Bleacher Report - Baton Rouge

NFL Quick Hits (Dec. 2nd): Reggie Bush Not a Part Of The Saints Plans?

kevin roberts — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:43:13 -0500

Reggie Bush May Not be a Saint in 2010

Bush has fallen out of the elite tole he once had in the Saints backfield and isn't even a marquee player as a receiver anymore. He did shine in his last game three weeks ago, but is battling knee issues once again, as he has for the past two seasons.

The Saints are reportedly likely to cut their losses and move on, as they have plenty of "actual" running backs that can step up in place of the over-hyped star.

Jamal Lewis to be Shut Down For 2009?

Rumors are circling Lewis, who wasn't at Wednesday's practice, that he could be done for the season . Lewis has battled on-going injuries all season, mainly to his ankle and hamstring, and had said earlier in the season that he wanted to retire.

This isn't the best way to send out a running back, but back-up Chris Jennings has been impressive in spot duty this year, and Eric Mangini might consider taking the fast-track to making his offense more explosive.

Ben Roethlisberger Expected Back For Week 13

Roethlisberger has been cleared by medical professionals and appears set to re-enter the Steelers starting line-up this week.

Big Ben was getting some criticism from Hines Ward for playing it safe and sitting out last week's loss to the Baltimore Ravens, so maybe his return will appease his star wide receiver.

His presence doesn't necessarily mean offensive fireworks, however, as Pittsburgh will be going up against a stingy Oakland Raiders secondary.

Clinton Portis Done For Season?

Portis voiced his uncertainty about his progress from a concussion he sustained weeks ago, and suggested in a radio interview that it may be best for him to sit out the remainder of the 2009 season.

We concur, as it's a risk as it is, and the Redskins aren't in any shape at 3-8 to think about the playoffs. If they plan on bringing Portis back as their feature back again next year, extra rest could do wonders for his banged-up legs.

DeSean Jackson Not Looking Good For Week 13

D-Jax was open about his feelings about playing this week, saying that he blacked out after sustaining a concussion last week, and that he didn't feel he "could go" in Week 13.

If he can't make it this week, the Eagles are reportedly considering Reggie Brown as the starter opposite of Jeremy Maclin, while third receiver Jason Avant, who has been impressive lately, should get some decent grind.

Atlanta Cuts Jason Elam, Signs Matt Bryant

Elam, 40, has been very under-whelming for much of the season, as he's missed four field goals from 39-yards or close, and had missed two field goals in the last three weeks.

Bryant is a fairly safe option, and should be able to field decent fantasy production. However, with the Falcons facing the Eagles without both Matt Ryan and Michael Turner, you may want to wait a week to use him.

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Tiger Tangents: LSU Is 9-3 for Better or Worse

Justin Goar — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:03:08 -0500

I love weddings.

Not in a girly "two people are starting their journey in life together kind of way" as much as a "I get to eat and drink for free and hopefully hang out with people I like" kind of way.

But there is a part of me, especially when it's people I love and care about, that gets a little sentimental. After all, weddings are happy occasions, right?

On the surface, the nickel version is always the same: Two people walk down the aisle not married, an officiant of their choice says some stuff, they kiss, they walk back up the aisle married.

That's the important thing, right?

The two people wanted to get married, and they did.

But under the surface there was a lot that went into that:

Picking the bridesmaids and groomsmen, negotiating the invite cut list, having to deal with moms of the groom and bride and their input, staying within your budget, picking out dresses, tuxes, cakes, a church, a reception hall, band or a DJ, wedding favors, what the freaking napkins have written on them, as if anyone really cares what's written on what they wipe their mouths with...etc.

Realistically, that's just scratching the surface.

I know because I've been through a wedding myself. I was lucky enough to convince the love of my life to marry me, and almost four years later I'm even luckier to still be married with a beautiful one-year-old daughter. (That last sentence was superfluous, but I'm trying for brownie points here, fellas.)

I remember all the hullabaloo leading up to the big day, all the careful planning (that my wife did), all the work that went into it (that my wife did), and all the worry that everything would go as planned (we both did). Just to walk down the aisle unmarried and walk back up married.

At the beginning of the season, any realistic LSU fan probably knew two things:

1) LSU wasn't going to win the Western division with a sophomore QB and a less favorable schedule than Alabama and Ole Miss.

2) The over-under on wins this season was nine.

Well, guess what? The Tigers are not Western division champs, and they are 9-3.

Everything went as expected. In fact, most thought they would be playing in the Cotton Bowl (myself included), but instead they seem almost a lock for the Capital One Bowl in Orlando.

But the ride to 9-3 was anything but smooth.

The road to most of those nine wins was painstakingly rough. LSU only looked comfortable as a victor in three of them: ULL, Auburn, and Tulane.

The Tigers struggled on the road in wins, and the best they played on the road was a game they lost to Alabama.

LSU is in the bottom fourth of the SEC on offense, and while their defense, run by first-year DC John Chavis, gives up yards by the bunches, points are usually harder to come by (LSU has only given up 18 TDs on the year). The defense is also hampered by an ineffective offense that can't stay on the field.

The main argument amongst LSU fans is how they got to 9-3. The devil is in the details.

The Tigers have been outrushed by their opponents (1,610-1,555) as well as out-passed (2,309-2,161). LSU only recorded 20 sacks on the year in contrast to opposing teams getting 35 sacks on the O-line and QB Jordan Jefferson.

The not so public rift between Les Miles and offensive coordinator Gary Crowton grew wider this season, and most expect Crowton and most of the offensive staff to be shown the door.

I wouldn't be surprised if offensive line coach Greg Studrawa (whose unit has grossly underperformed during his tenure here) and WR coach D.J. McCarthy (who's recently been named in a minor recruiting violation) also found a pink slip in their Christmas stockings.

One coach LSU would like to be holding on to is leaving for a head coaching opportunity, as RB coach Larry Porter will be taking over the coaching job at his alma mater, Memphis. Porter is a good coach and an excellent recruiter; he should make a name for himself in Memphis.

Getting back to the 9-3 record, I will reiterate it's how most rational, informed fans thought the Tigers would finish this year. I myself in the preseason picked losses against Florida, Alabama, and either Georgia or Ole Miss (saying they would win one of those two).

Minus a major coaching meltdown by Miles in Oxford, the Tigers were staring at 10-2 (but possibly no better bowl than the one they are expected to attend).

Wins and losses are not causing the grumbles, however. It's how those W's and L's were forged: starting slow in Seattle versus U Dub, winning a clunker against Vandy, escaping Starkville with a punt return and goal line stand, trailing in the fourth quarter to La. Tech, and squeaking by in overtime against a surging Arkansas team.

But one thing that must not be overlooked is the improvement from '08 to '09. LSU was embarrassed in a loss to Florida in '08 but only gave up one TD to the defending (and maybe eventual) national champions thanks to Riley Cooper's 45-year-old man in a pickup game tactics (I wrote that just for Tim Pollock; I know Florida dominated the game and was never in danger of losing).

The Tigers played Alabama tough in Tuscaloosa despite losing their starting running back, quarterback, center, and tight end in the second half. Maybe the interception no-call by Patrick Peterson would have mattered; maybe it wouldn't have.

And despite being outcoached and outplayed in Oxford, LSU still had a chance to pull a victory from out of the hat (so to speak) in the end thanks to the tenacity and resilience of Miles' players.

Has there ever been a season when a team was so close to 12-0 or 5-7? I still think Miles will have to appease the fans with a division title in 2010, or he could be on the hot seat.

But in 2009, nine wins are nine wins with a chance for a 10th. In a supposed down year, that's nothing to shake a stick at.

Even if the best man lost the ring, the flower girl cried her head off, the maid of honor tripped down the aisle, the groom saw the bride before the wedding, and someone sneezed now before forever holding their peace, the Tigers are married to 9-3 just like they were supposed to be before the season.

Now we can all breathe a sigh of relief and head to the reception (bowl game) and not worry about things like the caterer being late, the flowers catching on fire, and the cake collapsing. Right?

Mazel Tov!!!

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College Football's Week 13 Awards

Alex Ferguson — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 04:52:00 -0500

Sorry we're late this week. After getting tied up with writing pseudo obituaries for Charlie Weis and Bobby Bowden's careers at Notre Dame and Florida State, as well as giving Al Groh the British "two fingers," we thought we could rest.

But then we remembered our Week 13 Awards for "rivalry week." And boy, was last weekend fun....

Games of the Week

1. LSU 33, Arkansas 30: Redemption lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after getting the clock right and hitting the tying field goal, and eventually winning out in OT.
2. Alabama 26, Auburn 21: Can we get our breath back? Please?
3. Stanford 45, Notre Dame 38: Charlie Weis' game was a fun one. Mind you, haven't most of Charlie Weis' games at Notre Dame been fun.
4. BYU 26, Utah 23: The "Utah Classic" had the boys in Salt Lake City happy, anyway.
5. Texas 49, Texas A&M 39: A&M never gave up.

Now You've Got Your Pink Slip Award (in order-ish)

1. Steve Kragthorpe (Louisville). Just. Not. Good. Enough.
2. Al Groh (Virginia). Throw a massive party in the frat houses—Groh's gone!!
3. Charlie Weis. Hey, Fat Charlie the Archangel—Notre Dame just filed for divorce (Name the song!).
4. Bobby Bowden. Thanks for the years, Bobby.

Early Pink Slip Favorites for 2010

1. Mark Mangino (Kansas): If he stays in 2010.
2. Rich Rodriguez (Michigan): If the Wolverines collapse three years in a row, RichRod's out.
3. Mark Richt (Georgia): The locals are getting tetchy
4. Jimbo Fisher (FSU): I wish I was joking
5. Dan Hawkins (Colorado): He's got one more year. Goodbye in 2010, Dan!
6. [Add coach's name here] (Notre Dame): No pressure is like Irish pressure.

Big Surprises in Week 13 (although there are no surprises in rivalry games, apparently)

1. Georgia beats Georgia Tech 30-23. Didn't think the 'Dogs had a prayer. Helped with Nesbitt's injury, though.
2. Mississippi State blows out Ole Miss: Cue hot band/cheerleader girls.
3. Missouri 41, Kansas 39: How did that happen again?
4. The way Arizona beat Arizona State: Special teams, Devils, special teams!!
5. How woeful Florida State were at Florida: We expected better.

He Should Get The Heisman Award

1. Toby Gerhardt (Stanford): A team was on his shoulders for the whole season. He answered.
2. Colt McCoy (Texas): Great quarterback, but the defense and....
3. Jordan Shipley (Texas): Made this team.
4. Mark Ingram (Auburn): Was a No.1 pick right until his poor outing at Auburn.
5. Tim Tebow (Florida): Coach Tebow's speech to UF players of 2028: "No one will see us lose in 2028. I promise you!"

Early Heisman 2010 Awards

1. AJ Green (Georgia): Quite simply, the best wide receiver in college football.
2. Michael Floyd (Notre Dame): He's quite good too!
3. Jacquizz Rodgers (Oregon State): Piles up the yards like nobody's business—and yet woefully ignored.
4. Matt Barkley (USC): Watch the improvement from Year One to Year Two.
5. Tate Forcier (Michigan): He's already the player of the year at Ohio State, so why not get an award for his own team?

Games we're looking forward to in Week 14

1. Florida vs. Alabama (SEC Championship Game): Biggest. Game. Of. Season.
2.Oregon State vs. Oregon: Civil War by name, Civil War by its on-the-field nature. Oh, and the winner goes to the Rose Bowl. So no pressure then.
3. Georgia Tech vs. Clemson (ACC Championship Game): It was a great game earlier on in the year, and the repeat shouldn't be bad either.
4. Texas vs. Nebraska (Big XII Title Game): So who thinks we'll see Colt McCoy in the fourth quarter? Anybody?
5. Arizona vs. USC: Cheerleaders people, cheerleaders. The coeds aren't bad either.

Now, back to Florida vs Alabama. This is what happened in 2008. We can't wait for more of the same.

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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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Rookie Comparison: Darren Collison vs. Chris Paul

Joe Gerrity — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:51:37 -0500

Here in New Orleans, we know point guards. Let's face it—In Chris Paul, we have the best one in the league.

CP3 has been so dominant in his short career that as of now his only real equals statistically are historically great players such as Oscar Robinson and Magic Johnson.

So why am I proposing that Darren Collison is something special?

First off, as I said we here in New Orleans know point guards. When the Hornets play the Spurs, our eyes are on Tony Parker.

The plays that Collison makes prove that he has ice running through his veins.

Proof? In his sixth NBA start, matching up against ROY frontrunner Brandon Jennings, Collison hit a game tying three pointer with 7.5 seconds left. Then he calmly matched up against Jennings and stripped the ball away before he could get a shot off.

The place went nuts and rightfully so. It was indistinguishable from what CP3 does.

And that got me thinking about the comparisons.

Both undersized guards love to hit the runner over big men, are lightning quick and rarely turn it over. Paul seems to prefer the pick and roll a bit more, but Collison has shown he's capable of utilizing it in his arsenal as well.

Let's check out some stats per 36 minutes (what Paul played his rookie year). Collison is playing about 22, enough to forecast his production fairly well.

Scoring:

Paul: 16.1 points on 12.1 shots (1.33 PPS), at a 43% clip (28% from three).

Collison: 17.8 points on 14.7 shots (1.21 PPS), at a 42% clip (38% from three).

Paul gets the win here. Although he's scoring less, he was doing so at the rate of a marquee scorer in only his first year. For what it's worth, Collison's scoring rate is very impressive, better than Deron Williams' mark in his first (1.07) or second year (1.19).

Passing:

Paul: 7.8 assists to 2.3 turnovers (3.4:1)

Collison: 6.8 assists to 3 turnovers (2.3:1)

Paul gets another win here by a slightly larger margin. His court vision was elite in his first year, something very few players can say.

Rebounding:

Paul: 5.1 rebounds

Collison: 3.6 rebounds

Both are undersized, but Paul is among the best rebounding guards in the game whereas Collison is merely average.

Defense:

Paul: Paul was and continues to be a Steal Monster. This goes right in line with his court vision, and seeing passing lanes.

When speaking specifically about his rookie year however, we must note that he gambled way to much. He was significantly smaller then than he is now and was pushed around by larger, more physical players.

At that point he was a below average one on one defender who often found himself caught off his man chasing steals.

Collison: Right off the bat you could tell that Collison was going to be a good defensive player. His ability to move through screens just looked natural, even though he was doing it at the highest level.

He doesn't get a lot of steal as a result of not gambling much, but that not necessarily a knock. Early on in Paul's career he cost his team more points with his gambling than he saved by it.

I find Collison to be a better defender than Paul was at the same stage in their careers.

Conclusion:
While Collison isn't quite on Paul's level you can see talented he is. It's not unreasonable that the Hornets could have two elite point guards relatively soon.

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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.

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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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Week 13 Ranking the Start/Sit, TE Bounties Plus Sleepers

Fantasy Football — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:03:59 -0500

Ranking the start/sit, TE edition.

WHO DAT said they gonna beat them Saints? Finally I can pull for a dominating team. My kids are even cheering along each week as we mop up the competition. Do you think they will rest starters after they clinch home field?

Start

Antonio Gates versus Cleveland
Who opened the flood Gates? I almost gave up on Gates but plugged him in one more time and it paid off! I’m always in favor of riding the hot hand so I’ll start him again this week against the horrible Cleveland Browns.

Vernon Davis versus Seattle
Seattle can’t move the ball very well which means about 6 to 8 more minutes time of possession for the 49’s. Seattle’s secondary will give the 49’s WR core trouble leaving Davis the best option on the field.

Tony Gonzalez versus Philadelphia
Matt Ryan is out, which makes Tony Gonzalez a must start. Chris Redman tossed the ball to Gonzalez eight time, and this should only increase against an Eagle’s secondary that has major issues against the TE position.

Greg Olsen versus St. Louis
What does Butter and Biscuits, Rice and Gravy, and Cutler and Olsen all have in common? It’s all good baby, all good!

Sit

Dustin Keller versus Buffalo
Buffalo seems to be on a roll under the new head coach and Keller is inconsistent anyway.

Heath Miller versus Oakland
With Big Ben’s status in question, I just can’t trust Miller against a strong Oakland secondary.

Jason Witten versus Giants
Witten will be blocking more than running pass routes this week, not like he has been hot anyways.

Jeremy Shockey versus Washington
Nobody spreads the wealth more than then New Orleans Saints, and with the David Thomas getting love from Brees more and more each week, Shockey is becoming more of a non-factor.

Sleepers

Brent Celek versus Atlanta
I seriously doubt D Jackson will play; this leaves more balls for Celek.

Tony Scheffler versus Kansas City
Gates did it last week, this week it will be Scheffler

Jermichael Finley versus Baltimore
Finley has been lining up as a WR more and more each week. Baltimore can put up points at will making this a high scoring affair. All of this sets him up for a big game.

Bo Scaife versus Tennessee
He had 5 for 68 last week, and this week the Titans could be forced to air it out.

Check out all our Rankings, in our usual start sit fashion.

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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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What We Have Learned In Chris Paul's Absence

Joe Gerrity — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:27:59 -0500

Since the departure of Byron Scott and the injury to the holy one (CP3), the Hornets have fared rather well. So well in fact, that many are coming to the conclusion that Byron Scott was the problem.

How can a team that looked so pitiful even when their best player was on fire, all of a sudden start winning games against the likes of the Phoenix Suns and Atlanta Hawks?

For starters it's with an entirely new offensive and defensive mentality. The lineups are smaller, the guys are moving around, utilizing picks, and taking it to the hole.

Somehow the Hornets offense actually looks BETTER without their best player. Gone are the days of everyone standing around, waiting for Paul to make an amazing play.

The ball is moving around like we have never seen in New Orleans. We're used to seeing one spectacular pass per play by Paul, but to see two or even three good passes was a rarity. Not anymore.

On D guys are staying with their man when someone double teams, the necessary rotations are being made.

The overreliance on CP3 to make plays caused the Hornets to become predictable, boring even.

When one player has the ball in his hands 60 percent of the time it's not hard to adjust your game plan to render him ineffective. We saw it time and time again in the Denver series, yet Scott made no adjustments during that series or during the offseason.

Bower was able to get that same stangant offense to pass the ball around WITHOUT THEIR BEST PASSER.

One thing we have learned is that Byron Scott was a problem despite what CP3 says.

"You can always say 'what if or this happened, or this is why, but you never know.' One thing about it is DC and Marcus have really given us a boost. Shoot, it might not be the coach. It might be because I'm out."

Paul may be among the most loyal players in the NBA and that's what we in New Orleans believe will keep him here for the long haul. It's not surprising that he hasn't thrown his old coach under the bus despite loaded questions from reporters. He's just a stand up guy.

So with that said, don't read to much into what comes out of his mouth off the court. He has been known to be a little loose lipped–like this summer when he said that even HE could be traded.

And earlier when he reacted to Tyson being traded–Tyson is averaging just 6-6 in Charlotte while battling injuries.

David West was no so kind in his assessment of the coaching change-

"We're not going to be as predictable as we have been in the past. I know that, having played for Tim before," said West, a sixth-year veteran. "That's something I'm looking forward to, in terms of style of play."

West said the players should be receptive to Bower and Floyd because "what we had wasn't working."

With Scott gone the Hornets have also learned that Collison and Thornton might turn out to be the steals of the draft. Brandon Jennings is having a great year, but you can't look past the production that the Hornets are getting out of the 21st and 43rd picked players.

Had Paul been healthy or Scott still been in town it's unlikely either of these players would have been given enough playing time to really show their worth.

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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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