New Orleans Saints Week 4 Report Card: Grading Every Starter's Performance

Looking at Sunday's road victory at Jacksonville, one might think the Saints won ugly. Or you may look at the box score and really scratch your head, as the offense gained over 500 total yards. Regardless, in the NFL a win is a win; you take them how ever you can get them.

Moving the ball the way the Saints did is truly a spectacular accomplishment on any defense. And holding any offense to 10 points and 274 yards is something every defense longs to do each time out.

Yet there is a lot from this game the Saints are going to want "clean up" and address as they prepare for two consecutive division road games against Carolina and then Tampa Bay.

Here are the grades for each unit, which helped the Saints earn what was ultimately a very impressive 23-10 victory Sunday.

QB Drew Brees: B

It's hard to say a quarterback didn't play a tremendous game when he completes 31 of 44 passes for 351 yards and a touchdown. But add in two interceptions and a few sacks, and a B grade makes at least a little more sense.

Yet I think when Drew Brees watches the film Monday he's going to be disappointed about his and the team's struggles in the red zone Sunday. And those two interceptions were mostly avoidable.

I would expect Brees to give himself a grade of a B, if he were to even be that generous with himself. He's certainly had worse games, but he's also had much better.

RBs Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas, & Mark Ingram: A-

Anytime you get your running backs to combine for 166 yards on 30 carries--a 5.5 ypc average--you know those guys are contributing to the team's victory. When you're able to add 11 receptions for 102 yards, you're getting a little extra.

Darren Sproles' speed, Mark Ingram's power, and Pierre Thomas' combination of both are turning this trio into one of the best not only of 2011 but perhaps in all of NFL history. Sure they are a work in progress, but at the current rate, this group is going to be one of the most impactful running back groups a primarily passing team has ever had.

And the numbers these guys are combining for are making the quintessential case for Bill Simmons' fantasy football duo league.

Tell me you wouldn't love to own MarPierren Thomaprolam in your fantasy duo league.

P.S. Jed Collins' one-yard touchdown run was a nice payoff for a guy who has done a wonderful job opening running holes and keeping Drew Brees relatively clean.

WRs Lance Moore, Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson, & Marques Colston: B-

Perhaps all you need to know about the Saints' wide receivers' performance in Sunday's win is that it was the first game that a Saints' wide receiver did not catch a touchdown pass. Or maybe it is of greater aide to you in knowing that Robert Meachem all by himself caused Drew Brees an extra interception that just wasn't necessary.

That being said Meachem and Moore did have a couple key catches. Marques Colston--playing for the first time since separating his shoulder in the season opener against Green Bay--managed only one catch for eight yards, so in all reality was not a factor in this game.

And Devery Henderson had by far his least effective game of the season. But in the end winning the game is what matters, and the saints' receivers made just enough plays to ensure that happened.

TE Jimmy Graham: A

A week ago Jimmy Graham vowed he would never again celebrate a touchdown without some form of a slam dunk.

Given the way Graham played Sunday--and thus far this season--it seems Graham will be slam-dunking his way into an NBA Dunk contest. Graham used his rebounding skills on a spectacular grab over the middle on a seam route and had a separate 59-yard grab.

In all, Graham finished with a career-high 10 receptions for 132 yards and had that one touchdown. Graham showed Sunday that his run blocking and pass blocking are rapidly improving, and he has become possibly the most dangerous tight end in the entire league (oh yeah there is that guy named Finley in Green Bay).

Offensive Line: B+

When you're able to run for 177 yards on 34 carries--a 5.2 ypc average--it is obvious that no matter how good the running back corps is, the offensive line also played a good game.

It is always the offensive line's first responsibility to open holes in the running game. It is what those big guys are more inclined to do. And Sunday, it is what they did well. Though I missed much of the game, what I did see was a lot of large running holes.

However, the unit--playing with two injured starters missing--struggled a bit in pass protection against a defensive line that has never been very good getting pressure on the quarterback, and was playing without their best pass rusher--Aaron Kampman.

Brees often had guys in his face, forcing him to throw quicker than he wanted and missed some throws as a result. But overall the offensive line kept Brees relatively upright and did a nice job in this game, especially given the circumstances.

Defensive Tackles: B

When you hold Maurice Jones-Drew to 82 yards rushing you've done something. When 41 of those came on one run, that is partially disappointing though also very much a positive for this Saints defense. Holding Jones-Drew to 4 yards per carry really is an accomplishment.

Then creating enough pressure on a quarterback to make him a 40 percent passer is also indicative of strong defensive line play--pressure always originates from strong play and penetration by the defensive tackles.

This group played probably its finest game of the season to this point.

Defensive Ends: B+

In Will Smith's return from suspension last weekend against Houston he was a dominant force. Sunday he was even better, if you can imagine that.

Smith recorded two of the three Saints sacks and created even more stress on rookie QB Blaine Gabbert.

Cameron Jordan and Turk McBride also continued their strong play and were key to the Saints' best defensive effort of 2011.

Linebackers: C+

It is the fault of the linebackers that Jacksonville even scored 10 points or had as much success moving the ball as they did.

On the 3rd-and-long jailbreak screen that Mike Thomas broke for a 47-yard gain multiple linebackers had an opportunity to make a tackle to prevent Thomas from even gaining a first down.

Additionally, Scott Shanle and Jonathan Casillas were assessed personal foul penalties. If I were Coach Sean Payton those two players would be removed from the lineup for the rest of the game for giving Jacksonville two first downs they did not earn.

It simply was not the linebacker's best game, and I maintain that this unit's play must improve against Carolina and Tampa if the Saints are to come out victorious against their division rivals the next two weeks.

Cornerbacks Jabari Greer & Patrick Robinson: B+

Jabari Greer and Patrick Robinson were burned early and often last week at home against the Texans. Against their second AFC South opponent in consecutive weeks, the Saints DBs answered the call--largely shutting down Jacksonville's greatest outside weapons and providing New Orleans' only turnover of the game (Patrick Robinson's 3rd quarter interception).

With Tracy Porter back in the lineup, it was the right time for Robinson's play to improve--and boy did it ever! If Robinson continues to play this way, the Saints defensive backs will become one of the finest trios, and not just duos in the entire league.

The next couple weeks will definitely be a greater challenge against Cam Newton and Josh Freeman, but with the improvement of this unit, the defense would seem to have a chance to hold each offense in check.

Safeties Malcolm Jenkins & Roman Harper: A-

Apparently Gregg Williams took my suggestion and decided to put Malcolm Jenkins on Marcedes Lewis in many passing situations. Considering Lewis' final stats--3 catches for 38 yards--it seems to have been the correct answer.

Additionally Roman Harper recorded eight tackles, a sack, and another tackle for loss.

Together the two are proving to be the best safety duo in the NFL, and Sunday only strengthened their candidacy for that recognition.

Kickers John Kasay & Thomas Morstead: B-

John Kasay was a perfect 7-for-7 coming into Sunday's game. After Sunday's game, he was still kicking it at a nice percentage, but was no longer perfect. Kasay missed two long field goals, but also added three successful field goals. Kasay helped the Saints widen their narrow halftime lead to a comfortable 13-point range.

Additionally Kasay was very successful in stopping Jacksonville from returning kickoffs and getting any kind of field position advantage.

And Thomas Morstead's lone punt was a boomer that traveled 58 yards and kept the team on schedule.

The kicking game has been pretty good through the first four games, and Sunday was as good as any game in terms of the kick coverage.

And that's pretty much what every unit could say on Sunday.