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
Saints RB Pierre Thomas suffered a bruised left wrist during Saturday afternoon’s practice, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. The injury kept him from participating in the team portions of practice on Sunday.
Thomas injured the same wrist last season and required surgery, so he is being cautious with this one. “I didn’t want to irritate it so I backed off, get some treatment, let it calm down and get back out there next week,”
LaDainian Tomlinson is not going to leave San Diego, but the Saints can have happiness in knowing that at least they were in the mix for his services. Tomlinson this week decided to stay with the Chargers, but stated today on the Dan Patrick Show that he considered the Saints, the Ravens, and the Broncos as his next NFL team. So at the end of the day, it looks like it will be up to Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas to run the show, but Tomlinson would have been a great fit for the team and the city.
With Deuce McAllister gone, what will the Saints do next in the running back spot? One thing they may look to do in the draft or free agency is add some type of power back. Pro Football Weekly talks about the team doing just that in a recent tidbit:
While adding pieces to the defense will be the Saints’ main focus this offseason, head coach Sean Payton said he’ll be looking to for a power running back in free agency or the draft to be used in 3rd-and-short situations. He admitted to having some concerns about the durability of his top two rushers, Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas, and will pursue a back with “some size” and “staying power inside (the tackles).”
Joey Harrington (third quarterback), RB Pierre Thomas, CB Michael Lehan, G Jamar Nesbit, NT Kendrick Clancy, DE Rob Ninkovich, WR David Patten and TE Jeremy Shockey.
RB Pierre Thomas (wrist/back) missed a third consecutive practice on Friday and is questionable on the injury report, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
From: Pro Football Weekly
We hear Pierre Thomas’ audition is going quite well. The Saints gave Thomas an opportunity to prove he can fill the vacancy left by Deuce McAllister, who isn’t in the team’s present or future plans, as New Orleans’ workhorse complement to Reggie Bush. In his last two games, Thomas has exceeded expectations, adding a jolt the running game lacked all year. He rushed for at least 87 yards in each contest and also scored four TDs. “I want to keep doing the right things,” Thomas said after the Saints’ Week 15 loss. “I want to keep my teammates having a positive feeling about me and keep my coaches having a positive feeling about me. … I’m just trying to take a step forward each and every week.” He’s set himself up for a prominent role in 2009, but the Saints are likely to shop to bring in some competition for Thomas.
