time these two teams met was during October 2008 in London’s Wembley Stadium. The game had been billed (and rightfully so) as one of the most anticipated of the season with the two high-flying offenses squaring off in the International Series before a record crowd.

It would not disappoint, as the playmakers stepped up and did their thing. Drew Brees finished the game with 339 yards and 3 TDs ; Philip Rivers threw for 341 yards and 3 TDs; Ladanian Tomlinson rushed for 105 yards while Deuce McAllister and Pierre Thomas combined for 83 yards and a TD. When the smoke cleared and the clock read zero, the Saints had held on to defeat the Chargers 37-32.

The real difference in that game turned out to be the outstanding play of the Saints offensive line, which did not give up a sack, and a heads-up play on defense in which Jonathan Vilma intercepted Rivers to end an impressive drive down the field.

A lot has changed for both teams since then. McAllister is now retired and Tomlinson is a Jet. Many players have come and gone and I’m sure both QBs would love to have all of their playmakers healthy and ready to play. But one thing that remains the same is that this matchup is being billed as another high-scoring affair in which both offenses will be expected to post monster numbers.

In fact, some are even proclaiming (very prematurely I might add), that this game could amount to being a very early look at Superbowl XLV. I believe that once again, the Saints’ offensive line and aggressive defense are going to be the difference in this one when it’s all said and done.

Offensively, the two teams are very similar. Both QBs have an arsenal of weapons to utilize through the air and on the ground and neither are afraid to use them. And because it’s going to be the third game of the preseason, I look for many of the starters to see a bit more action than they have in the previous two. With that said, this is how I see things shaping up.

Since Rivers will be without his big target, Vincent Jackson, I look for TE Antonio Gates to get most of the throws and RB Ryan Mathews to handle most of the load on the ground with Michael Tolbert backing him up. As for the Saints, we all know about their woes as of late at the running back position. Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush are going to both see some, but limited, playing time I think.

I expect to see more of Chris Ivory as well as the debut of Ladell Betts and DeShawn Wynn as they try to fight for a spot on the roster. I also expect (and look forward) to seeing more of the development of young WR Adrian Arrington, not behind the arm of Chase Daniel this time, but Patrick Ramsey.

The key for the Saints is going to be protecting whoever is playing quarterback (most likely Ramsey). With Chargers DB Antonio Cromartie no longer with the team, their defense is just that much less effective. If the Saints QB performance is on spot, then this should be another pleaser for the sold-out home crowd.

The New Orleans Saints looked more like the defending World Champions tonight as they handed the Texans a 38-20 beatdown–N’awlins style. Set up by a fiercely dominating rushing attack that amassed a total of 201 yards, the Saints’ victorious performance was a lot more impressive than the loss against the Patriots last week.

There were some very bright spots in this game as some of the stars came out in rare form. Reggie Bush electrified the crowd when he scored a beautiful 9-yard TD run to put the black and gold on the scoreboard first. Showing his speed and some raw toughness, the back bulldozed his way into the endzone, looking more like the power runner everyone hoped he’d be, running up the middle and between the tackles. It was good to see him exhibit his tougness just as well as his speed. He finished the game with 7 carries for 49 yards.

Not surprising was the performance of Pierre Thomas. Following key blocks by Jonathan Goodwin and Carl Nicks, Thomas scored a 31-yd TD off a screen from QB Chase Daniel to put the Saints up 21-7 in the 2nd quarter. Nobody runs the screen better than Thomas in my opinion. Often very hard to bring down, his extra effort makes him a dangerous threat on offense. He reminded us tonight why he is so deserving of the contract he seeks. Let’s hope he gets it.

The reserve runner would not be outdone either. The power running of Chris Ivory along with that of P.J. Hill was key in a 65-yard scoring drive where Daniel hit his favorite target, Adrian Arrington for an 18-yd touchdown in the 3rd quarter to put the Saints ahead 35-13. Hill went on to suffer a leg injury in the 4th quarter, but was able to get up and walk off the field under his own power. Ivory finished with 20 carries for 66 yards. Both backs were very impressive again as they try to claim a place on the Saints roster.

Chase Daniel also had a stellar performance. Other than an interception of an errant throw in the 3rd quarter, the young QB was virtually flawless, putting up some very impressive numbers. In addition to the strikes for six he’d thrown to Thomas and Arrington, he looked extremely sharp as he connected with Zak Keasey for a 1-yd TD in the final play of the first  half. He went on to finish the game 15/21 for 182 yards and 3 TDs.  His go-to guy, Arrington had 3 catches for 71 yards. I’d say that over the past two weeks, these two have really made a case for themselves as to why they should be members of the New Orleans Saints.

Even the defense looked like it got a much-needed shot in the arm over the course of the week. DE Will Smith forced a fumble when he popped the Texans’ RB Foster, forcing him to cough up the ball. Sedrick Ellis fell on it for the Saints, giving the Who Dat defense its first takeaway of the preseason. It was refreshing to see that the tackling was better than it was last week. Even though they gave up a few of plays straight up the gut, they did show signs of marked improvement.

I don’t think any of us doubted that the Saints would win this game. It’s just that there had been a growing concern about which team we’d see tonight. Would we see the team who dominated on both sides of the ball last year or would we see the lethargic, lackluster team who took the field last week? Well, we got our answer and pleasantly so. It looks like the Who Dats are back!

Other important notes: Drew Brees was 5/10 for 36 yards and 1 rushing TD; Marques Colston had 3 receptions for 24 yards; Garret Hartley kicked 5 PATs and 1 35-yard field goal.

Not dressed were: Darren Sharper, Cliff Ingram, Jon Stinchcomb, Jimmy Graham, and Stanley Arnoux.

The stalemate seems to be ongoing for running back Pierre Thomas and the Saints, as Thomas is speaking out saying he wants the type of money of another NFC running back – the Rams Steven Jackson:

Saints running back Pierre Thomas wants more money, and he hasn’t been afraid to talk about it. Although his agent, Lamont Smith, is denying that his client is looking for anything close to the six-year, $44.805 million deal that the Rams gave Steven Jackson two years ago, Thomas has already been quoted as wanting “Steven Jackson money.” So while his sights may now be set a little lower, he still isn’t happy with his current deal. Thomas signed his one-year tender on June 14, one day before the Saints could have reduced their original offer by more than $1.1 million, and he’s currently in line to receive $1.684 million during the 2010 season. With training camp around three weeks away, Thomas is hoping that the Saints will up their offer from the reported four-year, $11 million deal they opened with which is a far cry from Jackson’s contract, but it certainly leaves plenty of middle ground for the two sides to come to an agreement.

PFW’s Dan Parr reports on running back Pierre Thomas, and how he remains steadfast in waiting for a new deal for the club:

After putting off signing his tender offer until June 14, the day before the Saints could reduce their original offer by more than $1.1 million, RB Pierre Thomas(notes) reiterated that he still wanted a longer and more lucrative contract from New Orleans before training camp. Thomas, who was a restricted free agent, is under contract for one year and he is due to make $1.684 million during the 2010 season.

Thomas’ agent, Lamont Smith, denied a rumor that Thomas is looking for a contract similar to the six-year, $44.805 million deal the Rams’ Steven Jackson signed almost two years ago, but Thomas is clearly looking for a significant raise, and the Saints would like to keep Thomas around for the foreseeable future.

With about three weeks to go until training camp, it appears Thomas would like more than the Saints are willing to give. There’s still enough time for the two sides to find common ground, however.

The Saints’ initial offer to Thomas this offseason was reportedly a four-year, $11 million deal. When asked if he had a preference about whether Thomas plays on a one-year tender or a longer contract this season, Saints head coach Sean Payton said he’s just glad Thomas is under contract.

“Well, you try to move the biases or preferences out,” Payton recently told PFW. “(Thomas is) somebody that, first off, we’re proud of. The journey he’s come from, as a free agent, undrafted out of Illinois, and he came in and beat out a fourth-round pick (for a roster spot) that same season. He’s pretty much earned everything he’s gotten. There’s always a special place for guys that have worked that hard. I think he’s someone that has endeared himself to our fan base, and certainly he’s a great teammate.

“In the end, I think our league does as good a job as any league in any sport in paying attention to that and rewarding those types of players. As a preference, what I’m happy most about is that he’s back and he signed his tender.”

The Fox station in New Orleans states that it appears the Saints could have a long-term deal in place for running back Pierre Thomas as early as Wednesday.

The New Orleans Saints could have a long-term offer to running back Pierre Thomas as early as tomorrow. Thomas was tendered at a second round level after the season, a one-year deal that would have been worth $1.68 million. Thomas has not signed that tender in hopes of reaching a long-term agreement with the team. Thomas came to the Saints an undrafted free agent out of Illinois and has averaged over 5.1 yards a carry and scored 22 touchdowns during his three seasons in New Orleans.

Brian Allee-Walsh, of The New Orleans Times-Picayune, reports New Orleans Saints RB Pierre Thomas called himself “questionable” for the team’s Week 1 game. Thomas has been sidelined since spraining his MCL in his right knee two weeks ago. Thomas said, “My main focus is trying to get back for the first game. But if it’s not ready, it’s not ready. I can’t push it.” Thomas estimated his injured knee to be at “65 percent” full strength.

On the unofficial depth chart used in this year’s training camp, the Saints have Reggie Bush ahead of Pierre Thomas. Sean Payton has already explained that the depth chart at RB should actually read ‘1A’ and ‘1B’ instead of ‘1′ and ‘2′.

This has caused quite a stir among fans of the Black and Gold. Some feel Bush should get his hands on the ball as often as possible due to his homerun ability while others feel P.T. is the obvious choice as a true RB to be the workhorse.

I feel Thomas and Bush should be used similar to how Deuce and Bush were used in the 2006 season. I have thoughts about both players, and I’m using last year’s numbers to back my case.

In the first seven weeks of the season…

Rush/Rec. Yards and TDs

Bush: 633 yards, 5 TDs
Deuce: 231 yards, 1 TD
Thomas: 144 yards, 3 TDs

Payton eased Deuce into the rotation, giving Thomas a chance early. In the first three games, Thomas had 123 yards and 3 TDs while Deuce managed 10 yards and 0 TDs. The next four games, Thomas got 21 yards and 0 TDs while Deuce collected 221 yards and 1 TD.

Reggie was, without a doubt, the big play guy. He added 3 punt return TDs during that 7-game span, and he was leading the league in total TDs (8).

Then he got hurt. Bush would miss the next four games. So let’s imagine a team without Reggie Bush…

We won three of the four games without Bush, averaging 34.5 points a game. In that four game span…

Rush/Rec. yards and TDs vs S.D., ATL, K.C., G.B.

Thomas: 353 yards, 3 TDs
Deuce: 151 yards, 4 TDs
Stecker: 69 yards
Bell: 6 yards

Deuce got several carries in the red zone, but Thomas became the go-to guy. Payton was reluctant to run the ball in that span at first. Brees threw 40 times vs S.D. compared to just 22 runs. The next week vs ATL, we hit a wall, throwing 58 times while rushing the ball just 17 times. Payton may have learned the error of his ways for the next two games, with a 36 pass/28 run effort vs K.C. and a beautiful 27 pass/26 run effort vs G.B. We all know how that turned out… 51 points (without Reggie).

Bush returned and managed to play in three more games. His returning contest (vs the Bucs), the Saints tried to rely on Reggie in the running game, but he failed to gain a single yard. Thomas ran for 34 yards while Deuce got 13 on the ground, but we eventually gave up on the ground game as T.B. pulled ahead 20-10 going into the 4th quarter. We ran 18 times and passed 47 times.

Rush/Rec. yards and TDs vs T.B.

Bush: 32, 0 TDs
Thomas: 54 yards, 1 TD
Deuce: 16 yards,0 TDs

Finally, Payton realized that Thomas could carry the load while spotlighting Bush here and there, and the results were a 2-1 record in the next three games (with a pass/run ratio of 33/30, 43/32, and 40/30). The last game vs Carolina was the Brees-to-5,000 game. Bush would get injured in the Chicago game, but Thomas remained the clear cut starter throughout until he got hurt at the end of the Lions game.

Rush/Rec. yards and TDs vs ATL, CHI, DET, CAR

Bush: 184 yards, 1 TD
Deuce: 148 yards, 1 TD
Thomas: 358 yards, 5 TDs
Bell: 50 yards, 1 TD

My point is this: the Saints are a much-better team with Reggie Bush, but Bush has to be spelled often. As a home-run threat, he is incomparable. However, until Bush learns to get the easy yards through the tackles instead of trying to bounce everything outside BEFORE he even hits the line of scrimmage, he will be a liability in the running game.

Thomas led the entire NFL in fewest rushes for losses among RBs with over 100 carries. He also ranked 6th in yards per carry (4.8) among RBs with 100 or more carries. I think P.T. poses a great threat in the backfield in his own right, but we have to give Reggie a chance to get hot at some point. Still, this team went 4-2 in the six games played without Bush, and the two losses could very well be blamed on Payton’s reluctance to run the ball (run/pass ratio in two losses without Bush: 17/58 and 11/49).

In all-purpose (rush/rec./ret.) yards and TDs, Thomas collected 1,702 yards and 12 TDs, Bush got 1,114 yards and 9 TDs, and Lance Moore had 1,004 yards and 10 TDs.

Hopefully, Payton finds a way to use Thomas and Bush just as Deuce and Bush were used in 2006. It works great (as evident in the second Atlanta game last year).

GEAUX SAINTS!!!

Who Dat Dish had a great column on the Reggie Bush-Pierre Thomas combo and if it can reach new levels in the 2009 season:

Last season the duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart carried the the Panthers to a 12-4 season, a playoff appearance, and their best year since 1996.

The potent combination totaled 2,351 yards on the ground and 28 touchdowns, tops in the NFL in 2008, and a headache for Saints fans everywhere.

In comparison Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas combined for 1,029 yards on the ground and 11 touchdowns, a far cry from some of the leagues marquee runningbacks.

A two back system is becoming more and more and prominent in today’s NFL. Several teams have employed the “runningback by committee” approach with success, the Chargers with L.T. and Sproles, the Giants with Jacobs and Bradshaw, and the Cowboys with Barber and Jones, just to name a few.

Much of the Saints downfall last season came on the failure of its running game. They struggled in short yard situations as well as goal line stands, costing them several close contests.

Bush failed to find his rhythm for the second straight season, not eclipsing the 600 yard mark. He flashed a glimpse of the phenomenal player he could be, but lacked the consistency needed to run between the tackles successfully in the NFL.

Click HERE to read the rest of this article

Many think that Pierre Thomas could have a huge year in fantasy football and for the Saints overall, and Pro Football Weekly’s Michael Blunda has the following article on their site about Thomas and what he might do in 2009:

When it comes to early-round fantasy picks, safe is usually the way to go. After all, messing up your first- or second-round selection could spell doom for your season. But if you’re the type of owner who likes to gamble on risky players with significant upside in the first couple rounds, there may not be a better choice this year than Saints RB Pierre Thomas.

For anyone who wasn’t paying attention during the final two months of last season, Thomas has ascended to the level of “fantasy star.” With a whopping nine touchdowns (six rushing, three receiving) in his last six games of 2008, the “PT Cruiser” was responsible for many owners capturing fantasy titles. Now, entering the ‘09 campaign as New Orleans’ co-No. 1 back alongside Reggie Bush, Thomas looks like a lock to get picked early in fantasy drafts. In fact, in a Yahoo! Sports mock draft in which I participated in May, he was taken in Round Two and was the 22nd pick overall.

Believe it or not, the argument for Thomas being drafted this high is pretty strong. With the Saints parting ways with Deuce McAllister and not signing another back this offseason, they clearly are confident that Thomas can be their primary between-the-tackles and goal-line runner. And after the way he finished off ‘08, they have reason to feel secure in his abilities.

Click HERE to read the rest