Bleacher Report - New Orleans

Could Deuce Get Loose One More Time for New Orleans Saints?

nathan dugas — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:53:19 -0500

Not going to try and take anything away from the perfect season the New Orleans Saints are having ,but to me something has always been missing from this team. When I think of the all time great players this franchise has had and some of the most beloved players this franchise has possessed none rank higher than that first round draft choice we wasted on some injury prone Ole Miss Rebel...not that guy named Archie.

Deuce McAllister through and through was the heart and soul of every Saints team since 2002. He performed at the highest level every week and was considered one of the best backs in the league before his first true career threatening injury in 2005...really really dark year for the Saints...New Orleans...Louisiana...ok everybody had a rough '05.

However, the greatest season in Saints history followed and had it not been for No. 26 the Saints would have never made the NFC title game.

The reason I bring this up is because me and some friends were discussing a Tiki Barber like scenario to sort of make an ammends with This franchise's best player(that's one of the shortest title reigns in history though...damn that Purdue quarterback we picked up I hear he is a decent QB but some say he is still too short to play at the NFL level).

Deuce was shown the door after his second major knee injury and rightfully so he is over 30 and blew out both his knees from any logical standpoint you can not have that guy on your team if he is expected to be a major contributor.

Then again, how can any true saints fan look at Deuce from a logical standpoint? A guy who gave you his heart and soul and never left this city even when he could have to play for a contender before either of those injuries and had a career that maybe plays out differently is also illogical.

A guy who was as active and meant as much as he did to the community and always seemed to give more than he took seems very illogical from a multi-probowler in a day an age of the Terrell Owens' and me first type players.

The guy was a Saint to this community, franchise, and anyone who knew him. If the Saints are(big if) going to have the perfect season or even try for it...it only seems logical to me to give the perfect ending to a Saint.

By the way, how did that Mike Mckenzie pickup work out? Wasn't he also someone who was suppose to be done after blowing out his knee last year as well....just saying. Something to think about perhaps. Not to mention all three of our backs have been hurt at some point in time this past year...he could come in handy if nothing else its always nice to see him in our uniform all smiles.

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Saints Pull Away From Colts in Weekly Power Poll

Todd McGee — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:38:52 -0500

Convincing victories over Tampa Bay and New England the last two weeks have enabled New Orleans to open a little breathing room over Indianapolis in my weekly NFL Power Poll.

This Power Poll combines three statistics. The first is a team's adjusted win-loss record, which is computed by adding the number of wins of each opponent a team has beaten and the number of losses of each opponent that a team has lost to. To achieve the adjusted winning percentage, I divide the number of wins by the numbers of wins plus losses.

The second statistic compares a team's scoring against the average points allowed by the teams it has played. This is an attempt to measure whether a team is posting a better offensive performance than you would expect from an average team.

The third stat compares a team's defensive points allowed versus the average points scored by the teams it has played. Again, this is an attempt to determine whether the defense is faring better or worse than an average team against the schedule.

To achieve the final calculation, I multiply the adjusted winning percentage by three, then subtract a team's defensive effectiveness from its offensive efficiency, and then divide that by 10. I then add that number to the team's adjusted winning percentage number for the final ranking.

Without further ado, here are the results through Week 12 of the NFL season:

Rank	NFL Team	Total	Week 10
1	New Orleans Saints	4.420	1
2	Indianapolis Colts	4.050	2
3	Minnesota Vikings	3.598	4
4	New England Patriots	3.416	3
5	Baltimore Ravens	2.909	7
6	San Diego Chargers	2.775	12
7	Dallas Cowboys	2.525	10
8	Cincinnati Bengals	2.399	5
9	Philadelphia Eagles	2.336	13
10	Green Bay Packers	2.255	17
11	Denver Broncos	2.223	11
12	Pittsburgh Steelers	2.108	8
13	Atlanta Falcons	2.101	9
14	Arizona Cardinals	2.066	6
15	New York Giants	2.025	15
16	Houston Texans	1.799	14
17	New York Jets	1.706	18
18	San Francisco 49ers	1.700	19
19	Miami Dolphins	1.570	16
20	Tennessee Titans	1.177	23
21	Jacksonville Jaguars	0.830	22
22	Carolina Panthers	0.722	20
23	Chicago Bears	0.695	21
24	Seattle Seahawks	0.508	24
25	Buffalo Bills	0.224	25
26	Kansas City Chiefs	-0.030	27
27	Washington Redskins	-0.109	26
28	Oakland Raiders	-0.127	29
29	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	-0.515	28
30	Detroit Lions	-0.811	30
31	Cleveland Browns	-0.960	31
32	St. Louis Rams	-1.125	32

If I were a betting man (3-1 against the spread in Week 10)...

I would take Houston (pick) over Jacksonville, San Francisco (pick) over Seattle, Baltimore (minus three) over Green Bay, New England (minus five) over Miami, and Dallas (minus two) over the New York Giants.

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Tuesday Night Thoughts: Who Will Break First, Saints or Colts?

Joe Willett — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:58:43 -0500

Welcome to my new weekly column, this will be published every Tuesday night, and it will be called Tuesday Night Thoughts.

I will be focusing on a big story from the week, then I will give my thoughts on some other big stories that are happening around sports. For example, this week I will focus on the Saints and Colts both being 11-0, but then I will talk about Charlie Weis, Bobby Bowden, Tiger Woods, and Roy Halladay.

After those, I will give out a few awards for the week, mostly they will be humorous.

Let's get on with our very first installment of Tuesday Night Thoughts.

Can Perfection Strike Twice?

In college football, there are perfect seasons all the time, in fact, there is almost always one team that goes undefeated every year. However, in the pros, that happens a lot less often.

We were all shocked when the Patriots where able to magically go 16-0, and it took 50 Tom Brady touchdowns to get it, and even they couldn't grab the Lombardi Trophy.

But this season, there are two legitimate contenders for 16-0, the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts.

First, we will talk about the Saints, as they have gone through their entire schedule without much of a scare.

The closest game that they had was against the Rams, in which they won 28-23. Sure, they were tied at halftime, but they moved out to an 11-point lead before a garbage time TD by the Rams made it a five-point game.

Other than that, the Saints have won every game by double digits thanks to an offense that doesn't stop moving the ball and a defense that is great at getting takeaways.

Drew Brees has had six games with 300-plus passing yards and already has over 3000 yards on the season with five games to go. He also has five games with at least three touchdowns and 27 on the season.

They also have a solid three-headed rushing attack, Pierre Thomas (648 yds and five TDs) has lead the team in rushing seven times, Mike Bell (564 yards, four TDs) has lead the team in rushing three times, and Reggie Bush (277 yards, 5 TDs) has lead the team in rushing once.

This means that teams never know how to defend the Saints rushing attack, having to prepare for all three rushers. This also means that defenses have to respect the run and allow Brees to be able to throw at will against most teams.

They also have some stars on defense. Their defensive line is held down by Sedrick Ellis and Will Smith. Their secondary is highlighted by Darren Sharper, who has eight interceptions on the year.

The Saints have an easy schedule the rest of the way. They play two games against decent teams in the Falcons and the Cowboys, but they also play the Redskins, Buccaneers, and Panthers.

Without much of a challenge the rest of the way, the Saints have a solid opportunity to make it to 16-0 and make the Vikings visit Louisiana if they want to go to the Super Bowl.

The Colts also have a solid passing game that can leave teams wondering what just happened after a quick score.

Peyton Manning is widely considered the best QB of our time and one of the best of all time. He has thrown for over 300 yards eight times this season and has only thrown for under 250 twice, never going under 200 yards in a game.

But unlike the Saints, they don't have the strong rushing attack. Joseph Addai has just 583 yards and seven TDs.

The Colts offense relies more on their passing game, with three receivers over 500 yards receiving. Coming into the season, everybody knew about Reggie Wayne (987 yards and nine TDs), but second-year receiver Pierre Garcon (574 yards, four TDs) has emerged as a solid second receiver for Manning.

There is also Manning's favorite tight end, Dallas Clark, who has been tearing it up again this season with 834 yards and five TDs on the season.

But there is more than just passing, they have a solid defense that has only allowed more than 20 points three times this season, while holding teams to 10 or fewer points three times.

The Colts have three straight tough games, going against the Titans, Broncos, and Jaguars. Although if they make it through those three games, they have the Jets and Bills left.

Their road to perfection will be much more difficult than that of New Orleans, however, they also have a lot of weapons to make it.

There is one more question that needs to be discussed when it comes to talking about these two teams: Will these two teams make it to the Super Bowl and who would win if they did?

Although I think that the Saints have a much better chance to make it to 16-0, they have a much harder road to the Super Bowl than the Colts, as they likely have to play Minnesota, who has one of the best running backs in the NFL and a quarterback who is playing with the body of a 22-year-old and the mind of a, well, 40-year-old.

The toughest challenge the Colts will have in the playoffs is New England, a team that both the Colts and the Saints have beaten.

But if we are lucky enough to have these two teams play each other in the Super Bowl, we will be treated to a game that will be a shoot-out and a back-and-forth contest throughout.

However, were they to play, I would have to give the edge to the Saints due to a more balanced offensive attack, even though the Colts, in my mind, have a better defense.

Roy Halladay Gives a Deadline

Roy Halladay has given the Blue Jays a deadline of Spring Training to complete a trade and get him out of there, however, he didn't say that they absolutely have to trade him.

Although Halladay wants to go to a contender, he doesn't want trade talks to sour his relationship with his teammates or his performance on the mound. After last season's distraction, Halladay is trying to avoid a repeat.

Because of this, Halladay has specifically said that he wouldn't even discuss a trade after the offseason is over.

Charlie Weis Fired by Notre Dame

After losing four straight games, Charlie Weis has finally been booted by the Fighting Irish, who have really put up much less of a fight (get it?) since Weis has been in charge.

Under Weis, Notre Dame went 35-27, and now the time has begun for a search for the next guy to get run out of South Bend.

Although Irish fans want a big name like Urban Meyer or Bob Stoops, it is more likely that they will grab somebody from a smaller school like Brian Kelly out of Cincinnati.

Bobby Bowden Steps Down After 44 Years

If you are looking for a more distinguished college coaching career than Bowden's, you will have to look hard, as he took a Florida State program that was down on it's luck, and made them permanent contenders twice national champions.

Bowden was hoping to get another year at FSU, but after multiple bad seasons, it became clear that Bowden's style of coaching was no longer working.

Bowden leaves with the second most wins in college football history with 388. He trails only Joe Paterno of Penn State.

The Tiger Woods Saga

Tiger Woods has had a distinguished career on the golf course, but has never really revealed anything from his personal life. This, however, may have to change in the coming days after a car accident that may or may not have been caused by a confrontation with his wife.

There are even questions as to whether the car accident was what caused the damage to Woods, or if it was in fact his wife.

As far as I'm concerned, I really don't think what caused the accident matters to us unless criminal actions have taken place. That being said, I also really want to know what happened.

I mean, I can be curious can't I?

Awards Time!!!

Bonehead Move of the Week : Keith Ballard, who was apparently angry with goalie Tomas Vokoun and showed that he was by hitting him in the face with his hockey stick after Vokoun allowed a goal.

Although I don't think he did so on purpose, it was pretty bad to watch and it was a pretty big bonehead move, it's really not that hard to watch where you swing your stick. Come on now.

The best part about the whole thing was when the announcer said, "Nobody in the building feels worse than Keith Ballard." Yea, when I see somebody get jacked I feel so bad for the guy who hit the other guy, then I worry about the guy about to be taken off on a stretcher.

All-Star of the Week : Drew Brees. The man was playing a clearly outmatched Patriots defense, and it showed with his first half stats of 311 yards and four touchdowns. He ended the game going 18-23 for 371 yards with five TDs. He had a passer rating of 158.3, the highest rating possible.

Worst Player of the Week : Jake Delhomme. He has been awful all season, but somehow he can't get benched. He tried to help the case to give Matt Moore some playing time by throwing no touchdowns and four interceptions against the Jets.

He also threw for just 130 yards on 14-34 passing and he dipped below his Week One passer rating of 14.7 (yea, that's right) with a new low of 12.7 (yea, thats also right) in his abysmal performance.

Question of the Week (answer in the comments) :

Which team is more likely to go 16-0, the Colts or the Saints, and why?

I'm Joe W.

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Is 16-0 an Accomplishment or Albatross for Colts and Saints?

Nick Antonicello — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:32:21 -0500

The New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts are both 11-0 and headed for the No. 1 seed in their respective conferences with a possible Super Bowl match-up to end a story book season for both franchises.

For the first time in NFL history, we have two undefeated and untied teams after 11 weeks of competition. While the thought of each team chasing a perfect season will never be spoken about, should the 1972 Miami Dolphins keep that champagne on ice for now?

The decision by Patriot Head Coach Bill Belichick to go for an undefeated season in 2007 questions the whole rationale of trying to chase perfection given their upset defeat at the hands of the New York Giants, 17-14 and finish the season 18-1.

Any reasonable fan of the game will tell you that while the Miami Dolphins are the only undefeated team in the Super Bowl era, they are hardly considered one of the best teams of all-time. The 2007 New England Patriots by any standard were heads and shoulders far better than the Don Shula led Dolphins who were led by the aging Earl Morrall (38) when Bob Griese was injured early in the 1972 season.

Morrall and Griese threw for just 15 touchdowns compared to Tom Brady's record setting 50. While the Patriots put up 589 points and 6,580 total yards, Miami posted just 385 and 5,036!

Even if you account for the fact the Dolphins played just 14 regular season games, the Patriots still scored 523 point in the same stretch and 5,959 total yards in a true, apples to apples comparison of regular season statistics.

In 1972, the Dolphins had several close contests and scares with the Vikings in Week Three (16-14), Buffalo in Week Six (24-23), the Jets in Week 10 (28-24).

In the Divisional Playoffs the Dolphins needed a last minute score to defeat the Cleveland Browns 20-14 and would have been eliminated in the first round if not for five interceptions thrown by Brown Quarterback Mike Phipps!

For the Patriots, they were never seriously challenged in 2007 until Week Nine when Brady outdueled Peyton Manning for a 24-20 victory. The Baltimore Ravens would give the Patriots all they could handle in Week 13 in a 27-24 loss while the Giants would also force the Patriots to work harder than usual to reach a perfect season in the Meadowlands with a 38-35 win to finally go 16-0.

With another come-from-behind win Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts seem to have the hardest road to 16-0.

They have a very hot Tennessee Titan squad now on a five-game winning streak of their own led by a rejuvenated Vince Young, the former Texas All-American.

The Colts then have the Broncos, the Jaguars, Jets and finish with the Buffalo Bills at Orchard Park, New York. Of there last five games, only the Bills are out of playoff contention.

New Orleans at 11-0 travels to Washington, DC to play the Redskins and then to Atlanta to play the Falcons. The Redskins are out of playoff contention while Atlanta is on the brink of elimination. They then have the Cowboys at the Superdome which could be a potential first round match-up in the playoffs and then the Saints finish with Tampa Bay and Carolina.

Other than the Cowboys, the Saints at worst should finish 15-1 or possibly 14-2 with the Minnesota Vikings just a game behind for home field advantage throughout the playoffs. That should be more than enough motivation for the Saints to try to stay undefeated as long as the Viking remain a single loss behind.

Two undefeated teams in the Super Bowl would make for a historic moment in the NFL, but just don't count on it just yet. The burden of carrying a 16-0 record into the playoffs seems to be more than enough pressure for any team to handle when trying to win the Super Bowl isn't pressure enough!

The goal is to become a Super Bowl champion, not an undefeated season.

Having said that, I look for both the Saints and the Colts to sit the regulars once home-field advantage is secured as they prepare for the greater goal of winning the championship of the NFL.

Read more New Orleans news on BleacherReport.com

Saints March In, Patriots March Out: 16-0 Belongs in New Orleans

Jonathan Mathis — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:07:56 -0500

If you believe in marching bands, the New Orleans Saints is the one franchise you believe in. On Bourbon Street, the most active street in the country, a festive crowd is marching with the Saints.

The Superdome, where inside the noise factor used to be silent and less entertaining, is now the loudest venue in the league.

Unlike before, 70,000 fans are now in the stands, optimistic the Saints can finish the season 16-0. In a friendly site, the powerhouse of the NFL happens to be New Orleans.

Is there a team able to match their intensity and hinder their unforeseen dominance? I wouldn’t think so.

As potent as the Saints are in a season, winning seems like an illusion, overpowering each opponent is discernible. With a 38-17 rout in a Monday Night Football showdown, the Saints degraded Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.

Believe it or not, getting pummeled was as awful as Belichick’s fourth-down blunder two weeks ago, when he flunked the road test in Indianapolis.

Again, the Patriots were pushed around and described as amateurs, not the dynasty of our decade. So the most hated team in the league was again denied an opportunity to alleviate their road woes.

The Spygate suspects are latest victims of losing to the Saints, a franchise America has grown to accept for its inspirational loyalty within a community distressed when a tragedy left a town in self-destruction.

In contrast, our country has grown to hate the Patriots for Belichick’s devious tactics of deceiving the game. Since then, the Patriots have been featured as a sham, accumulating more Super Bowl victories than any team this decade.

Now, the Saints polished into legitimate contenders and potentially can march to Miami. Assuming the Patriots weren’t Tom Brady-less, much absorption was given to New England, the almighty team of the NFL to begin the season.

At the start of the season, it is funny Drew Brees was ignored until a delusional population excluded doubt and followed the marching band.

At an 11-0, the Saints' star power is unstoppable and impossible to defeat. Remember, they’re unbeaten, as are the Colts, making us wish for a Saints-Colts Super Bowl, a wonderful combination in what should have the makings for an astounding Super Bowl matchup for the ages.

The Saints are nearing New England’s 16-0 regular-season record two years ago and the ‘72 Miami Dolphins' perfect NFL record.

Look at the schedule. If South Beach believes the record is untouchable, it could be the year the Saints fool us all and surpass an unimaginable milestone.

If so, New Orleans would provoke the biggest celebration—perhaps bigger than Mardi Gras—and embrace the greatest Saints' team of all time. It’s possible with a light schedule.

Think about it.

I’ll be kind enough to define the Saints as the NFC champs a month in advance. It’s hard to imagine Brees and company faltering late in the season, especially against inferior teams.

Let’s all apologize to Peyton Manning and Brett Favre, and crown Brees as MVP.

What is suggested as the scorching debate, the MVP race is the most interesting in recent memory. But if you ask me, Brees earns my vote. The well-deserved award belongs to a compelling quarterback for rejuvenating a town devoid of much reverence amid a devastating tragedy.

Before his arrival, the Saints were the Ain’ts, consisting of an incompetent quarterback. Back then, the Saints were marching through a hellish period when seats were empty and television ratings were paltry. Now football is worth watching each week, and viewers are now guaranteed a captivating event.

They’ll obviously earn a top seed in the playoffs, but an awe-inspiring season is meaningless if the Saints stumble in the playoffs. Right now, New Orleans' storybook season seems relentless, while the Patriots’ horrid struggles continue to hurt a lousy defense on the road.

Against the Breezy Boys, Belichick’s defense was painful watching.

Here’s some statistics: In the game we all waited for, Brees manhandled and shoved Brady out of the spotlight. He completed 18-of-23 passes for 371 yards and an overwhelming 158.3 passer rating in a flawless performance against one of the greatest quarterbacks in the game.

It never was a quarterback duel, but simply a peculiar performance by Brady, who’s known for directing late finishes to secure victories in sensational contests, completed 21-of-36 passes for 237 yards and no touchdowns.

More shocking, Brady had no touchdowns, a rarity none of us could even imagine. Most of us would’ve forecasted that he’ll connect with Randy Moss for a touchdown. Even more stunning, he was replaced by rookie Brian Hoyer, a sign of quickly losing confidence in Brady.

He’s the one despised coach. He’s the one wearing a five-year-old hoodie. Belichick is the one blamed and criticized for the 4th-and-2 blunder at his own 28-yard line while leading by six. As a dynasty is receding, the beginning of a new one is emerging before our very eyes.

A coach by the name of Sean Payton has installed a high-powered offense, which has created an action-packed three hours of fun. Even deadlier and armed with competitors is a lethal defense.

For most opponents, the Saints are difficult to read defensively. Their aggressive and robust defense is established by the guru Gregg Williams.

Though the status of the secondary remains unknown, a veteran core is bonding as a cohesive unit. No secondary clobbered the Patriots' dynamic passing game as well as the Saints.

Just last week, Mike McKenzie signed as a utility cornerback and came to New Orleans’ aid in the secondary, disrupting the Brady Bunch.

Not much action was seen from an explosive Wes Welker or Randy Moss. Late in the third, Moss had a chance to complete a pivotal play to keep the drive alive for a potential comeback, but as usual, McKenzie interfered with the pass on 4th-and-4 at the Saints’ 10.

Keep in mind that Brees is the key to the Saints and has thrown for 5,000 yards this season, joining the company of Dan Marino for a remarkable plateau. Everyone understands the Saints have a solid supporting cast.

A plethora of reliable running backs in Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell is essential to a high-powered offense that is unstoppable.

Their rush attack is as dangerous as launching throws down field, applying all the fundamentals in the physical game of football.

Let’s all speculate. No team can beat the Saints. No team can stop the marching band.

Let’s all predict: 16-0.

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Cubicle GM NFL Power Rankings: Week 13 Edition

Jacob Nitzberg — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:34:21 -0500

Welcome to the Week 13 edition of the Cubicle GM NFL Power Rankings. Every Tuesday you can look forward to our composite rankings, as well as a bit of brief insight and analysis about each of the 32 teams.

The rankings are determined by taking the average of each of the contributors here at The Cube . For Week 13, we have rankings from four members of the Cubicle GM team, including me, Gideon, Walker and Smokey. So remember, if you disagree with some portion of our rankings, be sure to check the individual rankings to find the culprit.

The top echelon of teams in the rankings have gained themselves a new member, as the San Diego Chargers have closed the gap between themselves and the top four. The Saints, after their convincing win on Monday Night, remain at No. 1 for the 11th consecutive week, followed by the Colts at No. 2.

On the other side of the Monday night game, the Patriots dropped one spot behind the Minnesota Vikings, who jump to No. 3 after their destruction of the Chicago Bears.

For the second straight week, only one team dropped out of the Top 10, as the Pittsburgh Steelers dropped two spots to No. 11 after their overtime loss to Baltimore. Back in the Top 10 for the first time since Week 1 are the Green Bay Packers, who jumped four spots from No. 9 after their third straight win.

The bottom six teams in the rankings only had one change this week, as the Buccaneers and Raiders swapped spots at No. 29 and No. 30. The bottom six of Detroit, Kansas City, Oakland, Tampa Bay, St. Louis, and Cleveland have now remained the same for four straight weeks.

The movement in the ranks was similar to the last few, as 11 teams stayed in the same position as last week. However, of the 21 teams that did move, only six of them moved at least three spots up or down the ranks.

The biggest positive movement this week came from the Tennessee Titans, who moved up five spots after defeating the Cardinals on the final play of the game for their fifth straight win. Look for their stock to fly even higher if they make it six straight against Indianapolis next week. The biggest downward mover was at the opposite end of that game, as the Cardinals fell four spots to No. 15.

The disagreements among the rankers were few and far between this week, with just four disagreements of at least six spots in their ranks. However, this week there were none that reached a double digit disagreement between two of the contributors.

Seattle Seahawks (9) – Gideon 20, Smokey 29

Arizona Cardinals (7) – Jacob 12, Gideon / Smokey 19

Jacksonville Jaguars (7) – Jacob 15, Gideon 22

Buffalo Bills (6) – Smokey 21, Jacob 27

On the divisional side, the AFC South remains at the top with an average score of 12.25. The AFC North edged out the NFC East for second by an extremely slim margin, with average score of 14.31 compared to 14.38.

The bottom division remains the same for the 10th consecutive week and might just stay that way for the rest of the year. The NFC West checks in with a 22.50 average score, while second to last is the AFC West, coming in with a score of 18.69.

As a reminder, you can check out all the backup data here . As always, last week’s ranks are in parentheses. Without further ado, onto the rankings .

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And the New Orleans Saints Go Marching In: New Orleans Now Super Bowl Favorites

T.J. Donegan — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:02:57 -0500

Last night's game was one of those touchstone games of the year, the kind of event that will make this regular season memorable for two fanbases.

For New Orleans, this was, as was repeated throughout the postgame, their franchise's "signature win."

For New England, it was certainly a milestone in their franchise history, though perhaps not one they wanted to pass so soon.

If the Saints go on to have a decade half as good as the one the Patriots seem to be wrapping up—or, at worst, continue their run of dominance through this year's playoffs—then Monday night will be the night most people look back to as the night when the Saints truly earned their stripes.

For anybody who watched the whole game, this will be old news: The Saints were dominant in absolutely every facet of the game. I mean it. They beat New England in absolutely every way you can beat a football team.

They were faster and hit harder on special teams. They got pressure on Tom Brady consistently. They succeeded with every sort of coverage downfield. They tackled to perfection. They made plays after the catch. They gave Drew Brees tons of time. They ran the ball well when they needed to. They didn't commit many penalties. They turned the ball over. They made crucial first downs throughout the game.

Everything. Even their kicker got lucky with a ball that should've gone wide-left.

In the aftermath, experts seem to be doubting the ability of the Patriots' defense after last night.

In truth, I don't think last night says as much about the New England defense as it does about the New Orleans offense.

On many of the long pass plays that the Saints benefited from, Drew Brees simply made picturesque throws into tight coverage.

Now, there were plenty of missed tackles, a good deal of miscommunication, and some missed opportunities, but New Orleans made every play they had to, and quite a few more for good measure.

But what last night showed me was that unless you can truly dominate the Saints in one area and really get them off their game, you're not going to do anything but slow them down.

I think New England's defense is still growing together, and last night did expose some serious flaws—namely, their inability to generate enough pass-rush up front to give a quarterback like Drew Brees or Peyton Manning any sort of real trouble—but they aren't necessarily flaws that will be exposed week-in, week-out, even into the playoffs.

Offensively, New England's biggest problem was protection, with so many injuries to their offensive line. That, too, looks to be a fatal flaw when facing any team with a solid cover unit and a half-decent pass rush.

When you can't protect Brady and he's forced to throw quickly, a defense can successfully play man against New England, as was shown in the Jets game early in the season and again last night.

Indianapolis did something similar as well, though their imperious pass rush on both edges allowed them to even play zone against New England, even if Brady had a reasonably good day picking apart their coverages.

The Saints simply brought pressure from everywhere, and succeeded. You could see Brady's frustration last night on the crucial play in which he threw his second interception, ending New England's hopes of a comeback. He dropped back, took half a beat and saw an open man.

Brady looked to be ready to throw then, seemingly realizing he finally had some time to take a stab downfield, waited half a beat before uncorking a long pass into thick coverage that fell a good 20 yards short of where it needed to be.

There was no F-bomb this time, just a brisk unbuckling of the chin strap and a good 20 minutes staring at the clock, hands on hip, waiting for zeros.

Overall, though, beyond all the personnel issues, the Brees vs. Brady debate, the injuries on both sides, and the "passing of the torch" feeling that Monday night's game produced, this game came down to one thing:

Coaching.

I don't think it's going too far to say that Belichick was out-coached last night in a way he hasn't been out-coached in a long time, if ever.

When New England's offense made adjustments to get the ball out faster in the second half, New Orleans made adjustments on defense. They brought pressure from all areas with the blitz early in the game, then they rushed three and dropped back into a Tampa-Two zone, staying aggressive on outside routes.

That's not just a different look, that's an entirely different defensive philosophy and the Saints pulled every formation off to perfection against probably the most stacked passing attack in the league.

It was refreshing to see Belichick seem to really take the time out to give Brees his proper due in front of the cameras, as well.

The Saints, in true New Orleans fashion, took a lot of gambles against the New England offense. They pushed all-in against Randy Moss and the Patriots' receivers time and time again and doubled up on nearly every play.

There's no knowing how the rest of the season will play out from here, and the Saints have some pretty talented teams to get through in the playoffs, but, as obvious as it may sound, it has to be said:

Dem Saints are pretty damn good.

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Saints-Patriots: New Orleans Neutralizes Brady Bunch with Perfect Passer Rating

Suzette Lampard Brantley — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:20:10 -0500

Steve Young stated earlier in pregame coverage that the New Orleans Saints needed this win more. That it would be "beyond huge, franchise making perception changing game for them." Then he went on to pick the Saints to win.

Some said the key was to keep Wes Welker from big third-down conversions while others said Laurence Maroney and the running game was a bigger threat. A few stragglers would throw Randy Moss out there as the key to containing this offense.

How about that...the Saints did all with flying colors. They held Maroney to 15 carries 64 yards rushing. As for the receiving corps, it was Moss for 3 receptions for 67 yards and Welker to 6 receptions for 32 yards.

Tedy Bruschi said "you are what your record says" at this time of the year. And he is right...the New Orleans Saints are 11-0. They have a quarterback who has a perfect passer rating of 158.3, they dominate on defense, and they capitalize on turn overs.

Not to mention the defense did it with two corner backs signed within the past two weeks. Chris McAlister was signed two weeks ago and Mike McKenzie was signed a week ago due to ongoing injuries on the defense.

Once again, the Black and Gold was ready. They minimized Maroney and neutralized Welker. As for Randy Moss, he did what he usually does when he thinks he isn't getting the ball; he let up and Darren Sharper exploited it for yet another Brady ball for his collection.

During the postgame interview, Coach Belichick said, "They outplayed us in all phases of the game."

Tom Brady even said, "There's obviously a big gap between us. It wasn't nearly as competitive as we all were expecting."

The city and its inhabitants have kept the Faith and are basking in the Glory of watching their "Saints Go Marching In!"

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New Orleans Saints: Why Anything Short of 16-0 Would Mean Failure

Alexeiv Goodenov — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:08:10 -0500

It's not every season you see two teams start 11-0. Actually it has never happened. So to think 16-0 is a must might be a bit too critical, looking at the facts, the '09 Saints have more than just the pressure of going undefeated due to the fact alone.

The remaining five games are against the Skins, Falcons, Cowboys, Bucs and Panthers.

They will be favored in all of those games, as they should be.

They have beaten their strongest competitors by wide margins, while coming back to beat average teams, almost in a guilty fashion. Their strongest opponent, right now, is the Cowboys. The game will be in New Orleans. The Cowboys almost lost to the Skins, while Romo licks dirt past November as we all know.

But there is a larger focus on 16-0, whenever any team starts off this good the reasoning behind playing for a win becomes less and less. The 11-0 Colts need only win two more games to clinch the first seed in the AFC, the Saints have no such luxury. They have to look at the Favre lead Vikings at 10-1. For going 15-1 in any other season would mean first place in the Conference, this year it may not be enough. Indeed the Vikings are a phantom tripping call away from undefeated themselves. While their remaining five games are against tougher opponents in the Cardinals and Bengals next two week and they will be favored to win both.

Like the 1998 Broncos, the road is clear, the Saints need only to drive through it without hitting a pothole and smashing into the side ditch.

Not to mention their 407 points on offense is set to end in the Top Three all time, first if they can average 37 points a game.

So with all this in mind, a 15-1 finish might mean second place in the NFC, and a visit to Minnesota come January.

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The Saints Go Marching into Greatness, Part Two

Kemic Smothers — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:43:15 -0500

Today marks the end to an unusually quiet 2009 hurricane season. For a bit of irony, however, a major storm is brewing in New Orleans.

Last night's primetime matchup between the now 7-4 New England Patriots and the now 11-0 New Orleans Saints had all the makings of a shootout-to-be.

Well, it wasn't.

The NFL's "been there, done that" team of success over the past decade was completely outmatched by the boys from the Bayou.

For most of this season, the Saints have looked good, real good. But by imposing their will on the Patriots, the Saints made a very loud statement, and a very important step toward greatness.

On a night when it seemed the whole world was watching, Drew Brees finished the contest with a perfect 158.3 quarterback rating, only the third quarterback to do so on a Monday night.

Nobody outside the Who Dat Nation would have believed the Saints were capable of dismantling the Patriots in such fashion.

Former Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady finished the game without a touchdown pass for the first time in nine games.

With a little over five minutes remaining, Brady was done for the night—without a touchdown and having thrown two interceptions.

The Superdome was on full tilt as Drew Brees connected with seven different receivers for 371 yards and five touchdowns while completing 78.3 percent of his passes.

After a near-perfect game, it is clear that Brees is an elite quarterback, and the Saints are for real. At times, Brees appeared unstoppable. It was as though it didn't matter what the Patriots did on defense, he was not going to be stopped.

And he wasn't.

Brees orchestrated touchdown drives of 59, 75, 76, 74, and 75 yards.

Many believed Brees needed this victory to solidify his position among the elite NFL quarterbacks. I have to agree, but that goal was more than achieved with the Saints' overwhelming victory over the Patriots.

Prior to the game, the Saints' 10-0 record was not enough to prevent many from opining that the Minnesota Vikings were the best football team in the NFC. It is arguable, however, that, with the complete dismantling of the New England Patriots, a new era in the NFL has begun—one in which the Saints are considered a top-notch ball club worthy of being feared, and the Superdome is a dangerous venue for visiting teams.

The convincing, one-sided victory places a stamp of approval on a season that finds the Saints undefeated at 11-0 and making a serious run for the playoffs with Super Bowl aspirations in mind.

The Saints have proven, without a doubt, that they are legitimate contenders for a championship.

Furthermore, I'll go so far as to say that the Saints are the most talented and dominant team in the NFL—bar none. They've raised the bar and set the stage. The best is yet to come.

There will still be doubters and some still left in disbelief, but last night we witnessed a very good football team take one big precision step in their march toward greatness.

And like I've always said, "Lord I want to be in that number...when the saints to marching in" to greatness!

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Hits Keep Coming for Les Miles: LSU AD Confirms Recruiting Investigation

Henry Ball — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:10:26 -0500

Jordan Blum of 2theAdvocate.com is reporting that LSU is self-investigating possible violations involving the football team.

Athletic Director Joe Alleva confirmed the investigation on Monday and indicated that the probe was focused on one assistant coach and a single student-athlete, who has not yet played during any live game action for the Tigers.

In Alleva's statement, he said, “Compliance issues are routinely monitored by our compliance staff and LSU is currently researching possible violations involving one assistant coach and one student-athlete in the sport of football. By procedure, the Southeastern Conference Office has been made aware of this circumstance.”

Alleva also noted that privacy concerns prevent him from discussing details and specific individuals at this time.

It appears that the coach in question is wide receivers coach D.J. McCarthy, who has recruited some of LSU's brightest young talent since joining the staff in 2007.

McCarthy recruits include five-stars DT Chris Davenport and WR Rueben Randle, four-stars DB Karnell Hatcher, DT Akiem Hicks, and RB Michael Ford, and several other potential impact players.

If the player in question has not yet reached the field, Tiger fans have to be wondering if Hicks, Ford, or another one of McCarthy's charges might be in jeopardy of suspension or worse.

Ford was dressed for Saturday's game in Tiger Stadium and was available to play in case of emergency, according to head coach Les Miles.

That could indicate that Ford is not expected to be implicated in the investigation.

Blum's story in The Advocate also pointed out that McCarthy was the only offensive coach that did not receive a raise this year.

This revelation comes at a precarious time for Coach Miles, who has experienced heavy scrutiny in the aftermath of the Ole Miss loss last Saturday in Oxford, MS.

One of the Internet's primary sources for LSU news and discussion, And the Valley Shook, posted the news just as the heated debate over whether or not Miles should be retained began to settle down.

One of the attributes that most Tiger fans seem to have appreciated most about Coach Miles to this point is his character and that he has run a clean program.

That character was questioned in light of his initial remarks following the Ole Miss game when some felt he was passing the buck and blaming his young quarterback for the loss.

In his weekly press conference, he clarified his remarks and accepted full responsibility for the mismanagement of the game resulting in the loss. This welcomed accountability was by and large accepted by his players, the media, and fans alike.

Now he will have to answer questions regarding yet another distraction and potential setback facing his team as they begin to turn their attention to preparing for what is likely to be a CapOne Bowl game versus Iowa or Penn State.

There is no indication at this time that this is a serious violation that could lead to major sanctions.

Nonetheless, for those Tiger fans that have already turned on Coach Miles, this will undoubtedly fuel the fire to go in another direction.

For his most ardent supporters, of which I have been and remain, this is a scary situation that must and undoubtedly will be handled properly by the athletic department and Coach Miles.

For those on the fence, the tug of war continues.

If this turns out to be worse than it seems now or is not handled properly, then the tug of war will be won by the change now crowd.

With the way things are going, they might just pull hard enough to bring along some of those that are currently firmly in the Miles camp.

By Henry Ball (Southern Man, CFB Czar) Featured Columnist, Syndicated Writer

@ Bleacher Report , College Gameday Network , and other Sports Media outlets.

Another Must Read: Is Les Miles on the Hot Seat?

Sources: 2 the Advocate, LSUsports.net, And The Valley Shook

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Saints-Patriots: Shootout In the Super Dome

Dwight Palmer — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:30:05 -0500

Many New Orleans fans still remember the 'Aints. This was the popular name for a team whose fans wore paper bags over their heads when attending games. The Saints were the most lovable inept football team in the USA. From their inception, in 1967, until Jim Mora brought nine if his USFL defensive players to the Crescent City they were failures. Mora and his leadership resulted in the Saints first winning season and their first playoff appearance in their 21st year of existence. From those humble beginnings, who would have thought that we would ever see an 11-0 New Orleans team?

Using the current vernacular, these Saints " blew up" the New England Patriots on Monday night. Drew Brees threw for 229 yards in the first half. The Saints defenders played as if the whole Patriots team had insulted their mommas. The Saints turned people upside down on tackles. On one kickoff, the Patriot kick returner looked as if he ran into a clothes line with his feet flying up in front of his face before his backside hit the ground.

For Tom Brady, the defense brought to my mind a video of a pack of wolves chasing down a caribou with Brady as the target. He was sacked, harassed and pulled down while in the process of throwing. There was virtually no protection for him. This game was so one sided that the Pat's pulled the plug with 5 minutes left in the game by pulling their major starters, (Brady and Randy Moss).

The game began with both teams scoring once in the first quarter, the Saints a field goal and the Pat's a touchdown. In the second quarter, the Saints outscored the Pat's 21 to 3. This left the Saints ahead with a half time score of 24 -10. Both teams exchanged touchdowns in the third and the Saints added another score in the fourth. The final score of 38-17 looks better than the actual play of the game.

Drew Brees completed 18 passes of 23 attempts for 371 yards and 5 touchdowns and no interceptions. Tom Brady threw 36 passes to complete 21 with no touchdown passes and 2 interceptions. The quarterback ratings were more indicative of the dominance of the Saints. Drew Brees had a rating of 158.3, Tom Brady ended with a rating of 55.0.

We, meaning those of us who watched the game, were treated to a vision of what the best team in the NFL looks like. There is no doubt that the Saints are presently the most dominating team in the league. A football has a funny shape and bounces erratically which is a great metaphor for a football season as well. This simply means that things can happen that don't make sense, but barring any funny bounces, the Saints should be in the Super Bowl this year.

Should they make it that far, I hope that they invite Archie Manning back. As one of the most talented quarterbacks of his generation, it had to be frustrating to play for the "Aints". Yet he stuck it out and did not leave the team until the twilight of his career.

I hear faint strains of Louis Armstrong's song, "When the Saints go Marching In", and cheers of who 'dat? Prediction Saints 16-0 in the regular season

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New Orleans Defense Has Saints Marching Towards Perfection

Will Holt — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:49:33 -0500

We have grown accustomed to the Patriots making big plays in clutch situations.

On Monday Night Football with the entire country glued to the television, it was the Saints defense that made big plays and came up clutch.

Let me repeat that for those who didn’t pay their cable or Internet bill and missed the game.

It was the Saints defense that made big plays and came up clutch.

The Patriots took their opening possession, methodically went down the field and scored a touchdown. Following a Saints punt and a 41-yard return by Wes Welker, the Pats were looking to go up by double digits and send the Saints defense into a tailspin.

And then it happened.

The Saints defense forced a turnover, and they rattled Tom Brady. The one player in the NFL who remains cool, calm and collected was suddenly sent into a downward spiral.

The Saints defensive line was getting pressure without blitzing. It looked like there were 11 players in Saints secondary.

Ladies and Gentlemen—the New Orleans Saints proved they are for real and they should be feared by everyone in the league. The Saints marched up and down the field against a terrible New England defense, but that did not surprise too many people.

Defensively, the Saints made a statement and they made it loud and clear.

Darren Sharper, Jonathan Vilma and Mike McKenzie let the Patriots get a big play here and there. But ultimately it was the Saints who made big plays and kept the Patriots out of the endzone.

Simply put, it was one of the best defensive performances by any team this season.

And the effort shown by the Saints on the defensive side of the ball cemented their mark as an elite team in the NFL and established themselves as the best team in the NFC. The Minnesota Vikings have looked great this season, but no one is going to enter the Superdome and walk away with a win.

No one.

The Saints may come out a little flat next week on the road against the Redskins after such an emotional win. They may even drop a game down the stretch, but nothing will take away from the dominant performance displayed by the Saints.

Back on September 25, 2006, the Saints returned to the Superdome and played their first true home game since Hurricane Katrina. The Saints rolled the Falcons 23-3, and it helped the Saints kick start their season.

That game will always remain special to Saints fans because of the symbolic importance.

The game held on November 30, 2009, will be remembered as the biggest regular season win in New Orleans Saints history. It officially put the Saints on the map.

There are no more critics. There are only believers.

No one will say, “Who did they beat?” Instead, everyone will ask, “Can they be beat?”

Drew Brees picked up one of the biggest wins in his career as well. But the defense needed to prove itself the most. The defense was the team's Achilles heel, and yet they elevated their game and proved to be the team's heart.

The city of Miami had better be ready for the Saints on February 7, because it looks like they will come marching in.

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NFL Power Rankings: Week 13

Jordan Schwartz — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:39:33 -0500

Well, it's December and we still have two undefeated teams (for the first time in NFL history). The Saints remained unbeaten by blowing out the Patriots, 38-17, a much more convincing victory than the Colts' 35-34 win over New England in Week 10.

Because of that, New Orleans jumps ahead of Indy in the Power Rankings. Could we be headed for a 'perfect' Super Bowl? Still two months to go.

1. (2) New Orleans Saints (11-0)

When talking about the two best current quarterbacks in the NFL, Drew Brees might've snuck ahead of Tom Brady on Monday night to join Peyton Manning in that elite group.

2. (1) Indianapolis Colts (11-0)

Indy has won five consecutive games when trailing in the final quarter.

3. (3) Minnesota Vikings (10-1)

Brett Favre has thrown 12 touchdowns since last being picked off.

4. (5) Cincinnati Bengals (8-3)

The Bengals seven straight divisional wins ties Indianapolis and Minnesota for the longest streak in the NFL.

5. (4) New England Patriots (7-4)

Here are some teams with better road records than the Patriots: Carolina, Miami, Buffalo, Jacksonville and Kansas City.

6. (7) Green Bay Packers (7-4)

After trouncing the Lions on Thanksgiving, the Pack gets 10 days off before hosting the Ravens on Monday night.

7. (8) Dallas Cowboys (8-3)

The schedule makers have smiled on the Cowboys as well. After a delicious Turkey Day serving of the Raiders, Dallas enjoys a long week before traveling to the Meadowlands for a crucial NFC East showdown with the Giants.

8. (9) Baltimore Ravens (6-5)

Yet another overtime game won by the team that didn't start with the football.

9. (10) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5)

Ben Roethlisberger's late scratch combined with the NFL's current push to force players to sit out a game following a concussion makes me believe the league may have had something to do with the Steelers' quarterback missing the game against Baltimore.

10. (11) San Diego Chargers (8-3)

The Chargers have won six straight, including a string of 15 consecutive quarters with a score, but with their best wins coming over the Broncos, Eagles and Giants, I have a hard time putting San Diego ahead of Baltimore and Pittsburgh, two teams they lost to earlier this season.

11. (12) Denver Broncos (7-4)

The Broncos , who were averaging just 9.25 points a game over their recent four-game slide, put up 26 on the exhausted Giants defense.

12. (13) Philadelphia Eagles (7-4)

Philly is 4-1 when LeSean McCoy leads the team in rushing.

13. (6) Arizona Cardinals (7-4)

That's Arizona's first road loss since Dec. 21.

14. (14) New York Giants (6-5)

The G-Men stood little chance of picking up a victory after traveling to Mile Hile on a short week. We should see a completely different team on Sunday, when a rested Big Blue hosts Dallas.

15. (15) Atlanta Falcons (6-5)

Atlanta escaped with a victory over the Bucs, but the Falcons lost quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner to injury. They'll need both of those guys at full strength when they welcome Philly to town on Sunday for a game with big NFC playoff implications.

16. (16) Miami Dolphins (5-6)

With New England, Pittsburgh and a surging Tennessee team still left on the schedule, Miami could not afford to lose at Buffalo this week, especially when they had three extra days of rest.

17. (18) Jacksonville Jaguars (6-5)

The Jags have been outscored, 61-3, in their two West Coast games this year.

18. (19) New York Jets (5-6)

The Jets defense is tied for 11th in the NFL with 11 picks.

19. (20) Tennessee Titans (5-6)

Chris Johnson has been the main reason for the Titans' turnaround, as he's rushed for at least 125 yards in a record-tying six consecutive games, but the victory over the Cardinals was all about Vince Young, who was 9-of-16 for 94 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown to Kenny Britt, which capped the 99-yard game-winning drive.

20. (21) Carolina Panthers (4-7)

Jake Delhomme's broken finger on his throwing hand might be the best thing to happen to the Panthers all season. Look for backup Matt Moore to lead Carolina past Tampa Bay before tossing three picks at New England, leading to Carolina fans clamoring for Delhomme's return.

21. (22) Houston Texans (5-6)

That's the fourth straight time the Texans have blown a second half lead vs. the Colts.

22. (23) San Francisco 49ers (5-6)

Alex Smith has thrown five touchdowns with just one interception over the past two weeks.

23. (26) Buffalo Bills (4-7)

The Bills scored more points (24) in the fourth quarter against the Dolphins than they did in their previous eight quarters combined.

24. (17) Chicago Bears (4-7)

Jay Cutler leads the league with 20 interceptions.

25. (24) Kansas City Chiefs (3-8)

The Chiefs have been outscored, 80-21, by the Chargers this season.

26. (25) Oakland Raiders (3-8)

Bruce Gradkowski's quarterback rating (66.3) is still 18.6 points higher than JaMarcus Russell's 47.7.

27. (27) Seattle Seahawks (4-7)

Over the past two seasons, the Seahawks are 2-0 at St. Louis and 1-12 in all other road games.

28. (28) Washington Redskins (3-8)

That's nine straight road losses for the 'Skins.

29. (29) Tampa Bay Bucs (1-10)

No Buc has rushed for more than 56 yards in their last five games.

30. (30) St. Louis Rams (1-10)

I thought the Rams' 10-game home loss streak would come to an end against Seattle, a team that entered the contest 2-10 on the road over the past two seasons, but St. Louis is simply that much worse.

31. (31) Detroit Lions (2-9)

Six consecutive Thanksgiving Day losses for the Lions, and yet the NFL keeps serving us these putrid holiday games.

32. (32) Cleveland Browns (1-10)

The Browns have lost eight straight divisional games.

Follow me on Twitter at JordanHarrison .

Jordan Schwartz is Bleacher Report's New York Yankees Community Leader. His book "Memoirs of the Unaccomplished Man" is available at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and authorhouse.com.

Jordan can be reached at jordanschwartz2003@yahoo.com

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Black & Gold Xs & Os: Last Minute Preview of Saints-Patriots

Will Osgood — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:20:15 -0500

Here are some things I will check back on in the morning to see if they happened. If they do, I believe the Saints can win this game.

1. The Patriots like to use a base three-receiver set, but will add even more than that to their formation. This will cause stress on the Saints lack of depth in the secondary.

The only way to stop the Patriots in this case is to get a lot of pressure on Tom Brady. If they are unable to do that, Brady could put up huge numbers tonight. Look for a lot of blitzing, early and often.

2. Patriots like to play a lot of coverage, and will even play man-to-man on the outside. These together are actually advantages for the Saints offense. Brees should be able to find holes in the coverage.

The intermediate sideline routes, and "go" routes to guys like Colston and Meachem will be open often.

3. Patriots are a good run defense. Because of this I would expect Brees to come out throwing early and often. After hitting some big plays, the running game then becomes an option later in the game.

4. As always, winning the turnover and third down battle will be key. So will time of possession, plus the rushing yardage leader might have an advantage.

Geaux Saints!

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Patriots Vs Saints Monday Night Football Picks

Vernon Croy — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:46:28 -0500

This week on Monday Night Football, we will be treated to what could be the game of the season. The mighty New England Patriots will square off with the undefeated New Orleans Saints.

If you aren’t excited for this one, you might want to check your pulse.

The game will feature two of the very best quarterbacks in the league with Drew Brees and Tom Brady. One quarterback came within one pass of breaking Dan Marino’s yardage record last year and the other has multiple Super Bowls under his belt.

As far as Free NFL Picks go, this one should be very entertaining to say the least.

The Patriots come into this game with somewhat of a turbulent season. They are still doing great at 7-3 and they definitely have the capability to beat New Orleans.

However, two weeks ago, they lost to the other undefeated team in Indianapolis and many second-guessed their decision in the final minutes to go for it on fourth down.

The offense has been good overall, but the defense has been a little questionable at times. Belichick obviously didn’t have enough faith in them to put the game in their hands against Peyton Manning, so why would anyone think they could consistently stop the juggernaut that is Drew Brees and the Saints offense?

The Saints have been rolling along and got two good games from one-win teams the last two weeks. Even though they have had a few close games, they always seem to find a way to win.

They have so many weapons to choose from with Brees, Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson, and Jeremy Shockey. Besides that, their defense has been one of the best in the league so far this season.

Right now, they really look like the favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. This game should really be a classic battle between two great teams.

Check out Vernon Croy's Expert New England Patriots Vs New Orleans Saints Picks for Monday night.

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One!:The Story Of The 2009 LSU Tigers Football Season

Thomas Delatte — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:58:51 -0500

One!

That is the number all Tiger fans will remember until next season.

It's the number we pursued for in the beginning of the season. We longed for it, we hoped for it! The Tigers were not the championship team from 2007 but they did have loads of talent to compete with the best in the SEC.

Three weeks into the season the Tigers looked as if they were ready to compete with the top teams in the SEC. They went into Starksville,MS on a rainy Saturday morning ranked seventh in the nation with games against Georgia and Florida lingering.

But The Tigers struggled to put the game away. They struggled to define their season by going on the road in the SEC and taking down the Bulldogs.

Instead, they settled for a 4th and goal play from the ONE yard line! If not for the athletic abilities of Chad Jones, the season would have taken a road to mediocrity. They left the Bulldogs ONE yard away and took the victory!

Then came Georgia and the high scoring last minute of the game in which the Tigers benefited from Charles Scott and his never give up run 33 yard run to the back of the end zone to give the Tigers the win with less the ONE minute to go after trailing by ONE point!

ONE!

Next up was the top ranked University of Florida Gators and the game everyone in the nation was watching.

This was the chance the Tigers needed to make fans forget about the previous season. It was their chance to jump to number ONE in the rankings. Late in the second quarter, with the Tigers down 3-0, they had a third and goal from the two yard line and Jordan Jefferson handed it to Charles Scott up the middle but all he could manage was ONE yard leaving the Tigers to settle for a field goal and the only points they managed to score in the game.

ONE more yard could have changed the momentum and given the Tigers a better chance...ONE!

A few weeks later, the #9 Tigers headed to Alabama to take on the #3 Crimson Tide. With the Tigers trailing 21-15 and the defense bruised up, they gave themselves the chance to come back with an unbelievable interception by Patrick Peterson at the LSU 40.

However, the refs called Peterson out of bounds and the pass was ruled incomplete. After review, the play was upheld because Peterson's toe was not inbounds. All he needed was ONE toe, ONE more inch, ONE more foot in bounds and the Tigers could have given themselves the chance to come back instead Alabama kicked a field goal closed the door on the Tigers and the season! ONE!

And now for the ONE game that will sit in every Tiger fans memory forever, the Ole Miss time management seminar that Les Miles signed up to teach. After several terrible play calls, the Tigers had the ball with 26 seconds left and a fourth down and long at mid field but instead of using the final timeout immediately, it took them 17 seconds to call it and left only 9 seconds left when it was finally called.

What happened next is not for the faint of heart! It is not something that anyone, even kids playing NCAA on xbox would do. After the snap, Jefferson found Terrence Tolliver at the Ole Miss 6 yard line for the first down! The clock stopped with ONE second left, to move the chains,which would have given the Tigers enough time to get the Field Goal unit on the field to win the game.

Instead Les Miles chose to keep in his offense and SPIKE the ball? With ONE second left?!?

ONE play, ONE score, ONE more yard, ONE toe, ONE second! ONE!

What does it take for a LSU football team to win a National Championship? The answer is ONE!

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Tight Line for New England Pats-New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football

steve tisch — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:17:51 -0500

The Indianapolis Colts remain undefeated but will the New Orleans Saints?

The Saints will look to remain their perfect record when they host the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football —New Orleans is a 1.5-point home fave and the Over/Under is at 57.

In seven matchups against the Saints, dating back to 1986, the Pats are 1-6 against the spread and in that time, the two have gone Over six times.

In New England’s last nine road games it has gone 6-3 ATS and in New Orleans’ last 10 home games, it is 9-1 SU, 7-3 ATS and has gone Over seven times.

When listed as a favorite of two-points or fewer, the Saints are 8-1 SU and ATS with eight Overs in their last nine such games.

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Tom Brady vs. Drew Brees: Silva's Week 12 NFL Picks and Predictions

Evan Silva — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 03:09:50 -0500

I will be breaking down every single football game this week. Like on NFL Playbook they break down every single game, that's what I did, and my article is long, so be ready for a show.

Last Week's Record (10-4)

My Overall Record (68-30)

Check Out My Thanksgiving Matchups and My Week 12: Turkey Day Rankings

Write a Comment and tell me what you think of my picks and my article.

Thanks!

Let's get cracking.

1:00 P.M. ET Games

Miami @ Buffalo

As if his Week 11 shoulder injury wasn't enough, Marshawn Lynch's value takes a sizable hit due to the season-ending losses of starting OGs Seth McKinney (knee) and Eric Wood (leg).

An inside runner, Lynch will have fewer lanes to cut through when he returns. He's probable for Week 12, but he isn't a fantasy option against Miami's No. 12 run defense if he plays.

Fred Jackson is a good bet to lead Buffalo's backfield in touches. On the season, Jackson is averaging 4.8 yards per play compared to Lynch's 3.8. Clearly, Jackson is the more effective back in all areas.

Terrell Owens' 197-yard Week 11 probably isn't a sign of things to come. While it did confirm that the 36-year-old has something left in the tank, Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has never had sustained success in the NFL.

Fitzpatrick is always a better bet to be ineffective after a productive game than to keep it going.

Owens and Lee Evans are mere WR3s, even against Miami's rookie corners and No. 22 pass defense.

Bills rookie TE Shawn Nelson isn't capitalizing on his starting job yet. He caught just one ball for 25 yards in last Sunday's loss to Jacksonville.

The Bills' No. 31 run defense continues to deal with injuries at every level. DT Marcus Stroud (knee) is still banged up after missing Week 11 and Buffalo plays musical chairs at linebacker every week.

Coming off an extended rest period after last Thursday's 24-touch, 138-yard, three-touchdown gashing of Carolina, Ricky Williams is an RB1. At 32, however, Ricky isn't a great bet to hold up with such workloads over the next six games.

Backup Lex Hilliard, who showed terrific power against the Panthers, would be a savvy "handcuff" pickup for Williams owners.

The Fins' coaching staff is showing more confidence in Chad Henne. While Henne is barely on the fantasy radar, he has averaged 32 attempts per game since Week 8. He isn't taking vertical shots, but has found a go-to target underneath in Davone Bess.

The duo has hooked up 16 times for 191 yards in the last three games. Bess is a zone buster and Buffalo plays lots of Cover 2, so he's a good PPR play this week.

Bess is playing the most snaps among Miami wideouts, while Brian Hartline, Ted Ginn Jr., and Greg Camarillo rotate. The latter three are waiver wire material.

My Pick- Dolphins

Indianapolis @ Houston

Texans-Colts in Week 9 didn't produce especially high-scoring results (20-17), but was decidedly pass heavy (94 combined throws; 44 rushes). There's no good reason to think those numbers will change much this time, as both clubs have top-three passing attacks and bottom-three rushing offenses.

While Matt Schaub has a difficult matchup against a Colts club that allows the NFL's fourth lowest YPA and has given up a league-low seven TDs, you can be sure he'll throw early and often. Indianapolis is also likely to be without top CB Kelvin Hayden (knee) for another week.

Andre Johnson had 10 catches in his last meeting with the Colts. He has top-three WR1 upside against Indy's rookie corners.

Kevin Walter has one TD all year. He's proven to be more of a WR4 matchup play than every-week WR3 despite Owen Daniels' season-ending injury. This isn't a favorable matchup.

Ryan Moats is now No. 3 in Houston's backfield, but Steve Slaton and Chris Brown are forming an even rotation. Slaton is a flex play and barely worth consideration in non-PPR formats. Indianapolis is tough on tight ends, so Texans rookie James Casey is a weak bet.

Peyton Manning has 299+ yards in each of the last four weeks. He'll benefit from the absence of Texans FS Eugene Wilson, who went on injured reserve Wednesday after undergoing surgery to repair two broken toes.

Houston's alternatives are Dominique Barber and John Busing. Both lack cover skills.

Reggie Wayne will see RCB Dunta Robinson in primary coverage. Robinson is having a good year, but Wayne is the No. 1 receiver in fantasy.

The Texans struggle against tight ends, and Dallas Clark had a career-high 14 catches against them in Week 9. He also gets a matchup upgrade with Wilson out.

Donald Brown is officially a non-factor in Indy's backfield, with just nine touches since returning from a shoulder strain in Week 9. Joseph Addai has 32 over that span.

An every-down back again, Addai has eight touchdowns in his last seven games. He's an every-week RB2 and faces a Texans run defense that showed plenty of leaks last Monday night.

Pierre Garcon has overtaken Austin Collie to be the Colts' No. 2 wideout. In the last three games, Collie has 83 yards and no TDs on 15 targets. Garcon has 218 yards and one score on 28 Manning attempts.

My Pick- Colts

Cleveland @ Cincinnati

Cincy will be rearing for points in bushels coming off a letdown loss to Oakland. The Paul Brown Stadium forecast (54-degree temps, 20% chance of rain, 11MPH winds) won't hinder passing, so Carson Palmer is a must-start against Cleveland's No. 26 pass defense. No one gives up more yards per throw than the Browns.

Chad Ochocinco routinely obliterates Browns RCB Brandon McDonald and scored two TDs in their last meeting. Ocho is an easy WR1. Avoid rotating possession receivers Laveranues Coles and Andre Caldwell, who crush each other's upsides.

Cedric Benson (hip) will be a game-time decision, but is an RB1 if he starts against the Browns' No. 29 rush defense. Bernard Scott is only a fantasy option if Benson is inactive.

Should Benson play, Scott's upside would be around 12 touchrd performance, so we should know that CedBen is at least close to 100 percent if he's dressed on Sunday.

Browns playcaller Brian Daboll finally let Brady Quinn take downfield shots in last week's surprise 75-total point game against the Lions.

Quinn threw perfectly placed scoring bombs to Chansi Stuckey and Mohamed Massaquoi, and finished with four TDs overall.

Bengals Pro Bowl-caliber press corners Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall won't let Cleveland's wideouts get as wide open as Detroit's No. 32 pass defense did, however.

While Quinn's improved confidence and aggressiveness are promising for his future, he's no more than a QB2 going forward.

The Bengals are one of the toughest teams in the league against No. 1 receivers, so it's too early to get excited about Massaquoi. He'll be a good player in the long run, but this is an unfavorable matchup.

Jamal Lewis had 3.1 yards per carry against the Lions. Detroit surrenders 4.5 YPC on the year. Lewis has no explosion and isn't remotely an option against Cincinnati's No. 2 rush defense.

Despite a sit-down with Eric Mangini this week, Jerome Harrison remains Cleveland's No. 3 tailback behind Lewis and Chris Jennings. Harrison has zero touches since Week 8.

My Pick- Bengals

Tampa Bay @ Atlanta

Matt Ryan broke out of his sophomore funk in Week 11, stringing together 10 straight completions at one point, avoiding picks, and throwing for 268 yards and two TDs against a Giants secondary that got a shot in the arm with DB Aaron Ross (hamstring) back.

Ryan now returns home, where he's been sensational. His TD to INT ratio is 8:4 with a 65.8 completion rate in the Georgia Dome compared to 8:8 and 55.8 marks on the road.

Only the Lions and Titans have given up more passing touchdowns than the Bucs, so Ryan should be started with supreme confidence again.

Coach Mike Smith said this week that Michael Turner (high ankle sprain) has "no timetable" for return, but he practiced Wednesday and Thursday and is expected to face Tampa. The Bucs have fallen to No. 32 against the run, so Turner is a borderline RB1 even at less than 100%.

Barring a last-minute deactivation of Turner, Jason Snelling is no longer an option. Tampa can't cover tight ends. Tony Gonzalez is hot and a top-five TE1 this week. Aqib Talib will shadow Roddy White, making White a fairly risky play.

The Bucs' shutdown corner helped hold Marques Colston under 75 yards last Sunday. Falcons blocking receiver Michael Jenkins hasn't scored all season.

After back-to-back impressive starts, Josh Freeman took a step back against a Saints team that was without its top two corners in Week 11 before losing starter Randall Gay and nickel CB Leigh Torrence to in-game injuries.

While Freeman flashed his Ben Roethlisberger-esque pocket feel and touch on a pretty 18-yard TD pass after evading numerous blitzers, he had four turnovers and made awful second-half decisions.

Still very raw, Freeman will remain inconsistent in the final six games and is only a low-end option in two-QB leagues against Atlanta's No. 29 pass defense.

Kellen Winslow will be affected by Freeman's ups and downs, but remains the rookie's go-to guy. Despite Antonio Bryant's (knee) return, Winslow easily led Tampa with 13 targets last week.

With Bryant back, the Bucs are now using a four-wideout rotation also involving Sammie Stroughter, Michael Clayton, and Maurice Stovall. None are reliable.

The Bucs have resumed a three-man RBBC with Earnest Graham reinstalled at tailback. Carnell Williams is a flex option against the Falcons' porous rush defense, but Graham and Derrick Ward are safely bench material.

My Pick- Falcons

Seattle @ St. Louis

Marc Bulger's fractured tibia deals a death blow to St. Louis' receiver corps. Bulger led the Rams to a Week 9 win at Detroit, and helped keep them close in losses to New Orleans and Arizona in the last two weeks.

While he didn't play particularly well along the way, Bulger was at least finding Brandon Gibson and Donnie Avery more consistently than he had all season.

Backup Kyle Boller, who's long been afraid in the pocket, is a horrible fit for offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur's system because of his inaccuracy. Avery and Gibson are bench fodder for the rest of 2009.

Steven Jackson's numbers (26 touches, 116 yards, TD) don't show it, but Arizona did a good job of containing him in Week 11. Cardinals linebackers Karlos Dansby and Clark Haggans refused to let S-Jax turn the corner, and he would've averaged just 2.62 yards per touch if not for a 48-yard run late in the third quarter.

It remains to be seen if Seahawks LBs Aaron Curry and David Hawthorne can do the same, but don't bet on it. Since Week 1, Jackson is averaging 26 touches for 133 total yards per game. He also has a rushing touchdown in three straight efforts.

The Seahawks would've continued their pass-a-lot approach in Week 11 had they sustained drives. Possessing the ball for just 17:49, Seattle managed 29 passes compared to nine rushes.

Matt Hasselbeck is an excellent bet to rebound against a Rams defense that's bringing no pressure. They have only three sacks in their last two games, and Seahawks LT Sean Locklear performed well in his first 2009 start last week, holding Jared Allen to one assisted tackle and no sacks. Hasselbeck lit up St. Louis for 279 yards and three scores in their Week 1 meeting.

Noteworthy Seahawks lines from that same matchup: Nate Burleson (7-74-1), John Carlson (6-95-1), T.J. Houshmandzadeh (6-48). Burleson and Carlson are strong fantasy starts again, and not just because of what they did to the Rams earlier this year.

St. Louis lacks speed at corner to slow Burleson, and Carlson won't have to block as often as usual because of the Rams' weak pass rush.

Julius Jones (ribs, lung) is a game-day decision. Check back Sunday morning for his official status. Should Jones not be able to go, Justin Forsett will be worth using in all leagues as an RB2.

My Pick- Seahawks

Carolina @ NY Jets

Run-heavy game plans are the norm for Carolina, and this one will be no different. DeAngelo Williams, bothered by a knee injury for the last two weeks, is off the injury report after ripping the Dolphins for 122 yards on 13 carries (9.4 YPC) in Week 11.

He's sure to get the football more against a mediocre Jets run defense, which ranks No. 17 overall. While D-Will is an RB1 Sunday, Jonathan Stewart is a terrific flex.

The Jets lost their girth when Kris Jenkins went out for the year and are suspectible to power rushers. J-Stew is the more physical of Carolina's backs.

Red flag Steve Smith this week for the Darrelle Revis factor. Revis, the Jets' LCB, normally lines up on the opposite side of Smith (Carolina's LWR), but will definitely shadow him with Dwight Lowery (ankle) and Donald Strickland (concussion) out.

Already breaking in new free safety Eric Smith, there's no way the Jets will let Steve burn up usual RCB Lito Sheppard all gameAfter a 91-yard Week 10, Muhsin Muhammad had 27 in Week 11.

He isn't good enough for fantasy use despite a favorable matchup with Sheppard. Carolina TEs are hands off, but Gary Barnidge is showing the most promise. He is already the team's second most explosive receiving option.

After showing signs that he might break free from the rookie wall, Mark Sanchez went back in the tank last week with four picks. Three went to the same guy (Patriots RCB Leigh Bodden), and one was returned 53 yards for a TD. Sanchez isn't even a QB2 against Carolina's No. 4 pass defense.

The Panthers' joke of a run defense got lit up by Ricky Williams for 138 yards and three touchdowns two Thursdays ago. It's the next 30+ year-old running back's turn.

Thomas Jones, who has stiff-armed Shonn Greene to the ground in their competition for carries, is an easy top-ten RB play.

Jerricho Cotchery has seemingly shown more "rapport" with Sanchez than in-season acquisition Braylon Edwards, who has just four catches for 89 yards in his last two games. Cotchery has nine grabs for 152 yards and two TDs over that span, but his matchup is more difficult than Edwards' this week.

Cotchery will mostly square off against Panthers top CB Chris Gamble, while RCB Richard Marshall will be on Edwards. Neither is a particularly attractive play because Carolina's secondary is so stout and Mark Sanchez is so bad, but Edwards offers a shade more upside.

My Pick- Jets

Washington @ Philadelphia

The Skins boast the No. 1 pass defense, but have problems this week. Coach Jim Zorn ruled out RCB DeAngelo Hall (knee), and pocket-pushing DT Albert Haynesworth (ankle) is in danger of missing another game.

The Eagles will stay pass-heavy with Brian Westbrook (concussions) out. Both Jeremy Maclin (who would've seen the majority of Hall) and DeSean Jackson have favorable matchups.

Washington is tough on tight ends, but Brent Celek should find more lanes down the seams with FS LaRon Landry forced to help CBs Fred Smoot and Carlos Rogers outside.

The Eagles will reevaluate Westbrook's status in Week 14, but he won't be a fantasy asset for the rest of 2009. Philadelphia would be lucky to get any impact from its 30-year-old back in the real-life playoffs. Don't think he's a savvy pickup.

LeSean McCoy faces a Redskins run defense that continues to sag. Now ranked 25th overall, the Skins allow 4.4 YPC and would be severely weakened by Haynesworth's absence. McCoy is a high-end RB2 going forward.

Jason Avant is a serviceable WR3 gamble if you're desperate. He has 12 catches for 182 yards and a touchdown in his last two outings, and Washington will struggle to defend the slot without Hall.

Rock Cartwright was this week's No. 1 fantasy pickup. He has shown some quickness in the hole as Ladell Betts' "change of pace" back over the past few games, but there's a reason he's been a special teamer his entire eight-year career.

The 29-year-old hasn't scored a rushing touchdown since 2005 and now faces a Philadelphia defense that ranks top ten against the run, permitting under four yards a carry.

Cartwright isn't even a safe bet to operate as a true featured back with Quinton Ganther and Marcus Mason behind him. Neither is a clearly inferior ball-carrying option.

The Redskins' shortened-up passing attack would seemingly give them a chance against the NFL's most blitz-happy team, but Washington simply doesn't have any fantasy players worth using.

Devin Thomas hasn't proven capable of mustering any hint of consistency, Fred Davis' week-to-week production is highly inconsistent, and Santana Moss doesn't catch deep balls anymore.

Eagles RE Trent Cole should have his way with Skins LT Levi Jones when Jason Campbell does take 5-7 step drops. On paper at least, this one is a mismatch favoring Philly.

My Pick- Eagles

4:05 P.M. ET Game

Jacksonville @ San Francisco

Instead of moving FS Reggie Nelson to corner, the Jags are sticking with speed-challenged former undrafted free agent Tyron Brackenridge to "compensate" for top CB Rashean Mathis' (groin) indefinite loss.

Brackenridge was lit up by Terrell Owens (9-197-1) last week, and will see a lot of Michael Crabtree in coverage this Sunday. Crabtree scored his first NFL touchdown against a tough Green Bay secondary in Week 11.

He's a borderline WR2 against Jacksonville's No. 25 pass defense. Josh Morgan and Isaac Bruce are rotating opposite Crabtree. Neither is an option.

For many of the reasons above, Alex Smith is worth a long look if you're desperate for a QB1. Frank Gore, averaging a scintillating 5.4 YPC and TD per appearance, squares off with a Jags run defense that began the year hot but has plummeted to No. 17 overall.

Coach Mike Singletary reaffirmed this week that Gore is the 49ers' offensive centerpiece, and that they won't suddenly become a spread team. Expect a healthy 25 touches from Gore.

Among TEs, only Dallas Clark has more fantasy points than Vernon Davis in 2009. Davis is a slot receiver in the Niners' spread sets, which will bolster his numbers even in "down" weeks. This won't be one.

The 49ers' run defense entered Week 11 allowing the fewest yards per carry in the league and as the NFL's No. 3 overall unit. Minus ILB Takeo Spikes (hamstring), however, San Francisco was exposed by Ryan Grant for 145 total yards and a touchdown.

Maurice Jones-Drew is a far better talent than Grant and Jags offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter likely noticed the 49ers' leaks in film study this week.

If Jones-Drew's 1,862-total yard and 21-touchdown paces weren't enough to make you feel confident about him, this development should help.

A knee injury kept Mike Sims-Walker out of Wednesday's practice, but there's no indication that it will threaten his playing status against San Francisco's No. 30 pass defense. Check his Friday update, but he's an obvious must-start if he plays.

The 49ers are playing musical chairs at corner and may bench LCB Tarell Brown for burnable veteran Dre' Bly this week. David Garrard's matchup is also favorable and the Bay Area weather will be fair, but he always has limited upside.

Garrard typically struggles on the road, and has just two multiple-touchdown games this year. Torry Holt hasn't topped 37 yards since Week 6. Keep him reserved.

My Pick- 49ers

4:15 P.M. ET Games

Chicago @ Minnesota

Chicago's constant protection breakdowns have gotten to Jay Cutler's head. Cutler is consistently throwing off his back foot, hurrying passes in the short-to-intermediate area, and he missed three wide-open receivers for potential TDs in last week's loss. Johnny Knox, Greg Olsen, and Devin Hester all got behind the Eagles' secondary at different points, only to be overshot.

Cutler would have hit those plays in Denver with Ryan Clady on his blind side. 34-year-old Bears LT Orlando Pace is at the end of the line, however, and now has NFC sacks leader Jared Allen to deal with.

Coming off a measly 54-yard effort against Philly, Matt Forte is greeted by the Vikings' No. 3 run defense. Only Pittsburgh has yielded fewer rushing TDs.

If there is a Bear definitely worth every-week use, it's Greg Olsen. Cutler has an aggravating tendency to stare him down, but at least they connect regularly. Olsen has 18 catches in his last three games, and few teams are worse than Minnesota at stopping tight ends.

Earl Bennett has separated some from Johnny Knox in the Bears' No. 2 wideout "competition," but he remains a low-upside play. Vikings LCB Antoine Winfield (foot) still isn't 100%. Devin Hester continues to run poor routes, but has a good fantasy matchup.

The mediocre version of Chicago's Jekyll-and-Hyde pass defense showed up in Week 11, letting Donovan McNabb throw for two scores and complete 72 percent of his passes with a robust 7.6 YPA.

Brett Favre is due for a second-half slowdown, but he's an every-week starter right now. Currently the No. 5 fantasy QB overall, Favre has a 12:1 TD to INT ratio and a 283-yard average in his last five games.

Adrian Peterson went scoreless for just the third time all season in Week 11. He'll rebound against a Bears team he's gashed for 270 yards and three TDs in their last two meetings.

Bernard Berrian found paydirt against Seattle last week, but managed just two grabs for 11 yards. Clearly passed by Sidney Rice as Minnesota's No. 1 receiver, Berrian is a fantasy backup.

Rice, the No. 6 overall fantasy WR, is officially a WR1 and every-week play, even against Bears LCB Charles Tillman. He's on pace to finish at 80-1,400-7. Percy Harvin quietly had his second best receiving game of the year in Week 11, going for 5-79-1 against Seattle. He's still too inconsistent offensively to be a solid WR3.

Visanthe Shiancoe's 78 yards last Sunday were easily a season high. His week-to-week fantasy numbers remain highly dependent on finding the end zone.

My Pick- Vikings

Kansas City @ San Diego

San Diego opened up Kansas City in Week 7, thrashing rookie coach Todd Haley's club 37-7. The Chiefs have upset Pittsburgh and improved significantly since, but the Bolts would still have to beat themselves to drop this one.

K.C. doesn't have any answer for Chargers stud wideout Vincent Jackson's speed and physicality, ranking 28th against the pass and giving up big plays on at will.

V-Jax and Philip Rivers are every-week starters, and will be aided by favorable conditions at Qualcomm Stadium (high 60s, 10 percent chance of rain, only 10 mph winds).

The Chiefs lost yet another safety for the season this week, placing Maurice Leggett on I.R. They can't hope to contain Antonio Gates.

After a miserable start, LaDainian Tomlinson is suddenly the No. 7 overall fantasy back. While his 3.4 YPC average is awful, San Diego's fast-moving offense gives him scoring chances. He has five TDs in his last four games and is a high-end RB2 against Kansas City's No. 27 rush defense.

Malcom Floyd is the only starting Chargers skill player to bench. He's flopped since Chris Chambers' release, averaging just three catches for 38 yards per game with no scores in the last three weeks.

The Bolts' much-improved secondary doesn't get enough credit for their 7-3 record and stance atop the AFC West. Only the Seahawks were worse against the pass in 2008, but San Diego is now No. 11 in pass defense, allows the fifth fewest completions of 20+ yards, and has given up just 13 passing TDs all year.

The latter statistic is most impressive because teams are often trailing when facing them. Matt Cassel leads a Chiefs offense that will finish the season strong, but doesn't have a favorable matchup.

San Diego's lone weakness in the secondary is against tight ends. The Chiefs don't have a TE capable of exploiting that vulnerability.

Jamaal Charles continued to prove that he is Kansas City's most explosive player by bringing back last week's opening kickoff 97 yards for a TD to complement 64 hard-earned yards and a receiving score in last week's win.

What took Haley so long to realize this is debate for another time, but Charles is clearly the Chiefs' every-down back.

Chambers enters Sunday's game with a chip on his shoulder, and can be a WR2/3 despite San Diego's tough secondary.

The Chargers won't respect him with double coverage, so Chambers should be open. Chiefs slot man Lance Long's eight-catch, 74-yard Week 9 has proven a tease. He has four catches for 55 yards since.

My Pick- Chargers

Arizona @ Tennessee - My Upset

Kurt Warner (head) is on track to make his 43rd straight start against a Titans secondary that ranks 31st, gives up the second most passing TDs in the league, and has allowed opposing QBs to throw for at least 286 yards in 8-of-11 games.

With 60+ degree temps, 11 mph winds, and just a 20 percent chance of showers in the LP Field forecast, you won't find a QB with a better matchup Sunday.

While Larry Fitzgerald faces Cortland Finnegan, Anquan Boldin will square off with 35-year-old Titans LCB Nick Harper. Expect "Q" to lead Arizona in receiving for a third straight week.

Steve Breaston went target-less in last week's win at St. Louis, but surely would've had second-half production had Warner not been concussed for the final two quarters. Matt Leinart entered and threw for just 74 yards. Don't let Breaston's goose egg fool you; he is a quality WR3 in this matchup.

Chris Wells and Tim Hightower continue to split Arizona's backfield. The more elusive, explosive, and powerful Wells is RB2 material against a Tennessee defense that is undersized in the front seven and gives up 4.4 YPC. Hightower is more of a flex option in PPR leagues only.

Chris Johnson leads the NFL in total yards, rushing, YPC among players with 62+ carries, and runs of 20+ and 40+ yards. He remains the Titans' offensive centerpiece even against run-tough teams like Arizona.

Kenny Britt is already Tennessee's best receiver. Though raw coming out of Rutgers and still developing physically at age 21 (turned in September), Britt's physicality and deceptive speed have given Tennessee a new dimension outside.

He's an every-down wideout with Justin Gage (back) still out and worth WR3 use against Arizona's No. 27 pass defense.

While low pass attempts (averaging just 21 throws a game) cap his fantasy ceiling, a confident Vince Young is an effective Vince Young. And V.Y. has appeared as sure of himself as ever over the past month, winning all four games and racking up 146 rushing yards in the meantime.

The scrambling makes V.Y. an ideal two-QB league play when he's facing weak pass defenses. Nate Washington has just three catches for 47 yards in his last two games. He's falling behind Britt in the competition for targets. Continue to avoid the Titans' three-man rotation at tight end.

My Pick- Titans

Sunday Night Football

Pittsburgh @ Baltimore

Ben Roethlisberger (concussion, questionable) is still deciding whether to suit up at the Ravens, but he'll most likely play. Coming off a gut-check loss to Kansas City, the Steelers need this win over an intradivision opponent. Still, Big Ben is a risky plug-and-start in a late game. Consider other options unless a definitive answer comes Saturday. Should Roethlisberger start, Pittsburgh will likely employ a pass-first offense. Baltimore is much weaker in pass than run defense, and will be without both top pass rusher Terrell Suggs (MCL sprain) and CB Fabian Washington (torn ACL). Get Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, and Heath Miller going if Big Ben looks like a go.

Rashard Mendenhall is coming off a 116-total yard effort, but isn't remotely as good a fantasy play as he was last week. The Ravens have the NFL's No. 5 rush defense and Mendenhall's confidence still wavers at times despite a terrific season (5.1 YPC, ownership of clear-cut starting job). This is the same Ray Lewis-led defense that broke Mendenhall's shoulder in Week 4 last year, ending his rookie season. Hesitant running could earn him a spot on the bench. Still, there have been no signs that Willie Parker or Mewelde Moore will significantly cut into his workload if Mendenhall plays well. He saw 25 touches last week compared to Parker's seven and Moore's two.

Joe Flacco's struggles continued in Week 11 against Indianapolis. Flacco has one TD pass since Week 6 and is barely a QB2 at this point. He's topped 195 yards just once in the last month. Pittsburgh is a top-12 team against the pass, allowing just 6.4 yards per throw (fifth fewest in the league). The failure of Kelley Washington and Mark Clayton to step up in contract years has made Derrick Mason easier to double team and take out of games with bracket coverage. It remains to be seen if the Steelers will employ such stategies, however. Coordinator Dick LeBeau runs a blitz-heavy agenda, so Mason should theoretically see plenty of man coverage.

Ray Rice faces the NFL's No. 1 run defense Sunday, but should stay in fantasy lineups as the focal point of Baltimore's offense. The Steelers would prefer Rice catching check downs to Flacco connecting on bombs. Rice has also totaled 278 yards and two scores in two meetings this year with the Bengals, who are second in rush defense. It isn't like he can't dominate difficult matchups. Todd Heap will play through a rib injury, but there's no sense in using him as a fantasy starter when he isn't 100 percent or productive. He's borderline waiver material.

My Pick- Steelers

Monday Night Football

Tom Brady Vs Drew Brees

New England @ New Orleans - Game Of The Week

Lots of scoring is expected when the NFL's Nos. 1 and 2 offenses square off in a dome, so we'll focus on who not to start in this space. On New England's side, Laurence Maroney is a high-risk, if potentially high-scoring bet. The Saints get back DT Sedrick Ellis, who had New Orleans ranked among the top-six rush defenses before spraining his MCL in Week 7. The Pats will likely also use a spread offense to exploit the Saints' injuries at corner, and Kevin Faulk is the team's spread back. It doesn't help Maroney that power runner Sammy Morris (knee) appears poised to return. Maroney's ceiling is somewhere around 15 carries if Morris plays.

For the Saints, Jeremy Shockey should be planted on fantasy benches. The Patriots continue to shut down opposing tight ends with FS Brandon McGowan's sticky coverage, and Shockey had only 17 yards on two catches last week while playing second fiddle to No. 2 tight end David Thomas (4-66-1). Reggie Bush, coming off a knee injury, is another recommended "sit." He will likely focus on punt returns Monday night, perhaps only getting 6-9 touches on offense.

Expect Pierre Thomas to be the featured back in a prove-it game for the Saints. Coach Sean Payton has been able to "keep Thomas fresh" by employing a committee with Mike Bell, but will want the ball in the hands of his best players in this one. On the season, Thomas is averaging 5.7 yards per touch compared to Bell's 4.1. While Bell's usage in short-yardage situations naturally will bring down his per-play averages, he is simply not as explosive as Thomas, nor remotely as versatile. The Saints can run spread and base formation plays with Thomas in the game. Bell is not a passing-game asset, limiting Payton's playcalling when on the field.

Others to avoid: Robert Meachem and Devery Henderson. Both of the Saints' secondary receiver options are reliant on the big play, which the Patriots don't give up very often. Saints slot man Lance Moore (ankle) sat out practice Friday and still isn't 100 percent. Let's make sure he can still play before using him. He's been out for a month. Patriots TE Ben Watson would figure to benefit from a pass-first game plan from New England, but is only a marginal TE1. He hasn't topped 51 yards in a game since Week 1 or scored since Week 7.

My Pick- Saints

Read more New Orleans news on BleacherReport.com

LSU Tigers: A Battle Cry for Coach Les Miles From Death Valley

Henry Ball — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:10:31 -0500

In the recently released movie "The Blind Side" about former Ole Miss left tackle Michael Oher, his guardian explains to him that “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” Lord Alfred Tennyson's classic poem is in reality about the Rebels' rivalry game against LSU, now known as the Magnolia Bowl.

The guardian explains that the cavalry, in a display of courage and unity, charges into a heavily fortified valley at the behest of their flawed but courageous and patriotic leader.

Oher then writes an essay relating this story to his own life and wins over a skeptical teacher who was the final obstacle in his path to NCAA eligibility and being able to accept a scholarship offer to play at Ole Miss—or virtually any other university of his choosing.

I must admit, I have followed LSU athletics my entire life and I have always been slightly embarrassed by not having an answer to the question, “Why is Tiger Stadium called Death Valley?”

Of course there is the Wikipedia version—allegedly posted by a Clemson University grad—which is popular with Clemson fans, who claim that their stadium was the first to be dubbed in honor of the Valley of Death.

I’ve also heard explanations related to Mike the Tiger our ‘man eating’ mascot.

Sean Tuohy’s (Oher's guardian) version—however far from being historically accurate—works for me.

More importantly, a cursory look at the story of the Light Brigade draws some fascinating comparisons—in a creative and literary sense—to the current plight of LSU’s Tiger Nation.

The Light Brigade, led by it’s (insert d word) strong and patriotic (loyal) Major General, the Earl of Cardigan found themselves charging into the valley based on misdirected order’s from an underling. Unprotected at their flanks, they faced an insurmountable enemy.

The valley would become known as "the Valley of Death."

Cardigan and his 600 charged into the onslaught of Russian artillery expecting to have back up from the Heavy Brigade, led by the Earl of Lucan, who coincidentally was Cardigan’s predecessor as commander of the Light Brigade and his estranged Brother in Law.

Perhaps it was enmity or distrust, but the Heavy Brigade watched from on high as Cardigan's men were slaughtered.

A national controversy ensued and Cardigan was questioned; surely he was the villain. Why oh why would he charge so outmanned—surely his troops deserved better leadership, perhaps a better man.

Yet, the men of the brigade, those who survived the charge, would rally around their leader: courageous, loyal, flawed and strong.

Lord Tennyson would memorialize their charge and pen the battle psalm:

When can their glory fade?

O the wild charge they made!

All the world wonder’d.

Honour the charge they Made!

Honour the Light Brigade,

Noble six hundred!

Last Saturday, LSU had been out-played physically statistically and on the scoreboard against Ole Miss, but made a wild and valiant charge in the last two minutes and had victory in their sight.

Inexplicably, the Tiger’s through a series of misses (calls, communication, game/clock management, etc…) or a tragedy of errors , if you will, retreated from victory’s view.

Yet, as if fate had deemed it necessary the admittedly flawed yet courageous and loyal leader—head coach Les Miles—still had one last ditched attempt to gain victory yet watched it slip from his grasp.

Like the Earl of Cardigan, the Hat of LSU leads from the front. And like Cardigan, all of the disdain, vitriol and chagrin of the nation (Tiger Nation) has been aimed squarely at him. "If only he’d been more like the former great commander, Lucan our old friend."

In the aftermath, with calls for his head, one thing has been missed and his case must be pled. Those men that charged with him, all aware of each other’s flaws have come to his side and here is what they have said.

“It makes you earn so much more respect for a man who comes out and says something like that,” senior tight end Richard Dickson said.

“Coach Miles has done great things here, been a great coach. The way he comes out and says that means a lot to you as a player and as a man. I earned a lot of respect for our coach for the way he talked to us.”

RB Stevan Ridley added, “I respect him. Any head coach that does that in front of the team and in front of the assistants, that comes up there and says, ‘This was my fault,’ it takes a lot for somebody to swallow their pride and say, ‘I messed something up.’

“He did what he needed to do. There’s nothing else that needs to be said. It says a lot about the person he is, and not just the coach. The team, that was something we needed to hear.”

“He tried to take the blame for the whole game, but I don’t think that’s fair,” LSU guard Lyle Hitt said. “There’s more to the game than just the last 30 seconds. That loss is on everybody’s shoulders.”

Added linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, “People are trying to say the end of the game is the big reason we lost, but the game could’ve been won at any time during the game. He’s taking all the pressure, and it’s really not his fault.”

The men, or soldiers if you will, have taken this leader’s left flank (the ‘blind side’) and the nation (Tiger Fans) needs to take up arms on the right.

This brigade, the mighty Bengal Tigers and its phenomenal senior class, have one more chance for victory in the valley and it comes this Saturday night against the Arkansas Razorbacks!

When the Sun sets and night falls on Death Valley may ALL you Tigers roar.

Do not let their glory fade?

O the wild charge they made!

The entire world did wonder.

But honor the charge they made!

Honor the Senior Class and the leader whom they choose!

Honor them for courage, loyalty and the Victory we shall come to know!

Geaux Tigers!

Sources: Baton Rouge Morning Advocate, LSUsports.net, Lord Tennyson, Microsoft Images

By Henry Ball (aka Southern Man, CFB Czar) Featured Columnist, Syndicated Writer

Contributor @ Bleacher Report , College Gameday Network , and other Sports Media outlets.

Another Must Read: Is Les Miles on the Hot Seat ?

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Drew Brees Finally Gets a Shot at Tom Brady: No Pressure, The World Is Watching

Randy Savoie — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:36:29 -0500

Thanksgiving Day 2009 (Panama City Beach, Florida)

It's twenty years later, and team owner Tom Benson no longer dances in the end zone. Yet Saints fans still dance Sunday nights away at the Famous Door on Bourbon Street.

A live wire, barely a beginner
But just watch that lady go
She's on fire, 'cause dancin' gets her higher than-uh
Anything else she knows

Dance (Dance) the night away
Oh-oh-oh (Ah) Come on g-girl, dance the night away

Yeah, there's no shortage of hysteria in New Orleans these days. It's Mardi Gras in November in The City That Care Forgot.

Just ask no less an authority than the city's best artisan of fine cuisine—Chef Emeril.

They're the best. They're the best. Absolutely the best. What do you guys think? Are they the best or wwwwwwhat?

As tasty as the good Chef's finest dish, the Saints' Cat 10 offense is as smooth and pleasurable as the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra or one of those French Quarter Jazz bands.

And it's such a night, it's such a night
Sweet confusion under the moonlight
It's such a night, such a night
To steal away, the time is right

It's amazing what can happen under a voodoo moon in New Orleans.

These Saints are off to a 10-0 start: best in franchise history.

Some would say they have taken the road less traveled.

New Orleans has thrown the knockout punch from a variety of angles.

Drew Brees is tossing TD passes with ease. One week it's Reggie Bush. The next week it's Mike Bell. The defense has scored seven times. Two weeks ago, they got a kickoff return for six. Last week, it was former first-round draft pick Robert Meachem, once labeled a bust, with two touchdown catches.

Brees from the shotgun, play action, rolls to his right, pumps, throws into the end zone......caught by Meachem for the TD!!!!!!!!

Meachem says he's just learning to chill in this laid-back town, havin' fun:

"As a first-round draft pick, people were saying, 'He's not out there. Why did we draft him? He's a bust.' So, I just learned to try to use that as a positive, and I replayed that in my head, "HE'S A BUST," and it makes me go out there and play better."

Many in the national media believe in their most private moments that New Orleans is more bust than boom.

ESPN's Mike Greenberg said this week the Saints have to be the most unheralded 10-0 team in NFL history. On Monday mornings, the national media gives an obligatory mention of the Saints' latest win before quickly shifting gears to Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings or Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

Even the lowly Cleveland Browns and New York Jets garnered more talk time on a recent edition of ESPN's Mike & Mike.

Rarely is the immortal Brees—the man who came within one mid-range completion of breaking Dan' Marino's single season passing yardage record one year ago—mentioned in the discussion of the NFL's greatest quarterback.

That topic is reserved for Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.

Alas, sometimes Cinderella is late. Better late than never.

Finally, Brees gets his chance to silence the experts on Monday Night Football as the entire nation watches what is easily the best matchup of the NFL season down in New Orleans.

Brees says he relishes the chance to face Brady.

"I'm excited for the opportunity because you like to share the field with guys like that—guys that are considered the best—and get an opportunity to compete. "

Hey, my offense is trying to score more points than your offense, pretty boy!

Although his goal is to score 40 points every game, Brees realizes that this week less may be better:

"Everytime we touch the ball our goal is to get points, but you understand in a game like this, going up against a quality opponent, that at times you may have to play the field position game a little bit."

Brady sounds confident as he returns to the Superdome for the first time since winning Super Bowl XXXVI, over the St. Louis Rams—the original Greatest Show on Turf.

"It's always good this part of the year for a quarterback and a head coach, when you can evaluate another team based on 10 games and over 500 or 600 plays, can evaluate their players and their coaching, what makes their team go, and how to eliminate some of their strengths," says Brady.

One strength the Patriots will have to eliminate is the Saints' absolute mastery of the fourth quarter this season. New Orleans has scored 338 fourth quarter points through ten games—best in the NFL in 2009.

New Orleans radio commentator Bobby Hebert was the first quarterback to lead the Saints to a winning season back in 1987 when the owner was still doing something called the Benson Boogie, and head coach Jim Mora was ranting, "Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda."

Hebert says that given the Saints penchant for creating turnovers and scoring points in bunches in the fourth quarter, it may not take a hex from one of those Bourbon Street witch doctors to beat the Patriots.

"It's going to be a battle from kickoff to the last whistle. If we (the Saints) win the fourth quarter like we've been winning it this year, we're going to beat the Patriots."

Exuding confidence, Brady told Sports Illustrated in a June 1, 2009 cover story, "I've done everything I could do to push myself, sometimes too hard. Right now, I'm doing everything. THERE'S NOTHING I CAN'T DO."

Only time will tell. We'll have the answer before the clock strikes midninght at the Famous Door on Bourbon Street.

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The Saints Go Marching In To Greatness

Kemic Smothers — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 12:09:25 -0500

Sitting comfortably atop the NFC South at 10-0 with a five game lead, one would think the New Orleans Saints could begin to enjoy their unanticipated streak of victories.

The Saints seem well on their way to claiming ownership of the NFC South title and a playoff berth. In fact, one more Saints victory coupled with an Atlanta Falcons loss will do just that. This season, however, there's more to accomplish than just a playoff berth and a run deep into the playoffs.

Head Coach Sean Payton, quarterback Drew Brees, and the entire Saints organization feel they have a lot more to prove than simply displaying an ability to win the NFC South. The Saints are seeking greatness .

Yes, that's right, greatness. And that greatness will be defined by their one-game-at-a-time mentality culminating in a Superbowl Championship.

During his tenure with the Saints, Sean Payton has crafted one of the NFL's most prolific offenses, ranking in the top five each season since his arrival in 2006.

So far, his offenses have consistently outscored opponents. Unfortunately, the Saints defense, among other things, was one weakness that could not be overcome.

And the Saints were always no closer than one step away.

This year, however, things are different.

With the addition of Gregg Williams as the new defensive coordinator, the Saints have given opponents more than their share of headaches. The Saints have made a complete and unprecedented turnaround on the defensive side of the ball, while improving on their offensive proficiency.

The puzzle is complete and the journey has commenced. The Saints are making history and trekking toward greatness.

The Payton/Brees tandem is always riding the fringe of the "elite" conversation. Each of them has shown exceptional skill and football acumen, but until "greatness" is achieved, they will forever be, to some, really good, but not great.

Two-thousand and nine is the year that greatness will be achieved.

Almost doesn't count, and the Saints know it. But within the Saints organization, there's a new mentality and attitude that expects to win by playing together and finishing strong.

And the new New Orleans Saints finish strong, outscoring opponents 105-24 in the fourth quarter.

The Saints have successfully taken the best shot from 10 teams so far this season and yet have emerged victorious in a multitude of ways.

They've trounced teams like the No. 1 ranked, 5-0 New York Giants 48-27 in week 6.

They've experienced a thrilling come-from-behind victory in Miami in week 7 after giving up a 21 point lead.

They barely held on to a fourth quarter lead to hold off the 1-8 St. Louis Rams in week 10.

The bottom line is this: Beginning on Monday night in the Louisiana Superdome, the Saints will be playing for greatness and their reserved seat at the "elite" table.

Tom Brady and the high flying 7-3 New England Patriots come to town.

Arguably this decade's most successful franchise, the New England Patriots are desperately clinging to their elite status. The Saints, on the other hand, are seeking to ascend to elite status. And what better way to display greatness than to beat the decade's most successful team?

I suspect the Saints want to make statement... loud and clear.

Expect a very good game. Expect a hard-fought game. Expect the Saints and Sean Payton to pull out all stops in an effort to send the Patriots back to New England with their fourth loss of the season.

With conventional wisdom out the window, expect to see plays from the deepest recesses of Payton's playbook. Expect to see dominance, execution, and an attitude never before witnessed in a New Orleans Saints team. Expect the Superdome to be rockin' and rollin' with each and every snap; the fans will be insane!

When the dust settles and the smoke clears, expect the Saints to emerge with a new-found swagger.

The Saints know they belong in the elite conversation, but the rest of the world outside the Who Dat Nation still needs convincing.

The Saints belong in the conversation because, despite what the NFL can't admit, luck doesn't get you to 10-0. Luck can't make a team lead the NFL in takeaways and defensive touchdowns.

But to be the best, you must beat the best.

And that's exactly what the Saints will do.

Finally, the NFL world will have to admit that they've slept on the Saints. At 10-0, the Saints have provided unapologetic foreshadowing of the dominance that will be displayed on Monday Night Football on November 30, 2009...the day the SAINTS go marching in to GREATNESS.

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Oh Great: ESPN Moves from Charlie Weis to Les Miles

Connor Hennessey — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:22:00 -0500

So, is Charlie Weis going to get fired? Lately, no one cares.

It's all about Les Miles. Is he going to get fired?

Well he isn't.

Want to know why? It's because Miles's buy out for this year is $13 million. LSU's athletic department does have that, but why spend it? Give the man a chance. The clock management gaffe from last week is really his major mistake since arriving at LSU in 2005.

LSU plays Arkansas this weekend, or Ar-KANSAS as Miles calls it, this weekend. For Les to be fired, LSU will have to fall to Arkansas and lose its bowl game as well. Not gonna happen. LSU will win out this season, in my opinion, and will beat Arkansas 35-31. Yes my pick is four points in the Tigers' favor.

Tune to ESPN Saturday at six, when the Razorbacks of Arkansas take on the Fighting Tigers of LSU. Should be a good one.

All fans making the trip to Baton Rouge, be safe and enjoy the game. It should be fun. God bless, and as always, GEAUX TIGERS!

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