By Eric Karkovack 

One of the more interesting aspects of the 2010 regular season will be seeing just how the Saints’ opponents will attempt to slow down the defending Super Bowl champs.  Predictably, teams tend to focus a little more when facing a defending champion.  They’ll look to see what exactly made the Saints so special and how to best counter it.

The challenge for the NFC South and the rest of the Saints’ 2010 opponents will start with slowing down the best offense in football.  The trouble is, it’s hard to key on just one weapon.  The Saints are known for spreading the ball around to multiple play-makers.  And, in 2009, the Saints added a whole new dimension to their attack by running the ball more consistently than they ever had before under coach Sean Payton.

Since Payton took over in 2006, it seems the only team that can severely hurt the Saints offense is the Saints themselves.  Penalties, turnovers and dropped balls seemed to plague the team in the non-playoff years of 2007 and 2008.  It was something that the team did a fantastic job of correcting last season, and you saw the result.

To me, that’s the biggest challenge the 2010 edition of the Saints will face.  Maintaining a balanced attack and mental focus will be a huge factor in determining just how far this team will go.  Because, let’s face it, as long as Drew Brees is healthy most teams will have an awful lot of trouble keeping the Saints off of the scoreboard.

But the 2009 Saints weren’t just a one-dimensional team.  Their defense was also instrumental in bringing a championship to New Orleans.

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams turned a previously dormant group into a pack of wild dogs who attacked relentlessly.  The result was a unit that pressured the quarterback and caused a slew of key turnovers.  It’s no stretch to say that this team wouldn’t have won either the NFC Championship Game against Minnesota or the Super Bowl against Indianapolis without big plays from the defense.

Williams seems to thrive on making his unit unpredictable.  Exotic blitzes and coverages that wreak havoc on an opposing quarterback’s thought process.

I think that unpredictability will be a major factor in 2010.  As any gambler will tell you – you win some and you lose some.  Teams will be more prepared for what this defense will throw at them this season.  So it’s up to Williams to continue to change things up just enough to throw opponents off.

A large part of continuing to win after you’ve had success in the NFL is about making adjustments.  We know teams will adjust to what the Saints did in 2009.  Sean Payton and company will have to deftly counter with their own set of adjustments.  If they do, another victory parade in the French Quarter may become a reality.

Prediction: 12-4

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By Vince Vitale

The St. Louis Rams will take on the New Orleans Saints today with an opportunity to make a big statement. The Rams are one of the biggest surprises this year at 6-6 and in first place in the NFC West. The Rams have played very consistent football but they are still being questioned as a playoff contender. Can the St. Louis Rams beat a team like the New Orleans Saints? It really is not the Rams fault but they do not have any wins against teams that currently have a winning record. The Rams signature win was a 20-17 stunner over the San Diego Chargers. However the Chargers now have 6 losses and were beat down by the Oakland Raiders last week. 

I give Steve Spagnuolo props for keeping the Rams in every game. I still am not quite sure how the Rams are doing this with the lack of depth that they had heading into the season. The amount of confidence Sam Bradford has given this team is amazing. Bradford is playing very well right now. Over the past 7 games Bradford has 11 TD passes and only 2 interceptions. The Rams have taken very good care of the ball and controlled the clock during most of their games which is helping the defense out as well.

The Saints enter this game as hot and healthy as they have been all year. The Saints are virtually injury free. The Saints are coming into this game on a 5 game winning streak and have a 9-3 record overall and are in hot pursuit of the NFC South leading Atlanta Falcons. The Saints have averaged over 30 points during their winning streak and will pose big problems with the Rams depleted secondary. With Ron Bartell, Justin King, Oshiomogho Atogwe, Craig Dahl & Jerome Murphy all banged up look for Breesand the Saints to attack the Rams through the air. Drew Brees who was near flawless last season has thrown 16 interceptions already this year and has thrown at least one pic in eight straight Games.

On defense the Saints sum is better than their individual parts. Both Dallas and Cincinnati moved up and down the field the last couple of weeks against the Saints. The Saints thrive on turnovers and control the play. The loud crowd in the Superdome will look to disrupt the Rams and Sam Bradford. Watch for tackling machine Jonathan Vilma to keep an eye out for Steven Jackson.

The St. Louis Rams will look to stay the course on offense against the Saints. The Rams will look to control the ball with Steven Jackson and convert 3rd downs with the safe passing of Sam Bradford. The Rams beat the Saints in 2007 and last year almost beat them at the Edward Jones Dome so I do not believe the Rams will be intimidated by the World Champions. To beat the Saints you will have to score and I believe that is the biggest issue for the Rams against the Saints. The Rams are 25th in scoring and have only scored over 20 points twice this year.  

This game will come down to converting on 3rd down and controlling the ball and clock. The Rams will need to pound Steven Jackson early and often into the Saints defense. Sam Bradford will need to complete some timely passes and put some points up on the board by making plays not just the safe ones. On defense the Chris Longand the Rams defense will need to get after Drew Brees and pressure him all day long. The Rams must force turnovers to stay in this one.

Overall the St. Louis Rams just do not have the horses to knock out the champs. The injuries to the Rams secondary are really going to hurt them in this one. The Saints are winning but at times winning ugly. The Saints have 5 wins of 5 points or less. The Rams are familiar with the Saints and play well against them and I expect more of the same today. If the Rams can get a couple extra turnovers we may be in for a surprise. 

Prediction New Orleans Saints 30 – St. Louis Rams 20

Go back to Rams Fan Spot 

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In February of 2010, the Saints were on top of the world as Super Bowl Champions. However, like every reigning Super Bowl Champion before them since the 2003 New England Patriots, the Saints failed to win a playoff game, losing in embarrassing fashion to the Seattle Seahawks, a team that somehow qualified for the playoffs at 7-9, the first team with a losing record ever to make the playoffs. The Saints reloaded in the offseason and quietly had one of the few best offseasons in the league and appear poised for another run at the title.

The most important part of their strong offseason was shoring up the defensive line. Alex Brown at left end and Remi Ayodele at defensive tackle were major weaknesses for this team on the defensive line last year. They only managed 33 sacks last season and allowing a whopping 41 points to the Seahawks in their first round playoff loss.

Replacing Brown at left end, the Saints have 1^st round pick Cameron Jordan, the 24^th overall pick in April. Jordan will be hurt by the lockout, but he’ll still be a big upgrade. He was wildly considered a top 15 pick who somehow fell to the Saints at 24. Meanwhile, the Saints signed Aubrayo Franklin to play inside next to Sedrick Ellis. Franklin is not a great pass rusher, but he’s a beast against the run when he’s motivated. The Saints were able to get him for just a one year deal so he’ll once again be motivated in his 3^rd straight contract year. He compliments Ellis, a strong pass rusher, well.

At right end, the Saints are counting on a bounce back year from Will Smith. Smith, after 13 sacks in 2009, inexplicably dropped to 5.5 sacks in 2010. He still managed 35 quarterback pressures, which shows he still has it in him. Having Cameron Jordan opposite him should help free him up to get after the quarterback more.

With Smith having a down year, defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis led the team with 6 sacks. He should have a similar total again in 2011, all while providing excellent play against the run. He’s really blossomed into one of the top 4-3 under tackles in the league. He can only play better with Aubrayo Franklin drawing attention next to him. Add in veteran backup Shaun Rogers, still a talented run stuffer, at defensive tackle, and what was once a weakness of this team is now a strength.

At linebacker, middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma is once again an above average linebacker. However, they’ve lacked consistency on the outside for years. On the strong side, talented 3^rd round rookie Martez Wilson will compete with JoLonn Dunbar, who has impressed in limited action in his career, for the starting job. That position should be better off than it is normally. On the weak side, however, Jonathan Casillas, an inexperienced linebacker coming off of major surgery is expected to win the job, but only by default. His competition, incumbent Scott Shanle, might have been the worst starting linebacker in the league last season. 

At cornerback, Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter will start. Greer had a very strong 2009, but had a down year in 2010. Like Will Smith, this decline is pretty inexplicable and the Saints are obviously hoping he reverts to his 2009 form in 2011. Porter, meanwhile, was their best cornerback in 2010. He might miss the opener after offseason knee surgery, though they’re expecting to have him back by then. If Porter misses anytime, 2010 1^st round pick Patrick Robinson will start. Robinson was a reach in the 1^st and didn’t fill an obvious need, but he played decent as a nickelback in 2010.

At free safety, another former first round pick, Malcolm Jenkins, plays very well. He was really missed in their loss to Seattle last year. Had he played, they could have easily won. Roman Harper is once again the strong safety. He struggles in pass coverage and was a big part of the reason why they lost to the Seahawks, but he’s a beast against the run and needed to be retained this offseason. They did, however, overpay, but that was the only player they overpaid this offseason.

Resigning Roman Harper was one of their main priorities for this offseason and though they did overpay for him, they didn’t overpay to tend to their other priorities, which they did very nicely. They needed to fix the defensive line, which I’ve already mentioned, and they also needed to add talent at linebacker, which they did by drafting Martez Wilson, once a fringe first round prospect, in the 3^rd.

They also needed to fix up their running game and their offensive line. At center, Jonathan Goodwin, a decent, but declining player, left as a free agent, but they signed Olin Kreutz, an upgrade, in the offseason. Matt Tennant, a 2010 5^th round pick, is the future at the position, but they obviously weren’t comfortable starting him at center just yet.

They resigned left tackle Jermon Bushrod as well. Bushrod is not a great left tackle or anything, but he’s decent and has familiarity with Drew Brees, a huge plus in this lockout shortened offseason. The Saints didn’t feel comfortable starting 2010 2^nd round pick Charles Brown at left tackle just yet, so they resigned Bushrod. Brown could see some action on the right side this season because they cut Jon “Stinkbomb” Stinchcomb, a terrible player, in the offseason. Zach Strief, a career backup, is currently listed as the starter. However, the long term plan is for Brown to be their left tackle.

At guard, the Saints have easily the best duo of guards in the league. Jahri Evans got a big payday last offseason and was worth every penny of it. Carl Nicks, meanwhile, will get a big payday next offseason and he too will be worth every penny of it. Those two combine with Olin Kreutz to form a very formibidle interior line and if Bushrod can play solid once again and Charles Brown can step in for Strief and play well, or Strief surprises, they have a very, very good line.

A strong interior line will only help their running game, another priority of this offseason. I guess you could also say getting rid of Reggie Bush and his ridiculous cap number for 2011 was also a priority. They did that, sending Bush to Miami for a late pick and a reserve safety. Bush will be replaced as a speed/pass catching back by Darren Sproles, another player they might have overpaid for a bit, but not by much.

Easily their biggest addition at running back was Mark Ingram. Ingram was the top back in the 2011 class and fell to 28 because of injury concerns. He has top 15 talent when healthy and he appears to be very healthy at this point. He’ll stabilize a running game that suffered so many injuries in 2010 that Julius Jones was their leading rusher in the Seattle loss. Ingram figures to be the #1 back, while injury prone Pierre Thomas will be their #2.

Chris Ivory, who showed himself to be a decent player as an undrafted rookie, could see time again if there are injuries. Sporles will come in on 3^rd downs and 2^nd and longs. Basically, the Saints have 4 solid running backs so they shouldn’t blow through all their depth once again. Sean Payton loves mixing things up with his running backs so all 4 could have an impact this season.

At stronger running game will only help Drew Brees, who had to throw 144 more times in 2010 than in 2009 because of their lack of running game. The Saints are a pass first team, but won in 2009 because they had offensive balance, something they’ll have once again. Brees will also be helped by his own health. Brees played through a bad knee last year, an explanation for his career high 22 interceptions. Another explanation was his lack of running game, but both are problems that have been solved this season.

At wide receiver, the Saints go 3 strong with Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, and Lance Moore. All 3 have had injury problems in the past. Colston had yet another knee operation this offseason and is still not practicing, while Meachem struggled through leg injuries in 2010 and recently hurt his back in a preseason game. Moore, meanwhile, was very ineffective in 2009 with injury problems, but he is the healthiest of the bunch now. He could be an interesting fantasy sleeper for people who care about that.

In addition to his 3 receivers, Brees will have Jimmy Graham to work with. Graham, a 2010 3^rd round pick, impressed in limited action down the stretch last season. In the 2^nd half of last season, Graham caught 26 passes for 307 yards and 5 touchdowns despite not even being the starter. The mediocre Jeremy Shockey is gone and the starting job is all Graham’s. David Thomas, meanwhile, will continue to see a lot of the field as a blocker in 2 tight end sets.

The Saints had a down year in 2010, but figure to be better in 2011. Drew Brees is healthy. The running game is much more stable. They fixed both the offensive and defensive lines, as well. They showed last season that they have no fear going into Atlanta and winning, a very tough thing to do over the past 3 seasons. I think they leapfrog Altanta for the division again and grab one of the NFC’s 2 first round byes. They have as much as talent as and more continuity than the Philadelphia Eagles.

Quarterback: A

Running backs: B-

Offensive line: B

Receiving corps: B+

Run defense: B-

Pass rush: B-

Pass coverage: B

Coaching: A-

Projection: 13-3 1^st in NFC South

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.

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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-