Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Saints Report # 2 - September 20, 2010

Ringo said it best.
It Don’t Come Easy.

That will probably be the theme for the year.
Defensive coordinators had the whole off season to study the Saints’ offense and if there’s one law in the NFL it’s that defenses catch up with offenses.

Two games in, and it’s obvious that defenses are stoking up to slow down the Juicy Fruit Genius. Success changes the landscape, starting with when you get to play.

Two prime-time games in, defenses seem to be taking away the 20 and 30 yard passes, and conceding the dump-off. If you’re going to move the ball down the field on us, you’re going to do it in 5 yard chunks, not 15 yard ones. It also forces the Saints to run the ball, which they stuck with despite limited success. I was kind of impressed with this.

When the Garrett Hartley’s field goal as time expired gave the Saints a hard-earned, nail-biting, pulse-pounding 25-22 victory over the hated 49’ers (yes I still hate them) it signaled a don’t-come-easy, grind-it-out pattern that we may see more of, rather than less. Wonder how 49er fans felt losing in the final seconds after playing so well?

Reggie Bush now has to live without his Heisman and the Saints have to live without Reggie for at least 6 weeks due to the broken leg suffered Monday night at Candlestick Park.

Can’t help but comment on Reggie. He apparently broke the rules and has been deemed ineligible for his last year at USC, causing forfeiture of their season and erasing from the record books (if not our memory) that exciting National Championship Game with Texas.

I’d have made them come pry if from cold dead fingers.
For whatever he did wrong, let’s call it borrowing against future earnings, let me just mention what he hasn’t done. He hasn’t fathered a bunch of children. He hasn’t had any DUI’s. He hasn’t used performance enhancing drugs. He hasn’t complained about how he’s utilized. He hasn’t made too many headlines off the field, save Kim Kardashian.

He’s apparently a great teammate who focuses on winning rather than personal stats. He has no problem serving as a decoy. He’s involved in the community and has been generous with his time and money. He’s beloved in New Orleans and the Saints are a different team when he’s on the field. Lately, he’s improved as a runner and should have a long productive career. In all likelihood, had he gone to any other team he would have been a bust. But the JFG has figured out how to maximize his talents, and he’s a vital cog for the Saints. We’re about to find out how important he is.

I'm not condoning his breaking the rules. I'm just lamenting what other athletes get away with. Or didn't you catch the "Hard Knocks" clip where Antonio Cromartie (26 years old) struggled to name his 8 children by 6 different women in 5 states?
Ho Hum. You've heard the stories. So, while I haven't always been a fan of his play, I'm a fan of Reggie.

The hated Falcons come to town on Sunday, and their approach won’t be a surprise. They’ll run Michael Turner so much he’ll be trying to burrow under the Superdome. The Saints will need to score more than their first 2 games. Points in the Teens won’t win this one.

Time to Crunk it up.

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