Watergate. Iran-Contra. Monica Lewinsky. Fast and Furious(stayed tuned). Bountygate.
Cover ups. When will they learn.
When it was learned the NFL uncovered the Saints "pay for play" program in 2009, commisar Roger Goodell ordered, right then, coach Sean Payton to cease and desist immediately. Not only did Payton not desist, he proceeded to allow it to go on for two more seasons. Not only did he allow it to go on, but he lied to the NFL when asked if he had ceased the "PFP" program. Not only did he lie, but so did GM Mickey Loomis, and asst head coach Joe Vitt. Not only did they lie to the NFL, but they lied to owner Tom Benson. Not only lied to Benson, but hung him out to dry. Made him a public fool after Benson vouched for them by taking them at their word. Result? A round of suspensions so severe, it sent shockwaves through Whodat Nation and beyond. Even the commissar's own NFL network was in stunned disbelief with the heavy handidness of the ruling.
While there is outrage and anger toward Goodell among Saints faithful, perhaps they should aim their hostility at another target. Sean Payton, himself. He gave Goodell no choice.
Sean Payton has few peers as a head coach and program builder. He is one of those who just gets it. Possessing an uncanny eye for offensive talent, a knack for gameplaning and play calling ability, Payton has bulit the Saints into an NFL powerhouse. In six seasons, the Saints have four playoff appearances(including three in a row), two NFC championship games and of course a Super Bowl victory. But with all the good he has done, Payton continues display a dark side. See Vicaden and U-Haulgate. I took some heat when I came out against Payton's move to Dallas. "As long as he wins on the field, who cares if he lives 500 away", was the mantra of most Saints fans. I remember responding to an SP defender while on my Friday spot with 690AM's Eric Asher that obsolving one's behavoir with the phrase "as long as he wins on the field" makes that person feel bullet proof.
Which brings us to "bountygate". I don't believe, for one second, Saints players itentionally aimed to injure opposing players. Football is played by boys. Big boys. Bounties, side bets, etc is what boys do. I also don't believe for a milli-second that Kurt Warner or Bret Favre would have been treated any less harshly had their been no bounty. Those "incriminating" hits, played on a loop over and over and over, were clean. Especially Warner's. What I do believe, without a shadow of a doubt, is that Sean Payton is sitting out 2012 because of the cover up. The inside the lockeroom code of watching each others back. I get it. But lying to the face of Benson and Goodell displays a disconcerning lack of judgement and charactor. Should Payton have been suspended? Yes. But a bigger question is should he, Vitt and Loomis be fired?
Ask yourself this. If you made a public fool of your boss, where would you be the next day?
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Colts Pushing Their Luck with Manning Release
"A can't miss prospect." "Amazing physically," "Can make plays with his arm and legs." "When he has time, there isn't a defense he can't pick apart." "Nearly 40 TDs and 70% completion his final tear in college"...a lock, right?
On Thursday, April 26, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will approach the podium at New York's Radio City Music Hall and say the following. "With the first pick in the 2012 NFL draft, the Indianapolis Colts select Andrew Luck. Quarterback. Stanford.
Just like that, The Andrew Luck era will begin. Colts owner Jimmy Irsay greased the skids for this on March 7. Irsay is bankng that Peyton Mannings's surgically repaired neck has finished one of the greatest careers in NFL history. Irsay is also banking that Luck's arm will do for the Colts what Steve Young did for the 49ers. The last time an NFL legend was shown the door to make way for the next young gun.
Well good luck with that, Irsay! You two are now joined at the hip. Good or bad. Success or failure. It will be owned by both.
Luck isn't just following a good QB. He is following an insitution. Someone who is as revered by his fanbase as any player in the history of team sports. At least Manning had three decades, a relocation and the Art Schlichters and Jeff George's of the world between he and Unitas.
Irsay doesn't seemed concerned. NFL scouts, pundents, commentators and talking heads are singing the praises of Luck with accolades such as the ones at the beginning of this blog.
There's no doubt Luck had an outstanding career at Stanford. His final season was as good as it gets. However, Luck's skin and hide better be tough, cause the Colts are rebuildng and today's NFL fans are in no mood for rebuilding. Every incompletion, interception, sack, fumble, false start and holding penatly will be blamed on Luck and Irsay. By the end of the year, midwestern blizzards may be met with, "that never happened when Peyton was here". Luck will learn fast that there are no San Jose States on an NFL schedule. What he did in college means nothing. There is no such thing as a lock in the NFL. Those quotes above? They were about Jamarcus Russell when he was entering the draft.
Making matters worse for Irsay and Luck is that Manning will be doing that vintage line of scrimmage choreography for another team, poised to make a Super Bowl run. Every completion, first down, touchdown and victory will be negatively projected onto Luck and Irsay by Colts fans. Peyton will be everywhere in their world. In team meetings, board meetings, at training camp, at every road stadium and in their dreams. If they can sleep by then.
On the other hand if Luck succeeds, Irsay will be a genius with impeccable timing and Manning a wounded has been. But history is not on their side. Since 1998 QBs taken with the first pick and not named Manning have won zero Super Bowls. Two, Tim Couch and Russell, are out of the league, and David Carr flopped in Houston and is now a back up with the Giants. All had glowing scouting reports touting them as can't miss locks. None were replacing legends.
Good Luck with that, Irsay.
On Thursday, April 26, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will approach the podium at New York's Radio City Music Hall and say the following. "With the first pick in the 2012 NFL draft, the Indianapolis Colts select Andrew Luck. Quarterback. Stanford.
Just like that, The Andrew Luck era will begin. Colts owner Jimmy Irsay greased the skids for this on March 7. Irsay is bankng that Peyton Mannings's surgically repaired neck has finished one of the greatest careers in NFL history. Irsay is also banking that Luck's arm will do for the Colts what Steve Young did for the 49ers. The last time an NFL legend was shown the door to make way for the next young gun.
Well good luck with that, Irsay! You two are now joined at the hip. Good or bad. Success or failure. It will be owned by both.
Luck isn't just following a good QB. He is following an insitution. Someone who is as revered by his fanbase as any player in the history of team sports. At least Manning had three decades, a relocation and the Art Schlichters and Jeff George's of the world between he and Unitas.
Irsay doesn't seemed concerned. NFL scouts, pundents, commentators and talking heads are singing the praises of Luck with accolades such as the ones at the beginning of this blog.
There's no doubt Luck had an outstanding career at Stanford. His final season was as good as it gets. However, Luck's skin and hide better be tough, cause the Colts are rebuildng and today's NFL fans are in no mood for rebuilding. Every incompletion, interception, sack, fumble, false start and holding penatly will be blamed on Luck and Irsay. By the end of the year, midwestern blizzards may be met with, "that never happened when Peyton was here". Luck will learn fast that there are no San Jose States on an NFL schedule. What he did in college means nothing. There is no such thing as a lock in the NFL. Those quotes above? They were about Jamarcus Russell when he was entering the draft.
Making matters worse for Irsay and Luck is that Manning will be doing that vintage line of scrimmage choreography for another team, poised to make a Super Bowl run. Every completion, first down, touchdown and victory will be negatively projected onto Luck and Irsay by Colts fans. Peyton will be everywhere in their world. In team meetings, board meetings, at training camp, at every road stadium and in their dreams. If they can sleep by then.
On the other hand if Luck succeeds, Irsay will be a genius with impeccable timing and Manning a wounded has been. But history is not on their side. Since 1998 QBs taken with the first pick and not named Manning have won zero Super Bowls. Two, Tim Couch and Russell, are out of the league, and David Carr flopped in Houston and is now a back up with the Giants. All had glowing scouting reports touting them as can't miss locks. None were replacing legends.
Good Luck with that, Irsay.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Sportyear 2012...How's it working out for ya?...so far
As a dyed in the wool genuine New Orleans football fan, I would like to request a redo on my 2012 new year's resolution. Celebrating an all Louisiana football championship will have to be put on hold at least another year. Dreaming of a parade featuring a Blain Kern designed mega-float with Drew Brees riding shotgun in the Champion's throne on one end and a giant paper mache Les Miles hoisting a crystal football into the air on the other is over. It has has morphed into that dream where I just keep falling and falling and falling...
After ending their season with a day after Christmas Falcons beatdown and ruining the Panthers' New Year's plane ride back to Carolina, the Saints entered the 2012 playoff season as the hottest team in the NFL. The offense was so hot, January's temperature rose. In fact, in the final three regular season games, the offense scored 42, 45 and 45 points. Almost every team and indivdual offensive record was broken. Drew Brees(passing yards), Jimmy Graham(receiving yards), Darren Sproles(total yards). Total offense, passing offense, first downs, third down and on and on and on. This, some experts gushed, is one of the greatest offense's of all time. On to the playoffs...
First up, Detroit and Mega Tron. No problem. Behind Brees' brilliance and timely stops and turnovers form the defense, the Saints pull away in the second half and win going away.
Next up, LSU-Bama and the BCS championship in the Dome. LSU's 2011 was the most dominant in the history of collge football. It started with blowing out the #3 Oregon Ducks and ended with neutering the #12 Georgia Bulldogs. They slayed top 10 team after top 10 team in between. In Death Valley, on the road, or on a nuetral field, it made no difference. The fighting Tigers displayed a brutal running attack supported by a passing game as efficient as a Steve Jobs power point presentation. The special teams were spectacular. The return game was surpassed only by the most influential punting in LSU history. But the icing on the cake, the feather in the cap and the creme dela creme was a 9-6 overtime victory over Alabama in Alabama over the newest greatest coach in the history of Alabama. And they meet again. This time in LSU's backyard. Home of the previous two LSU BCS Championships...
and falling and falling and falling...
Despite the devastatingly confusing loss in the BCS game, there's still the Saints. Next up, the 49ers. The Saints open well. Take the opening kickoff and drive right down the field just like they've done throughout 2011. On third and goal, Brees finds ole reliable #23 in the flat. He catches the ball, turns then sheds a tackle on his way to the endzone. Touchdown! Saints lead 7-0! That's what every Saints fan, football fan, casual sports fan and most 49er fans expected. However, Mr. Pierre Thomas meet Mr. Donte Whitner, he's here to dislodge you from the football. Violently. Result? The first of three momentum changing fumbles and two interceptions totaling five turnovers. That old Saints buggaboo. The dreaded turnover. The ONLY entity capable of slowing down the 2011 Saints offense.
Despite those turnovers, incredibly, thanks to a hall of fame catch and run by Jimmy Graham, the Saints find themselves in the lead! With less than a minute to play! The the 49ers backed up deep in their own territory. No way they can win this. The Saints will allow them to complete meaningess underneath passes in the middle of the field and chew up the clock. At best the Niners will get a lucky catch around the Saints forty and attempt a long FG to send the game to overtime. Time to start rooting for the Giants to upset the Packers tomorrow night then kick their butts on the way to Indianapolis...
...and falling and falling and falling...
Just to dig the jagged edge deeper, the Giants come through. The 9-7 Giants, a team the Saints humiliated just weeks before, beat the damn Packers, end the 49ers dream season, then strongarm New England and those Gisele hated receivers to win the Super Bowl.
Next you'll tell me LSU will lose the state's top two high school players to Alabama. The #3 player to Texas. That their prized recruit, the #1 rated high school QB in America, will be a no-show for early enrollment then show up for class at Notre Dame! What?!
Oh, and the Hornets, 4-21!
Oh 2012! Why have you forsaken us? Is this what the Mayans meant?
After ending their season with a day after Christmas Falcons beatdown and ruining the Panthers' New Year's plane ride back to Carolina, the Saints entered the 2012 playoff season as the hottest team in the NFL. The offense was so hot, January's temperature rose. In fact, in the final three regular season games, the offense scored 42, 45 and 45 points. Almost every team and indivdual offensive record was broken. Drew Brees(passing yards), Jimmy Graham(receiving yards), Darren Sproles(total yards). Total offense, passing offense, first downs, third down and on and on and on. This, some experts gushed, is one of the greatest offense's of all time. On to the playoffs...
First up, Detroit and Mega Tron. No problem. Behind Brees' brilliance and timely stops and turnovers form the defense, the Saints pull away in the second half and win going away.
Next up, LSU-Bama and the BCS championship in the Dome. LSU's 2011 was the most dominant in the history of collge football. It started with blowing out the #3 Oregon Ducks and ended with neutering the #12 Georgia Bulldogs. They slayed top 10 team after top 10 team in between. In Death Valley, on the road, or on a nuetral field, it made no difference. The fighting Tigers displayed a brutal running attack supported by a passing game as efficient as a Steve Jobs power point presentation. The special teams were spectacular. The return game was surpassed only by the most influential punting in LSU history. But the icing on the cake, the feather in the cap and the creme dela creme was a 9-6 overtime victory over Alabama in Alabama over the newest greatest coach in the history of Alabama. And they meet again. This time in LSU's backyard. Home of the previous two LSU BCS Championships...
and falling and falling and falling...
Despite the devastatingly confusing loss in the BCS game, there's still the Saints. Next up, the 49ers. The Saints open well. Take the opening kickoff and drive right down the field just like they've done throughout 2011. On third and goal, Brees finds ole reliable #23 in the flat. He catches the ball, turns then sheds a tackle on his way to the endzone. Touchdown! Saints lead 7-0! That's what every Saints fan, football fan, casual sports fan and most 49er fans expected. However, Mr. Pierre Thomas meet Mr. Donte Whitner, he's here to dislodge you from the football. Violently. Result? The first of three momentum changing fumbles and two interceptions totaling five turnovers. That old Saints buggaboo. The dreaded turnover. The ONLY entity capable of slowing down the 2011 Saints offense.
Despite those turnovers, incredibly, thanks to a hall of fame catch and run by Jimmy Graham, the Saints find themselves in the lead! With less than a minute to play! The the 49ers backed up deep in their own territory. No way they can win this. The Saints will allow them to complete meaningess underneath passes in the middle of the field and chew up the clock. At best the Niners will get a lucky catch around the Saints forty and attempt a long FG to send the game to overtime. Time to start rooting for the Giants to upset the Packers tomorrow night then kick their butts on the way to Indianapolis...
...and falling and falling and falling...
Just to dig the jagged edge deeper, the Giants come through. The 9-7 Giants, a team the Saints humiliated just weeks before, beat the damn Packers, end the 49ers dream season, then strongarm New England and those Gisele hated receivers to win the Super Bowl.
Next you'll tell me LSU will lose the state's top two high school players to Alabama. The #3 player to Texas. That their prized recruit, the #1 rated high school QB in America, will be a no-show for early enrollment then show up for class at Notre Dame! What?!
Oh, and the Hornets, 4-21!
Oh 2012! Why have you forsaken us? Is this what the Mayans meant?
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Two Games to Learn By
It's been four games since the St.Louis massacre and our beloved Saints find themselves with a two game lead in the NFC South division. Outside a collapse of Hasslonian proportions, the Saints have made the playoffs. The next four weeks will determine exactly who and where they play and how many playoff wins it will take to make it to the Super Bowl. All is good, right?
Well, maybe.
The next two games will reveal the toughest foe the Saints have faced all season.
Themselves.
Coming up are the Tennesee Titans(7-5) and Minnesota Vikings (2-10). On paper, two teams the Saints should beat.
But.
The Titans are the anit-Saints. They play outdoor December football. Well, this game will be outdoors and in December. They run, and they run and they run. Did I mention they run. Featuring the rounding into deadly form Chris Johnson, Tennessee has run themselves to within two games of QBless AFC South Division leader Houston Texans. Who, by the way they face on the final weekend of the season. In his last two games, the waterbug Johnson has rushed for 190 and 153 yards and 7.45 yards per carry. Before you say "eight in the box", the Titans can loosen up the defense with play-action throws from QB Matt Hasselback, yes, that Matt Hasseback. The former Seattle QB that lit up Roman Harper and the Saints defense in that humiliating playoff defeat last season. The Saints under Payton and Brees, have yet to prove they can beat a quality road opponent, outdoors, in cold weather.
The Vikings present another kind of challenge. That late season bete noir with nothing to lose. A noon kickoff with no national spotlight media fawning and fainting and oohing and aahing over the Saints high powered offense. No bright lights, no frenzied who dat'ers. Just a lazy Sunday afternoon in the land of a thousand lakes.
In my mind, there's no doubt the Saints are better than both teams. In my mind there's some doubt they can prove it. Remember the '06,'07 ,'08 games in cold Chicago. Think about the games against Arizona and Cleveland in '10. Or the Rams game a month ago. Heck they needed a miracle to win in DC in December during the Super Bowl season.
Brees' kryptonite has been cold weather and Payton's barren has been getting his team ready to face inferior opponents. In the next two games we will learn if either, neither or both have been overcome.
Well, maybe.
The next two games will reveal the toughest foe the Saints have faced all season.
Themselves.
Coming up are the Tennesee Titans(7-5) and Minnesota Vikings (2-10). On paper, two teams the Saints should beat.
But.
The Titans are the anit-Saints. They play outdoor December football. Well, this game will be outdoors and in December. They run, and they run and they run. Did I mention they run. Featuring the rounding into deadly form Chris Johnson, Tennessee has run themselves to within two games of QBless AFC South Division leader Houston Texans. Who, by the way they face on the final weekend of the season. In his last two games, the waterbug Johnson has rushed for 190 and 153 yards and 7.45 yards per carry. Before you say "eight in the box", the Titans can loosen up the defense with play-action throws from QB Matt Hasselback, yes, that Matt Hasseback. The former Seattle QB that lit up Roman Harper and the Saints defense in that humiliating playoff defeat last season. The Saints under Payton and Brees, have yet to prove they can beat a quality road opponent, outdoors, in cold weather.
The Vikings present another kind of challenge. That late season bete noir with nothing to lose. A noon kickoff with no national spotlight media fawning and fainting and oohing and aahing over the Saints high powered offense. No bright lights, no frenzied who dat'ers. Just a lazy Sunday afternoon in the land of a thousand lakes.
In my mind, there's no doubt the Saints are better than both teams. In my mind there's some doubt they can prove it. Remember the '06,'07 ,'08 games in cold Chicago. Think about the games against Arizona and Cleveland in '10. Or the Rams game a month ago. Heck they needed a miracle to win in DC in December during the Super Bowl season.
Brees' kryptonite has been cold weather and Payton's barren has been getting his team ready to face inferior opponents. In the next two games we will learn if either, neither or both have been overcome.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Incredibly, Saints Fall Asleep, AGAIN!
You would think by now, after embarrassing losses in the recent past , the Saints under Sean Payton would have learned their lesson. Yet there they were again, unprepared to play against a team, on paper, not in their league.
Saints fans will here the" We said all week we won't underestimate this team" crap ad nauseum. Payton said in the post game presser. So did Brees. You can bet any other Saints player facing a mic and camera will say it as well.
Well in the words of the great Johnny Unitas, "talk is cheap".
And so was the performance the 5-2 Saints displayed against the Rams. The 0-6 Rams. A team whose six losses came by scores of 31-13, 28-16, 37-7, 17-10(Redskins), 24-3 and 34-7. A team whose head coach recently downloaded the Monster.com app to his IPhone. Calling this performance cheap is an insult to thrift stores everywhere!
I could site numerous examples of this amazing knack Payton's St. Jude Saints have for generosity to the NFL's hopeless causes but why be redundant.
However there is another explanation as to why this keeps happening, but I'm not so sure Saints fans are prepared to hear. Maybe they just aren't that good.
A closer look at the 5-3 2011 Saints reveal a team that resembles more 2008 than 2009. That 2008 team finished 8-8, had the number one offense in the league but couldn't "finish" games in the fourth quarter. They started 1-0 then blew a 10 point 4th quarter led to the Redskins in D.C( I wrote them off right then) then missed a game winnning FG in Denver. Yet when they won, it was by scores like 31-3 to the Raiders, 51-29 to the Packers, 42-7 to the Lions. Give up 3 points one week, give up 30 the next. Made us all crazy. Missed the playoffs for the second straight year. Back then everyone said, "if we only had a defense to go with that offense...". Sound familier?
The 2011 Saints results are similar, but they resemble a team sleepwalking with an ocassional jolt of energy then back to sleep. They got away with it against two rookie QBs, but then it bit them against Tampa and now this.
Maybe they aren't sleepwalking. Maybe they are just a so-so team. The offensive line has been outplayed in 6 out of 8 games thus far. Thus the Saints have been unable to muster any kind running attack to speak of. Not that Payton has ever committed to the run anyway, but this Saints team doesn't seem tough enough.
The defense has ZERO playmakers, something sorely lacking since the departure of Darren Sharper. Malcom Jenkins is okay but doesn't wow anybody. The DBs and LBs have gotten their hands on many passes only to come up empty. The pass rush has to be manufactured now as it's becoming clearer by the week the free agents brought in at DT are busts. Don't even get me started on the run defense.
So who are these 2011 Saints. The team that conducted offseason workouts on their own. The team that had every pundit drooling in traing camp.
Win a game look great, win a game look average, lose three games, look awful. Seems like 2008 all over again.
In training camp I sensed something missing with these guys. I mentioned it on the air with Eric Asher. I thought it showed in the preseason. Lackluster performances were written off as "camp legs", etc. I feel it again, can't shake it.
Now that the upcoming schedule seems more daunting than it did Saturday, they better shake it. With games against Tampa, Atlanta, the Giants, then the Lions, 5-3 could easily turn into 5-7, by then this team may look like 2005.
Saints fans will here the" We said all week we won't underestimate this team" crap ad nauseum. Payton said in the post game presser. So did Brees. You can bet any other Saints player facing a mic and camera will say it as well.
Well in the words of the great Johnny Unitas, "talk is cheap".
And so was the performance the 5-2 Saints displayed against the Rams. The 0-6 Rams. A team whose six losses came by scores of 31-13, 28-16, 37-7, 17-10(Redskins), 24-3 and 34-7. A team whose head coach recently downloaded the Monster.com app to his IPhone. Calling this performance cheap is an insult to thrift stores everywhere!
I could site numerous examples of this amazing knack Payton's St. Jude Saints have for generosity to the NFL's hopeless causes but why be redundant.
However there is another explanation as to why this keeps happening, but I'm not so sure Saints fans are prepared to hear. Maybe they just aren't that good.
A closer look at the 5-3 2011 Saints reveal a team that resembles more 2008 than 2009. That 2008 team finished 8-8, had the number one offense in the league but couldn't "finish" games in the fourth quarter. They started 1-0 then blew a 10 point 4th quarter led to the Redskins in D.C( I wrote them off right then) then missed a game winnning FG in Denver. Yet when they won, it was by scores like 31-3 to the Raiders, 51-29 to the Packers, 42-7 to the Lions. Give up 3 points one week, give up 30 the next. Made us all crazy. Missed the playoffs for the second straight year. Back then everyone said, "if we only had a defense to go with that offense...". Sound familier?
The 2011 Saints results are similar, but they resemble a team sleepwalking with an ocassional jolt of energy then back to sleep. They got away with it against two rookie QBs, but then it bit them against Tampa and now this.
Maybe they aren't sleepwalking. Maybe they are just a so-so team. The offensive line has been outplayed in 6 out of 8 games thus far. Thus the Saints have been unable to muster any kind running attack to speak of. Not that Payton has ever committed to the run anyway, but this Saints team doesn't seem tough enough.
The defense has ZERO playmakers, something sorely lacking since the departure of Darren Sharper. Malcom Jenkins is okay but doesn't wow anybody. The DBs and LBs have gotten their hands on many passes only to come up empty. The pass rush has to be manufactured now as it's becoming clearer by the week the free agents brought in at DT are busts. Don't even get me started on the run defense.
So who are these 2011 Saints. The team that conducted offseason workouts on their own. The team that had every pundit drooling in traing camp.
Win a game look great, win a game look average, lose three games, look awful. Seems like 2008 all over again.
In training camp I sensed something missing with these guys. I mentioned it on the air with Eric Asher. I thought it showed in the preseason. Lackluster performances were written off as "camp legs", etc. I feel it again, can't shake it.
Now that the upcoming schedule seems more daunting than it did Saturday, they better shake it. With games against Tampa, Atlanta, the Giants, then the Lions, 5-3 could easily turn into 5-7, by then this team may look like 2005.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Saints, Tigers and Wave, oh my!
As we head into game six of the Saints season, the personality of this 4-1 team continues to be not much different since 2006. Great offense, ranked second in the NFL in yards per game and 5th in scoring per game, lead by my early pick for MVP in Drew Brees. Special teams lead by a field position changing punter and steady veteran field goal kicker. A defense that is okay, 16th in yards per game but 23th in scoring defense. Still not enough turnovers. The Saints missed out on at least 2 more picks last Sunday. At times it seems like DC Greg Williams is too worried about scheming and "looks" than just getting after the damn QB. Sundays like the Carolina game rather than the Bears game could be on the horizon.
Next up is the 3-2 Tampa Bay Bucs coming off a 48-3 reality check from the 49ers. Don't let the score fool you, it wasn't that close. While some pundits feel this is not an indication of the real Tampa team, I feel it's closer to that than the 10-6 team from last year. Their three wins came against the 2-3 Falcons, 1-4 Vikings and the 0-5 Colts. The other loss came to the Lions, at home, on opening day.
Why?
Film.
Teams have enough film on Josh Freeman to gameplan him now. As a result, he is now the 29th ranked passer per game and second only to Mike Vick for most int's with 6. Tampa's running game is solid behind LeGarrett Blunt but teams are now loading up to stop the run and forcing Tampa to win with Freeman's arm. Tampa is finding out what it means when you can't sneak up on anyone anymore. The Saints continue their mastery of Raymond James Stadium.
There is no mistaking the personaltiy of the 2011 LSU team. Defense and plenty if it. In my mind the best in the country, giving up only 12.5 points per game. Consider the offenses LSU has faced. Outside of games against LSU, Oregon is averaging 56 points per game,West Virginia 45, UF 34 and MSU 30. Added to this is an offense that excels in the ball control running game and play-action passing attack. They are lead by a stock pile of running backs and a QB everyone had all but given up on. Throw in the most influential punter that I've ever seen at LSU and this could very well be an LSU team for the ages.
Tennessee is next with a year long simmer that can't wait to explode. This game has been circled on HC Derek Dooley's calender since he threw his headset at Les Miles' feet and stormed off the field in bitter disgust after his first signature victory as UT coach was snatched from his hands. That will get them through the first series. But with their starting QB,WR and RB out with injuries, Tennessee will have to wait for another time to get their payback. LSU rolls, again.
What can you say about the Green Wave? After putting up a forty burger in the opener against SE Louisiana, it seemed Tulane might be on to something. But the same old ghosts showed up. The annual loss to Tulsa was followed by a road win in Birmingham. Woohoo! Then came Duke. Then Army. And a close call to Syracuse. Then we all knew. Same old Wave. It's a shame too. I wish Tulane can turn it around someday.
Next up UTEP. This is a good chance to get back on track but with games at East Carolina, at SMU and Houston at home on the horizon, this could be HC Bob Toledo's swan song.
Mike Leach anyone?
Next up is the 3-2 Tampa Bay Bucs coming off a 48-3 reality check from the 49ers. Don't let the score fool you, it wasn't that close. While some pundits feel this is not an indication of the real Tampa team, I feel it's closer to that than the 10-6 team from last year. Their three wins came against the 2-3 Falcons, 1-4 Vikings and the 0-5 Colts. The other loss came to the Lions, at home, on opening day.
Why?
Film.
Teams have enough film on Josh Freeman to gameplan him now. As a result, he is now the 29th ranked passer per game and second only to Mike Vick for most int's with 6. Tampa's running game is solid behind LeGarrett Blunt but teams are now loading up to stop the run and forcing Tampa to win with Freeman's arm. Tampa is finding out what it means when you can't sneak up on anyone anymore. The Saints continue their mastery of Raymond James Stadium.
There is no mistaking the personaltiy of the 2011 LSU team. Defense and plenty if it. In my mind the best in the country, giving up only 12.5 points per game. Consider the offenses LSU has faced. Outside of games against LSU, Oregon is averaging 56 points per game,West Virginia 45, UF 34 and MSU 30. Added to this is an offense that excels in the ball control running game and play-action passing attack. They are lead by a stock pile of running backs and a QB everyone had all but given up on. Throw in the most influential punter that I've ever seen at LSU and this could very well be an LSU team for the ages.
Tennessee is next with a year long simmer that can't wait to explode. This game has been circled on HC Derek Dooley's calender since he threw his headset at Les Miles' feet and stormed off the field in bitter disgust after his first signature victory as UT coach was snatched from his hands. That will get them through the first series. But with their starting QB,WR and RB out with injuries, Tennessee will have to wait for another time to get their payback. LSU rolls, again.
What can you say about the Green Wave? After putting up a forty burger in the opener against SE Louisiana, it seemed Tulane might be on to something. But the same old ghosts showed up. The annual loss to Tulsa was followed by a road win in Birmingham. Woohoo! Then came Duke. Then Army. And a close call to Syracuse. Then we all knew. Same old Wave. It's a shame too. I wish Tulane can turn it around someday.
Next up UTEP. This is a good chance to get back on track but with games at East Carolina, at SMU and Houston at home on the horizon, this could be HC Bob Toledo's swan song.
Mike Leach anyone?
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Two Words: Drew Brees
Drew Brees.
Is there anything else to say?
After Sunday's performance agianst the Texans, that's all I can think of.
Brees lead his team to a 40 point day. A day which he threw his first two interceptions of the year. That bears repeating. Drew Brees lead his team to a 40 point day despite throwing two pics!
You don't have to be Sheldon from "The Big Bang Theory" to figure this out, that there Saints QB is pretty darn good.
Ask the Texans.
After being smoked like a brisket on a Texas spit, all they could do was spew cliches and platitudes. "They're not unstoppable, we just couldn't stop them", claimed the chorus of Texans' DBs fresh off giving up nearly 400 yards. You can hardly blame them for sounding so lame, I'm sure their heads are still spinning. Spinning to left for Lance Moore, spinning to the right for Jimmy Graham. Spinning like Linda Blair for Darren Sproles. I mean, who can blame them for such foolish talk.
Once again Brees displayed why he should always be mentioned in the same breath as Brady and Manning. After Matt Schaub hit TE James Casey on a 26 yard pass to put Houston up 26-17 with 14:54 remaing in the game, it looked like the Saints defense was gong to have to take another one on the chin. Then Sean Peyton went to the empty backfield set. This left Brees with the game in his hands. Houston was forced to man coverage which created great match ups for the Saints. Sproles, Graham and Moore were the benefactors of Brees' uncanny knack for pre-snap reads. A 27 yard pass to Graham that Brees could not have walked up and placed the ball any better. TD! A 16 yard back shoulder to Moore. TD! Two point conversion! A lucky bounce of the ball in Houston's favor followed. No worries, Brees has this. Sproles the the left, Moore on a quick slant, Graham up the seam. RB Mark Ingram, a 13 yard run. TD! Two 2 point conversion!
Throw in a pic from Jabari Greer and an end of game defensive stand and Houston was Texas toast.
You could almost see the little birds flyng around their collective heads as they sat, crossed eyed, in amazement.
You could almost hear them mumbling just above a confused whisper. "Uh, what just happened?
What Just happened you ask?
Two words.
Drew Brees!
Is there anything else to say?
After Sunday's performance agianst the Texans, that's all I can think of.
Brees lead his team to a 40 point day. A day which he threw his first two interceptions of the year. That bears repeating. Drew Brees lead his team to a 40 point day despite throwing two pics!
You don't have to be Sheldon from "The Big Bang Theory" to figure this out, that there Saints QB is pretty darn good.
Ask the Texans.
After being smoked like a brisket on a Texas spit, all they could do was spew cliches and platitudes. "They're not unstoppable, we just couldn't stop them", claimed the chorus of Texans' DBs fresh off giving up nearly 400 yards. You can hardly blame them for sounding so lame, I'm sure their heads are still spinning. Spinning to left for Lance Moore, spinning to the right for Jimmy Graham. Spinning like Linda Blair for Darren Sproles. I mean, who can blame them for such foolish talk.
Once again Brees displayed why he should always be mentioned in the same breath as Brady and Manning. After Matt Schaub hit TE James Casey on a 26 yard pass to put Houston up 26-17 with 14:54 remaing in the game, it looked like the Saints defense was gong to have to take another one on the chin. Then Sean Peyton went to the empty backfield set. This left Brees with the game in his hands. Houston was forced to man coverage which created great match ups for the Saints. Sproles, Graham and Moore were the benefactors of Brees' uncanny knack for pre-snap reads. A 27 yard pass to Graham that Brees could not have walked up and placed the ball any better. TD! A 16 yard back shoulder to Moore. TD! Two point conversion! A lucky bounce of the ball in Houston's favor followed. No worries, Brees has this. Sproles the the left, Moore on a quick slant, Graham up the seam. RB Mark Ingram, a 13 yard run. TD! Two 2 point conversion!
Throw in a pic from Jabari Greer and an end of game defensive stand and Houston was Texas toast.
You could almost see the little birds flyng around their collective heads as they sat, crossed eyed, in amazement.
You could almost hear them mumbling just above a confused whisper. "Uh, what just happened?
What Just happened you ask?
Two words.
Drew Brees!
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