Bleacher Report - Articles by Alex Rodriguez

New Orleans Saints: Should the Saints Sign Lorenzo Neal?

Alex Rodriguez — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:41:51 -0400

If you haven't heard yet, the New Orleans Saints have placed fullback Heath Evans on the injured reserve list, ending his season. The fullback was injured in Week Seven in a 46-34 win against the Miami Dolphins.

Evans played a role in the New Orleans Saints' outstanding success in the run game this year. They're currently ranked third in the league in rushing offense. With Evans blocking, the Saints backfield is averaging 154 rushing yards per game, bringing balance to the spectacular Saints offense.

Some people might think that the fullback position isn't that important when, honestly, it could be the difference.

The Saints have used Heath Evans to lead the way for running backs Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell and Reggie Bush. Even with Evans, however, the Saints still have been struggling on third and short. Is Evans' replacement, Kyle Eckel, going to be able to block any better?

Eckel, a former Philadelphia Eagle, was part of one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL in 2008, ranked 22nd in the league. The Eagles were just as bad as New Orleans in 2008 when it came to short yardage situations, and I don't feel Eckel will be an upgrade.

This is why I say the Saints should consider signing veteran Lorenzo Neal.

Neal spent the first four of his 15 NFL seasons with the New Orleans Saints, who drafted him in 1993. He has lead the way for eight top-10 rushing teams in the NFL. In his five seasons with the San Diego Chargers, they never ranked lower than top-10 in the NFL.

In 2008, when he wasn't leading the way for the future Hall of Fame running back, LaDanian Tomlinson, the Chargers dropped to 20th in the league.

Some might say that is because LT is getting old. But, honestly, the fullback position can make a big difference for a running back when it comes to opening holes.

Last season, while with the Ravens, he helped lead the way to the NFL's fourth-best rushing attack.

I don't know about you, but I'd like to see a veteran with a proven resume take over the fullback position. I can't feel comfortable with Kyle Eckel leading the way for our running backs. I just don't think he can the job done.

Lastly, let me say, how about that comeback in Week Seven!

Saints-Jets: My Official New Orleans Week Four Prediction

Alex Rodriguez — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:38:04 -0400

The 3-0 New Orleans Saints host the 3-0 New York Jets in a week four match up that should be a aggressive game for both teams. This is the only game of the undefeated in week four and both these teams will do what ever it takes to start the season off with a 4-0 record.

The New Orleans Saints' No. one offense faces off with the New York Jets' stingy defense ranked fifth in the league.

Both of these teams have opened eyes and played past their expectations coming into the 2009 season. Who would've thought that the Saints would be able to get as many turn overs and run the ball? Who would've thought that a rookie would lead his team to three wins in his first three games.

I am excited for this game, which should be a great showing from both teams who are out to prove they are for real.

The Saints return to the dome after two road games with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Buffalo Bills. This is the second time this season that the Saints start off against a rookie quarterback, but this time the rookie quarter back has experience under his belt.

The question for me is how will we play Sanchez? Will we send blitzes or will we sit back in coverage?

Now as good as Mark Sanchez is he does have a bit of a problem with fumbling and honestly I think that is something the Saints will look at and talk about coming into this game.

In three games, Sanchez has fumbled four times only losing one but against a defense that is always looking for turn overs and getting to the ball that might cost the Jets. The Saints are always looking for a way to set the offense up with good field positioning and you might see them attack Sanchez due to his fumbling issues meaning going for strips instead of wrapping him up.

A couple of turn overs could make the difference in this game. New Orleans Saints inside linebacker Jonathan Vilma is going up against his former team and will look to have a big game. Vilma will be a big part of the Saints against the Jets rushing attack being led by running back Thomas Jones.

The last time Thomas Jones went up against the Saints in 2006 in the NFC Championship game he ripped the defense apart for 123 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries with a 6.5 average.

Jones is the most physical back the Saints have played yet and honestly this worries me after seeing the Eagles carry some of our defenders in week two. If the Saints want to make Sanchez uncomfortable this will be one way to do it by taking his running game away.

Although the Jets are 10th in rushing they are only averaging 3.8 yards per carry so the question is will this be a easy for us to do with the fifth ranked rushing defense or will Jones embarrass us against?

After a dominating performance from the Saints defensive line I don't think they will be much of a factor in this one. As much as Gregg Williams would like to only send in four- to three-man rushes, I do think he will have to send in some blitzes to rattle up Sanchez and get pressure.

I want to see how corner back Jabari Greer played against a former AFC east rival Jericho Cotchery who has recorded 18 receptions 285 yards and a touchdown. Cotchery has given Sanchez a valuable number one receiver.

The Jets offense is full of weapons like Leon Washington and Dustin Keller players who could possibly embarrass our line backers in the passing game. I want to see how the Saint's OLBs will handle covering these players.

The Saints offense is in some trouble or are they? The Jets defense is ranked second in points allowed only giving up 33 total points only allowing opposing offenses a total of two offensive touchdowns,four field goals and a pick six, but this is the Saints and offense that managed to score 27 points on its off day and a offense that has already scored 120 points averaging a whopping 40 points a game.

Can the Saints possibly score on this defense? Yes we did it against the Eagles a defense that was predicted to shut our offense down why couldn't we do it against the Jets?

The Jets defense has shut down opposing receivers with corner back Darrelle Revis and have brought blitzes to apply pressure on the opposing quarter backs. The thing about this is that after being pressured against the Buffalo Bills how can the Saints offensive line handle the Jets pressure?

Drew Brees has one of the best releases in the game today and will look to get the ball out of his hands quickly against a blitz happy defense.

Now the Saints running game might not be much of a factor in this game against a team that has shut down opposing running backs. The Jets kept running backs Chris Johnson and Steve Slaton under 100 yards rushing.

Are the Saints going to be able to get the run game going is something we will have to wait to see. I'm not sure if Pierre Thomas can run past the Jets for 124 yards.

Special teams has improved over the past couple of games and I don't think it should be much of a problem. I'm really hoping the return game can get going for the Saints to set us up with good field position to make it easier on quarterback Drew Brees and the Saint's offense. I'm hoping the crowd can help keep us in the game and I can not wait to see Jonathan Vilma Vs Thomas Jones in his first game against the team that drafted him.

I predict the Saints to win this and be on point in the dome. The running game may not be a factor but I do think the defense will keep us in this game but we all know the Saints offense is on point in the dome.

27-14 Saints.

My Official New Orleans Saints Review

Alex Rodriguez — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:08:31 -0400

Drew Brees should be receiving jail time for his performance the past two weeks.

In two games Brees showed that he is a good hunter by gunning down some Lions and some Eagles. We all know it is illegal to kill an Eagle, let alone 11 of them.

Brees leads the NFL with nine passing touchdowns, two interceptions, 669 yards and a quarter back rating of 132.9.

Brees has never played better in the first two games of a season in his career, but what makes this even better was the fact that he got it going on the road.

In 2008 Brees was not as effective on the road as he was at home, which was part of the reason the Saints were 2-6 on the road. In 2006 when the Saints went to the NFC Championship Brees had 17 passing touchdowns and only two interceptions on the road.

In 2008, his worst season on the road, he had 14 passing touchdowns and 11 interceptions. I did include the San Diego game across seas but if you take it out you will see Brees is 11-11 on the road.

Brees has improved at home throughout his seasons with New Orleans, but if he can continue to deliver on the road that will make a big difference between the Saints being in the playoffs or not.

But there's no doubt in my mind Brees is looking better than ever, and teams better beware.

All of the offseason the main debate was over who would be the starting running back in the 2009 season. I have no doubt that Pierre Thomas will be the starter when healthy, but a running back that not many people even spoke about has definitely opened some eyes in the first two weeks of the season.

In two games Mike Bell has brought balance to the Saints offense with 229 rushing yards on 45 attempts with a 5.1 yards per carry average. Bell also had a rushing touchdown against the Eagles.

Bell has shown that he has great vision with his cut backs. But he also has shown he can be the power back for the Saints, putting his shoulder down and getting physical with opposing defenses.

The Saints commitment to running the ball better has brought a balance to the number one offense in 2008, which makes me believe this the Saints offense will be at it's best in 2009.

You might say, how do you get better than number one? By getting a rushing attack that has ranked in the bottom half of the league into the top half. The run game makes the play action pass that the Saints love even more affective.

Even Reggie Bush got a run up the gut against the Eagles that resulted in a 19-yard touchdown to put the Eagles away. I'm hoping that run can get Reggie's confidence up and will show him that you don't always have to bounce it to the outside to get a solid run.

Last season everyone was wondering, what is going on with Marques Colston. He didn't seem like he was in rhythm after his injury.

But this year is completely different. Colston came in eager to make his statement to the NFL and has recorded 11 receptions for 128 yards and three touchdowns.

Along with Colston, tight end Jeremey Shockey has shown he is ready to step up, recording two touchdowns—both against the Lions.

How about Devery Henderson? Henderson embarrassed corner back Sheldon Brown who came in with a Jason mask. I think he was just getting his team fired up for nothing.

I'll give Sheldon Brown some credit. He did have out standing coverage. Brees just made an amazing pass, and Henderson made an outstanding catch. Honestly Henderson has shown some improvement in the past two games.

Now onto the defense that is currently tied for first in interceptions. I would like to say that if you look at the scoreboard it looks like the same old Saints. I do have to be worried because the Saints haven't played against a proven quarterback just yet.

The Saints have allowed over 500 yards passing in the first two games. The have had teams try to throw on them 89 times and have only allowed 47 completions with a 52.6 completion percentage. The Saints have only allowed three passing touchdowns but also picked off six passes and recorded three sacks.

Three of those interceptions come from veteran Safety Darren Sharper who took a interception to the house on a 97-yard return in the fourth quarter against the Eagles.

Two of the interceptions were also recorded by linebacker Scott Shanle, who got his first two career interceptions in the first two games of the season.

It seems to me the Saints are trying to make plays on the ball, which makes me very happy. I'm hoping the rest of the Saints will step up and get some more interceptions in week three against Buffalo.

The Saints run defense has definitely been stingy so far. In two games against solid rushing attacks the Saints have only allowed 118 rushing yards on 41 attempts with a 2.9 average and two rushing touchdowns.

They have given up a total of 40 points defensively if you take away the safety the Saints gave up on purpose and the fumble recovery returned for a touchdown in week one. But if you don't, they gave up 49 points.

The Saints special teams improved in week two but did allow another return up to Saints territory again. This is the third return the Saints have allowed an opposing team to take up to Saints territory, and the three of them combined have cost the Saints 17 points.

The Saints were able to keep punt returner DeSean Jackson in check, which was an improvement along with rookie Malcolm Jenkins forcing a fumble which gave the Saints great field positioning on a kick return.

I expect the Saints to work more on their returns and kickoffs to help the offense and defense get better field position.

Will Philadelphia be Stunned Seeing Jeremy Shockey Up to His Old Hand Tricks?

Alex Rodriguez — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:18:42 -0400

New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey came to the Saints in 2008 through a trade. The former New York Giant was expected to become a big threat for the Saints in 2008 but did not reach the red zone once. While a lot of people viewed this trade as a bust for the Saints, many felt that this was due to injuries and the fact that Shockey didn't join the Saints until the end of training camp but Shockey still managed to record 50 receptions for 483 yards and not one touchdown.

The main concerns with Shockey were his health and if he could build chemistry with quarterback Drew Brees. Shockey missed four games of the 2008 season due to injury, and while it seems Shockey once again is injured, he should be able to play in Week Two against the Eagles. The other concern was could Shockey build a connection with the quarterback who led the No. 1 offense in the league and that seemed to be answered in Week One. Shockey came off his best game touchdown wise with the Saints and recorded two touchdowns in a 45-27 win against the Detroit Lions.

Now, as I mentioned, Shockey is a former Giant meaning Shockey knows the Eagles better than any player on the Saints offense, at least experience-wise. Shockey had his second best game against the Eagles reception wise with 10. Shockey, a former rival of the Eagles, looks to send a message to the Giants that the Saints meet after the bye in Week Five.

Shockey will be a big part of the Saints offense and will help quarterback Drew Brees. You most likely won't see wide open receivers with corner backs Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown covering our wide outs. Shockey will look to get open against the Eagles line backers to give Drew Brees a liable check down.

Against the Eagles, Shockey has made it a habit to burn their linebackers so this should not be a problem. I'm hoping Shockey can show consistency in Week Two against the Eagles and match his two touchdown game against the Lions. If Shockey can put together a solid game the Saints offense will be that much better and you could see another pro bowl player besides Drew Brees this year if we aren't in the Super Bowl already.

Why The New Orleans Saints Defense Will Be In The Top 15

Alex Rodriguez — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:05:24 -0400

Everyone knows the story when it comes to the New Orleans Saints.

They have a spectacular offense that can put points up on just about any team. With Drew Brees under the center the Saints have ranked in the top five in offense the past three seasons.

They've done this to only be constantly let down by poor defensive play.

The Saints had a total of six games that they lost by a touchdown or more. This could've been due to to the kicking game but most of the blame honestly has to be on the Saints defense.

Their inability to stop offenses at the end of games has cost them a trip to the playoffs two seasons in a row.

The Saints have made the defense the main priority in the 2009 offseason. The first transaction to improve the shaky defense was to bring in defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

Coach Sean Payton even gave up $200,000 of his salary to add Williams to the Saints coaching staff. Williams is a well respected defensive coordinator who has had top defenses in Washington, Tennessee, and Buffalo.

The Saints' main priority was to sign linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who led the Saints in tackles in 2008. Vilma was the only flash the Saints had in 2008 on the defensive side of the ball.

Other additions to the Saints defensive roster were Darren Sharper, Jabari Greer, and rookie Malcolm Jenkins.

The Saints have done the best they could've to re-shape the secondary. Their current active leader in interceptions is Darren Sharper.

With the adjustments in the defensive backfield the Saints look to go from 23rd ranked defense to top 15.

Some might say this is a bit too much to predict but I have looked back to the past eight seasons and I see no reason why the Saints defense can't make the jump.

I will show you teams that were ranked from 20th-32nd that moved up into the top 15 defenses.

2000-2001:

San Francisco 49ers Ranked 29th in total defense improved to 13th
Denver Broncos Ranked 24th in total defense improved to eighth
St. Louis Rams Ranked 23th in total defense improved to third
Cincinnati Bengals Ranked 22nd in total defense improved to ninth

2001-2002:
Carolina Panthers Ranked 31st in total defense improved to second
Indianapolis Colts Ranked 29th in total defense improved to eighth
Tennessee Titans Ranked 25th in total defense improved to 10th
Buffalo Bills Ranked 21st in total defense improved to 15th

2002-2003:

Chicago Bears Ranked 25th in total defense improved to 14th
New England Patriots Ranked 23rd in total defense improve to seventh
Baltimore Ravens Ranked 22nd in total defense improved to third
Cleveland Browns Ranked 21st in total defense improve to 15th
Jacksonville Jaguars Ranked 20th in total defense improve to sixth

2003-2004
Atlanta Falcons Ranked 32nd in total defense improved to 14th
Arizona Cardinals Ranked 26th in total defense improved to 12th
Washington Redskins Ranked 25th in total defense improved to third
New York Giants Ranked 22nd in total defense improved to 13th
Philadelphia Eagles Ranked 20th in total defense improved to 10th

2004-2005:
New Orleans Saints Ranked 32nd in total defense improved to 14th
Indianapolis Colts Ranked 29th in total defense improved to 11th
Green Bay Packers Ranked 25th in total defense improved to seventh
Chicago Bears Ranked 21st in total defense improved to second
Carolina Panthers Ranked 20th in total defense improved to third

2005-2006:
New England Patriots Ranked 26th in total defense improved to sixth
Philadelphia Eagles Ranked 23rd in total defense improved to 15th
Minnesota Vikings Ranked 21st in total defense improved to eighth

2006-2007:
Tennessee Titans Ranked 32nd in total defense improve to fifth
Washington Redskins Ranked 31st in total defense improve to eighth
New York Giants Ranked 25th in total defense improve to seventh
Indianapolis Colts Ranked 21st in total defense improve to third

2007-2008:
Buffalo Bills Ranked 31st in total defense improved to 14th
Cincinnati Bengals Ranked 27th in total defense improved to 12th
San Francisco 49ers Ranked 25th in total defense improved to 13th
Miami Dolphins Ranked 23rd in total defense improve to 15th
Minnesota Vikings Ranked 20th in total defense improve to sixth

These stats can all be found on http://www.nfl.com.

Now I am not saying that the Saints are the only defense that can go from 20th-32nd to top 15. There are plenty of teams I feel can make that jump starting with teams like Green Bay, San Diego, and Chicago.

I hope we can become a top 15 defense and I expect the Saints to be top of the line contenders if the defense can step it up this season.

And to the rest of the NFL, watch out the Saints are coming.

Saints-Lions: My Official New Orleans Week One Prediction

Alex Rodriguez — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 17:50:29 -0400

We are one week away from the start of the 2009 regular season, and I have never been as excited. On Sept. 13 the 8-8 New Orleans Saints open the 2009 season in the Superdome and face off against the 0-16 Detroit Lions in a Week 16 rematch of the 2008 season.

Let me just state that I do believe the Detroit Lions have improved drastically over the 2009 offseason, doing so by bring in linebackers Julian Peterson and Larry Foote as well as bringing in cornerback Phillip Buchanon.

You're probably wondering why I bolded Buchanon's name. The reason is that Buchanon, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer, had only two interceptions in the 2008 season, and both were against Saints quarterback Drew Brees—one which he took back to the house to give the Bucs a lead against the Saints and the other which came in the fourth quarter to close out the game against the Saints.

I have to say the Saints offense is due for a big game, seeing that we ranked first in the NFL in total offense in 2008 and the Detroit Lions ranked 32nd in total defense, but with these new faces the Lions have brought in, this actually could be a challenge. At the same time, though, it could take these players a while to build chemistry together.

I'm assuming the Saints will go back to their ground game against Detroit, which was efficient against the Lions in Week 16 in 2008. The Saints offense rushed for 181 yards with four rushing touchdowns with a 6.0 average.

All four of those touchdowns were scored by four different players: Pierre Thomas, Deuce McAllister, Robert Meachem, and the man seen diving into the red zone in the picture above, Mike Bell.

If the Saints can execute on the ground against the Lions, they could "run" away with this game. I, for one, want to see if healthy enough how Reggie Bush can run against the 32nd-ranked defense against the run in 2008 and the 18th-ranked rushing defense in the 2009 preseason.

Yes, I am aware that it is just preseason football, but most things from the preseason carry over to the regular season.

Although I mentioned Buchanon earlier, I still feel the Saints' passing game will be on point once again. Brees will look to light up the Detroit Lions defense and go to his favorite target out of all his weapons, Marques Colston, who had his best game against the Lions in 2008 with nine receptions for 99 yards and two receiving touchdowns.

If the Lions want to end their 17-game losing streak, they will have to play solid defense and try to slow down the Saints' passing game. This is not as easy as it sounds as the Saints have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL today.

If the Detroit Lions can at least contain the run and make the Saints offense one-dimensional, they might have a chance. Yet again we didn't rank too high in rushing and still managed light up the scoreboard with just our passing attack.

Now the one phase of the game I am most anxious to see is the New Orleans Saints defense. I am very excited to see Gregg Williams install all of his defensive schemes against the Detroit Lions offense. Although I am unaware of who is going to be the starting quarterback for the Lions in Week One, whoever it is better be ready for the heat.

The Lions gave up a total of 52 sacks in 2008, and I believe the key to the Saints' defensive success in this game will be getting to the quarterback. If the Saints can get after the quarterback against the Lions with the blitz, this will make up for the suspensions against of defensive ends Will Smith and Charles Grant.

People who follow the Saints are aware of the four-game suspensions that defensive ends Smith and Grant will be facing. This to me is a concern because I feel the only way the Saints will be able to pressure the Lions will be with the blitz and not with a four-man rush.

I still am scratching my head wondering who will be the starting cornerbacks for the Saints in Week One. I have no idea what pair of cornerbacks the Saints plan to play with, but whatever cornerbacks are starting will have a tough task ahead of them trying to cover the Lions' one-man wrecking machine Calvin Johnson.

One thing I know for sure is that rookie cornerback Malcolm Jenkins will not be starting. At least I would hope so—I don't feel he is ready just yet, although I do give him credit for his eight tackles he recorded against the Miami Dolphins in the final game of the preseason. However, I felt he was a victim of a couple of big plays.

Another concern I have will be the Saints' run-stopping. Last year the Saints allowed second-year running back Kevin Smith to rush for 111 yards with a 4.6 average and one rushing touchdown—the only touchdown the Saints gave up to the Detroit Lions.

If rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford is starting, then we will have to stuff the run to make the Lions offense one-dimensional and put more pressure on the rookie quarterback.

I am hoping that the Saints can come into Week One and create turnovers against the Lions offense and keep turnovers to a minimum against their defense. If the Saints can continue their streak of forcing fumbles in all four preseason games, then I believe the Saints offense will be able to close out this game.

My Official Prediction

The Lions will win a game in the 2009 season, but it just won't be against the Saints. As the Saints offense starts off where it finished last year and the defense improves, they prove to be too much for the winless Detroit Lions, who will extend their losing streak total to 18.

The Falcons took their first win against Detroit in 2008 and went on to an 11-5 season—the Saints are hoping for the same success.

Final Score: Saints 34, Lions 10

Saints Defense: New Swagger

Alex Rodriguez — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:40:14 -0400

The New Orleans Saints defense is starting to show some flashes. This unit is playing with intensity ready to make their presence felt on the field. The defensive side of the ball has brought in some new faces.

The Saints defenders were the biggest question mark coming into the 2009 season and if this defense can cause as much havoc in the regular season as they have in the preseason teams better be ware.

Some might just throw out that it is just preseason and not to get myself too excited, but we haven't even used all of our packages. Gregg Williams says he does not plan on using all of his packages until Week One against the Detroit Lions.

What could this mean for the Saints "D" coming into the 2009 season? Could we see more turnovers? Could we see more plays on the ball, and if so, who will be the main playmaker for us? I believe the answer to that is Jonathan Vilma. Newcomer Darren Sharper, who forced a fumble that was scooped up by Vilma and returned to Bengals territory might have something to say about that. So would Jabari Greer, who picked off a pass against the Houston Texans that ended a potential scoring drive and got the Saints three points.

Let me make sure I do give credit to second-year corner back Tracey Porter who forced a fumble and recorded about seven tackles. Corner back Randall Gay also intercepted a pass against the Houston Texans and along with Porter is battling for a starting position.

The Saints defense seems like it has a whole new mentality and a brand new swagger. The defensive unit being led by middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma looks to shut down offenses and keep cause turn overs. The Saints defense is going to attack anyone who attempts to tress pass into our end zone and keep our offense on the field.

Why Favre Will Fail in Minnesota

Alex Rodriguez — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:01:07 -0400

"Brett Favre signs with the Minnesota Vikings." Once I heard this I smiled and got ready to hear the predictions and the new expectations made for the Vikings. Many fans have immediately jumped onto the Vikings bandwagon, claiming they will win the NFC North. Some even said they will win the Super Bowl this year.

Now truth is they do have a solid chance at making it to the playoffs. All Favre is really going to have to do is hand it off to Adrian Peterson, right? Yes, everyone knows Favre is an upgrade over Tavaris Jackson and Gus Frerotte, the two quarterbacks that the Vikings managed to win 10 games with in 2008.

Minnesota Viking Fans, I have a question. Do you truthfully feel Favre is a liability at quarterback? Can anyone honestly believe that Brett Favre is the answer to the Vikings Super Bowl run this year? This is the man who couldn't manage to take the New York Jets to the Super Bowl or even the playoffs and he has every single thing in Minnesota that he had in New York.

"Oh, but he has Adrian Peterson and a great offensive line in front of him this year." He had the same exact thing with him in New York. Let's not forget that Thomas Jones led the AFC in rushing yards with 1,312 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns, out scoring Adrian Peterson in less touches. Thomas Jones has also proven to be a better receiving back with 36 receptions and a pair of receiving touchdowns. Thomas Jones only fumbled the ball twice versus Adrian Peterson's nine fumbles in 2008.

Favre also had better receivers in New York than he has in Minnesota with Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery, who by themselves managed to out score Minnesota's top three receivers in Bernard Berrian, Bobby Wade, and Sidney Rice 12-11.

Now here comes the funny part. Even with all this in 2008, Favre managed to lead the league in interceptions and only managed an 81.0 quarterback rating. Although Favre started the season out flaming hot, he started to decline late in the season. If Favre throws as many interceptions as he did in 2008 in 2009 and Adrian Peterson fumbles nine or more times, that is a lot of turnovers. If these turnovers seem to happen in the first four games of the season the Vikings could be in some trouble. Without Kevin Williams and Pat Williams you might just see teams run it down Minnesota's throats.

Now this is my first "Favre to Vikings" article and I know I'm going to get some comments and get "bashed" for saying that Minnesota won't be as amazing as everyone makes them seem, but I really don't care. If Adrian Peterson fumbles as much as he did in 2008 and Favre leads the league in interceptions, that means a lot of drives ending and a whole lot more chances for an opposing offense to score.

Charles Grant Feeling the Pressure

Alex Rodriguez — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:08:25 -0400

Many people have been looking down on New Orleans Saints' defensive end Charles Grant.

Some say he is lazy, and now that he has the money, he won't perform well. People even think that the man shouldn't be starting, and defensive end Bobby McCray should take over the position, but I disagree.

In his seven-year career, Grant has recorded over 379 tackles—300 of them being solo—41.5 sacks, 28 pass deflections, 15 forced fumbles, and one interception. Yes, I'm aware the interception shouldn't judge a defensive lineman, but I like the fact that he can get his hand up in the air.

The problem with Grant is that since 2006 his numbers have slowly declined. He recorded 145 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 10 pass deflections, and has not forced a fumble since 2006. He has recorded three sacks in the past 38 games, meaning health has been a concern for Grant.

His age (soon to be 31) might have something to do with this, as well.

I am here in Charles Grant's defense to simply say: Give this man a chance.

In 2008, before Grant got injured, he recorded 33 tackles and three sacks in just eight games. Yes, I know the sacks aren't that impressive, but imagine if Grant would've finished off the season? He could've had over six sacks and he could've recorded 60 or more tackles.

Grant also got his first safety last year, and had a multi-sack game against San Francisco.

Now, I am aware that this is a man who once recorded a career high 10.5 sacks, and those are the numbers fans want to see.

But it won't happen this year.

With a suspension of up to four games looming, Grant might record six sacks at best, but when he returns from that suspension, his presence will be felt.

He and Sedrick Ellis will form a great team on the left side of the defensive line. With Ellis demanding more double teams, Grant will record better numbers, just like he did last year.

With a healthy Charles Grant, Sedrick Ellis, and Will Smith, the Saints' defensive line could very well be one of the best in the league. I truthfully feel this defensive line is the best in the NFC South. Smith is back at 100 percent health-wise, so expect big numbers out of this defensive line.

And remember this: In 2006, the defensive line was the anchor of the Saints' defense.

Yes, we did allow a lot of points, but Charles Grant and Will Smith were playing amazingly well.

Charles Grant has to be feeling the pressure. Let's just hope he handles it the right way and continues to anchor the left side of the defensive line.

New Orleans Saints Rushing Attack Still a Concern?

Alex Rodriguez — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:52:36 -0400

Coming into the 2009 NFL Season the New Orleans Saints offense only had one flaw and that was the inability to to run the ball to close out games.

Yes, I am aware that we are a pass first team and I do love it knowing that we can go down the field in three to four plays and the excitement of watching quarterback Drew Brees blow up secondaries, but I still believe that there will be games that the Saints are going to have to run the ball.

In 2008 the Saints ranked 28th in the league in rushing averaging 99.6 yards per game and a rough 4.0 yards per carry average, the plus side to this is that the Saints have been able to score with their ground game being tied for fourth in the league in rushing touchdowns with 20 the only rushing attacks that had more were the Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, and the New England Patriots.

What I am trieng to get at is this I know the Saints will always be a pass first team as long as Sean Payton and Drew Brees stay in New Orleans but I do feel that Brees has had some rough games that he would've been helped out by with a rushing attack to take some of the pressure off of him.

The Saints are definteley a offense that loves the play action pass and it has been succesful even without a rushing attack. Now imagine it with a rushing attack? Sounds a whole lot better and it will be a whole lot more affective than in the past.

I want to know that my Saints are going to be able to run the ball down opposing teams defenses when we are up by three points and their is less than five minutes to go in the game.

Some say that the Saints weren't able to run the ball enough because the defense struggled so badly. Although this is true but honestly there were teams that had less rushing attempts than the Saints but still put up more rushing yards two of these teams were the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos.

I do feel that the Saints offensive line is truthfully only built for pass blocking but I do feel that they can run block if it is put more on them that they need to open up more running lanes for the running backs. The Saints will never face seven men boxes and this should open up running lanes for the Saints.

I am hopeful that Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush can find those running lanes. If the offensive line can not block I expect to see more extended hand offs to running backs Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush while running back Mike Bell takes care of the short yardage plays.

Saints-Texans: Saints Defense To Face Spectacular Offense Next Saturday

Alex Rodriguez — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:06:37 -0400

Let me start this off by saying I am glad that the Saints have cut cornerback Jason David, and I believe that many Saint fans are as well.

Friday night against the Cincinnati Bengals, it seemed like the defense shined the whole night. The defense caused three turnovers, two interceptions, and one fumble recovery. The only player on the defensive side of the ball that made me shake my head had to be David, allowing the only Bengals touchdown of the night.

Now, although I am glad the defense was playing better, I feel that the Saints rushing attack is in no way better than it was last year. The Saints offense seemed to be off-balance and not able to move the ball—until they decided to air it out.

The Saints then scored the first points of the game with Drew Brees throwing it up for a 22-yard touchdown grab by tight end Jeremy Shockey.

Although I would love to discuss how happy I was with the Saints defense and Drew Brees lighting it up, I have to move onto my next concern, which is the next task for the Saints. Next Saturday against the Houston Texans, the Saints play one of the best offenses in the league. This will be a tough challenge for the Saints defense.

The Houston Texans ranked third in the NFL in total offense in 2008, despite being without their starting quarterback for five games. Houston's offense can either run it down your throat, or air it out and blow up just about any secondary in the NFL. Their offense is full of big names like Andre Johnson, Steve Slaton, and Owen Daniels, and will be a tough challenge for the Saints defense.

Truthfully, though, I believe that if the Saints can get pass rush coming into next week's game, they could possibly shut down the Texans' high powered offense.

The Texans' offensive line is not one of the greatest, so consistent blitz could bring pressure to force Matt Schaub to throw his first interception in completion of the preseason.

If the Saints' first unit can find a way to shut down the Houston Texans' offense then this won't be just "hype" as everyone would like to say about the Saints' defense coming into the 2009 season; it will be the truth.

I would love to feel completely confident in my defense coming into the 2009 season and want to know they can create turnovers and shut down opposing offenses. This will make me believe that there is a championship right around the corner.

Madden 2010: What Should Be Fixed

Alex Rodriguez — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:33:36 -0400

As every Madden player knows, the new Madden is scheduled to be released in late August. I'm a huge Madden addict, and I have some concerns for this year's game. This list will be my top 10 issues that EA has to tweak. I feel these changes will make Madden 2010 even more realistic than in the past.

1. Man Coverage Needs to Be More Effective

Think about this: teams that are known for man coverage can't even run it. I have tried to play man coverage with teams like Green Bay, Oakland, and Philadelphia, just to see if man was more affective when using them—it wasn't.

I don't know how many times I've done, and someone has done to me when playing man, a slant or a drag route out of the backfield that goes for a 20 yard gain or more.

2. No More Glitch Plays

How many times will you see it? These post patterns that are unstoppable; these play action passes that even when you pass commit the defensive ends and defensive backs just can't seem to get it right?

I could name more of these but I won't waste your time. EA make plays more stoppable I'm sick of taking a linebacker and having to sit on the middle of the field than leaving a hole in my zone open there as well.

3. No More Burning Defenders Every Time a Player Bombs It

I don't know what to do everytime I seem to face a team like the Patriots, Texans, Bears, or Cowboys (before they slowed Terrell Owens down).

You know you've got to prepare for it, but is it really fair? No, it's not. Because of how fast the receiver is, every single time they throw it up, they have the corner beat for 50 yards and a touchdown.

4. The Streaks Straight Up the Middle

I want to paint a scenario for all of you who might think it's stupid to ask to stop the streaks straight up the middle. I am not asking for it be ineffective everytime, but does a streak always work?

I play with the New Orleans Saints and every time it is 3rd-and-long or 4th-and-long, it seems they run a streak straight up the middle on everything I throw at them and it crushes my dreams because it is hard enough to come up with a stop.

When you blitz, this is when you are at the most risk of it getting beat, which takes away some of the realness in the game seeing that 3rd-and-long is when most defenses bring the blitz.

5. Defensivive players Who Intercept Everything

It seems like every time I play certain teams, these corners and linebackers just seem to intercept everything thrown up in the air.

I understand some players like Ed Reed, Asante Samuel, and a couple others have great ball skills, but truthfully, do they need to catch everything that touches their hands?

It seems like some of these corners could be better receivers than the actual receivers in the game, which is frustrating.

6. Speed Shouldn't Make You Unstoppable

It seems like if you have a speed running back or a speed receiver your offense is set to go. I will admit this, because my offense is based on speed, and I have seen some ridiculous crap out of Reggie Bush that he doesn't do in real life. Same goes for Devery Henderson.

I don't know what it is, but if you have an offense full of speed, you're going to be averaging 10 yards per play, and if you have a defense full of speed, it makes you that much better.

Don't even attempt to throw a deep ball on the Raiders or you will get intercepted.

7. The Rocket Catch

I am crossing my fingers that this will be taken out of all Madden games. This is probably one of the most impossible things to stop. I've seen countless people win games just because they can keep all their drives alive with the rocket catch.

8. Disconnections Should Give You Wins In Online Games

I am aware you can finish games and get your win, but how annoying is it when your opponent quits in the first quarter and you have to play the longers game ever against the computer? I think as soon as that plug is pulled and as soon as the opponent quits you should get an instant win and not have to finish against the computer.

9. Players Shouldn't Be Good If They Have a Low Overall Rating

I don't know what's going on with Madden, but some of these players who do absolutely nothing good in real life turn out to be Madden Gods.

Vince Young, Reggie Bush, JaMarcus Russell, and others have literally changed Madden. I don't know how many times I've had people pass for over 300 yards in Madden with Vince Young and JaMarcus Russell or how many times I've had plays where I broke three or more tackles with Reggie Bush to score and 80 yard touchdown run.

I feel this should be fixed. No player who is a low overall should be destroying you in Madden and if you are a quarterback with absolutely no speed than you shouldn't be able to run 80 MPH to the sidelines.

10. Quarter backs throwing across their body

I understand some quarterbacks are amazing, and yes, they make great plays, but have you ever seen Peyton Manning run to the sideline on a screen play and literally spin around and make a throw while he is in the air spinning? The answer—no.

It feels like some quarterbacks just get out of the pocket so fast and can throw across the field perfectly, when in real life quarterbacks are taught not to throw across the field or their bodies because defenses are more likely to intercept or deflect those passes.

This is my conclusion to it, and if people think I am being a bit dumb over my complaints, then that is your belief. If I waste 60 dollars on a video game, I want it to be the best experience I can have. I want to not have to be worried about people running glitch plays and not have to be worried about how many times is Randy Moss going to burn me deep this game.

I love Madden—it's the closest thing to real football I can get besides street games. I just want the most authentic game play possible.

Why The Saints Should Sign Marcus Washington

Alex Rodriguez — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:56:52 -0400

Outside linebacker Marcus Washington is currently still a free agent after the Redskins cut him in the 2009 off-season.

Marcus Washington is a solid veteran outside linebacker who fits great into Gregg Williams’ defense. This would bring some knowledge to the other outside linebackers who are figuring out Gregg Williams’ system in New Orleans.

Gregg Williams is an aggressive defensive coordinator who likes to blitz and give opposing offenses different looks in an attempt to confuse them. Seeing that he does love to blitz why not bring a linebacker who can get after the quarterback?

In his career Washington has recorded 37.5 sacks in eight seasons with only one season that he did not record a sack and that was in 2008 when Gregg Williams left Washington and joined Jacksonville. Washington also recorded 378 tackles and 18 pass deflections in his time with Gregg Williams.

There are many concerns with Washington when it comes to his health, which is an issue since he has not completed a full season since 2005. Washington has found himself on the sidelines due to injuries, but when he is healthy he is a force at the linebacker position and could very well upgrade the linebacker position for the Saints.

Marcus Washington would be a great addition to the Saints roster and would bring the sack totals for the Saints as a team a lot higher than the 28 that the Saints managed to record in 2008. Marcus Washington is a hard hitter and solid pass rusher, but he lacks coverage skills, which could be trouble in the NFC South with the additions of Tony Gonzalez and Kellen Winslow Jr.

The Saints could let Washington compete for the weak side linebacker position, which would mean he would not have to cover tight ends as much and could be used to stop to rush the quarterback.

Although many fans seem content with the depth that the Saints have brought into the locker room to compete for linebacker position, I do not feel many of the players are well accomplished and we won't know if they fit into Gregg Williams’ system. The Saints need an upgrade at the outside linebacker position and I feel that Marcus Washington could be the upgrade we need not forever, but for now. He could help us get after the quarterback and stop the run. Marcus Washington could be the upgrade the Saints were looking for in Dan Morgan before he retired.

Saints fans I would like for you to consider what Marcus Washington could bring to the table for the New Orleans Saints, and it wouldn't take him long to get back into the system seeing that he already knows it very well

A 2009 New Orleans Saints Prediction: The Official Short Yardage Back

Alex Rodriguez — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:56:01 -0400

Coming into the 2009 season, a lot of Saints fans have focused their attention on running backs Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush, both of who are gifted running backs, but the question that is still being asked is: Who will be the Saints short yardage back and bruiser back coming into 2009?

The run game is a big concern for the Saints coming into the 2009 season after being ranked 28th in the league on the ground in 2008, with only a 99 yards per game on the ground average.

The Saints are a pass-first offense, but balance is key for the Saints coming into the 2009 season. This will keep opposing defenses more modest than they were in 2008 mostly committing to the passing game.

In 2008, two games that come to my mind that New Orleans could've won if they would've just been a bit more effective on the ground.

Those two games were back-to-back losses against a Denver on 3rd-and-1, which the Saints failed to convert, resulting in a missed field goal, and against Washington in which the Saints' inability to run the ball led to New Orleans losing their lead and allowing the defense to stay on the field longer.

Yes these are only two out of eight Saints losses, but if New Orleans was more effective on the ground and could convert more of those short yardage situations, what would've the Saints record had been?

Possibly 9-7, or even a 10-6 record.

What have the Saints done to address the situation? Not much.

They threw away the team's all-time leading rusher in Deuce McAllister and brought in two unproven backs in rookies P.J. Hill and Herb Donaldson. The Saints also attempted to bring in a full back that fits their style a lot better in Heath Evans.

Rumors were thrown around that the Saints attempted to trade back into the first round of the 2009 draft to get Ohio State running back Chris Wells, but it did not happen. Then came the rumors that the Saints were interested in veteran Edgerrin James, which did not happen, either.

Now, do not get me wrong, I am not mad at the Saints front office or staff for not going after a more proven guy, but I do feel that the Saints answer might be inside the locker room—a running back who played for the Saints in 2008, his name—Mike Bell.

If you look into Bell, you can see that he is more of a bruising back than either one of the Saints current running backs, Thomas and Reggie Bush. Bell, like Thomas, went undrafted his rookie season and was signed by the Denver Broncos.

He went along to put together a great rookie season for a running back after going undrafted, and rushed for 677 yards, with a 4.3 yard average and eight rushing touchdowns in 2006.

Bell was cut by the Broncos heading into the 2008 season and was signed by the Saints half way through it. He wasn't given much of a chance to prove himself, only getting the ball handed off to him 13 times with only 42 yards and one rushing touchdown, with only a 3.2 yard average.

Bell stands at 6'0" and weighs about 225 pounds. He has proven to be a solid inside runner for the Broncos, and I feel he could very well contribute for the Saints running game too, giving Thomas and Bush breathers.

Bell could take over the role for the goal line back and short yardage situations so we can convert them and keep the Saints offense on the field longer.

I am not saying Bell will be an every-down back, but I am saying he could be effective if given the opportunity to run the ball a lot more in 2009. Look out for Bell to become the official short yardage back and the official change of pace back when it comes down to being more physical.

Pressure Is Key For the Saints 2009 Defense

Alex Rodriguez — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:50:03 -0400

Coming into the 2009 season I have spent time wondering if the Saints have done everything they need to repair the defense. Lead by QB Drew Brees, the Saints are a team with one of the most feared offenses in the NFL. The Saints have brought in a couple of veterans on the defensive side of the ball, but brought in depth at every position as well.

The players I feel that will have the biggest impact for the Saints in 2009 are veterans Darren Sharper and Jabari Greer. Sharper, the current career interceptions leader in the NFL, brings leadership to a young secondary. He will most likely start at the free safety position and will compete to stay the current interceptions leader.

Jabari Greer, coming over from Buffalo, has a pair of pick six's in 2008, but is not a ball hawk. The speedy cornerback has struggled staying healthy, which to me is a concern. Does anybody remember why Jason David was starting because of injuries?

The Saints have addressed a lot along the secondary and brought in depth at every position, but I do not feel the Saints have done enough to become a top 10 defense yet. The Saints have yet to address what can make or break some defenses, and that is getting after the quarterback.

If you take a look at some of the top defenses in the NFL you will see that they all have a solid amount of sacks. Getting sacks doesn't always mean being the best defense, but it can benefit any secondary. If the Saints want to cause more turnovers in 2009 than 2008, they will simply need to get after the quarterback on a consistent basis.

Bringing pressure to the quarterback does a lot more than just cause interceptions—it creates incompletions and can shake up nearly any quarterback. If a quarterback is flushed out of the pocket, it takes him time to reset his footing and throw the ball.

Most quarterbacks are not as great on the run as they are in the pocket, which will cause more incompletions, sacks, interceptions, and last but not least, will get the opposing teams offense off of the field.

The Saints have a solid defensive line starting in the inside with second year player Sedrick Ellis. Ellis will demand double teams and will let loose any blitzers and the defensive ends. If Rod Coleman can return to even half of the form he had when he was with a division rival, the Saints could have an outstanding amount of pressure in the inside which will result in the quarterback being flushed out the pocket.

If the Saints defensive ends can return to their top performance you can see the sack total for the Saints rise. Defensive ends Will Smith, Charles Grant, Bobby McCray, and Paul Spicer will be expected to bring pressure from the outside, forcing the quarterback to either take a step inside to the defensive tackles or get rid of the ball.

Then comes the pressure from either the secondary or the linebackers. Expect the new defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams, to blitz his linebackers and safeties often. Williams wants his defensive players to be aggressive—not let the offense attack first, but attack the offense first. That is the style his defenses play with.

Expect the linebackers of the Saints to blitz a lot more than they have in past years which will keep some pressure off of the secondary and the defensive linemen.

This is just my belief on what the Saints need to do in 2009 to boost up the defense. You can bring in as many great corners as you want, but pressure is needed or the quarterback will find the open man. The more pressure the Saints bring the more turn overs.

New Orleans Saints: 2009 Secondary Prediction

Alex Rodriguez — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:45:17 -0400

In 2008 the New Orleans Saints' secondary was the weakest link of the team. All three of the Saints' 2008 starting corners, Mike Mckenzie, Randall Gay and Tracy Porter, spent games on the side lines.

Although the Saints secondary is the weakest link it has shown some flashes, one of them being Jason David, who lead the Saints in interceptions and Usama Young who had a pair of interceptions.

Let's take a look at the 2009 secondary statistics. This will be done using the cornerbacks and safeties and will include the newest players to the Saints' secondary.

Corner backs:

Randall Gay: In 14 games with 13 starts, Gay recorded 52 tackles, one sack and 15 pass deflections.

Tracy Porter: In just five starts as a rookie, Porter showed flashes and recorded 23 tackles, one sack, five pass deflections and one interception.

Jabari Greer: In 10 games with 10 starts, Greer recorded 38 tackles, one forced fumble, seven pass deflections and two interceptions, both resulting in touchdowns.

Jason David: In 14 games with 6 starts, David recorded 23 tackles, 10 pass deflections and five interceptions.

Safeties:

Darren Sharper: In 16 games and starts, Sharper recorded 69 tackles, five pass deflections and one interception.

Roman Harper: In 15 games with 15 starts, Harper recorded 89 tackles and had nine pass deflections.

Usama Young: In 15 games with two starts, Young recorded 50 tackles, eight pass deflections and two interceptions.

Pierson Prioleua: In 16 games with one start, Prioleaua recorded 26 tackles.

As one can see, the Saints' secondary does indeed have players that could all perform better than others. If there is one man who will play for his players strengths it will be Gregg Williams. Here are my projected starters for each position and my analysis on how to use them in certain situations.

Starting Corner backs: Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter

Nickel Back: Randall Gay

Dime Back: Malcolm Jenkins

Free Safety: Darren Sharper

Strong Safety: Roman Harper

Yes, I know people are thinking, "How can you put our first rounder as the dime back?" I don't see him as the starting cornerback just yet. I've spent time thinking about this and I'd like to see the Saints develop Jenkins, yet still plug him in on certain packages. Expect to see Williams use Jenkins everywhere and for different looks; perhaps putting up against the tight ends might work in their favor.

This is how I would like to see the Saints use some of their players in certain situations: blitzes, over the top, and roaming around in the middle of the field.

Blitzers:

Tracy Porter has the speed to get after the quarterback and has already recorded a sack on a blitz. I would like to see him used as a blitzer at times.

Roman Harper is more of the hit hard, up close, on the line safety and I don't feel comfortable with Harper over the top defending the pass. I would like to see him blitzed and I feel if matched up against a running back, he could beat them for the sack.

Randall Gay: Another cornerback who recorded a sack for the Saints in 2008, I feel he can be one of the best nickels in the NFL. If used as one, he could get after the passer to help force more interceptions.

These three players could be very effective at chasing the pass rusher and could create some turnovers for the Saints. The more the Saints get after the quarterback and have him on his back, the more players stopped dead in their tracks and the more pressure that will be put on the line.

Mid Field Safety:

Malcolm Jenkins: The rookie out of Ohio State will be battling for one of the starting cornerback positions but I feel he could be used in many ways for the Saints on tight ends against teams like the Falcons, Buccaneers, Cowboys, and Redskins. His size and great ball skills could help create some interceptions if put in the middle of the field.

Usama Young: Usama Young is entering his third year with the New Orleans Saints but his first at the safety position. Young was amongst the team leaders in interceptions with two and has proved to be a solid tackler recorded 50. Young is a big defensive back standing at 6'0 and 200 pounds and just like Jenkins could be used as a midfield safety to try to create some turn overs for the Saints.

Jason David: Jason David has proved to be a ball hawk through out his career and has recorded 16 interceptions in five seasons both with the Colts and the Saints. Last year David was constantly burned downfield and giving up a touchdown but he could very well be a solid midfield player. I've always felt if David was used the right way he could be force in the Saints' secondary. It would be better to use David in this manner than to let him roam freely in the middle of the field looking for a pick to add to his resume.

Third and Longs:

Darren Sharper: The active NFL interception leader is great in coverage. He might have lost a step but he is being brought into a system where they want him to be aggressive and get interceptions.

Randall Gay: I would like to see Gay used in a blitz a lot more, but when used in coverage, Randall Gay is solid and could help cut down those conversions on third down.

Malcolm Jenkins: Jenkins could be used to help double cover bigger receivers on those third and longs. He could take Roman Harper out on those passing downs and he won't be used in a blitz.

Tracy Porter: He is my number two corner, so he would be in.

Jabari Greer: He is my number one corner, so he would be able to help keep the faster receivers out of the picture.

Jason David: Jason David could do well against the fourth receiver on the field and would likely not get burnt like he would against number ones or twos.

That is my prediction on third downs. assuming that we would play them with four linemen and Vilma holding down the middle as well. I like the Saints' secondary for the 2009 season and I expect them to do a lot better than in '08. I think if the Saints can turn some of those pass deflections into interceptions the Saints offense will be able to close out a lot more games for us.

Expect the safety play to be a lot better in 2009 due to Darren Sharper. Not just for his play but for what he brings to the table to help develop the younger guys. He gives the safeties something to learn as far as veteran leadership goes. This will help the play of young safety in Roman Harper.

The 2009 New Orleans Saints' Backfield: The Force and The Explosives

Alex Rodriguez — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:48:58 -0400

This is my evaluation on the 2009 New Orleans Saints' backfield. The Saints have a backfield that can do different things, but this article is going to be on the two most talked about running backs for the Saints: Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush.

Now, if I had to use one word to describe each of these running backs roles for the Saints offense, Pierre Thomas would be the force and Reggie Bush the explosives.

Thomas and Bush both bring different types of running game but both are very effective in the Saints' offense and are very solid when assigned a assignment by head coach Sean Payton.

Here is how both of these backs complement each other:

Pierre "The Force" Thomas

Pierre Thomas joined the New Orleans Saints as a un-drafted rookie in 2007. Thomas opened eyes in his first start in the NFL against the Chicago Bears. He rushed for 105 yards with a 5.5 average with 12 receptions for 121 yards and one touchdown.

Since that game, Thomas has seen his role increased as a running back with the New Orleans Saints. He's had 129 rushing attempts for 625 yards with a 4.8 average and nine rushing touchdowns. Pierre Thomas also recorded 31 catches for 284 yards and three receiving touchdowns.

Thomas has also been used in the kick return game—you might remember the return against division rivals, the Atlanta Falcons, to give the Saints great field positioning to take the lead in the fourth quarter.

Although Thomas did not take any returns to the house, he was a solid contributor in setting the Saints up with great field positioning. Thomas had 31 kick returns for 793 yards with a 25.6 average and his longest of the season was an 88-yarder.

Thomas is a physical back who would much rather run north and south than to the outside. I feel like Thomas is the perfect goal line back for the Saints for two reasons: he can run in the inside and he can catch, which gives the Saints two options along the goal line. Pierre also does not turn the ball over, only fumbling once in his career with the Saints. Thomas was a great player for the Saints in 2008 and put up 1,702 all-purpose yards with 12 touchdowns and I expect his touches to increase in 2009.

Reggie "The Explosives" Bush

Reggie Bush joined the Saints in 2006 when he was drafted with the second overall pick of the 2006 NFL draft. Reggie Bush has the speed to take it to the house with every single touch, but he has been inconsistent when it comes to running between the tackles and staying healthy.

Bush exploded onto the scene in many ways in his rookie season with the Saints, mostly in the receiving game where he recorded 88 receptions for 742 yards with a 8.4 average and two touchdowns. Bush also ran the ball 155 times for 565 yards with a 3.6 average and six rushing touchdowns. Bush was also used on special teams getting 28 returns for 216 yards with a 7.7 average and one touchdown.

Reggie Bush finished the 2008 season with 106 rushing attempts for 404 yards with a 3.8 average with two rushing touchdowns. Bush also had 52 receptions for 440 yards with 8.5 average and four receiving touchdowns. Bush returned 20 punts for 270 yards with a 13.5 average and three touchdowns. In 2008, he had 1,114 total yards and nine total touchdowns.

Reggie should be the back used more for the receiving game for the Saints and used for toss plays and draws. We saw at the end of the 2008 season where Payton started to run a lot more draw plays with Bush, and an example would be in week 14 against Atlanta where the Saints ran a draw play out of the shotgun and Reggie got a 43-yard run out of it. Bush complements Pierre Thomas with his speed and ability to make defenders miss. Expect Bush's role to be the same as it was in 2006: coming in on passing downs and creating problems for defenses' linebackers.

The Saints have a talented backfield that could put up great numbers if given the opportunity, but the Saints will remain pass first and both of these backs can catch the ball and make explosive plays for the Saints in 2009.

Deuce Mcallister's Top Three Possible Destinations

Alex Rodriguez — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:27:04 -0400

For the first time in Deuce Mcallister's career, he is a free agent. Deuce has spent eight seasons with the New Orleans Saints. Mcallister is currently still a free agent and is probably one of the best short yardage backs left. His leadership could be used in a couple of locker rooms. This is my list of the top three possible destinations for Deuce Mcallister.

No. 1: The Cincinatti Bengals

The Bengals were ranked 29th in the league in rushing. They've done a lot to improve their team, but have yet to address the running back position this offseason. Their current leader in rushing yards is Cedric Benson, who ran for 747 yards with two rushing touchdowns and a 3.5 average.

Deuce Mcallister is an upgrade over Benson in finding the endzone with five rushing touchdowns. Mcallister could also help keep Carson Palmer off the injured list and would help the offense keep opposing defenses modest in 2009.

No. 2: The Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks underachieved in the 2009 season. With Matt Hassellbeck coming back off an injury, the Seahawks would also be a team who doesn't want their quarterback to get injured and handing the ball off some more might help them out.

The Seahawks were ranked 19th in the league in rushing and have not been the same on the ground since the departure of Shaun Alexander. I am aware that running back Julius Jones had a pretty solid season last year rushing for 698 yards with a 4.4 average, but he only found the endzone twice.

Deuce Mcallister could be a solid compliment to Julius Jones and could be the official goal line back for the Seahawks.

No. 3: The Houston Texans

Yes, I said it, the Houston Texans. The Texans already have a great running back in Steve Slaton, but they could very well use the inside presence of a Deuce Mcallister. Steve Slaton rushed for 1,282 yards with nine rushing touchdowns with a 4.8 average. Mcallister could very well complement Slaton the same way he and Reggie Bush worked so well together in 2006.

Don't forget, during the free agency, the Texans were looking for an upgrade in the goal line back to complement the small speedy Steve Slaton.

This is just my prediction on where the "DEUCE!" could land in 2009. I would not be shocked to see him return to the New Orleans Saints to finish out his career.

New Orleans Saints 2009 Break Out Player

Alex Rodriguez — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:58:26 -0400

In 2008 the New Orleans Saints had the No. 1 offense, but there was one player who completely underachieved for the Saints in 08—that player is wide receiver Robert Meachem. Robert Meachem can not be happy about his performance in 2008 and should be playing with a chip on his shoulder.

The first round pick of the 2007 draft missed the 2007 season due to injuries. I honestly considered Meachem the next big threat on for the Saints offense. When Marques Colston got injured in 2008, I thought this would be the moment that second year player Meachem would come onto the scene and become the Saints next explosive receiver. He did the complete opposite of that.

In 2008, the one play that is stuck in my head from Robert Meachem would be the dropped pass against the Vikings. The dropped pass was on third down and Meachem wasn't even hit—he just straight up dropped it which resulted in the Saints having to attempt a field goal.

All around Meachem under achieved in 2008, but he does have the speed to be a dominate receiver for the Saints in 2009. Meachem pulled in 12 receptions 289 yards with a 24.1 average and 3 touchdowns. Meachem also has one rush attempt for 20 yards and a touchdown.

That yard per reception average shows that Meachem has the speed, but can he be consistent enough to become a No. 2 or a No. 3 receiver? Meachem will be battling for the third and fourth receiver spot with receivers Devery Henderson and Adrian Arrington in 2009. I truly believe that Meachem is the break out player for the Saints in 2009.

Why The Saints Should Call The Cleveland Browns

Alex Rodriguez — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:23:58 -0400

In 2008 the New Orleans Saints only gave up 13 sacks out of 635 pass attempts. Pretty good numbers, but honestly the Saints have avoided sacks because of the quick release of Drew Brees.

All season long Brees was surrounded by defenders but some how found a way to move around and make the pass to pick up a first down and avoid the sack. This article is going to be about a player I believe the Saints should consider calling over to the Cleveland Browns, and making a offer on center Hank Fraley.

In the 2009 draft when the Cleveland Browns drafted center Alex Mac I instantly got into thought about the offensive line of the Browns. The offensive line of the Browns was a pretty solid line and I am assuming they just want to get younger along the line by drafting Alex Mac. That is when it hit me that the Saints should make a trade offer for their other center Hank Fraley.

Fraley is a nine year veteran who has started for the Philadelphia Eagles for five seasons, only missing half of one season due to injuries. Haley has been the starter at the center position for the Browns since 2006 and has not missed a single game.

Fraley would be and instant upgrade over current starter Jonathan Goodwin. Haley is good in pass blocking and can help anchor the Saints poor run blocking line. Haley has blocked for successful running backs in Jamal Lewis and Brian Westbrook.

Fraley would be able to open holes in the middle of the line and give the Saints a push on those short yardage situations giving Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas running lanes. Haley would also add more experience to a young offensive line. I truthfully feel the Saints should consider making a offer on the nine year veteran. Fraley should not miss many games because he is capable of staying healthy.

The Top Five Quarterbacks In the NFC

Alex Rodriguez — Tue, 26 May 2009 22:42:31 -0400

This article is going to be on the top five quarterbacks in the NFC. This is not going to be based on "Play Off Wins Or Super Bowl rings simply because it takes a team to win a super bowl not just the quarterback. This will be probably a very debating task and it took me time to finish this list. I have went back and fourth looking at the statistics and I have come up with my a top five I feel comfortable with naming the best in the NFC. Feel free to comment

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The Saints Top Five Comeback Players

Alex Rodriguez — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:58:38 -0400

This article is going to contain the comeback players of 2009 for the Saints. The Saints were and injury prone team last year and were without several starters, this list will contain the come back players and the impact they could possiibly have and how they are important to the team. All of these players did not miss the entire 2008 season some missed most of it. This is strictly players who were actually on the Saints roster in 2008. Now many people say the Saints did not have many draft picks this year but I look at these injured players and I add them to our draft.

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New Orleans Saints Interested in Michael Vick?

Alex Rodriguez — Thu, 21 May 2009 01:35:09 -0400

Many know Michael Vick has just been released from prison. Many people also know the crime that Vick committed—which got him suspended from the NFL and two years in prison.

Now many of you might be wondering why I am writing this on the Saints' page, but after the owners meeting they discussed the future of Michael Vick and owner Tom Benson said he is not ruling out the possibility of trading for Michael Vick if he is allowed back into the NFL.

Now this is a head scratcher for me. I never expected the Saints to be even interested in Michael Vick, and although many people feel that Vick should not be allowed into the NFL, and some say he is an over rated quarterback, but here are my reasons the Saints go after Vick and the way we will use him.

One of the reasons Vick could join the Saints is simply as a backup quarterback and at the running back position. This would give us valuable depth and we could release a quarterback and a running back from the roster to add more depth at other positions—mostly defensive tackle and across the offensive line.

Reason number two is, maybe the Saints want to use Vick's athleticism for other positions, maybe wide receiver. Vick has explosive speed and could very well dominate at either three positions being running back, quarterback, or wide receiver.

The Saints could very well be looking at adding some "Wildcat" to the already explosive offense. If the Saints brought in a Michael Vick it would be a temptation to run some of the Wildcat in the 2009 season which could keep defenses on their heels when Vick and Brees both line up in the shot gun.

Vick could throw the ball and could run many option plays. This would also keep Drew Brees healthier, when games are put away Michael Vick could come in to take over for the rest of the game.

The running back position seems more logical for the Saints. The poor rushing attack crippled their offense last season. Vick is explosive on the run and can always make defenders miss.

In his six year career Vick has ran the ball 529 times with 3,859 yards—a 7.3 average and 21 rushing touchdowns—pretty impressive for a quarterback. Now all this is a plus and would be great to have with the Saints but his problems are fumbling. Vick has fumbled 55 times in his career.

I truthfully would love the addition of Michael Vick to the New Orleans Saints in the backfield. He would bring something to this offense that no other offense will have. Vick will also be another dynamic player to booster the, already, No. 1 ranked offense in 2008.

Although I highly doubt this would happen seeing that Michael Vick still belongs to the Atlanta Falcon,s but if Vick did come to the New Orleans Saints, I for one, would see this as a great addition. Whatever benefits the team and wins games is good for me.

The 2009 New Orleans Saints Backfield

Alex Rodriguez — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:37:36 -0400

In 2008, the Saints' offensive air attack was the best in the League. There is no doubt the Saints offense can score being ranked No. 1 and no doubt the defensive coordinators in the NFL worked their game plan on stopping Drew Brees and the receiving corps of the Saints.

The one part of the offense defensive coordinators did not have to worry about was the Saints run game. Over and over the Saints were unable to run the ball consistently and covert on short yardage situations.

Now many people blame this on the Saints not having a "Guy" to get 10-15 touches a game and Sean Payton not committing to the run. Some would even go and say Reggie Bush is a bust, but I am positive he is not a bust.

A lot of these people consider the Saints' run game soft, but I insure you it is not. We might not have a Michael Turner and DeAngelo Williams like other teams in our division, but we have players who all complement each other.

Here I am going to give my views on the back field of the Saints heading into the 2009 season. Without Deuce McAllister, the Saints are looking for the power presence to be brought in from a number of backs. P.J. Hill and Lynell Hamilton are players to watch out for in training camp and could become the Saints' short yardage backs.

Truthfully, I feel the backfield of the Saints might have what it takes to make the Saints' offense balanced. The duo I would like to see in New Orleans would be Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas.

Reggie Bush has been labeled a bust by many but I honestly feel he is an impact player.

Reggie Bush is known for his tremendous speed and is always being criticised for going to the outside, but the truth is when the offensive line gave Bush the holes in the inside Reggie has taken the opportunity to run into the inside and always has the chance of breaking the big one.

For the first time in his career, Reggie has stepped up and showed up to all of the teams off season programs which shows he is ready to up and be the man.

In order for Reggie to be the man he will have to stay healthy and continue his performance of the 2008 season and take that into 2009. Reggie's ability to catch the ball in space and make defenders miss is always a compliment.

Pierre Thomas is every ones favorite to win the starting running back position in 2009. Thomas is more physical than Bush and is a north to south runner. Thomas 4.8 average in 2008 shows he can carry the load and when given the opportunity he takes complete advantage of it.

Thomas is also explosive in the receiving game and is a good catcher. Thomas has been used on occasions on short yardage he has failed at times but he has also converted plenty of times. Expect to see Thomas get a lot more touches in '09 than he did in '08.

My projected short yardage back is Mike Bell. Mike Bell is a great complement to both Bush and Thomas standing at 6'0" and weighing 225 pounds. Bell is a bruiser who can convert those short yardage situations.

Now many people might think I am a bit over board when I say the Saints running game is capable of having at least one 1,000 yard rusher in 2009 but I feel is the offensive line can get their selves together and Payton can commit to the run we could have a dominate running game to keep our defense off of the field.

New Orleans Saints 2009 Starting Defensive Line Prediction

Alex Rodriguez — Sun, 17 May 2009 15:58:58 -0400

This is the third part of my predictions for the 2009 starting New Orleans Saints defense. This article will be about the front four also known as the defensive line.

The New Orleans Saints use the 4-3 defense. This defense relies on the front four to get pressure on the quarterback and to keep the offensive line off of the linebackers.

The Saints have used this offseason to address depth on the defensive line. This was a necessary task due to many of the injuries that occurred last year in 2008 along the defensive line.The depth added will give the New Orleans Saints a great rotation along the defensive line to keep them fresh.

This article will be a bit different than all my other ones. This one lists the starting defensive lineman and who will be rotated in (as well as who will be rotated on passing downs).

Left End: Charles Grant
Charles Grant is one of the highest paid defensive ends, but has not put up the numbers since getting paid that huge contract. In 2008, Grant got injured halfway through the season, but only recorded 33 tackles 3 sacks and a safety in 2008. Grant could be one of the most dominating defensive ends and could get 10 sacks as he did in both 2003 and 2004.

Behind Grant is defensive end Bobby McCray, who played with us in 2008 and recorded 29 tackles and six sacks in all 16 games of the 2008 season, starting in eight of them. McCray would be used on passing downs and in to rotate with Charles Grant. McCarty has a reputation for being a sack specialist and recorded a career high 10 sacks in 2006 and could beat out Grant for his starting position.

Defensive Tackles: Sedrick Ellis, Kendrick Clancy

Sedrick Ellis was drafted with the seventh overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Ellis has started 13 games recording 30 tackles and four sacks in his rookie campaign, but missed three due to injury. Sedrick showed a lot of promise in '08 and if he can stay healthy, he can be a dominant defensive tackle and put up better numbers in his sophomore year.

The second defensive tackle position was probably one of the hardest to select. I have to go with Kendrick Clancy to start on my predictions simply because we don't know what the other defensive tackles bring to the table yet. In 14 starts in 2008, Kendrick Clancy recorded 34 tackles and two sacks.

Other Defensive Tackles to watch:

Rod Coleman is another comeback defensive player the Saints have signed along with Dan Morgan, who is coming out of retirement. Coleman spent most of the 2007 season injured but recorded seven tackles and two sacks in just five games. Coleman did not play in 2008 but hopefully he can return to his Pro Bowl-caliber performances. Coleman will be reunited with the New Orleans Saints' new defensive line coach. Coleman's best season in the NFL was with division rival Atlanta Falcons, where he recorded 11.5 sacks with 40 tackles.

Demario Presley is coming off of a injury that did not allow him to play at all in the 2008 season. If Payton did not cut him, he saw something from Presley in training camp, so look for him to make contributions to the Saints defense in 2009.

Right End: Will Smith

Will Smith is one of the most dominant players we have on defense. Many people want to criticize Smith for the season he had last year after receiving a new, expensive contract. Will Smith played through a injury last year, which shows his toughness. In 2009, Will Smith recorded 61 tackles and three sacks. Smith is very well a dominating defensive end in this league and I expect him to deliver in 2009. Smith's best season came in 2006, when he recorded 49 tackles and 10.5 sacks in 2006 in only 14 games.

Paul Spicer will be lining up behind Smith to let him rest. Spicer is a veteran coming out of Jacksonville, coming along with defensive coordinator Greg Williams. Spicer brings great depth to the defensive line and can line up at any position on the defensive line. Spicer recorded 3.5 sacks and 34 tackles in 2008. His best season came in 2005, where he recorded 7.5 sacks and 37 tackles.

In 2009, defensive ends Will Smith and Charles Grant are facing possible four-game suspensions, so the depth the Saints have added will help the Saints a lot if the suspension goes through. Overall, we have three defensive ends who have recorded 10 sacks or more in their careers, so they have the potential. The defensive tackle position with Sedrick Ellis will be a big question but we have plenty of depth. Expect a lot more pressure on the quarterback from the front four.

New Orleans Saints 2009 Starting Linebackers Prediction

Alex Rodriguez — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:14:41 -0400

This is the second part of my predictions for the 2009 New Orleans Saints defense. This article will be on the linebacking corps.

The Saints linebacking corps hasn't changed much this offseason. I have always felt that it has been a solid group.

We have brought in some solid depth at the LB position and players who could compete for the starting position.

I honestly feel this linebacking corps can take us to the playoffs, with the obvious leader being Jonathan Vilma.

Many people complain about the lack of sacks the linebacking corps has recently managed, but we have not blitzed as much.

I hope they bloom in Gregg Williams’ new system.

Middle Linebacker: Jonathan Vilma

Jonathan Vilma had a Pro Bowl performance in 2008.

Coming off of a knee injury, many questioned how effective Vilma would be. However, he proved to be worth the third round pick the Saints gave to the Jets for him.

Vilma is definitely the leader of the linebacking corps and should be the captain for the defense.

He closed a game for us against San Diego with an interception. He's also been a solid tackler and can play with the best of the running backs in the NFC South.

A lot will be asked from Vilma in Williams’ defense. He will likely make play calls and play every snap.

Strong Side Linebacker: Scott Fujita

Scott Fujita is one of the few starters from the 2006 season left.

Fujita is a solid OLB and solid in coverage. He did not record any sacks in 2008, but had 6.5 sacks in the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

Fujita is the only linebacker who managed multiple picks in the 2008 season. One was a game-winner against Tampa.

Weak Side Linebacker: Scott Shanle or Dan Morgan

This was the hardest to select.

Scott Shanle recorded two sacks for the Saints in the 2008 season. He played well in the 2006 Saints’ defense, recording four sacks.

The Saints want play makers, but in three seasons, Shanle has yet to intercept a pass.

Shanle is good, but I do not think he is an every-down linebacker, though I would like to see more from him.

Dan Morgan is coming out of retirement as a solid contender for the starting 2009 OLB spot.

Morgan is a tackling machine when healthy and is probably one of the best linebackers against the run.

No one knows the condition Morgan is in, although he says rest has made his body feel a lot better. That may help him completely finish a season for the first time.

Morgan is a former first-rounder out of Miami and currently holds the record for tackles at the university. He has five career interceptions and can play every down.

If Morgan can come back to his performance from 2004, where he rallied up 101 tackles, two sacks, and two picks in just 12 games, he could beat out Fujita for his position.

Morgan, a former Carolina Panther, will be playing with a chip on his shoulder after being released by the Panthers. He could be a solid contributor in stopping the two-headed-monster running game for New Orleans, the Panthers’ NFC South rivals.

Honestly, I feel the Saints linebacking corps is very solid.

We need the linebacking corps to perform at its best. I feel it is the heart of every defense and we will rely on this unit to get after the quarterback on the blitz and to help shut down the potent run game that every NFC South team has.

Part Three of my predictions will be here soon. Thank you for reading. I would enjoy your opinions!

New Orleans Saints 2009 Starting Secondary Prediction

Alex Rodriguez — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:29:15 -0400

Let me start by saying, "WHO DAT?!" There are a lot of new faces joining the New Orleans Saints, mostly on the defensive side of the ball. This article is going to be on who I project to be the starters on the Saints defensive side of the ball; remember, this is only a prediction.

In 2009, the Saints have added three players through free agency and the NFL Draft. I expect all three of these players to make instant contribution on the defensive side of the ball. The Saints secondary was the weakest link of the 2007-2008 season.

The Saints used the offseason too address the secondary. They have brought in leadership, experience, and much-needed new talent to a secondary that was ranked one of the worst in the NFL. So these are my predictions on who will start opening day in the 2009 secondary for the Saints and why.

Free Safety: Darren Sharper

The veteran coming from Minnesota is known for being a ball-hawk, and although he only had one interception last season, he is an instant upgrade. Sharper will bring much-needed leadership to a young secondary. Sharper will have to be on point to cover the NFC South's top tight ends in Kellen Winslow and Tony Gonzalez.

Strong Safety: Roman Harper

Roman Harper is probably one of the hardest hitters we have on the team. He is great at the line of scrimmage and can help stop the run. He is a solid tackler who could use help in coverage. Harper has shown some flashes when blitzed, so he will be very effective in Gregg Williams' aggressive defense.

Strong Side Corner Back: Malcom Jenkins

The rookie corner back will most likely be starting day one. Malcolm, coming out of Ohio State, was drafted with the 14th overall pick to help solidify the New Orleans Saints' secondary. Jenkins did not allow a touchdown in his senior year , and has pretty good ball skills. Jenkins has the potential to lock down any team's best receiver.

Weak Side Corner Back: Jabari Greer

Greer was a solid No. 2 corner back in Buffalo. He is coming off of another season ended by injuries. Jabari Greer has speed and has the ability to take it to the house every time he picks the ball off. Greer had two pick-six in 10 games in 2008. Greer is my starter.

Nickel Back: Tracy Porter

Tracy Porter showed flashes in 2008 before getting injured against Minnesota, and his presence was missed at the end of that game. Whichever player plays the nickel back for the Saints will get a lot of playing time with that explosive offense. Porter could very well be competing with Greer for the No. 2 spot. Porter had one interception in his rookie campaign and could rotate in and out with the No. 1 and 2 corners.

Dime: Randall Gay

Randall Gay was a very consistent corner back last year but had no interceptions. He could compete with Porter for the nickel back, but I do not see him at the No. 1 or 2 corner back position.

This is my prediction for the starting defensive backfield for the '09 New Orleans Saints. We have a very talented group and great depth. We could very well rotate players in; mainly the current team leader in interceptions, Jason David. This is only the first of three parts of my 2009 predictions for the Saints defense.

Marshall Faulk Versus Reggie Bush

Alex Rodriguez — Tue, 05 May 2009 14:44:08 -0400

This is an article comparing one of the best running backs in Marshall Faulk to one who was projected to be one of the best, Reggie Bush.

I have a list of things both of these running backs have in common.

Now, I am not saying that Bush is as good as Faulk was, but what I am saying will probably change your minds on Reggie Bush being labeled as a bust.

Faulk was taken second overall in the 1994 draft by the Indianapolis Colts and Bush was taken second overall in the 2006 draft by the New Orleans Saints.

Both players went to 3-13 teams.

Faulk was born in New Orleans in 1973, Reggie Bush began his NFL career in New Orleans.

Now I will begin to actually compare Faulk's and Bush's careers. I will mostly base this comparison on the first three years of their careers.

Bush has yet to pass the 1,000 yard mark on the ground, but like Faulk, Bush has been very effective in the receiving game.

In his first three years, Marshall Faulk recorded 164 receptions, 1425 receiving yards, and four receiving touchdowns. Bush recorded 213 receptions, 1599 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns.

Faulk and Bush both had issues with fumbling in their first three seasons. Faulk fumbled 15 times, while Bush fumbled 13 times.

Another issue that troubled Faulk was injuries in his third season. That limited him to just 13 games. In Bush's third season, he was also injured, causing him to miss games.

By comparing these two men solely on the third seasons of their careers, we see that Bush averaged 3.8 yards per carry and Marshall Faulk averaged 3.0 yards per carry.

Now many people might want to bite my neck off for this article comparing Bush to a future Hall of Famer in Faulk, but it is something I felt should be looked at by others.

Faulk came back in his fourth season and made up for his poor third season.

I hope that Reggie Bush can turn his career around like Faulk did and give the Saints the explosive running game that many people expected.

New Orleans Saints' Formula to Win

Alex Rodriguez — Sat, 02 May 2009 11:52:50 -0400

This is a look into the 2009 season. We will look back into the 2008 season, and I will give my opinions on what the Saints should do to become a contender. We all know that the first thing we need to do is win the NFC South Division to enter the playoffs. This is the formula I feel the Saints should follow .

The first thing needed to have a successful 2009 season is, as always, to have a great offseason. The Saints did just that, as they addressed many of their needs, added new coaches, and new players to fill the holes in a terrible defense.

We all know that the Saints had the No. 1 offense last year in nearly every category, except running the ball.

Now, many people think we need a running back to come in and bring the "spark" to the run game, but I feel we don't. Sean Payton simply did not give the run game a chance in many of our games.

Yes, there were times were the run game was not affective at all, but I do feel we need to keep trying to run the ball when we have a lead to slow the tempo of the game and not allow the momentum to go to the other team.

Let's take a look at some of our loses or games where I feel we could've ran the ball some more times. First, we will look at Pierre Thomas and his attempts in all of our games of the 2008 season, since he is the player I feel is best eligible for the starting position.

Week One—Against Tampa Bay: 10 Attempts, 52 yards, 5.2 yard average

Week Two—Against Washington: six Carries, eight yards, 1.3 yard average, 1 TD

Week Three—Against Denver six carries, 15 yards, 2.3 average, 2 TD

Week Four—Against San Francisco: one carry, one yard, 1.0 average

Week Five—Against Minnesota: No touches at all .

Week Six—Against Oakland: two carries, 18 yards, 6.0 average

Week Seven—Against Carolina: one carry, two yards, 2.0 average

Week Eight—Against San Diego: three carries, 28 yards, 9.3 average

Week Nine—Bye

Week 10—Against Atlanta: six carries, 24 yards, 4.3 average

Week 11—Against Kansas City: 16 carries, 88 yards, 5.5 average, 1 TD

Week 12—Against Green Bay: 15 carries, 87 yards, 5.8 average, 2 TD

Week 13—Against Tampa Bay: 11 carries, 34 yards, 3.1 average

Week 14—Against Atlanta: 16 carries 104 yards, 6.4 average, 1 TD

Week 15—Against Chicago: 22 carries 87 yards, 4.4 average, 1 TD

Week 16—Against Detroit: 13 carries, 77 yards, 5.9 average 1 TD

Week 17—Against Carolina: No touches .

As you can see, Pierre Thomas has made the most of his carries, and he led all the running backs in touchdowns. I feel that Pierre Thomas is a guy who can get more than 15 carries a game, and he might not be Deuce McAllister, but he can help us close out games by moving the chains. The Saints need to put trust into Pierre Thomas and play with more balance .

As for the defense, we might not have big names, but my solution for the Saints is to simply play as a unit. Don't fall into being big name players, just play as one.

If the Saints defense can help each other rotate in and just play as one and let each other know what is going on when a player is "clueless", which is what our secondary looked like last year, we can win more games. Take a chance, be aggressive, and get those interceptions and sacks.

This is my solution for the Saints to win games next season. Keep the offense scoring and get the defense to play as one .

New Orleans Saints: Undrafted Rookie Signings

Alex Rodriguez — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 20:04:35 -0400

The Saints have made moves after the draft, signing eight undrafted players. Among the eight are: G Cedric Dockery, OLB Jonathan Castillas, OLB Danny Gorrer, C Alex Fletcher, WR Chris Vaughn, QB Pat Cowan, OT Augustus Parrish, and HB Herb Donadson.

It seems like the Saints wanted to use all of their picks to improve the defensive side of the ball by bringing in some competition. Of course, the Saints did attempt to move back into the first round for running back Chris Wells. But, the added competition from all of the Saints draft picks will make the the current Saints players play at a higher level, as slacking would give the newcomers an edge.

This article isn't going to be about the defense though I just wanted to clear my thoughts on the draft which I feel was a good draft, but which could've been better as the Saints didn't have many picks.

However, I will discuss the top undrafted free agents that we signed who have the potential to make some noise and challenge some of our veterans for starting positions, or simply offer some relief.

Herb Donadson (HB, Western Illinois): Donadson is 5'10" and weighs 222 pounds. He rushed for over 1,400 yards in three years and finished up his senior season with 1,700+ Yards and 21 rushing touchdowns—pretty impressive for a guy who wasn't drafted.

Donadson really is a thumper back—do not let his size fool you. He has an amazing stiff arm and is definitely a inside presence. He could come into play on short yardage and at the goal line.

The problem with Donadson, though, is he isn't effective in the passing game, lacks the speed to finish plays, and runs out of gas when he's in the secondary. He also has a problem with fumbles.

Cedrick Dockery (OG, Texas): Dockery is 6'3" and weighs 314 pounds. He is also related to Derrick Dockery, current offensive guard for the Washington Redskins. He is a good run-blocker and is very physical—something much of the Saints interior line is missing—but he is very inconsistent. He could be a solid reserve but if he can be more consistent he could fight his way into the starting line up.

Alex Fletcher (C, Stanford): Stanford is 6'2" and weighs 297 pounds. He was ranked 12th amongst all the centers coming out of the draft and bench pressed 225 pounds 30 times—good enough for third at the combine, and more than center Alex Mack.

He is very good at run blocking, but struggles on the goal line to push his opponents back to make a hole. I honestly feel this kid could beat out Jonathan Goodwin for the starting center position.

Overall, the Saints have brought in talent at every position we need. I give this entire off-season of tryng to improve the team an A+ .