By Eric Karkovack 

Well, it wasn’t exactly the shootout we all expected.  But the Saints’ 14-9 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the season opener proved a few points:

The Saints don’t need to score 30 points to win a game.

They can win a defensive battle against a strong opponent.

They are just as physical as any other team in the league.

Brett Favre really looked like he could have used training camp.

As the game started, the Superdome crowd was in an absolute frenzy.  Seeing that Super Bowl banner unveiled just added fuel to their fire.  And the Saints came out fired up as well, marching right down the field to take a 7-0 lead on a 29 yard Drew Brees (27/36, 237 yards, 1TD, 101.3 QB Rating) pass to Devery Henderson.

That was probably the last time all night the normally explosive Saints offense looked like themselves.  Minnesota may have had a lot of injuries in their defensive secondary, but their front seven was as good as ever.  The Saints ran the ball just 3 times in the first half.  That lack of balance gave the Vikings the opportunity to simply play the pass.

Meanwhile, the Vikings offense struggled as well.  They did manage two nice drives towards the end of the half, the first ending in a field goal, and the second ending with a Brett Favre (15/27, 171 yards, 1TD, 1INT, 71.7 QB Rating) TD pass to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.  The Vikings took a 9-7 lead into the locker room.

In the second half, the Saints suddenly switched their offensive philosophy and essentially ran the ball into the teeth of that Minnesota defense.  Pierre Thomas (19 carries, 71 yards, 1 TD) used a lot of patience and agility to keep the chains moving for the Saints.  His 1 yard score midway through the 3rd quarter gave the Saints a 14-9 edge, which they would keep for the rest of the game.

But, it was the Saints defense who were most impressive in the second half.  Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams made a great adjustment, taking Visanthe Shiancoe out of the game.  Shiancoe seemed to be the only target Favre had a great deal of trust in, and Williams had him covered like a blanket.

Favre didn’t look like a confident player that entire half.  And, while he didn’t take nearly the physical beating as he did in last season’s NFC title game, there was enough pressure in his face to disrupt the timing of the Vikings offense.

Although Vikings running back Adrian Peterson had 87 yards on the ground, the Saints did a much better job of corralling the Pro Bowler in the second half.  Since the Vikings had no passing game to speak of in that half, it led to a lot of 3 and out series for Minnesota.

While it wasn’t pretty, it was important for the Saints to win this kind of game early in the season.  Defending a Super Bowl title isn’t easy.  In order to have success in 2010, the Saints will most likely play in more of these slug-fests.  It’s reassuring to see that this team can win, even when the offense isn’t clicking on all cylinders.  Plus, the offense will no doubt rebound as the year goes along.  I do think that coach Sean Payton will have to keep a more balanced attack next week against San Francisco.

The only real trouble spot for the team came from kicker Garrett Hartley, who missed kicks from 46 and 32 yards.  Hopefully, that’s just the sign of one bad night and doesn’t become a trend.

Who Dat Awards:

Drew Brees – He wasn’t the fantasy stats hero last night, but he was accurate and played a very smart game.

Pierre Thomas – An outstanding second half.  He and the offensive line kept the Vikings offense off of the field.

The Offensive Line – They allowed just 1 sack and took over the game in the second half.

Jonathan Vilma – Had a key interception in the 2nd quarter.

Jo-Lonn Dunbar & Malcolm Jenkins – Both started for injured teammates and were outstanding.  Dunbar had 7 tackles and Jenkins nearly made an interception.  So much for my concerns there!

Thomas Morstead – His booming punts kept Minnesota in less-than-ideal field position.  The coverage units also played very well.

http://www.nosreview.com/ 

Defensive Tackle

It’s a bad sign when your team leader in sacks is a safety. Granted, Roman Harper’s 7.5 sacks was one of the highest totals of sacks for a defensive back ever, but the Saints did managed just 33 sacks. Their defensive tackles didn’t get much pressure at all. Both Aubrayo Franklin and Shaun Rogers are free agents, so they need a new defensive tackle next to Sedrick Ellis, particularly a penetrating, pass rushing defensive tackle as Ellis managed just 0.5 sacks last year.

Outside Linebacker

One of these years the Saints won’t need help at outside linebacker. Both Scott Shanle and JoLonn Dunbar struggled as the starters outside last season.

Wide Receiver

The Saints love depth at wide receiver, but now Marques Colston is a free agent and might not be resigned with Drew Brees and Carl Nicks also needing to be resigned. If he leaves, they’ll need help at the position.

Guard

Carl Nicks is the other free agent who will need to be replaced if he leaves. I can’t see them being able to resign both Carl Nicks and Marques Colston after resigning Drew Brees.

Defensive End

Cameron Jordan was a major disappointment at left end as a rookie, managing just 1 sack. He’ll be given another shot because he was just a rookie, but right end Will Smith is getting up there in age. Once a great pass rusher, Will Smith turns 31 this offseason and has managed just 12 sacks in the last 2 seasons combined. He’s owed a lot of money between now and 2014 so he could be a cap casualty at any kind, including, possibly, this offseason.

Tight End

Jimmy Graham is a stud, but the Saints have always utilized multiple tight ends. They didn’t really have the defense to do so last season so they could add another tight end in the late rounds.

Quarterback

Drew Brees is a free agent. He obviously needs to be resigned, but I have a hard time believing he’ll go anywhere. His backup, Chase Daniel, is a restricted free agent and might not be back. If he isn’t, they’ll need a new backup for Brees.

RB Pierre Thomas- resigned 4 years

RB Julius Jones

RB Lynell Hamilton

RB Ladell Betts 

FB Heath Evans 

WR Lance Moore

WR Courtney Roby 

WR Adrian Arrington (exclusive rights)

TE Jeremy Shockey- signed with Carolina 1 year

TE David Martin

TE Troy Humphrey

OT Jermon Bushrod

OT Zach Strief

G Carl Nicks

C Jonathan Goodwin

DT Remi Ayodele

DT Anthony Hargrove

DE Jeff Charleston

DE Jimmy Wilkerson

OLB Danny Clark

OLB JoLonn Dunbar

OLB Scott Shanle

MLB Marvin Mitchell

MLB Anthony Waters

S Roman Harper

S Darren Sharper

S Usama Young

S Matt Giordano

S Chris Reis

S Pierson Prioleau 

K Garrett Hartley- resigned 5 years 

Offseason moves:

Resigned Pierre Thomas

Signed Shaun Rogers

Resigned Garrett Hartley

Cut Jeremy Shockey 

Draft 

By Eric Karkovack 

Looking back at the New Orleans Saints’ 14-9 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night reminded just how far this team’s maturity level has risen.  A few years ago, they may very well have lost this type of game against a quality opponent. 

Much like the 2009 edition of the Saints, this year’s squad so far seems to rise to meet a challenge rather than wilt under the pressure.

Take, for example, kicker Garrett Hartley’s missed 32 yard field goal attempt in the 4th quarter.  Thanks to some great work by running back Pierre Thomas and the offensive line, the Saints drove to the Minnesota 14 yard line and took nearly five and a half minutes off of the clock.  While the offense didn’t score a touchdown, they put Hartley in a position to make a short field goal and potentially extend their lead to 17-9.

Hartley missed the kick badly and put the ball back in the hands of the Vikings offense.  But, instead of folding after things didn’t go their way, the Saints defense went out and forced a Minnesota punt after a 34 yard drive.  The Saints offense got the ball back and ran the final 5:32 off the clock to seal the victory.

The ability to overcome bad breaks and missed opportunities is often what separates a winning team from a losing one.  It comes from great leadership and a strong belief in your team.

During their Super Bowl season in 2009, the Saints faced adverse situations that in years past they would not have been able to overcome.  The comeback against Miami in week 7 and the wild overtime thriller in week 13 against Washington come to mind.  Not to mention that three game losing streak to end the regular season.

If the Saints are to be successful (and possibly repeat) in 2010, they’re going to have to dig deep as they did against the Vikings.  While it was only one game, it was certainly a step in the right direction.

http://www.nosreview.com/

TE Ladarius Green (LA-Lafayette)

G Rishaw Johnson (California-PA)

QB Kellen Moore (Boise State)

S Jerico Nelson (Arkansas)

G DeOn’Tae Pannell (Penn State)

TE Adrien Robinson (Cincinnati)

DE Donavan Robinson (Jackson State)

CB Lionel Smith (Texas A&M)

OT Darrion Weems (Oregon)

24. DE Cameron Jordan A

Finally! Cameron Jordan was a top 10 prospect in my book and a consensus top 15 pick. However, stupid teams drafting in the top 20 allowed him to drop to the Saints at 24. It’s almost not fair. The rich get richer. This is exactly the type of player they need opposite Will Smith to help beef up their defensive line.

28. RB Mark Ingram A

The price for him might have been a little steep (2012 1^st round pick, 2011 56^th overall pick), but they felt like he was the missing piece to their team and I don’t disagree with them. I had Ingram rated highly even with his knee problem and this team had so many injury problems at running back last year that Julius Jones and DeShawn Wynn got key carries in their playoff loss to Seattle.

72. OLB Martez Wilson A

I had a first round grade on Wilson as the best middle linebacker in this class. He can play middle linebacker for them with Jonathan Vilma moving outside. Or he can also start outside. Either way, he’ll be a starter for this team in the long run.

88. CB Johnny Patrick D

Another cornerback? Last year they drafted Patrick Robinson in the first and they couldn’t even get him on the field other than nickel packages, and this was after moving 2009 1^st round pick Malcolm Jenkins to safety. Why do they need another cornerback? Between Jabari Greer, Tracy Porter, and Patrick Robinson, they’re pretty set at cornerback. I don’t think Patrick was a great value here or anything.

226. DE Greg Romeus A

You can never have too many pass rushers and Romeus is a steal at this point. If he’s healthy, he gets picked in the top 2 rounds and they don’t need him right away. He gives Gregg Williams another weapon to work with as they try to get to the quarterback more, a huge need of theirs. He can play end on passing downs with Jordan moving inside to tackle.

243. OLB Nate Bussey B+

Another linebacker was definitely needed and Bussey can play special teams, but he was outside my top 300. That’s not a huge deal because it’s the 7^th round though.

Overall:

This draft would have been an A if it wasn’t for that Johnny Patrick pick. They didn’t need another cornerback at all. They needed a defensive tackle. I can’t give them an A for that reason. However, I strongly considered it because of how big of a steal they got at 24 with Cameron Jordan, 72 with Martez Wilson, and 226 with Greg Romeus, all at positions of need. They also got what could easily be the missing piece to their offense with Mark Ingram, who I think was worth what they gave up, but I’m giving them an A-.

Grade: A-

By Eric Karkovack

A 3-1 start to the season was sealed with a somewhat frustrating 16-14 victory against the now 0-4 Carolina Panthers.  The Saints were without running backs Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush and the safeties were dropping like flies.  Roman Harper was already out with a hamstring injury, while Pierson Prioleau and Chris Reis were both injured during the game.

Injuries aside, the Saints let the Panthers hang around with some ill-timed turnovers.  First, it was Lance Moore fumbling at the goal line.  Next, it was running back Chris Ivory losing a fumble for the second straight week.  They both ended good-looking drives by the Saints offense.  Thankfully, the defense stepped up both times to prevent the Panthers from taking advantage.

Ivory (12 carries for 56 yards) was very effective running the football.  But the youngster from a small school has to learn how to hold on to the football.  With Thomas and Bush out, the Saints have to rely on Ivory and veteran Ladell Betts (13 carries for 47 yards).  If Ivory can’t hold on to the ball, Betts will have to take a more prominent role.

Drew Brees (33/48, 275 yards, 1 TD, 90.2 QB Rating) was very solid.  He didn’t seem bothered by the brace on his left knee (injured last week against the Falcons), but he was victimized by some key dropped passes.  The Saints just didn’t seem like they were in much of a rhythm.  Of course, the loss of your two top backs may play a role in that.

The Saints defense was solid, if not spectacular.  They sacked Panthers rookie QB Jimmy Clausen 3 times, but he did hold up pretty well.  Clausen was 11/21 for 146 yards, 1 TD and a 90.6 QB Rating.  The 55 yard TD pass to a wide open Jonathan Stewart was the biggest blemish for the defense.

Overall, they held down the struggling Panthers attack quite well.  DeAngelo Williams did bust a 39 yard TD run in the 3rd quarter, but the Carolina attack was inconsistent.

One area where the Saints were pretty true to form was special teams.  Veteran kicker John Carney took over for the slumping Garrett Hartley, and was 3-3 in field goals.  They were all short range, but so was Hartley’s key miss last week in overtime.  Carney looked steady, and that’s what the Saints need right now.

The special teams also forced a fumble on a 3rd quarter punt return by Captain Munnerlyn that led to a Carney field goal.

It’s hard to complain about a 3-1 start, even if it wasn’t as pretty as we’re used to seeing from the Saints.  Still, this team hasn’t clicked on all cylinders just yet.  It was already tough to lose Reggie Bush, but the Saints really missed Pierre Thomas today.  Not just his running, but his receiving skills and ball security make a big difference.

I got the feeling during this game that if the Saints had played an opponent who wasn’t struggling as much as the Carolina Panthers, the outcome may not have been the same.  The Saints have got to clean up the mental mistakes from the past 2 weeks as they move on to the second quarter of the season.  Too many promising drives have ended up in turnovers and they’ve let their opponents off the hook.

Thankfully, the team is still 3-1 and there’s no reason to hit the panic button.

Who Dat Awards:

Sedrick Ellis – He is wreaking havoc in the middle of that defensive line this year.  Whatever diet he’s on, I want some!

Remi Ayodele – Also creating some havoc and batting away passes.

Drew Brees – Stayed true to his “Cool Brees” moniker out there today.  He made some outstanding throws and avoided mistakes.

Ladell Betts – He looked fairly spry out there, coming off of major knee surgery.  This guy’s a player.

John Carney – The wily one added some stability with 3 field goals.

Usama Young – Saw some time at safety and did a nice job.  Even recorded a sack.

http://www.nosreview.com/ 

By Eric Karkovack 

Mike Singletary’s San Francisco 49ers should be hobbling around this morning after repeatedly shooting themselves in the foot on Monday night.  Turnovers plagued what would have otherwise been a spirited performance for the now 0-2 49ers.

For their part, the Saints (2-0) were only able to take slight advantage of the San Francisco miscues.  A botched snap over 49ers QB Alex Smith’s head went through the endzone for a safety on the first offensive possession of the game.  A poor free kick by Andy Lee setup the Saints in great field position and was capped off by a 6 yard TD pass from Drew Brees to Reggie Bush.  It was 9-0 Saints and looking a bit like a laugher.

But the 49ers were able to regain their bearings and force Saints fans to sit out a late night nail-biter.  Smith (23/32, 275 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, 82.2 QB Rating) eventually found a comfortable rhythm and running back Frank Gore (20 carries, 112 yards, 1 TD) helped wear down the Saints defense.

Even so, the Saints were able to come up with turnovers in key situations and wouldn’t allow the 49ers to take over the game.  Interceptions by safety Roman Harper and corner Tracy Porter (with a great assist from linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar) took almost-certain points off the board, as did a fumble recovery by safety Malcolm Jenkins.

While the Saints didn’t necessarily “bring the wood” to Alex Smith in terms of putting hits on the quarterback, they were able to dig deep and make plays when it counted the most.  Credit the San Francisco offensive line and Frank Gore for handling a plethora of blitz packages.  That was a marked improvement over their play in Week 1 against Seattle.

Offensively, the Saints struggled against a very aggressive 49er front seven.  They often brought pressure right up the middle and were able to sack Drew Brees twice.

But Brees (28/38, 254 yards, 2 TDs, 108.9 QB Rating) was able to make plays under pressure.  This was a night where the backs and tight ends were his main targets.  Pierre Thomas had only 46 yards rushing, but had 8 receptions for 57 yards.  Reggie Bush had 4 catches, while tight ends Jeremy Shockey and David Thomas had 3 each.

Special teams were outstanding for the Saints.  Kicker Garrett Hartley was a perfect 3-3 in field goals, including the game-winner as time expired in the 4th quarter.  The wind at Candlestick Park was its usual swirling self, but Hartley was able to put points on the board when the team needed him.  That erases an 0-2 opener against Minnesota.

Courtney Roby was very effective in kick returns and recovered a muffed punt by Phillip Adams and set the Saints up at the 49ers 14 yard line.  While the Saints offense wasn’t able to convert that opportunity into a touchdown, Hartley kicked a field goal to give New Orleans an 8 point lead late in the game.

Reggie Bush had an electric 43 yard punt return late in the 3rd quarter, but muffed a return in the 4th.  As he went to recover the ball, a group of players piled up on him, apparently breaking his leg.  Early word is that he could miss 6 weeks.  We should know more as the week goes on.

That’s going to be a tough blow for an offense that hasn’t quite found its mojo through the first two games.

The last two minutes of the game were exceptionally dramatic.  Alex Smith led the 49ers down the field, setting up a 7 yard Frank Gore TD run.  A controversial call on a 2 point conversion pass from Smith to TE Vernon Davis tied the game up at 22 with 1:19 left on the clock.  Davis ran his route into the endzone, but was pushed back out by a Saints defender as he caught the ball.  Initially, officials said Davis was down at about the 1 foot line.  But replay showed Davis apparently possessing the ball just over the plane of the endzone.

Regardless, it was up to Drew Brees and company to end things – and they did.  Brees hit Pierre Thomas for gains of 8 and 14 yards, before delivering a clutch 30 pass to Marques Colston (5 catches, 67 yards) that put the Saints well within field goal range as the clock ticked down.

As if hitting a game-winning field goal isn’t enough pressure, the Saints were called for a false start as Garrett Hartley prepared to kick.  That turned a 32 yard field goal attempt into a 37 yard attempt.

As in the opener against Minnesota, the Saints won’t get a ton of style points for this one.  But they once again showed a lot of heart against a desperate team on the road.  You can see that the 49ers are a talented group.  But, you can also see what separates a pretty good team from a great one.  The Saints didn’t turn the ball over and, while they didn’t take full advantage of every opportunity, they were able to dig deep and find a way to win. 

Next up is a Superdome showdown with the 1-1 Atlanta Falcons.

Who Dat Awards:

Reggie Bush – Played very well, despite the whole Heisman Trophy fiasco weighing on his mind.  Hopefully, the Saints will have him back later this season.

Drew Brees – Dealt with a lot of pressure from the 49ers, but didn’t turn the ball over.  Made key throws to set up the winning field goal.

Marques Colston – It wasn’t a big night for the wide receivers, but Colston was clutch.

Pierre Thomas – He earned every yard on the ground and was a difference maker in the passing game.

Garrett Hartley – Showed that Week 1 was just a fluke.  Big kicks in difficult conditions.

Jonathan Vilma – Had 10 tackles, forced a fumble and played his heart out.

Jo-Lonn Dunbar – Huge tip of an Alex Smith pass that led to an interception.

Roman Harper – Picked up his first INT in awhile.

Courtney Roby – Was outstanding in kick returns and in coverage.

http://www.nosreview.com/

Free Agency Priorities

Outside Linebacker

They got one outside linebacker through the draft in Martez Wilson. They could sign a different linebacker through free agency to play the weakside or they could resign the marginal Scott Shanle. 

Safety 

Roman Harper is a free agent and can be upgraded. It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to have to bring him back. 

Tight End 

They like using multiple tight ends. Last year, they had Jeremy Shockey, Jimmy Graham, and David Thomas. Now, Shockey is in Carolina and Thomas is a free agent. They like Graham as a starter, but they will probably want depth.

Draft Needs 

Defensive End

They said they would have drafted Jerry Hughes at 32 if the Colts hadn’t drafted him at 31. They only managed 33 sacks last year and no one had more than 6. Will Smith (5.5) has been better, but on the left side, guys like Alex Brown (2) and Jimmy Wilkerson (2) aren’t long term solutions.

Drafted Cameron Jordan (#24), Drafted Greg Romeus (#226) 

Defensive Tackle

An upgrade at defensive tackle is necessary. Sedrick Ellis is a great player, but Remi Ayodele shouldn’t be starting.

Signed Shaun Rogers 

Outside Linebacker

They need to upgrade both outside linebacker positions. Jonathan Vilma can play the strong side, but in that case they’d need a new middle linebacker.

Drafted Martez Wilson (#72), Drafted Nate Bussey (#243) 

Running Back

Pierre Thomas is injury prone and a free agent. Reggie Bush is injury prone and owed a ton of money next year and almost definitely will be gone if they can’t work out a pay cut. That leaves promising rookie Chris Ivory as the lead back and I don’t know if that’s going to be enough for this team, particularly because of how many different running backs Sean Payton likes to use. I wouldn’t be surprised if they drafted Mark Ingram at 24 if he fell to them.

Drafted Mark Ingram (#28) 

Safety

Roman Harper was only responsible for 3 touchdowns in their loss to the Seahawks. He’s a free agent as well.

Center

Only if they don’t resign Jonathan Goodwin.