COWBOYS VS. SAINTS: IN-DEPTH RECAP OF ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR

COWBOYS VS. SAINTS: IN-DEPTH RECAP OF ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR
By William Queen-Contributing Writer-Football Reporters Online
 
Jumping the gun, the Cowboys defense came out and were clearly faster than they had been in previous weeks. They stopped the Saints first drive and, in response, centered the ball around their main talent Marion Barber and Miles Austin, leading them to the end zone.
 
7-0 Cowboys
 
On the ensuing possession, Dallas held New Orleans yet again and, thanks to a nice punt return and phenomenal play-calling, the Cowboys took a little more demanding 14-0 lead.
 
14-0 Cowboys
 
New Orleans took over and, though Reggie Bush broke a 25-yard run, their drive ended in a questionable defensive play on a good ol fashioned Drew Brees bomb. Yet, the game continues.
 
Dallas picks up right back where they left off, as quarterback Tony Romo probably could have taken a nap in the pocket and still would’ve had time to throw a strike to Miles Austin. However, somebody forgot to tell Cowboys coach Wade Phillips that your expose to kick field goals on 4th down, as they attempted a 4-yard first down. He got lucky; the refs got flag happy on the saints secondary and the drive was extended. This did not turn out being a good thing for the Cowboys though; two of the next three snaps resulted in Tony Romo eating dirt. So, the Boys’ were forced to punt.
 
Following the defensive stand, the Saints drove down the field, ultimately resulting in a Garrett Hartley field goal.
 
14-3 Cowboys
 
Dallas was then plagued by penalties their next drive and the Saints took over at their own 9-yard line with just under four minutes left in the half. That’s when Drew Brees, well, showed why he’s being considered in the league’s MVP voting, driving the Saints all the way down near field; but that’s as far as they would get. Brees threw interception the following play, which completely erases the whole “being considered for the MVP” statement a few sentences ago.
 
But, thanks to the stupidity of Wade Phillips and the Dallas play-calling, they passed the ball two of the next three plays from scrimmage, as opposed to winding the clock down, which ultimately gave Brees and company another shot at scoring with a little more than 1:15 left.
 
Then, another twist was added to the game, as Drew Brees fumbled the ball and was recovered by the Cowboys with 45 seconds left. This time, the Cowboys took a shot at the field goal and went up 17-3 at the half.
 
17-3 Cowboys
 
Halftime Numbers Report:
The Cowboys are four for eight on third downs, as the Saints are maintaining a big fat 0 under third down conversions. Numbers remain close offensively, the only difference being two New Orleans turnovers; holding the Saints to a mere 3 points. New Orleans looks to be picking it up in the 2nd quarter offensively, out gaining their 1st quarter offensive yards total 35-101. For the Cowboys, almost the opposite; their 1st to 2nd quarter ratio being 101-28.
 
Miles Austin started off the half with a dropped pass. But, it seems that every time he drops one he’ll make up for it with a first down; he converted two plays later. Later in the drive, Marion Barber ran one in from three yards out to finish of Dallas’ stoic drive.
 
24-3 Cowboys
 
New Orleans responded with a heck of a kick return, bringing it all the way back to the 36-yard line. However, a dropped ball in the end zone and a Cowboys sack left the Saints offense to a self-destruct-like drive. Yet, a 10-yard holding penalty dug them out of their own hole, giving the Saints a fresh set of downs. But, nothing doing, as the Saints just ended up right back where they started; 4th and 18.
 
Leading 24-3 with just less than minutes left in the 3rd, Dallas looked to put the game out of reach early with another touchdown. They made it all the way down to the 50-yard line before the Saints decided they wanted to play defense and forced them to a punt.
 
The next drive, Brees looked like a brand new quarterback; the one we’ve been used to seeing the last 13 weeks. He started to relax more in the pocket and throw more accurate passes, thus resulting in their first touchdown of the game, ran in by Mike Bell from a yard out.
 
24-10 Cowboys
 
With the score 24-10 now, the Saints 12th man came back to life, helping the Saints defense hold Dallas to back-to-back punts; giving them another chance at the comeback.
 
They didn’t disappoint. Driving the ball all the way down the field Drew Brees style, the Saints scored on a seven-yard wide receiver screen pass and, more importantly, cutting the lead to seven and giving them a better shot at what has the potential to be the best comeback of the decade.
 
24-17 Cowboys
 
Though the Saints didn’t fare as well as before, as the Superdome watched in grief as Romo led the Cowboys down the field on a time-consuming drive that ultimately ended in a cowboys field goal attempt. Dallas looked to take a game-securing ten-point lead off a chip shot of a field goal from 24 yards out. But hold the phone! They missed it! Hitting off the right crossbar, the ball fell short in the endzone, adding even more drama to the Saints pursuit of an undefeated season.
 
The offense took the field and nothing went their way the first three plays. Nothing. Facing a 4th and 10 with just over a minute left, this was perhaps the most nerve-racking moment of the season thus far. Yet, the magic Carries on, as Drew Brees converted to Marques Colston. Flirting with the clock, Brees carefully tiptoed down the field, using every break he could find. It took nine plays to get 38 yards and suckin up two minutes and four seconds. Later in the drive, on first and ten from the Cowboys 42, Drew Brees was hit as he threw and was ruled an incomplete pass, bringing the clock down to a lonesome twelve seconds. Second and ten, Brees dropped back and was hit by Cowboys defender DeMarcus Ware and fumbled the ball, recovered by Dallas with six seconds left; sealing off the game and the hopes of New Orleans undefeated season.
 
Final Score: 24-17 Cowboys
 
What This Means:
For one of the first times ever, the real story is how this affects the losing team in the New Orleans Saints. Expectations aren’t very high for the Saints; they’ve only been to the playoffs three times in their 42-year history. But, maintaining a 13-0 undefeated record up to this point, it was all or nothing. Iff they win, the spirit lives on. And if the lose, it just brings back memories of their losing history. Though it shouldn’t be that way, that’s how it is.
 
Losing this game takes an enormous amount of pressure off the Saints as they advance into the postseason. I mean, just look at the Vikings, nobodys talked about them ever since ending their six-game streak to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this season; they’re 11-2! But in the end, this shows us a lot about this thriving Saints team. Being able to overcome a 21-point deficit in the second half and rally all the way back to within seven points and have the game coming down to the final play; this is a tough football team. Their star tight end was even out. The defense turned their game around and the offense picked it up. And though they lost, this teams knows how to fight.

Giants Zone Out In The Big Breesey

Giants Zone Out In The Big Breesey

By Jon Wagner-Sr. Writer at Large Football Reporters Online

New Orleans is known as “The Big Easy,” but the football game played at The Superdome on Sunday was anything but trouble-free for the New York Giants, who were unable to stop one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks and the league’s most prolific offense, which scored touchdowns on its first four possessions and never looked back.

After three straight effortless weeks shutting down some of the league’s worst offenses (winning consecutive games against 0-6 Tampa Bay, 1-5 Kansas City, and 2-4 Oakland), the Giants’ two-deep zone defense was picked apart by New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees in a demoralizing 48-27 loss, ending the New York’s five game winning streak to begin the 2009 season.

The Saints, who are 5-0 for the first time since 1993, set the tone early with a game-opening 15-play, 70-yard drive, which consumed 7:41 off the clock. The drive ended with a 4th-and-1, over-the-top dive for a touchdown by running back Mike Bell, giving New Orleans a 7-0 lead before Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning, who was making his homecoming, could touch the ball for the first time. The 28-year-old Manning, who was born and raised for the first 18 years of his life in New Orleans, played for the first time in the building where is father Archie Manning quarterbacked the Saints from 1971-1982.

On that first drive, Brees was just getting started, completing 5 of 7 passes for 43 yards against the Giants’ very soft zone with its injury-depleted secondary, while also running for six yards and a first down on 3rd-and-3 from the Saints’ 37 on the game’s first series.

The Bell touchdown marked the fifth time in as many games that New Orleans scored on its first possession this season. The score also gave the Saints 31 points (most in the NFL) on opening drives this year, which surpassed the Giants’ 27 points on such drives. On the game’s next possession, New York’s streak of scoring on its first possession in its first five games came to an end when it managed just one first down before punting.

The next time Brees touched the ball, he threw six straight passes, completing all of them, leading the Saints 80 yards in just 2:48, finding ex-Giant tight end Jeremy Shockey on a one-yard touchdown pass, putting New Orleans up, 14-0, with 2:11 left in the first quarter.

In less than 12 minutes, the Giants had already just about given up their average of 14.2 points per game (second only to Denver) coming into the contest.

At that point, Brees, who finished the game going 23-30 for 369 yards (his 32nd career 300-yard game), with four touchdowns and no turnovers, had already completed 11 of his first 13 passes for 123 yards against a Giants’ defense which entered the game ranked first in the league both overall (allowing 210.6 total yards per game) and against the pass (giving up just 104.8 passing yards per game).

The Saints led by double digits the rest of the way, in what was supposed to be a Bayou showdown between arguably the top two teams in the NFL entering Week 6, although the Giants briefly showed signs in the first half of getting back in the game.

After the Saints’ second touchdown, Domenic Hixon returned the ensuing kickoff 45 yards to midfield, but New York could only move 19 yards to the New Orleans 31 yard-line, for a Lawrence Tynes 49-yard field goal, to pull to within 14-3 with three seconds left in the first quarter.

The second quarter featured a scoring explosion. The Giants scored a pair of touchdowns, but allowed another three, and trailed 34-17 by halftime.

After Tynes’ field goal, it took the Saints just four plays and 2:20 to go 57 yards and take a 20-3 lead (the PAT was missed) on a 36-yard toss from Brees to wide receiver Robert Meacham.

The Giants responded though, taking the next possession 9 plays and 73 yards in 4:59, closing to within 20-10 on running back Ahmad Bradshaw’s 10-yard touchdown run with 7:41 left in the first half. The game nearly got away earlier on that drive when Saints’ safety Darren Sharper returned the ball for an apparent touchdown, but it was called back for a personal foul call on New Orleans linebackers Jonathan Vilma’s late hit on Manning.

The Saints struck right back on the next possession, however, going 5 plays and 61 yards in only 2:37, taking a 27-10 lead on a Brees 12-yard touchdown throw to Lance Moore. That scoring drive was aided by a very questionable 35-yard pass interference penalty on Giants’ cornerback Corey Webster who got his feet tangled with Saints’ receiver, former Hofstra star Marques Colston (games highs of 8 receptions and 166 yards), setting New Orleans up with a first down at the New York 12 yard-line.

Hixon again responded, returning the kickoff that followed, 68 yards to the Saints’ 37 yard-line. The Giants used the short field to score in just four plays, as Manning, who was held to just 14 of 31 for 178 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT on the day, threw his only touchdown pass of the game, a 15-yard strike to wide receiver Mario Manningham, who ripped the ball away from Sharper. The Giants were in the game, down 27-17, with 3:19 remaining in the half.

On the next possession, Brees and Colston again had their way with the Giants’ pass defense, connecting on consecutive hookups of 40 yards and then another 20 yards, to the New York 8 yard-line.

The Giants defense finally had what looked to be a momentum-changing moment though, stopping the Saints on a goal-line stand, as New Orleans running back Pierre Thomas (game-high 72 yards on 15 carries) was stopped on 4th-and-1, on a surge led by Giants’ defensive end Osi Umenyiora.

After Manning completed an 18-yard pass to Manningham, he was sacked and fumbled. The Saints recovered at the Giants 8-yard line. Two plays later, running back Reggie Bush scored on an easy 7-yard touchdown run with just 9 seconds left in the half, to lead 34-17.

The Giants entered the locker room at halftime stunned, having allowed three more points in a single half than they had in any of their previous five games this season (they gave up 31 in a win at Dallas) and eight more points than they gave up in their previous three games, combined.

Brees completed the first half with a 157.7 passer rating, going a near-perfect 17 of 20 for 247 yards, 3 TD, and 0 INT. A huge part of the Giants’ inability to cover receivers downfield was their severe lack of pressure up front on the Saints’ quarterback. Brees wasn’t sacked and was hit just twice in the opening half, while New Orleans rolled up 315 yards of offense and scored touchdowns on five of 6 first-half possessions.

“I don’t know that we ever hit him,” Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said of Brees. “At this level, if you’re going to stop the pass, you’ve got to get pressure. You’ve got to force the quarterback not to throw it on his tempo.”

Which is exactly what Brees thought was the key to his success, saying “We wanted to really dictate the tempo of the game the whole way through. “Seven different guys scored touchdowns. That’s big. That’s the type of rhythm that, when you get in, you feel like you can call anything and it’s going to work.” It was the first time that seven different Saints scored in a game since November 2, 1969, at St. Louis.

After each team traded punts to start the third quarter, Manning was intercepted at the New Orleans 40 yard-line, prompting a frustrated Manning to slap Bradshaw on the shoulder pad and berate him for Bradshaw’s breakdown in pass blocking.

Brees and the Saints took advantage of the turnover, going 9 plays and 71 yards in 5:11, for Brees’ final touchdown of the day, a 12-yard touchdown pass to Colston with 4:10 left in the third quarter, giving New Orleans a 41-17 lead, effectively ending the Giants’ hopes.

The Giants had an early fourth-quarter touchdown pass after a great scrambling job by Manning nullified by a mysterious holding call. New York then settled for a 38-yard Tynes field goal, to trail 41-20.

New Orleans running back Heath Evans added a 2-yard touchdown run with 7:04 left and backup quarterback David Carr, in for Manning with the game out of reach, closed the scoring with a 37-yard throw to rookie wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (5 catches for 114 yards), who caught a touchdown pass for the third straight game.

New York will need to return to form defensively when it returns home next week to face another good quarterback, Arizona’s Kurt Warner, when the Giants host the Cardinals (3-2) at 8:20pm EST, on Sunday night, at Giants Stadium.

SB XLII Lessons Versus Saints Could Pave Giants’ Road To SB XLIV

SB XLII Lessons Versus Saints Could Pave Giants’ Road To SB XLIV
By Jon Wagner Sr. Writer at Large Football Reporters Online

(photos: Former Giant Jeremy Shockey shown here in 2007 at Giants camp, has found a home with the Saints-By A.F. Chachkes)

Twenty months ago, when the New York Giants shocked the football world by beating the heavily favored, undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, a certain recipe made such a stunning upset possible.

There were plenty of significant, contributing factors in that historic victory, like a key 45-yard reception by tight end Kevin Boss (setting up the Giants’ first touchdown), New York limiting their mistakes (committing just one turnover and only four penalties), and the Giants stopping the run (allowing just 45 yards on only 16 carries).

More than anything though, three specific things were primarily responsible for making the Giants unexpected champions on that February day in 2008: The Giants used a long game-opening drive, a relentless pass rush, and the continued great play of quarterback Eli Manning, the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XLII.

Prior to the game, the questions abounded of how the Giants could possibly stop a team which just concluded the most productive regular season in Super Bowl history. How could New York keep the record-setting Patriots off the scoreboard enough to win? The Giants provided the answer on the game’s first drive, by winning the opening coin toss and not letting New England’s offense touch the ball until 5:01 remained in the first quarter. Even though that drive ended with only a field goal and a modest 3-0 Giants’ lead, New York went 63 yards on 16 plays, in a Super Bowl record 9:59, setting a tone for the rest of the game that the 14-point favorite was in for a battle, and there would be no cakewalk in the Arizona desert.

Although New England answered with a touchdown on the game’s next possession, the Giants wouldn’t allow another score until late in the fourth quarter, hitting and pressuring Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady all game, introducing him, and very often reintroducing him, to the University Of Phoenix Stadium turf. The Giants hit Brady nine times, sacked him five times for total losses of 37 yards, deflected four passes, forced a fumble, and recovered another.

And, the third key ingredient to the upset of all football upsets was Manning remaining hot after a terrific four-game playoff run to help the Giants reach Super Bowl XLII. Manning making plays, and allowing his wide receivers to do the same (like the famous and incredible ball-pinned-to-the-helmet catch by wide receiver David Tyree) was the final main component of the Giants achieving the previously unthinkable.

So, why relive all of this now, as the 5-0, 2009 version of the Giants prepare to battle the 4-0 Saints on Sunday? Well, because the Superdome showdown at 1pm EST features arguably the two best teams in the NFL right now, and the winner of Sunday’s contest could be in the driver’s seat toward getting the top seed in the NFC playoffs -- even though Minnesota (5-0), Atlanta (3-1), Chicago (3-1), or even a surprise team like last year’s 9-7 Arizona Cardinals might still have something to say about that.

A strong argument could be made that the Giants would be better served playing as a lower seed and on the road in the playoffs, given Manning’s playoff success two seasons ago (away from Giants Stadium for three straight playoff games plus Super Bowl XLII, as the Giants won a championship as a five seed) contrasted with his awful performance in the Giants’ playoff loss to Philadelphia as a one seed, playing in the very windy conditions of The Meadowlands last January.

Still, any NFL player or coach would likely say that there are three main goals in a season: 1) Win the division, 2) Try to get the one seed, even if Manning is your quarterback and swirling winds in your home stadium wreak havoc with your playoff passing game, and 3) Try to ride the top seed to a Super Bowl title.

The second reason the Giants’ aforementioned win over the Patriots is relevant on Sunday is because as in Super Bowl XLII, the Giants have a great defense and a hot Eli Manning again facing the NFL’s best offense. The Saints lead the league with 36.0 points per game, and rank third with 414.3 total yards per game, but New York, thanks in large part to Manning, is right behind New Orleans, ranking second, with 417.4 total yards per game. Defensively, the Giants have given up just 14.2 points per game (second only to Denver’s 8.6 ppg), and by a wide margin, have allowed both the NFL’s fewest total yards (210.6 per game; Denver is second with 252.8 ypg) and the least passing yards (104.8 per game; Carolina is second with 165.8 ypg) in the league. If the Giants can pressure Saints’ superstar quarterback Drew Brees the same way they got to Brady in Super Bowl XLII, it should spell success for New York.

Now, back to that long drive against New England for a moment… the Giants did the same as recently as last week, imposing their will, albeit against a far inferior opponent, going on a game-opening touchdown drive which consumed 8:03, en route to a 44-7 rout of Oakland. If the Giants’ offensive line can similarly help control the clock and keep Brees and his dangerous receiving and rushing compliments off the field, that would be another huge step toward a victory on Sunday.

And, to finish it off, again, the play of Manning, who is playing his best football so far this season since that magical four-game run through the 2007 playoffs and Super Bowl XLII. Manning has a 111.2 passer rating, completing over 64 percent of his passes, while throwing 10 touchdown passes and just two interceptions so far this season. But, most of all, he’s winning: 5-0 so far in 2009. Continuing that success on Sunday would be the final piece needed to produce yet another Giants’ win.

The possibility of gaining an eventual number one seed in the NFC playoffs by beating the Saints will certainly be enough motivation for the Giants’ offensive leader. However, there might be additional inspiration on a personal level for Manning, who holds a special fondness for the city in which he was raised during the first 18 years of his life. His father, Archie Manning, played in the Superdome for 12 seasons, from 1971-1982 (son Eli, was born just after the 1981 season), but Eli has never played a game there, though he attended many at the Superdome while growing up in New Orleans. Manning and the Giants were supposed to play in the Superdome in 2005, but the game was moved to Giants Stadium due to Hurricane Katrina, after which Manning visited shelters and the homes of his family in the area.

Since there’s still a lot of football left in 2009, Sunday’s tilt between the Giants and Saints could prove to mean little in the 2009 NFC playoff picture. But, if a New York win in New Orleans indeed decides the NFC’s number one seed a little more than two months from now, the lessons learned from the Giants’ Super Bowl XLII victory might just pave the Giants’ road to Super Bowl XLIV.

FRO's NFL Performance Rankings for week 5

FRO's NFL Performance Rankings for week 5
By Jon Wagner, Sr. Writer At-Large football Reporters Online

While there are many power rankings out there based as much on hype, expectations, and too often, unrealized and inaccurate projections, at Football Reporters Online, we prefer to rank NFL teams on what's actually happened, taking into account only how teams have performed on the field and who they’ve played. At F.R.O., you won’t find yet another power ranking that doesn’t tell you much. Instead, here are the F.R.O. NFL Performance Rankings:

Week 5:


THE ELITE:

#1 NEW ORLEANS 4-0 -- Week 5: Bye
Coming off a bye, the Saints host the Giants next, in a showdown that could decide the top seed in the NFC playoffs.

#2 NY GIANTS 5-0 -- Week 5: Beat Oakland, 44-7
After four bad teams and the mediocre Cowboys, the season starts for real, as Manning returns home to New Orleans.

#3 INDIANAPOLIS 5-0 -- Week 5: Won at Tennessee, 31-9
Behind the other Manning’s five straight 300-yard games, the Colts have been rolling since a comeback win in Miami.

#4 DENVER 5-0 +1 Week 5: Beat New England, 20-17 (OT)
At 5-0, the Broncos are the early surprise of the league, mainly because of a defense that’s allowed just 43 points.

#5 MINNESOTA 5-0 -1 Week 5: Won at St. Louis, 38-10
The Brett Favre decision has paid off thus far, as the Vikings have scored at least 27 points in every game this year.

SECOND-TIER CONTENDERS:

#6 CINCINNATI 4-1 +6 Week 5: Won at Baltimore 17-14
The Cardiac Cats have gone to the wire in all five games, but they’ve managed to pull four of them out of the fire.

#7 ATLANTA 3-1 +4 Week 5: Won at San Francisco, 45-10
After a 16-point loss in New England, the Falcons used the bye week to prep for crushing the Niners in San Francisco.

#8 PHILADELPHIA 3-1 +6 Week 5: Beat Tampa Bay, 33-14
Three easy wins against bad teams and a blowout loss to the Saints: it’s hard to figure how good the Eagles are yet.

#9 CHICAGO 3-1 +1 Week 5: Bye
The Bears responded after losing in Green Bay with three solid wins. Tough roads tests in Atlanta and Cincy are next.

#10 PITTSBURGH 3-2 +3 Week 5: Won at Detroit, 28-20
Getting the running game going with Rashard Mendenhall has resulted in two straight wins.

#11 NY JETS 3-2 -5 Week 5: Lost at Miami, 31-27
After looking great for four weeks, Miami’s wildcat and a sharp Chad Henne exposed Rex Ryan’s defense.

#12 NEW ENGLAND 3-2 -5 Week 5: Lost at Denver, 20-17 (OT)
This is still not the Tom Brady-led offense that we’ve been accustomed to seeing. New England could easily be 2-3.

#13 BALTIMORE 3-2 -5 Week 5: Lost to Cincinnati, 17-14
The Ravens have gone from an elite 3-0 team to losing two straight, and a tough stretch (at MIN, DEN, at CIN) is next.

#14 SAN FRANCISCO 3-2 -5 Week 5: Lost to Atlanta, 45-10
As good as the Niners looked in nearly starting 4-0 is how pitiful they were in getting thrashed at home by the Falcons.

MIRED IN MEDIOCRITY:

#15 ARIZONA 2-2 +5 Week 5: Beat Houston, 28-21
The Cardinals’ inconsistency is typified by their L, W, L, W result so far. The defense stepped up late to beat Houston.

#16 DALLAS 3-2 -1 Week 5: Won at Kansas City, 26-20 (OT)
Despite three wins, the Cowboys looked their best in a loss to the Giants. Romo has been struggling with T.O. gone.

#17 SAN DIEGO 2-2 -- Week 5: Bye
The Chargers’ defense has underperformed. Already down 2½ game in the AFC West, San Diego hosts Denver next.

#18 GREEN BAY 2-2 +1 Week 5: Bye
The Pack hasn’t protected Aaron Rodgers, but coming up, besides a rematch with the Vikes, they get DET, CLE, & TB.

#19 MIAMI 2-3 +3 Week 5: Beat NY Jets, 31-27
Lose one Chad and start 0-3? No problem. Try another Chad, unleash the wildcat, win 2 straight, and save the season.

#20 SEATTLE 2-3 +4 Week 5: Beat Jacksonville, 41-0
The Seahawks are good enough to humiliate losing teams 28-0 and 41-0, but they’re 0-3 against winning teams.

#21 HOUSTON 2-3 -3 Week 5: Lost at Arizona, 28-21
The Texans have the talent for a playoff push, but they’ll have to be a lot more consistent than: L, W, L, W, L.

#22 JACKSONVILLE 2-3 -6 Week 5: Lost at Seattle, 41-0
After a 1-2 start, the Jags had a 61-point difference by following a Week 4, 20-point win with a Week 5, 41-point loss.


LOOKING TOWARD THE 2010 DRAFT:

#23 CAROLINA 1-3 +4 Week 5: Beat Washington, 20-17
Need a win? Play Washington. The Giants, Lions, and Panthers all got their first wins of the year against the Redskins.

#24 WASHINGTON 2-3 -3 Week 5: Lost at Carolina, 20-17
The Redskins will be the first team in NFL history to play six straight winless teams, and they’re STILL only 2-3.

#25 CLEVELAND 1-4 +5 Week 5: Won at Buffalo, 6-3
So what if their quarterback went 2-17 for 23 yards and their punter was their MVP. The Browns gladly took the win.

#26 DETROIT 1-4 -1 Week 5: Lost to Pittsburgh, 28-20
So far, the only team the Lions’ defense can stop is Washington (allowing 14 points)… 37 ppg allowed otherwise.

#27 TENNESSEE 0-5 -1 Week 5: Lost to Indianapolis, 31-9
From 13-3 to 0-5? That’s hard to fathom, especially with talent in Tennessee.

#28 BUFFALO 1-4 -5 Week 5: Lost to Cleveland, 6-3
The Bills looked good in New England and against Tampa, but they scored just 20 points in losing their next 3 games.

#29 OAKLAND 1-4 -1 Week 5: Lost at NY Giants, 44-7
Jamarcus Russell has 51 completions and 606 yards. That’s 2 games for Peyton Manning, who makes $5 million less.

#30 KANSAS CITY 0-5 +1 Week 5: Lost to Dallas, 26-20 (OT)
Even though they lost to Oakland, the Chiefs are higher for outplaying the Raiders and taking the Cowboys to OT.

#31 TAMPA BAY 0-5 -2 Week 5: Lost at Philadelphia, 33-14
Aside from a 3-point loss in Washington, the Bucs have lost by 13 twice, 19, and 24, while allowing 28 points per game.

#32 ST.LOUS RAMS 0-5 -- Week 5: Lost to Minnesota, 38-10
The Rams have scored a TOTAL of 34 points, which is less than what they’ve allowed in EACH of their past 3 games.

Brees-ing Past Marino's Mark? week 4

Brees-ing Past Marino's Mark? week 4

FRO's 2009 Drew Brees Watch By Jon Wagner Sr. Writer at Large Football Reporters Online

One year after passing for the second most yards (5,069) in an NFL season, only 15 yards behind Hall Of Fame quarterback Dan Marino's single-season record of 5,084 yards in 1984, New Orleans Saints' quarterback Drew Brees is again poised to take aim at Marino's record. FRO follows Brees' prusuit of Marino each week, throughout the season:

Brees’ 2009 Avg. Yards Per Game: 250.25
Avg. Yards Needed To Pass Marino: 337.83

Week 4: Although the Saints keep winning, Brees has been rather ordinary over the past two weeks after starting the first two weeks on pace to challenge Marino’s record. That’s probably just fine for Brees and New Orleans, who would probably prefer to keep notching wins over setting records. Marino’s record appears safe for now, but there’s a lot of football left in the 2009 season, and Brees is certainly capable of putting up some more big numbers (although next week against the Giants, who have defended the pass as well as anyone thus far, will be as tough a test as it gets).

WEEK DATE OPP/RESULT COMP-ATT % TD-INT YARDS REMAINING
1 Sun 9/13 vs DET W, 45-27 26-34 76.5 6-1 358 4,727
2 Sun 9/20 at PHI W, 48-22 25-34 73.5 3-1 311 4,416
3 Sun 9/27 at BUF W, 27-7 16-29 55.2 0-0 172 4,244
4 Sun 10/4 vs NYJ W, 24-10 20-32 62.5 0-0 190 4,054
5 Bye
6 Sun 10/18 vs NYG
7 Sun 10/25 at MIA
8 Mon 11/2 vs ATL
9 Sun 11/8 vs CAR
10 Sun 11/15 at STL
11 Sun 11/22 at TB
12 Mon 11/30 vs NE
13 Sun 12/6 at WAS
14 Sun 12/13 at ATL
15 Sat 12/19 vs DAL
16 Sun 12/27 vs TB
17 Sun 1/3 at CAR

PF-PA COMP-ATT % TD-INT YARDS
TOTALS; 144-66 87-129 67.4 9-2 1,031

JETS FALL TO SAINTS 24-10

JETS FALL TO SAINTS 24-10
by TJ Rosenthal contributing writer Football Reporters Online

The Jets left the Superdome with their first loss Sunday 24-10 to the high powered Saints. Two key rookie mistakes by Mark Sanchez (14-27, 138 yds 3 int) essentially did them in. The Jets suffered their first loss under rookie cooach Rex Ryan and fell to 3-1. They proved to themselves two things however. That they could be down a ton early in a hostile environment, settle down and be in the game late. Secondly, that their defense is undoubtedly for real. Slowing down the Saints is tought to do. The defense kept the Jets in the game. 

The Jets were down 3-0 after one, and driving. They got out of the first quarter, despite struggling on the ground again while holding Drew Brees  with a solid pass rush and tight secondary coverage.

Then Sanchez made his biggest mistake of the year. Staring down TE Dustin Keller in the end zone one the 1st play of the second quarter, Sanchez failed to look off FS Darren Sharper. Sharper read the eyes of Sanchez, stepped in front and went 99 yards for the TD, 10-0 Saints. A huge emotional game changer. On the brink of going in for the lead now down two scores, the mountain to climb suddenly felt long and steep.

The Saints went for the knockout on the ensuing drive but a Jet goal line stand that saw two incompletions by Brees left the Jets still down 10, but backed up  on their own 2. Then the mountain grew even steeper and longer.. The Jets came out throwing but Sanchez failed to find any open receivers and took too long in escaping. DE Will Smith (no, not the actor) caught him and stripped the ball. It was recovered by Remi Ayoldele for the TD, 17-0 Saints.

The Jets tacked on 3 and got out of dodge with a 17-3 deficit. Needing to take better care of the ball, but not out of the game.

While Sanchez and the ground game struggled, thanks to a Saints defense that smothered the Jets all day (sacks, int) the defense continued to thwart the most high powered passing team in the NFL. Then the Jets finally broke through. After having a fire lit under him by rookie Shonn Greene (yds, left with an injury or he would've gotten more), Thomas Jones rambled through the middle of the Saints line to cut the lead to 17-10. Thats how the third ended. The Jets, with guts and 
a fighting attitude, had a chance.

The offense had two possessions with the ball but failed to pick up the first. One was a thrid and one slant thrown too hard by Sanchez to WR Jerricho Cotchery. A play that Alan Faneca was quoted Sunday as saying he wished were kept on the ground. That because that is the O line's time to take on the responsibility. 

Finally, in the middle of the fourth, the Saints broke it open. Pierre Thomas (86 yards ), who got going in the second half, while the defense fatigued and continued to keep their focus on Brees, rushed in for a () touchdown and a 24-10 lead. A fourth and less than a yard offside's by NG Kris Jenkins, on the Jet 43 kept the drive alive. The gamble to time the play perfectly backfired for Jenkins but he and the Jets have nothing to be ashamed of. A second Sanchez int to Sharper on a roll out under pressure around midfield on the next drive sealed the win for New Orleans.

The most telling moment of the game was not the result from a play on the field. It was when Jenkins put his arm around the rookie Sanchez to console him and remind him that the team has faith in him. That's because for the first time in years, the Jets ARE a team. Gang Green has a pulse, a soul. Their ability to trail big early on the road against a great offense, settle down and have the ball in the 4th with a chance to tie are the kinds of situations a team growing into winners will value as October becomes November and playoff December. Tough loss but spirits are high. "THe mistakes killed us. you turn the ball over like that in this league and you can't win." Sanchez said, taking responsibility for his role in the loss like a field leader the Jets need.

The 1-3 Miami Dolphins are next. Monday night Football. Another divisional battle. Another classic Jets Miami game on the way.  Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams and the Wildcat await along with QB Chad Henne, who now runs the offense thanks to the season ending injury to Chad Pennington. He was was solid in his first NFL start, a 38-10 blowout win against the often times pathetic Buffalo Bills Sunday. Henne will be getting a dose of Rex Ryan's crew though next week at Landshark stadium. That will be  a different experience for Henne than the lost Bills. Quarterback play on both sides will be the key next Monday night as the 3-1 Jets look to keep pace with the streaking 3-1 New England Patriots in the AFC East .

A look back at the FRO three keys to beat the Saints:

Brees vs Jet blitz. I asked for sacks, not pressure: The Jets didn't get any. Hence, no major drive killers that included turnovers, over a loss of inherited field position.

Jet ground game vs Saints front seven: A fast start running the ball  was essential against the high scoring Saints. The Jet's didn't get one. This prevented the Jets from controlling tempo and clock in the first half. They trailed 17-3 at halftime.

Dustin Keller vs Saints linebackers: I envisioned a big dose of Keller, all over the place a la Jason Witten. In the flat, over the middle, behind New Orleans  MLB Jonathan Vilma. It didn't happen. Saints pressure and the Jets inability to run effectively were part of the cause but Keller was targeted but too many times in the flat. None of the attempts were deep post patterns that could've provided the big play threat the Jets lack right now in their passing game. The Jets tried to offset the pressure with slants but none went to Keller. A key third and one try went to WR Chansi Stuckey and was not converted. Keller finished with just  33 yards.




FOR GANG GREEN,IT WONT BE EASY DOWN IN THE BIG EASY by TJ Rosenthal-contributing writer-Football Reporters Online

FOR GANG GREEN,IT WONT BE EASY DOWN IN THE BIG EASY
by TJ Rosenthal-contributing writer-Football Reporters Online

It won't be easy in the Big Easy when The 3-0 J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS  head to New Orleans take on the NFL's top offense, the Drew Brees led Saints on Sunday. Already possessing a passing game that includes standout WR Marques Colston, an array of complementary receivers, a healthy TE Jeremy Shockey and big play threat Reggie Bush, the Saints NOW HAVE starting RB Pierre Thomas back as well. For the Jets, a solid run game of their own combined with getting Brees to the ground are the keys to stealing what many feel is just too tough of a task for Gang Green.

The Saints come into the game first in the NFL in passing yards, passing TDs (Brees has 9),and second in rushing yards with 512. RB Pierre Thomas returned from an early season injury to rush for 122 yds and 2 TDS last week in Buffalo. If Brees and the air wasn't enough, now the ground game with Thomas back, provides the Saints a killer balance  So how do you stop them? Keep them off the field for as long as possible. The Jet ground attack of RB Thomas Jones and Leon Washington needs help from its offensive line in creating holes, and setting the rythym down for the Jet offense. Through September, the Jets have started slow on the ground in the first half. Another slow start on Sunday and the Jets may find themselves in a deep hole. 

The Jets defense, so effective in forcing Matt Schaub Tom Brady and Kerry Collins to get rid of balls early, has to do more against Brees. The defense will not only need to bring pressure, they'll need sacks; drive killers that force clubs into unenviable long yardage situations.  Jet coach Rex Ryan told the press on Wednesday that he is not comfortable with shootouts. Given Ryan's body of work as defensive coordinator in Baltimore and so far as head coach with the Jets, expect the D to try and make this a game few can envision right now: one in which it's the Jets defense, not the Saints offense, setting the game's tempo.

 Shut down corner Darrele Revis will help in slowing down the dangerous Marques Colston. The Saints passing attack includes more than one guy though. Devery Henderson is one of the primary  deep ball speedsters that compliments Colston along with the high strung and highly productive TE, former Giant Jeremy Shockey, whose ability to stay healthy so far in 2009 will only add to the Saints proficiency, especially in the red zone.

The 3-0 Saints enter Sunday with a defense that may not resemble the high pressure hard hitting Jet unit that has risen to the top of the league in the blink of an eye.Yet the numbers will tell you that the Saints are no longer just one side of the ball. After the first three games, New Orleans, led by former Jet middle LB Jonathan Vilma, has accumulated a total of 6 sacks and 9 turnovers. OK, these numbers have perhaps been built up against rookie Matthew Stafford, Eagles backup QB Kevin Kolb and the always disappointing Trent Edwards, but the question for the Jets is , where does Mark Sanchez fit in among this group? 

The rookie QB has proven leadership, toughness, and resiliency in the early going. One thing he has NOT had to do so far, is bring the Jets back from a big deficit, or have to match an opposing offense on a scoring tirade. That may be the case for Sanchez this week who like the quarterbacks before him in 2009, could be forced into pushing the ball downfield more than he'd like to. This in order to keep up with the Saints juggernaut offense.

Sundays battle will be a daunting task. Win or lose, the bar will again be raised regarding the level of play required in order to beat Super Bowl caliber teams. . This is a BIG test for Kris Jenkins, Bard Scott, David Harris, Kerry Rhodes and the rest of the Jet defense. Alot depends on them. If, and only if, the Jets CAN get Brees down, AND move the chains on the ground, the game will move to the fourth and be anybody's to win.

Three keys to the game:

Brees vs Jet blitz. Sacks, not pressure. For the Jets thats key

Jet ground game vs Saints front seven. A slow start by Jones and Washington for the 4th straight week could spell disaster for the Jets this time.

Dustin Keller vs Saints Linebackers. The Jets up and coming TE, both a  reliable safety valve and downfield threat, needs to ease the load for Sanchez by  having a Jason Witten type game of lots of catches and yards, 

NFC South Week 2 By Rafael Garcia Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online Southeast Region

                                    NFC South Week 2
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
 
 Atlanta 28 Carolina 20
This was another one of those divisional games that would set the tone for the rest of the season. Panther quarterback Jake Delhomme had to regain his confidence and the Falcons were trying to start 2-0 for just the seventh time in team history. Falcon QB Matt Ryan got his team off to a good start and took his team into the locker room with a 21-13 lead at the half. He showed that he is maturing with each game and is starting to take control of the offense as opposed to managing it. He finished 21-27 for 220 yards three touchdowns and one pick. At one point he was so in the zone he completed 13 consecutive passes. It was also the first time in his young career that he threw for three scores in the first half. The Panthers were determined to stop running back Michael Turner but he still managed to get 105 yards on 28 carries. Meanwhile Delhomme got his groove back as he went 25-41 for 308 yards and one touchdown. His big mistake came with just over two minutes left in the game. Chris Houston intercepted his pass that was intended for Steve Smith and then with one last chance his hail mary was knocked away with time running out. So now the Falcons take their show to New England and a chance to put the Pats at 1-2. It will be a homecoming of sorts for Ryan who played his college ball at Boston College.
 
New Orleans 48 Philadelphia 22
Well so much for containing Saints quarterback Drew Brees. After throwing for six touchdowns last week Brees came back with another three. It resulted in another 40-point game for the Saints and another big win. He finished 25-34 for 311 yards with a pick. Brees showed that at this point he is the most prolific passer in the game right now. It was as if he could do whatever he wanted when he wanted to. He hit receivers across the middle and hit them long. The game was close enough in the first half as the Saints held a 17-13 lead. In the third quarter things opened up for the Saints when Ellis Hobbs fumbled the kickoff and Chris Reis recovered it at the Eagle 22. Two plays later it was 24-13 New Orleans. Scott Shanie picked off Philly quarterback Kevin Kolb on the next possession and that led to another score. Now it was 31 -13 just like that and the air was taken out of the Eagles. The questions about backup Kolb were answered for at least one Sunday as he went 31-51 for 391 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. With McNabb out again head coach Andy Reid will once again turn to Kolb to start next week. So the Saints take their highflying act to Buffalo next week and they do not look like they will be slowed down. Brees is hitting receivers on short passes and they are turning them into big gains. He is hitting his long passes with receivers in stride. The running game is working as well. Now the defense needs to step it up as they have shown that they can give up the big play too. If the “D” can pick it up this Saints team could go deep into the playoffs this year.
 
Buffalo 33 Tampa Bay 20
When the two teams took the field Sunday they looked evenly matched. By the end of the first quarter the Bucs appeared to be overmatched in this one. They allowed Bills running back Fred Jackson to scorch them for 163 yards on 28 carries as their front seven were consistently shoved back by the Bills offensive line. They let them get into a rhythm that produced 220 yards passing and 218 rushing. A balance they cannot allow if they wish to compete with the rest of the NFC South. Yet there was some good production by some in a losing effort. Quarterback Byron Leftwich wasn’t too bad in going 26-50 for 296 yards and three touchdowns. He did make mistakes as well throwing an interception to Donte Whitner who ran it back 76 yards for the score. He was forced to play catch up all day after his team fell behind 17-0 after just one quarter. The running game, that was so successful thus far, produced little to nothing. Cadillac Williams was held to nine yards and the team as a whole managed just 57 in a game dictated by the passing game. The defense gave up 438 yards of offense to Buffalo as Trent Edwards went down field more often than usual. With the game still in hand the Bucs let Terrell Owens get open for a 43-yard touchdown that sealed the win for Buffalo. Now the Bucs fall to 0-2 and find themselves in hole early in the year. Their defense must make their adjustments and Williams must get the running game in gear. Leftwich needs to look down the field a little more and not rely on the short pass as much.  Being in the same division as New Orleans and Atlanta does not give them a lot time to fix things. Next week they have the huge task of trying to stop the New York Giants run machine. A 0-3 hole looks likely if they cannot right this ship during the week.

Rams Get First Win - St. Louis 37, New Orleans 29

St. Louis 37, New Orleans 29

1:00 PM ET, November 11, 2007
Superdome,
New Orleans, LA - ESPN

Bulger, Holt lead surprising Rams past streaking Saints

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Jim Haslett wasn't ready to return to the place where his first head coaching job began with accolades and literally ended in disaster after Hurricane Katrina.

It took about three quarters of, in Haslett's words, "freakin' awesome" football to make the St. Louis defensive coordinator feel a little better about being back in New Orleans.


Five times since 1978, two teams in the same season have started 0-8. Half of those 10 won their ninth game, including the previously 0-8 Rams on Sunday.

His aggressive defense stuffed Drew Brees and the Saints' high-flying offense long enough to get the Rams their first win Sunday, 37-29.

"It really felt strange, being in the dome, period, after everything the dome went through and after everything the city went through," Haslett said.

"To be honest with you, I didn't think I'd ever come back here. I've kind of avoided the city, not the people, but the city," Haslett continued, noting that his wife, Beth, couldn't bring herself to come to the Louisiana Superdome for the game. "I was hoping we wouldn't play the Saints, so I wouldn't have to come back."

It was a surprising performance from the Rams (1-8), who dominated the Saints (4-5), a team that had climbed back into the playoff picture with a four-game winning streak after an 0-4 start.

Marc Bulger finished with 302 yards and short touchdown passes to Isaac Bruce and Drew Bennett. Running back Steven Jackson, recovering from a back injury, rushed for a short touchdown and even threw a 2-yard halfback pass to Randy McMichael for a score.

Torry Holt, meanwhile, had eight catches for 124 yards, torturing the New Orleans secondary with several clutch catches on third-and-long plays.

Of course, Bulger, Holt, Bruce and Jackson all have had big games before. It was probably a matter of time before they'd start clicking again.

The difference was the Rams' blitz-happy, play-making defense, which intercepted Brees twice, thwarted a scoring threat with a third-down sack, forced an intentional grounding penalty and piled on Brees for another drive-ending loss after the quarterback bobbled a high snap.

"To me, the guy that makes the whole thing go is the quarterback," Haslett explained. "We figured we're not going to let the quarterback sit back there and pick us apart. We were going to take some chances, come after him and try to disrupt him."

Haslett guessed that he called blitzes on about 16 of the first 18 plays the Saints ran.

"Defensively, I think they had a plan for us. They executed that plan very well," Brees said. "They did a great job of getting pressure and their offense really helped the defense out by staying on the field."

Brees finished with 272 yards and two touchdowns, but most of it came while New Orleans ran a hurry-up offense in a belated comeback attempt that finally ended when the Saints failed to recover an onside kick with a half-minute remaining.

As a rookie head coach in 2000, Haslett led the Saints to the playoffs and was named coach of the year. He never got back there, though, as the Saints hovered around .500 for the next four seasons. They went 3-13 in 2005, when Katrina forced the team to relocate to a makeshift headquarters in San Antonio and play all home games outside New Orleans.

Sean Payton took over the next season, and like Haslett, took New Orleans to the playoffs and won coach of the year as a rookie coach.

Payton was worried about this game, however. Coaches placed rat traps around the Saints' training headquarters during the past week, a ploy to prevent their players from overlooking what they saw as a "trap game" against a winless but hungry and talented team.

It seemed to work early on, as the Saints scored on their opening possession, capped by Bush's 7-yard touchdown run. But the Rams would score the next 34 points from midway through the first quarter to early in the fourth.

Boos rained down from the Superdome crowd, this time validating the play of Haslett's unit.

"I've seen that before," said Haslett, who used to complain publicly about New Orleans fans booing at the first sign of things going wrong.

"I read in the paper last week they booed the kicker before he kicked a field goal. I remember when they booed our quarterback [Aaron Brooks] before the game started," Haslett continued. "That's how they are ... but they are good fans. They know their football, they live and die with it, so you've got to appreciate that."

New Orleans Saints Joe Horn Goes To Atlanta Falcons - Switching Teams In Civil War Of NFC South

Wow. The Falcons get a leg up in their knoweldge of the Saint's offense by getting Joe Horn, a key player in their NFC South wars with the Falcons. Plus, he has something to prove and will play in a new system -- no one knows what they're going to do.

Receiver, leader added with acquisition of Horn

By STEVE WYCHE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/08/07

Joe Horn has never lacked conviction. So when he told his agent he wanted to play for Atlanta after being released last week by its longtime rival, New Orleans, Horn was going to find a way to make it happen.

It took six days of conversations, three days of meetings, dinners and tours and more than 12 hours of contract negotiations, but at just past 11 p.m. Wednesday, Horn and the Falcons agreed to a multiyear contract, believed to be for at least three years, with guarantees in the $2 million range.

"I'm thrilled to have him as a player, and obviously his productivity in the NFL has been extraordinary," said team owner Arthur Blank, who spoke to Horn three times on the phone during the recruiting process. "Unfortunately, I've seen what he's done a number of times against the Falcons. It's been a source of frustration for a number of years.

"I'm very enthused about having him. He's achieved at the highest levels."

In acquiring the outspoken Horn, who was publicly upset with his release from the Saints, the Falcons address two vital needs: leadership and a wide receiver with a track record.

From 2000-04, Horn was one of the NFL's top wideouts, catching at least 78 passes and seven touchdowns each season and surpassing 1,000 yards in four. He also was one of its most flamboyant, most notably for drawing a $30,000 fine for pulling a cellphone he'd hidden under a goal-post pad and using it as part of a touchdown celebration.

Horn, 35, has missed 11 games the past two seasons with groin and hamstring injuries, which were concerns in the initial stages of conversations, which began last Friday. However, Horn passed a physical to alleviate worries about his health.

In the past two seasons, though, Horn has 86 receptions for 1,333 yards — 66 fewer yards than he had in his career-bestseason in 2004. He did not tail off vocally, though, emerging as one of the more provocative voices for the team and the city of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

Though Horn played in only 10 games last season, he had 37 receptions, two fewer than Falcons leading wideout Michael Jenkins.

Horn, a four-time Pro Bowl pick, is a sure-handed receiver who should fit into new coach Bobby Petrino's system, in which three and four wideouts will be deployed at times.

Horn is friends with Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, according to Horn's agent, Ralph Vitolo. The two have known each other for years and have spoken during this process.

Horn also brings enough credibility to garner respect from young wide receivers Roddy White and Jenkins, first-round draft picks better known for inconsistency than playmaking. Atlanta lost starter Ashley Lelie to free agency but swill get back veteran Brian Finneran, who missed last season after tearing an anterior cruciate knee ligament.

"He's an overall leader but he's going to be a leader in that position room," Blank said of Horn. "I'm looking forward to the impact he's going to have on our team and our young receivers."