Morten Andersen to Appear at SHOF on Sunday

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:35:33 GMT

MORTEN ANDERSEN TO APPEAR AT SHOF MUSEUM SUNDAY

Morten Andersen, who was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame on Friday, will be appearing at the Saints Hall of Fame Museum Sunday, November 8 from 1 p.m.-2:15 p.m., prior to the New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina game.

The leading scorer in both NFL and New Orleans Saints history, Andersen will sign autographs and be available for pictures.

The Saints Hall of Fame Museum is located at Gate B on the Plaza Level of the Louisiana Superdome and is open three hours prior to game time and for 45 minutes after each game free of charge to season ticket holders.

The museum is open for a charge of $7 per person or $5 for a group of 10 or more by appointment only during the week. For more information, call (504) 309-1004 Extension 209.

Saints Owner Tom Benson Takes Part in Time Honored New Orleans Tradition

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:08:08 GMT

The Roosevelt New Orleans, a Waldorf Astoria brand hotel, which recently re-opened after a major face-lift and extensive renovations, was the site of a ceremony this afternoon that bestowed the honor of "winding The Roosevelt's historic French lobby clock" to Saints Owner Mr. Tom Benson.

The honor is traditionally bestowed upon a local celebrity or key member of the community, and Mr. and Mrs. Benson were on hand this afternoon at The Roosevelt New Orleans for the winding of the towering, historic French clock in the lobby of the hotel. This week, to celebrate the Saints’ Monday night win over the Atlanta Falcons, Mr. & Mrs. Tom Benson acted as the celebrity winders. Just as the “closing bell” on the New York Stock Exchange ends the day’s trading, this recurring event signals that it’s time to “unwind” from the week’s chores in the nearby Sazerac Bar.

Every Waldorf Astoria brand property around the world features a clock with significant historical and artistic merit. This work of art, now part of The Roosevelt New Orleans, proudly welcomes guests, visitors and the community to one of the world’s great travel destinations – and to this revered property.

Saints & Panthers Injury Report

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:46:14 GMT

New Orleans Saints

Did Not Participate In Practice
LB Scott Fujita (Calf), DT Sedrick Ellis (Knee), DT Lance Moore (Ankle), DT Kendrick Clancy (Knee)

Full Participation in Practice
C Jonathan Goodwin (Knee), CB Malcolm Jenkins (Ankle), LB Marvin Mitchell (Foot)

Carolina Panthers

Did Not Participate in Practice
FB Tony Fiammetta (Concussion), S Charles Godfrey (Ankle), FB Brad Hoover (Ankle), WR Mushin Muhammad (Knee), TE Dante Rosario (Knee), K John Kasay (left Groin)

Full Participation in Practice
QB Jake Delhomme (Chest), LB Landon Johnson (Shoulder), RB Jonathan Stewart (Achilles)

Head Coach Sean Payton Discusses Continued Prep for Panthers

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:36:08 GMT

Q: Why did you practice outside today?

A: I think just to change it up. We get going so much inside and it’s a little hard on your legs with the surface. We had good weather. We talked about it yesterday and today. We wanted to do it one of these two days.

Injury Report: (Scott) Fujita, calf, did not practice today. Sedrick Ellis, knee, did not practice. Lance Moore, ankle, did not practice. Kendrick Clancy, knee, did not practice. Malcolm Jenkins, ankle, was full. Marvin Mitchell, foot, was full. Jonathan Goodwin, knee, was full. We did a lot of nickel work today, typical of a Thursday.

Q: If Fujita can’t go again, do you have a set rotation to replace him with?

A: The guys who have gotten his snaps in the base are Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Troy (Evans). Those are the two guys who have gotten the base work. I’m still hopeful. We’ll see where tomorrow’s at. It’s getting better. Those will be the two guys to date of taking those snaps.

Q: Are you concerned with the kicking situation in terms of John Carney missing a couple of field goals?

A: I said this at the beginning of the week with our players, that there are a number of things we have to improve on. The snap-hold operation has to be cleaner. We had a protection snap earlier in the year. I think it’s the whole operation. There’s some other areas where working on and have to improve on. We have to get better in our return game, specifically the punt return game. The coverage units have been better. The key is much like offensively and defensively, finding ways to correct the mistakes and really improve week to week. That’s what we’re trying to emphasize.

Q: Is the snap-hold operation the reason for the last two misses?

A: No, it was the reason for the miss before the last one. The one where it came down late at Miami.

Q: Does having another kicker on the roster maybe force you to look at it a little bit more?

A: I just think it provides you with a little bit of a luxury that you have two kickers. Most teams don’t carry two on the active roster and we feel like we have a good talent in Garrett (Hartley) and we have a steady veteran with John. We’re fortunate with the ability for our punter, Thomas Morstead to be able to handle kickoffs well and he’s playing well. It hasn’t really affected his punting.

Q: Is improving the punt return game a matter of change in design or personnel?

A: I think probably it’s just getting the execution. The holdup’s outside, we’ve gotten beaten with some doubles, where you really shouldn’t where you’re doubling a gunner, mixing up the looks. For us, it’s really the fundamentals of what we’re teaching and spending more time on it and giving him some room to make a play. Last week we get a decent return and then a holding call and so that obviously negates it. When you get a penalty on the return, it’s minus the return, penalty from the point and then all of a sudden, there’s a 28-yard penalty more than a ten yard holding.

Q: Do you see the positive punt return, are you starting to see it hit?

A: We’re searching for the perfect return, the one that results in a score. We’ve seen it.

Q: Is the four to six week prognosis for Sedrick Ellis’ return that has been reported in some media reports accurate?

A: I don’t think so. I think it’s going to be sooner than that and yes, the key is making sure he’s 100 percent. I think it’s inaccurate.

Q: What’s your strategy on taking a knee as opposed to running out the clock?

A: Looking back, we’re up 11. We’re not in a position yet to run the clock out and so typically we take the approach we’re going to hopefully get the first first down and then take a knee. But being up 11, we probably could have brought that thing down to 17 seconds and punted. I’d like to think we’re good enough in our running game and ball security to understand the situation and yet it didn’t happen the other night and all of a sudden this game is lasting longer and getting closer than you want it to be. I have to look at that closely. That’ something where we have a number of charts. As soon as you’re in position to take a knee, you want to do that. In years past, we’ve taken a knee earlier and certainly the other night would have been a situation where had we taken a knee we could have really punted them with about 17 seconds down 11. That’s something I can do a better job of.

Q: Were you trying to get a first down to end the game?

A: First down to end the game and one first down is what you need. It comes up a lot every weekend. You see someone every week in the four minute and you know if they get one first down, they’re on a knee. We have to be smarter with ball security and I have to look at that closely when it’s 11 as opposed to seven or six, when it’s a two score game. Those are two things I think we can do better on.

Q: Was Mike Bell’s play not that fundamentally wrong?

A: It wasn’t fundamentally good. The ball came out. You absolutely have to be smart with how you’re carrying it, two hands on it. He got caught and really just yanked from him. We have to be better in that area.

Q: Can you talk about the fullback situation with Kyle Eckel and David Thomas?

A: Both of those guys are getting a lot of work. Kyle’s getting more work now that he’s here for week two. He’s a smart guy, so he’s picked up a lot of nuances of the scheme, playbook and terminology and Daivd’s someone who’s been with us. We’ll continue to work both of those guys.

Q: How did Bill Belichick let a Navy guy go?

A: I don’t really know. I know he’s been in New England and been in Philly. Maybe that was the reason he got to New England to begin with.

The Sharper Image

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:25:00 GMT

The addition of FS Darren Sharper as an unrestricted free agent this past offseason strengthened the Saints’ secondary with a proven performer with playmaking ability, leadership skills and a wealth of experience. "I knew that I wanted to join a team that was going to play an aggressive style of play and after spending time with Coach Payton and Gregg Wiiliams, I felt this was going to be a good fit," Shaper said during training camp.

A good fit, indeed. "Darren has tremendous instincts and a great skills when the ball is in the air," said Payton. "He understands what the defense is called to do on each play and gets himself in the proper positions to make plays on the football. He's obviously a heady player."

With his penchant for the pick, cynics would cite that Sharper must be a guesser or a riverboat gambler who jumps routes and abandons his defensive responsibilities, but that's not the case according to Williams. "We don't have guessers out there on the field," Williams said last week. "If they want to guess and do there own thing, then they come and stand by me on the sideline. I don't have any use for them out on the field. We won't tolerate it. Darren doesn't guess, he studies and understands route concepts and where the ball is designed to go and then he puts himself in position to defend the pass and the defender. But his instincts are something that you can't teach. He has great concentration and focuses on the ball and that allows him to get his hands on the ball."

The NFL’s active leader with 61 interceptions, which ranks ninth all-time, has been voted to the Pro Bowl four times during his career and has scored 11 touchdowns off of interceptions, the second-highest total in NFL history. The 13-year NFL veteran has appeared in 190 regular season games with 174 starts and has extensive postseason experience in ten games, seven of which he opened in the starting lineup.

The durable Sharper has started 67 straight regular season games, the third longest current streak for a safety.

Following is a look inside Sharper’s penchant for the interception:

11 of Sharper’s picks have been returned for touchdowns, second-most in NFL history. Besides being a legendary ballhawk, Shaper is consistent tackler who has posted 75 or more stops ten times during his career.
Sharper is ranked first among active NFL players in career picks, ninth overall in NFL history. He’s ranked second among all-time interception return yardage leaders with 1,353.

MOST INTERCEPTIONS IN 2009

Rank, Player	Team	No.
1t. Darren Sharper	NO	7
1t. Jairus Byrd	BUF	7
3. Asante Samuel	PHI	5
4t. Aqib Talib	TB	4
4t. Charles Woodson	GB	4

MOST CAREER INTERCEPTIONS BY ACTIVE NFL PLAYERS

Rank, Player	Years	No.
1. Darren Sharper	1997-	61
2. Ed Reed	2002-	45
3. Champ Bailey	1999-	44
4. Dre' Bly	1999-	41
5. Charles Woodson	1998-	40

MOST CAREER INTERCEPTIONS IN NFL HISTORY

Rank, Player	Years	No.
1. Paul Krause	1964-79	81
2. Emlen Tunnell	1948-61	79
3. Rod Woodson	1987-03	71
4. Night Train Lane	1952-65	68
5. Ken Riley	1969-83	65
6. Ronnie Lott	1981-94	63
7t. Dick LeBeau	1959-72	62
7t. Dave Brown	1975-89	62
9. Darren Sharper	1997-	61
10. Emmitt Thomas	1966-78	58

MOST CAREER INTERCEPTION RETURN
YARDAGE IN NFL HISTORY

Rank, Player	Years	Yards
1. Rod Woodson	1987-03	1,483
2. Darren Sharper	1997-	1,353
3. Deion Sanders	1989-05	1,331
4. Emlen Tunnell	1948-61	1,282
5. Ed Reed	2002-	1,213

MOST CAREER INTERCEPTIONS FOR
TOUCHDOWNS IN NFL HISTORY

Rank, Player	Years	No.
1. Rod Woodson	1987-03	12
2. Darren Sharper	1997-	11
3t. Ken Houston	1967-80	9
3t. Deion Sanders	1989-05	9
3t. Aeneas Williams	1991-04	9

• Sharper has found the proverbial "fountain of youth" in New Orleans and backed up his reputation as one of the NFL’s top defensive playmakers, tying for the NFL lead with seven interceptions, including two multiple pick performances. A career-high and club record three of his interceptions have been returned for touchdowns, while he’s added 36 tackles (19 solo), half-a-sack and three pass defenses.

• Sharper has already set a career-high and a single season club record in picks for scores and his 317 return yards is a team record and is tied for the ninth-highest single season total in NFL record books. With one more pick for a touchdown, Sharper will tie the all-time NFL record both overall (12) and in a single season (4).

A List of Darren Sharper’s Interceptions as a Saint:
Game One vs. Detroit Lions: Intercepted a pair of Matthew Stafford passes in his Saints debut, which marked, at the time, his eighth multiple-interception game of his career.
Game Two at Philadelphia Eagles: Intercepted Eagles QB Kevin Kolb in the fourth quarter and returned the interception 97-yards for a touchdown, which, at the time, tied a franchise-record for the longest interception return for a touchdown (tied Tommy Myers’ team-record).
Game Four vs. New York Jets: Intercepted Jets rookie QB Mark Sanchez twice, the first of which he returned 99 yards for a touchdown and gave the Saints a 10-0 lead at time. The 99-yard interception set a club-record for the longest interception return in team history, breaking a record he had tied two weeks earlier and that he had shared with Tommy Myers. He also intercepted Sanchez in the fourth quarter of the Saints’ 24-10 win.
Game Six at Miami: Played a key role in the team’s thrilling comeback win over the Dolphins when he intercepted a QB Chad Henne pass and returned it 42-yards for a touchdown. With his third interception returned for a touchdown through just six games, Sharper set a franchise-mark for most interceptions returned for touchdowns in a single season. He also passed Deion Sanders to move into second-place on the all-time interception return yardage list with 1,353 yards.
Game Seven vs. Atlanta: Notched his seventh interception of the season when he picked off QB Matt Ryan late in the game on deep pass near the Saints’ goal-line and with the team holding onto a 35-27 lead.

Saints and Panthers Tickets Third Most in Demand In NFL Week 9

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:10:45 GMT

NFL TICKET EXCHANGE BY TICKETMASTER RANKS CAROLINA PANTHERS VS. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS #3 MOST IN-DEMAND MATCHUP ON WEEK 9 “NFL TICKET EXCHANGE BUZZ INDEX”

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The undefeated New Orleans Saints (7-0) continued their winning ways against an upstart Atlanta team on Monday night, and will host the resurgent Carolina Panthers, who are fresh off of a defensive masterpiece that deflated the high-flying passing game of the Arizona Cardinals.

The Panthers/Saints matchup ranks #3 on the “NFL Ticket Exchange Buzz Index” for Week 9 according to the NFL Ticket Exchange by Ticketmaster.

In an important NFC South matchup, the Saints will look to hold onto an invincible record with a team that can win on the ground, in the air, or with its playmaking defense. The Panthers could continue a surge into playoff contention with a win, potentially moving their record to .500 and continuing a dramatic turnaround from their 0-3 start to the season.

WEEK 9 – TOP 5 MOST POPULAR NFL MATCHUPS BY DEMAND
*According to the “NFL Ticket Exchange Buzz Index”

1. Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos
2. San Diego Chargers @ New York Giants
3. Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints
4. Arizona Cardinals @ Chicago Bears
5. Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles

Fans can access the NFL Ticket Exchange at NFL.com/ticketexchange or through direct links from NFL.com or Ticketmaster.com. Fans benefit from using the only NFL ticket resale marketplace with the exclusive ability to offer ticket barcode validation for most tickets, interactive seating maps allowing fans the ability to search for tickets by location, price, and number of tickets, and secure and anonymous transactions.
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Fans can reach dedicated customer service for the NFL Ticket Exchange by phone at 1-888-635-5944 and email at nflticketexchange@ticketmaster.com.

Top 3 Ticket Buying Tips From the NFL and Ticketmaster:
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2. Check Ticketmaster, the NFL Ticket Exchange or your team’s Ticket Office as new ticket inventory may become available.
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The National Football League (NFL) and Ticketmaster, a Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:TKTM) operating business, have partnered to create the NFL Ticket Exchange by Ticketmaster, the first and only resale marketplace that provides NFL fans looking to buy or sell NFL tickets a safe, convenient, and League-endorsed resale platform. Through this groundbreaking partnership, the NFL and Ticketmaster are able to deliver fans exclusive access to barcode-authenticated NFL game tickets when purchased from the NFL Ticket Exchange. Additionally, for the majority of tickets purchased via the NFL Ticket Exchange by Ticketmaster, fans have instant access to their tickets via Ticketmaster’s TicketFast delivery, which provides fans access to print their tickets within hours of each sale, alleviating the need for time-consuming and expensive mail delivery options. The NFL Ticket Exchange by Ticketmaster is accessible from Ticketmaster.com and NFL.com.

Q&A with Carolina Panthers Head Coach John Fox

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:04:08 GMT

Q: Now that you guys have won three of the last four, do you think you’re building?

A: In this business you take it one week at a time. I think we got some confidence a week ago, there’s no question about that and now we’re playing a very, very good New Orleans Saints team.

Q: You have not lost a game played at New Orleans since you’ve been coach. What goes into that?

A: I don’t really look back too much. I know it’s going to be really tough to do this time.

Q: Is it more a familiarity factor than anything?

A: Yes, I think there have been a couple different coaches during that time. It’s a division game. Everybody gets up for division games. You know those opponents. You play them twice. We’ve had some great battles. None of these games have been easy. They’re all hard. I guess you could say there’s a familiarity with the division.

Q: What made you stay with Jake Delhomme?

A: He’s in my opinion our best quarterback. There’s no question we had some struggles in the passing game, but it wasn’t all Jake. There’s a lot of moving parts in the passing game. You have protection, how crisply you’re running routes and then the cornerback and you have to give the defense some credit too. I know he’s had his struggles. He’s our best option. I knew he’d fight through it and he did.

Q: What’s been the biggest reason for your turnaround in the last month?

A: We’ve been healthy. We had a lot of injuries all through camp and the preseason. We didn’t come into the season with a whole lot of depth. When you become a better team you have a lot of your salary cap involved in starters. Basically, that’s where we were. We had some young guys we had to get better and we had some guys that we had to get healthy and get back in.

Q: How similar and how different is the Saints team from the one you faced last December?

A: They’re still the number one offense in the league, so that part hasn’t changed. I think they’re playing extremely well in that area. Anytime you can average 40 points a game you’re doing something right. I think probably the biggest change has been their defense in terms of their scheme and what they’ve done. They’ve acquired a couple of guys in (Jabari) Greer and (Darren) Sharper…I’m probably missing somebody. They changed their scheme quite a bit. I think their biggest change has been on defense.

Q: Is Julius Peppers playing at another level or the level you wanted him to play at all along?

A: Julius has played very good football. He came in here highly touted as the second player in the draft. He’s been to five or six Pro Bowls. I think he’s done pretty well. Right now over the last month, I think he’s had a pretty good stretch.

Q: How much does your running game fit into your passing game and are you relieved to see some semblance of a good running game last week?

A: We ran the ball pretty well prior to that. I don’t know where we were a year ago. Our running game’s pretty decent I think. Where we’ve struggled is turnovers. Going into last week were minus 14. I think we were playing good football, but when you play giveaway football in that many games when you’re minus 14 you’re lucky even last week going in at 2-4. We turned it around last week and had six takeaways and zero giveaways. That put us at minus eight, which is still not very good. I think once we can clean that up, I think we have a shot.

Q: How much does your passing game feed off your running game?

A: No doubt they work hand in hand. Usually to be successful offensively. We’re trying to gain that balance. I think last week we finally put that together. We’re going to have a huge challenge this week.

Q: Is there any type of advantage you can get by playing a team that had a tough Monday night game?

A: We had a tough Sunday night game too; we had to fly from the west coast. I think it’s just our league.

Saints Notebook

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:05:16 GMT

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS NEWS, NOTES AND THINGS TO LOOK FOR THIS SUNDAY AGAINST THE CAROLINA PANTHERS (3:05 pm)

DID YOU KNOW? The 2009 New Orleans Saints are the first team from the currently constituted NFC South to begin a season with a 7-0 record since the 1991 New Orleans Saints squad achieved the mark. The Saints, who were members of the NFC West until the conclusion of the 2001 NFL regular season along with the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons, moved into the NFC South during realignment in 2002. The Saints, Panthers, Buccaneers and Falcons currently constitute the NFC South.

If the Saints beat the Panthers, it will be the first time that they have started a season 8-0. The 1991 Saints won their first seven contests. It would also mark the first time they have won eight consecutive games since a nine-game winning streak that occurred from December 23, 1990-October 20, 1991. The Saints also had a nine-game winning streak from November 1-December 27, 1987.
If the Saints beat the Panthers, their deficit in the all-time series will improve to 16-13. A win would also be their first at home against their divisional rivals since the 2001 campaign.
QB Drew Brees has 28,264 passing yards to ranked 42nd all-time in the NFL’s record books. With 76 yards he will move past former New York Giants great Y.A. Title into 41st place. If he throws for 212 yards, he would move into 40th place past Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams, Washington Redskin and Miami Dolphin Trent Green.
With 184 touchdown passes, Brees is ranked 40th all-time in league history. With three more scoring touchdowns, he would move into a tie for 39th place with former Washington Redskins legend Sammy Baugh.
RB Reggie Bush is tied for tenth on the club’s all-time list with 28 touchdowns. With one more touchdown, he will move into a tie for ninth with RB Chuck Muncie. Bush is currently tied with Ricky Williams and Wayne Wilson for ninth in club record books with 16 rushing touchdowns. With one more rushing touchdown, he will move into sole possession of ninth. Additionally Bush has 233 receptions to rank tenth all-time in club history. With two more grabs, he will move into ninth place, passing former backfield mate RB Deuce McAllister.
WR Marques Colston has 30 career touchdowns to tie for seventh place on the club’s all-time list with Wayne Wilson. With one touchdown, Colston will move into sole possession of seventh spot in the team record books.
With 45.5 sacks, DE Charles Grant is tied for seventh all-time with Jim Wilks in the club record books. With his next takedown, Grant will move into sole possession of seventh place on the list.
WR Devery Henderson has 15 career touchdowns to tie for 11th place on the club’s all-time list with Wes Chandler and John Tice. With one touchdown grab, Henderson will move into a tie for ninth with Dave Parks and Torrance Small.
With 11 interception returns for a touchdown, S Darren Sharper is ranked second all-time in NFL record books and with his next interception returned for a touchdown Sharper will tie recent Pro Bowl Football inductee Rod Woodson (Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Oakland, Baltimore) for 12th all-time. Sharper currently has three in 2009 as a member of the Saints.
With one more interception returned for a touchdown, Sharper would tie for the highest single season total all-time.
Sharper has 61 career interceptions, the ninth-highest total in NFL record books. With one more pick, he will move into a tie for seventh with Dave Brown and Dick LeBeau (62). Ronnie Lott, currently sixth all-time, owns 63 career interceptions on his resume, while Ken Riley owns the fifth spot (65). The NFL’s all-time interception leader is Hall of Famer Paul Krause (1964-1979), who had 81 career interceptions.
TE Jeremy Shockey currently has 5,087 receiving yards, the 25th highest total by an NFL tight end in league history. With 14 receiving yards, he would surpass former New York Jet Mickey Shuler and move into 24th. With 20 yards, he would surpass Charlie Young into 23rd and with 40, he would move past Frank Wycheck into 22nd.
Shockey has 452 receptions, the 12th highest total in NFL history by a tight end, and with ten more catches, he will move into 11th place past former Todd Christensen and with 11 grabs he would move into the top ten past Shuler.

Saints Head Coach Sean Payton Preps for Upstart Panthers

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:52:30 GMT

Do you anticipate Fujita practicing this week?

“I’m hopeful. It’s getting better so we’re shooting for it.”

Did Clancy re-injure something?

“No, it was swelling so we backed off it on Wednesday.”

Were Moore and Goodwin’s injuries bruises?

“Lance’s was a sprain and Goodwin was a contusion or bruise.”

Does the Ellis injury look to be fairly long-term?

“I don’t think that it’s long-term. We’re hopeful to see how it responds this week.”

Was there a correlation to Ellis not playing Monday and Michael Turner running for 150 yards?

“We played a good rushing team. Fortunately we were able to hang in there and come up with enough plays but you could point to a lot of things – you could point to Fujita not being in the lineup. Week to week, that’s the nature of our game. This team we’re playing this week is outstanding at rushing the football and they have a real good offensive line with two exceptional running backs so that’s a challenge.”

Do you liken Carolina to anyone you’ve played so far?

“That’s a good question. I think they’re a little different. They run the ball as well as anybody in our league. I think they’re extremely well-coached. If you go back and look at the history of John (Fox)’s teams over the years, they’ve won more games in the NFC since he’s been there than any other NFC team. They understand what wins games; they understand that very well. Last week against Arizona they were opportunistic on defense and came up with turnovers and offensively had great balance. When you have a real good running team and an outstanding receiver, it presents problems in regards to how you go about defending that type of challenge. I think they’re very good and very well-coached and obviously I’ve worked with John and have a background with a number of the coaches on that staff, and I think their success over the years is proof of that.”

Did you have an unusually high number of missed tackles against Turner?

“I don’t know if there was a high number. Michael does a good job with his pad level and he’s someone that presents problems with his speed and pad level. You credit Atlanta with the way they were able to run the football. Certainly there were times when we could’ve tackled better though.”

Does Jake Delhomme appear to be out of that early-season funk he was in?

“He played well last week. He’s a guy that plays with confidence. He’s certainly one of the leaders of their team and has had a lot of success against us.”

Has there been a common theme as to why you’ve struggled against Carolina, especially here at home?

“I think that they have played very good football. Last year they got up early on us and then we battled back and then they found a way to finish at the end. I don’t know that there is one specific area. They do a number of things well.”

Now that they have won three out of four, are you seeing signs on the game film that they have solved some of their early-season issues?

“I think their record tells you that they have. They have come back off the bye week and they’re playing very well. When you look at this team, they were the division winner a year ago, they have won three of their last four and they beat a good Arizona team on the road last week. We have our work cut out for us.”

Will you have to let your team know not to overlook a 3-4 Panthers team coming in?

“Our players understand who we’re playing. I think when they look at the tape and pay attention to it, you can see that. I think they understand and certainly with the way we’ve played against them, they know that this is a real good team we’re getting ready to play.”

Have you seen an improvement in your receivers’ pass-catching skills this year?

“I think guys are playing with confidence outside. You see – especially with some balls above their head – guys have made a lot of plays. Devery (Henderson) last week made some big catches and certainly (Marques) Colston and Jeremy Shockey have. There’s a confidence there and it starts with Drew (Brees) and location and I do think these guys are playing with confidence. That’s positive.”

Why is Steve Smith not having as big a year as normal? Is he struggling personally or is it the offense?

“A guy like Steve Smith is a guy that gets attention every week and so it becomes challenging. You can count on one hand how many times he doesn’t have a safety over the top of him. He can move around. We had him in the Pro Bowl and he’s a dynamic player and he has given us fits over the years. You have to be mindful of where he is on every snap. Because of his skill-set, he has drawn that coverage we’re talking about and then it becomes a little bit more challenging.”

How hard is it to continue to play at such a high level every week?

“I don’t know that we’ve been playing at a high level the last couple of weeks. In the first half at Miami we didn’t play at a very high level and there were times last week where we didn’t play at a high level. We turned the ball over four times and we gave up some big plays. The good news is that we were able to come up with the win, but you’re not going to be able to do that very often when you have four turnovers offensively. To answer your question, I think we can play a lot better than we have the last two weeks.”

Could the Brees fumble that they returned for a touchdown possibly have been a tuck rule example?

“I don’t think it would’ve been a tuck rule. You could argue that it was a blow to the head, but I didn’t look at it as a tuck rule.”

Would you say that you have more weapons in the secondary to combat a guy like Steve Smith than you have since you’ve been here?

“I think we’re better in the secondary than we have been in the prior years. That’s a general statement, but that being said, there aren’t many corners covering this guy on a one-on-one basis when you watch the film. He’s sudden; he has speed; he’s tough. Those are things that when you start putting all those things together, you have a special player. I do think we’re improved in the back end compared to years past, though.”

How has David Thomas done as a receiver and as a blocker? How tough was it for him to go to fullback?

“He has played some ‘F’ for us already and we try to mix up some of the sets. He’s a tight end first off and then we can get him into some of the two-back stuff. He is smart and versatile and I think he’s athletic. When you try to replace Heath (Evans), you begin to look at different possibilities – certainly Kyle (Eckel), who we signed last week and will continue to give reps to, and David and some of the other players. But he has been versatile – I think that would be a good way to describe his skill-set, in both the passing game, in protections and in the running game.”

Has he been better than you thought he would be?

“He has been an important acquisition. He sure has been.”

Have you stressed to your running backs running hard and getting yards after contact?

“I think they finish. I think the key is finishing with the football, though, and eliminating some of the mistakes that ended up making that game closer than we wanted. But they’re finishing, and that’s encouraging.”

What makes Julius Peppers so special and how do you defend him?

“He’s an elite pass-rusher and he’s also a guy that plays the run very well. He’s athletic; he plays very hard; he has great range. Last week he had an interception. They’ve moved him around some. His career started at left end and evolved to where they moved him to right end and we see him playing on both sides now. We have to do a good job in our protection schemes with him on the field and be able to understand his strength as a run defender as well.”

If you double-team him, who else is most fearful to you on that defense?

“When you talk about double-teaming him, are you talking about an extra lineman or a running back or a tight end? There are a lot of things that you have to do to at least take the edge off of his speed. We try to do that with formations. We try to do that with tight ends; we try to do that with the running backs and still not sacrifice flair control. But they do a good job of moving him around so you just can’t break the huddle and say he’s always going to be here. He moves – much like we saw John Abraham move last Monday night. We have to recognize where he’s aligned and then we have to during the course of the week understand how we’re going to handle him. Obviously the pressure falls on both tackles but it falls on a lot of people.”

Are you a much deeper team now than when you took over the program?

“I think the bottom part of our roster has gotten better each year. You’re constantly paying attention to that and Ryan Pace and his staff do a great job from the pro scouting department end of evaluating and working out players. When you look at acquisitions like a David Thomas, like Heath Evans and some of the other pro free agents we’ve brought in here – Jabari Greer and Darren Sharper – and you could go on with the signings of these players. The Mike Bells and the Jeff Charlestons and the Anthony Hargroves, these are all players that we’ve begun to bring in and train and when they’re here, we’re counting on playing them. Jo-Lonn Dunbar was inactive for a portion of this season and then a few weeks later he’s getting 50 percent of the snaps on defense and I think that’s the challenge week to week in our league with the roster restrictions. It’s different than in college where 95 guys come strolling out on game day. I think we are deeper and I think that in year four into this, that’s something that we’re constantly paying attention to.”

Do you attribute the fourth quarters and how you’re able to hold up and finish games to the added depth and your conditioning?

“That’s a good question. There are probably a number of reasons. We’re playing better defensively, that’s obvious. I think we’re rushing the football better offensively and that is conducive to playing better in that fourth quarter. And you’d like to think that with the depth we have that it allows the rotation and the ability to keep guys fresh. Hopefully – knock on wood – the injury list is to a minimum and yet you understand that at times you’re going to have to fill in with guys that weren’t starting the first week of the season.”

Is that a sign of depth that people are plucking players off of your practice squad?

“I think it’s a good sign that we have the right practice squad players. But I think that happens a lot to everyone.”

How do you keep everyone grounded with the talk of an undefeated season going around?

“I think each week it changes. It was easier to come in and talk to these guys this morning about some of the things we didn’t do well this past weekend. Number one, you want to make sure that you’re being brutally honest with what you’re seeing. All of us – players and coaches – in our preparation can be better. We set out at the beginning of the year to work to improve each week and to work to get better each week. I do think we have good leadership on the team that understands the challenges each week and understands the nature of our game in dealing with what you’re talking about. I think each week you really have to profile who you’re playing and talk about how you’re going to go about winning the game and then also take a hard look at the game you just played and try to improve and eliminate some of the mistakes that were made in that game. There were a number in the game we just played, more than we’d like.”

How good a job did you guys do on John Abraham?

“I think overall it was solid and yet he’s a disruptive player. It wasn’t perfect by any means. He’s a special player. Two of the better pass-rushing defensive ends in football happen to be in our division. Two ends that we see twice a year are two of the better ends in football in Abraham and Peppers. Those guys create a lot of headaches and a lot of game plan preparation to prepare to handle them. It’s through formations, it’s through tight ends, it’s through how we set on these guys and what the backs are doing. There’s a lot that goes on to just say that we’re going to double-team one of these guys. In other words, it’s more complex than that. But they are guys that really can affect – if you’re not careful – they can affect the outcome of a game singlehandedly.”

Did Jermon Bushrod grade out well?

“Yes. He was solid. There were some snaps that I’m sure he would want to have played better, but he was solid.”

What are the unique challenges of facing a team with two top running backs?

“They have two real good running backs. They also have a very veteran offensive line and receivers that have blocked very well in the run game. You look at Muhsin Muhammad and you can take a game a year ago against Tampa on a Monday night. When you’re running the ball the way that they’re able to run it, it’s not just the runner or just the offensive line, it involves a lot of aspects of it, and they’re a challenge because of that.”

How does the loss of Brad Hoover affect them for this game?

“Certainly you don’t want to lose starters, whether it’s a Heath Evans for us or Hoover for them. You rely on your depth; you rely on other players, but that being said, you don’t want that to change your philosophy on the importance of rushing the football. I know we’ve tried to make sure that we’re prepared each week to be able to run the ball and I’m certain that Carolina does the same.”

One of your players said last week that all 6-0 meant was that you couldn’t go 5-11. Is that the approach you’re taking at 7-0?

“I’ve said before that because of the work required to game plan and prepare for the next opponent, you don’t spend a lot of time reflecting. When we reflect, we’re trying to really critique and really remove yourself from the win or the loss. We do the same and we’ve done the same when we’ve lost games. When you put the tape on, let’s watch what we’re seeing and find where we can improve. From this past weekend’s game, there are a lot of things that we have to do better. Not just any one thing, but a number of things and that’s why we we’re out there today and tomorrow. Certainly there is a game plan aspect to the game you’re playing against the opponent you’re playing, but it’s also being able to not repeat things that you didn’t do well the week before. I think the tally or the totals come later and you look at it and keep playing. The most important game is the one we’re playing this week, and that’s really the truth.”

How have they overcome the injury to defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu and played well defensively?

“They’re playing fast to the football. They have real good personnel on defense. (Jon) Beason is a young linebacker that has played exceptional for them. He’s one of a number of guys. Hollis (Thomas) has filled in there and done a good job. It’s a front that we think is very physical and a secondary that is one of the more talented secondaries that we have seen. You can see since the bye their improvement.”

Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise Lauds Saints Before Congressional Hearing

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:55:56 GMT

Below are portions of entire statements from Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection Committee on Energy and Commerce

November 3, 2009

"Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Sports are part of our culture and part of the very social fabric of our nation. Unfortunately, we have recently seen how performance enhancing drugs can cast a cloud over athletes and jeopardize the integrity of sports.

Professional athletes in particular bear a special responsibility. Whether they like it or not, professional athletes are role models. They have a great deal of influence over young people and have the ability to provide a positive impact upon their local communities. We have seen this first hand in Southeast Louisiana. We have seen the influence a league, a team, and its players can have.

The NFL has been committed to helping New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region since Hurricane Katrina. By the end of 2005, the league had raised well over $20 million. Commissioner Goodell, on behalf of my constituents and those that have been helped by the NFL in our region, thank you for your hard work and for the NFL’s strong commitment to our recovery.

I also want to thank you for selecting New Orleans as the host of the Super Bowl in 2013. This will be the 10th Super Bowl we’ve hosted, and is yet another bright sign that New Orleans is still a world-class city that can host major events. And it is another milestone in our recovery.

The Saints organization must also be commended for the support they have shown to the city and state they call home. Following Hurricane Katrina, the Saints set up a relief fund that provided much needed resources to charities around our region. They also made a commitment to return to New Orleans after not being able to play a single game in the city during the 2005 season.

In 2006 at their first game back in New Orleans, the Saints showed what a team can do for a city and for its fans. The atmosphere that September night in the Superdome was electric as the Saints started their most successful season in franchise history, at least until now, with a resounding victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

More importantly, the Saints gave the people of Louisiana hope that their way of life was slowly returning to normal. They galvanized our region and provided a much needed boost and distraction from the difficult recovery process. I am proud to have the Saints headquartered in my district.

The spirit and generosity of the New Orleans Saints start at the top with its owner, Tom Benson, and his wife, Gayle, and Tom’s granddaughter, Rita Benson LeBlanc, who is also Owner and Executive Vice President. They have dedicated countless hours and resources to helping the people of our region. In 2008, the Volunteers of America recognized Tom Benson as the recipient of its annual Good Samaritan Award in Philanthropy in recognition of his “incomparable efforts to rebuild the region following Hurricane Katrina.”

And we have seen the same generosity from the Saints’ players. Drew Brees has become actively engaged in the community along with his wife, Brittany, through their Brees Dream Foundation, which is dedicated to helping advance cancer research, and providing care, education, and opportunities for children in need. Since its founding, the Brees Drew Foundation has raised and/or committed over $4.5 million to help advance cancer research and help rebuild schools, parks, playgrounds and athletic fields in New Orleans and other communities.

Drew has participated in USO tours to the Persian Gulf, Japan, and Guantanamo Bay, and he also serves on the Board of Directors of the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. In recognition of his efforts off the field, Drew was named the 2006 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. Drew is a true humanitarian, and we are proud to have him as a member of the New Orleans community.

There are other proud examples of the positive impact NFL athletes can have on our local community. Reggie Bush rebuilt Tad Gormley Stadium’s field, which hosts many high school football games in New Orleans. And we all know the positive impact the entire Manning family has had for decades inspiring the youth of our region.

Mr. Chairman, Southeast Louisiana is a prime example of the influence professional sports can have on a community and region, especially during one of its most difficult periods. The efforts of the NFL, the Saints, and its players are a testament to the integrity of sports…an integrity that should be protected so it does not become jeopardized by the dangers of performance enhancing drugs."

Q&A with Carolina Panthers QB Jake Delhomme

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:08:26 GMT

Q: How are you feeling?

A: I feel good. Physically I feel fine. I took a good shot the other day. Other than that I’m good. We just got off the practice field. Everything’s good to go.

Q: Do you anticipate playing on Sunday?

A: Yes. I can say that

Q: Did you practice today?

A: Yes, I sure did.

Q: Can you put in a nutshell what have been the team’s problems?

A: I think the biggest thing offensively is that we haven’t been consistent running or throwing early on. The last few weeks we picked it up running the football, but the passing game has just kind of lagged behind. But, I think turnovers have been a big key. Certainly I’ve been one of the ones leading the way in that department, just not playing good consistent football. I think as a team the first few weeks not one phase played well. I think slowly but surely we’re starting to play a little bit better here and there. That being said, we had a great win last week in Arizona on the road, but now we get to play the best team in football. We’re going to have to play lights out.

Q: How important is it for your running game to get off to a good start to set up the rest of your offense?

A: That’s how we’re built. I don’t think there’s any doubt. That’s how this offense is built. That’s how Coach John Fox wants it. That’s kind of the way it is. It’s kind of the way we’ve always tried to do things over here, some years better than others, but that’s what we try to do every football game, to try to establish the run.

Q: How much did beating Arizona out there help your team’s psyche?

A: I think the biggest thing was that we had a tough loss to Buffalo and then we travel out on the road against a team that had two very big wins. They had beaten the Giants on Sunday night. They were playing good football. We started fast. That was the big thing. We started fast, played good, turnover-free football. It was a big win. I don’t think there’s any doubt.

Q: In winning three of the last four games, do you guys feel like you're building something?

A: Somewhat, but I don’t mean to slight this in anyway; it doesn’t feel like we’ve won three of the last four. We were able to beat Washington then went to Tampa and were able to beat them. We were winning, but we weren’t playing good football. I don’t know any other way to put it. We were able to get a couple of wins, which was nice, but we were not playing good football as a team. I think last week was the closest we came as a team to playing decent football. That’s what you kind of want. If one phase is struggling, the other has to pick it up and just everybody has each other’s backs. Last week was nice, but again, that’s the last week, now it’s on to the Saints. There are no weaknesses when you watch this football team.

Q: When was the last time you lost in the Superdome?

A: I don’t know. I’d be lying. I’m not sure.

Q: Did you ever play in the Superdome in high school or college?

A: In college we played there twice against Tulane.

Q: Did you win or lose?

A: We won.

Q: Is there any reason why you guys think you play so well when you come to the Superdome?

A: I can’t say. You look back a couple of years ago when we played them at the end of the 2006 season. I don’t really think the Saints have to play for anything at that point. They had a bunch of inactives and they had already clinched a bye and everything and they couldn’t improve their seed, but that’s a throw out game. I think to me, it’s always division games. When you play someone in your division, know you them well, they know you well. I think Atlanta, Tampa, New Orleans, ourselves, the comfort level, you’re not going into a new environment. Everybody knows what it’s like to play on the road at their stadium, so you kind of know their personnel. I think that’s kind of the mindset that everybody in that division takes.

Q: How tough was it on you losing in those first three games, losing, having to go through the turnovers?

A: It was very tough. I think for me as a football player, that’s the biggest thing. I always prided myself in being there for my team and making plays when they needed to be made and I wasn’t doing that, turning it over and putting us in bad situations and I think I was pressing a great deal, trying to search and find an answer. Obviously that didn’t work for me.

Q: Were you surprised that Coach Fox stuck by you during those tough times?

A: I wasn’t and on the flip side, I wouldn’t have been shocked either way. When you’re the head guy you have to do what’s right for the team and I hadn’t played well enough in a few games. I was going to have to respect his decision. I was very happy that I was able to be under center last week.

Q: Was there some sort of satisfaction for you or the team to beat Arizona after losing to them in the playoffs?

A: I got asked that after. I meant more for the 2009 Panthers to win for the game than for the ’08 Panthers. What happened in the playoffs was over and done with. It was over, it’s a new season. We needed that win more so for this year than we did last year. That’s done with. We’re still right in the middle this year. It’s still much more important we just needed a win to do how we did on the road against a good football team was nice.

Q: How close do you think the team’s season was getting to spiraling out of control?

A: I don’t think it ever came close in my opinion. We started out in ’04 at 1-7. It wasn’t close to spiraling out of control. I think we have certain guys on this team, the way this team is built and made; you’re not going to let that happen. Guys are going to do what’s right and try to win and I think that was never kind of brought up or an issue here.

Q: What are the strengths of the Saints?

A: I’m talking strictly defense here. When you watch them on defense, certainly Charles (Grant) and Will (Smith). They can still rush the passer, but the back seven. They’re coming from all over the place and they’re making plays. You watch the Buffalo game. They’re bringing corners a bunch that game. They’re bringing guys from all over. In having (Scott) Fujita, (Jonathan) Vilma and (Scott) Shanle, they’re back together, those guys, very intelligent football players, moving around all over. Darren (Sharper) on the back end. You never know. Darren’s at the line of scrimmage one minute, the next thing you know he’s 20 yards across the field covering that half of the field. So, they do a great job. I guess Gregg Williams has come in and done a great job and these guys have bought into it and played outstanding. They’re ball hawkers. That’s something that’s evident when you watch on film.

Saints vs. Panthers Capsule

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:05:39 GMT

CAROLINA PANTHERS (3-4) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (7-0)
SERIES NOTES

SERIES LEADER: The Carolina Panthers lead the all-time series between the two franchises, 16-12. The two teams have never met in postseason play.
STREAKS: The Carolina Panthers have won six-of-the-past seven games between the two franchises.
COACHES VS. OPP.: Carolina Panthers Head Coach John Fox owns a 10-4 record as a head coach against the Saints. New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton owns a 1-5 record against the Panthers.
LAST WEEK: The New Orleans Saints defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 35-27, at the Louisiana Superdome on Monday Night Football. The Carolina Panthers, meanwhile, traveled west to Glen dale, Arizona and defeated the Cardinals, 34-21.
LAST GAME AT SITE: 12/28/08: Panthers 33 at Saints 31. Carolina K John Kasay kicks game-winning 42-yard FG with 1 second left to give Panthers most wins in franchise history (12).
BROADCAST: FOX (3:05 PM CT): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick. Westwood One Radio: Howard David, Dan Reeves. SIRIUS: 91 (Car.), 121 (NO). XM: 107 (NO). The game can heard regionally on the Saints Radio Network (WWL 870 AM and 105.3 FM locally) with Jim Henderson handling play-by-play, Hokie Gajan serving as color analyst and Kristian Garic reporting from the Saints sidelines. A Spanish language broadcast can be heard on WFNO 830 AM with Emilio Peralta handling play-by-play and Marco Garcia serving as color analyst.

KEY STATISTICS
PASSING

New Orleans: Drew Brees: 157-230-2,006 (1C)-16 (T1L)-6-107.6 (3L)
Carolina: Jake Delhomme: 113-191-1,262-5-13-59.3

RUSHING

New Orleans: Pierre Thomas: 70-405-5.8-4
Carolina: DeAngelo Williams: 128-619 (3C)-4.8-5 (T3C)

RECEIVING

New Orleans: Marques Colston: 36-551-15.3-6 (T2L)
Carolina: Steve Smith: 30-414-13.8-1

OFFENSE

New Orleans: 428.7 yards per game (1L)
Carolina: 318.6 yards per game

TAKE/GIVE

New Orleans: +7 (3rd in NFC)
Carolina: -8

DEFENSE

New Orleans: 326.0 yards per game
Carolina: 288.1 yards per game

SACKS

New Orleans: DE Will Smith: 4.5
Carolina: Julius Peppers: 7 (2nd in NFC)

INTs

New Orleans: Darren Sharper: 7 (tied for 1st in NFL)
Carolina: 3 players tied: 2

PUNTING

New Orleans: Thomas Morstead (rookie): 44.2
Carolina: Jason Baker: 46.8

KICKING

New Orleans: John Carney: 57 (33/35 PAT; 8/11 FG)
Carolina: John Kasay: 32 (14/14 PAT; 6/9 FG)

NOTES
SAINTS: Average 39 points per game, most in NFL. Have scored 273 points in 1st 7 games, 4th best in NFL history…QB DREW BREES passed for 386 yards & 4 TDs in last meeting. Since joining NO in 2006, leads NFL with 15,916 pass yards. Has 2+ TD passes in 10 of past 11 vs. division (25 TDs). Has 2,083 yards (347.2 per game), 21 TDs, 4 INTs & 126 rating in past 6 vs. NFC…RB-PR REGGIE BUSH has 28 TDs (16 rush, 8 rec, 4 PR) & is only Saint to score via rush, rec. & PR. Aims for 4th in row with TD. RB PIERRE THOMAS had rush & rec. TD last week. Has 534 scrimmage yards (106.8 per game) & 7 TDs (5 rush, 2 rec.) in past 5 at home…WR MARQUES COLSTON has 10 TDs in past 10 & aims for 4th in row with TD. Has 14 catches for 216 yards (108 per game) in past 2 starts vs. Car. TE JEREMY SHOCKEY has 452 receptions since 2002, 3rd most in NFL among TEs. WR LANCE MOORE had 8 catches for 91 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting…S DARREN SHARPER leads NFL with 317 INT yards & 3 INT-TDs. CB JABARI GREER had 48-yard INT-TD last week. DE WILL SMITH had 2 sacks vs. Atl.

PANTHERS: QB JAKE DELHOMME is 8-2 vs. NO. Aims for 5th in row vs. NO with 100+ rating. Has 120.3 rating in past 4 meetings. In career as starter (incl. playoffs), when Delhomme has 110+ rating, team is 17-1 (.944)…RB DE ANGELO WILLIAMS rushed for 178 yards in last meeting. Has rushed for 696 yards (139.2 per game) & 6 TDs in past 5 vs. division. Has rushed for 591 yards (118.2 per game) & 8 TDs in past 5 in Nov. Has 23 rush TDs in past 19. Team is 10-0 when he rushes for 110+ yards. RB JONATHAN STEWART aims for 3rd in row vs. NO with TD run. Has 4 TDs in past 4 vs. division & averages 6.0 yards per carry. Rushed for 2 TDs last week…WR STEVE SMITH has 11 catches for 256 yards (128 per game) & TD in past 2 meetings. Since 2005, averages 84.3 rec. yards per game, 2nd most in NFL (min. 50 games). Has 100+ yards in 6 of past 7 vs. NFC South…DE JULIUS PEPPERS had 13-yard INT-TD, sack & FF last week. Has 21.5 sacks in past 21, incl. 6 in past 4. Aims for 3rd in row vs. NO with sack. Rookie S SHERROD MARTIN had 1st 2 INTs of career last week.

Saints Announce Roster Moves - Roster Set at 53

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:01:26 GMT

New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced Saturday a number of transactions in order for the team to reach the league-mandated roster level of 53 players to begin the regular season.

The Saints have placed three players on injured reserve, waived sixteen players and terminated the contract of three players.

The following players have been placed on Injured Reserve:

TE Billy Miller, a 10-year veteran, first joined the Saints in 2006 and has played in 114 career games with 200 receptions for 2,248 yards and 10 touchdowns. In three seasons in New Orleans, the former USC Trojan has made 14 starts in 41 games and caught 86 passes for 1,036 yards and three touchdowns. He was among the team-leaders with 45 receptions for 579 yards with one touchdown catch in 2008. Having been slowed by a knee injury earlier in camp, Miller played in two games this preseason with two catches for 16 yards prior to his injury in the preseason finale against Miami Thursday night. He will undergo surgery later this week.

FB Olaniyi Sobomehin first signed with the Saints as a rookie free agent in the spring of 2008 and began the ’08 season on the team’s practice squad before being elevated to the active roster for one game and landing on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. This preseason, the 6-1, 230-pound fullback played in all four games and carried the ball four times for 10 yards as well as catching two passes for six yards. Sobomehin suffered a shoulder injury in the final preseason game against the Dolphins.

S Chip Vaughn was a fourth-round selection of the Saints out of Wake Forest in this spring’s NFL Draft and was making solid progress in the defensive scheme before being knocked out with a torn meniscus in his left knee. The 6-2, 221-pound safety will miss his rookie season as he rehabs the knee while on injured reserve.

The following players have been waived:

WR Adrian Arrington was a seventh-round draft choice in 2008 who spent the entire ’08 campaign on injured reserve with a toe injury. While once again battling injuries this summer, the former University of Michigan wideout played in three games, catching three passes for 77 yards.

G Nate Bennett is a first-year player who signed with the Saints early in training camp. The 6-4, 315-pound offensive lineman out of Clemson played in all four of the team’s preseason games.

T Michael Brown signed with the team this spring as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State. The 6-5, 300-pound lineman played in all four preseason games this summer, splitting time between right and left tackle.

C Digger Bujnoch signed with the Saints as a free agent in June after spending time on the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad in 2008. The 6-5, 300-pound first-year lineman played in three of the team’s preseason games this summer.

RB Herb Donaldson, a 5-10, 226-pound undrafted rookie running back out of Western Illinois, played in all four of the Saints’ preseason games, running for 64 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown along with catching five passes for 40 yards.

G Tim Duckworth is a first-year offensive lineman who has spent the past two seasons on the Saints’ practice squad. The 6-4, 318-pound guard out of Auburn played in all four of the team’s preseason contests at right guard.

CB Danny Gorrer signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M this spring. The 6-0, 185-pound cornerback played in all four of the team’s preseason games and made seven tackles with a pass defense.

WR Lynell Hamilton first signed with the Saints prior to the 2008 season and spent the majority of that campaign on the team’s practice squad before making the jump to the active roster late in the year. In 11 career games, the 5-9, 190-pound former LSU wideout has caught three passes for 33 yards and averaged 27.4 yards on seven kickoff returns and 4.6 yards on 14 punt returns. Playing in all four preseason games, he caught one pass for an 11-yard touchdown and averaged 6.5 yards on six punt returns.

DT Earl Heyman signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Louisville this spring. The 6-1, 289-pound defensive tackle played in all four preseason games as a reserve lineman and made two tackles.

RB P.J. Hill, a 5-10, 218-pound running back from the University of Wisconsin signed with the Saints this spring as an undrafted free agent. In four games this preseason, he ran for 128 yards on 26 carries with three touchdowns along with two catches for nine yards.

TE Martrez Milner signed with the Saints early in the preseason. The second-year tight end out of the University of Georgia previously played with the Atlanta Falcons, catching nine passes for 50 yards in eight career games. This preseason, he played in three games and caught one pass for 10 yards.

T Jermey Parnell, a 6-6, 278-pound former college basketball player in his time at Ole Miss, signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent this spring and has been tried at three positions this summer, starting at defensive line prior to a stint as a tight end and lastly as an offensive tackle. He played in three games this preseason.

DT DeMario Pressley was a fifth-round pick of the Saints in the 2008 NFL Draft who spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve with a foot injury. The 6-3, 301-pound defensive tackle played in all four preseason games this summer, making nine tackles.

WR Courtney Roby signed with the Saints early in the 2008 season and served as the team’s primary kickoff returner before landing on injured reserve. In 31 career games, the fourth-year wide receiver has caught 23 passes for 317 yards and a touchdown and averaged 23.2 yards on 46 kickoff returns. He played in three games this preseason and averaged 21.8 yards on six kickoff returns along with one reception for eight yards.

WR Matt Simon signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Northern Illinois this spring. The 6-1, 199-pound wide receiver played in all four preseason games and caught one pass for 14 yards.

LB Anthony Waters signed with the Saints as a free agent this spring after being released by the San Diego Chargers, the team that drafted him out of Clemson in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. In seven career games, the 6-3, 238-pound linebacker has made three tackles on defense and three more on special teams. This preseason, he played in all four games and made three tackles with a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery along with another two tackles on special teams.

The following players has been terminated:

G/T Anthony Davis, a sixth-year veteran signed with the Saints this spring after spending his first five years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played in three games this preseason, splitting time between left guard and left tackle but was hampered by an elbow injury.

QB Joey Harrington. an eighth-year veteran quarterback first signed with the Saints early in the 2008 regular season, although he did not get into any games last season. In 81 career games, the former Oregon signal-caller has thrown for 14,693 yards with 79 touchdowns and 85 interceptions. He played in all four preseason games this summer and went 26-for-43 for 244 yards with 1 touchdown pass.

DE Paul Spicer is in his 10^th NFL season and joined the Saints as a free agent in the spring after being released by the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 117 career games, the 34-year old has tallied 349 tackles (241 solo), 28.5 sacks, an interception, 19 pass defenses, seven forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. The 6-4, 295-pound defensive lineman played in all four games this preseason, making seven tackles and recovered a fumble.

Dig The Connections

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:01:26 GMT

Each week during the football season, the Saints produce notes for the media in the days leading up to the game. One of the more popular elements of the weekly notebook is a segment entitled “connections,” which focuses on players, coaches or officials with ties to either the upcoming opponent or to the city/region that the Saints are playing.

Few players fit the bill this week, (or any week, for that matter), more so than Saints first year reserve center Digger Bujnoch (pronounced BOOJ-knock).

Bujnoch mentioned after practice on Tuesday that he does feel a life-long connection to the Bengals, but admits that all those thoughts will be shutout from his mind come Friday night when the “Who Dats” host the “Who Deys” at 7:00 in the Superdome (CST/FOX 8/Saints Radio Network, 870 WWL is the flagship). “It’s a bit weird having an association with a team and then getting an opportunity to face that team in your first game with your new team,” the former collegiate right tackle admitted.

The 6-5, 300-pound interior offensive lineman has many ties to the Bengals and Cincinnati, in general, and the connections don’t just touch on the fact that he spent time on the Bengals practice squad late last season, nor do they stop at the fact that he played his collegiate football for the Big East conference’s University of Cincinnati.

Bujnoch’s connections go much further back than that, as he’s the son of former Bengals offensive lineman Glenn Bujnoch. The elder Bujnoch was a guard for the Kenny Anderson Era Bengals and played alongside such notable former Bengals such as Pro Football Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz, WR Cris Collinsworth, WR Isaac Curtis and RB Pete Johnson, during his career that spanned from 1976-1982 with the Bengals and then another three seasons with Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1983-1985). Compounding the connections even more so, Bujnoch’s mother, Sue, is a former cheerleader with the Bengals’ cheerleading squad, the Ben-Gals.

“I grew up learning about all of those people and hearing about it from people because I grew up and attended high school (Elder High School) in Cincinnati,” he said. “My parents didn’t really harp or talk too much about it growing up, but other people would so obviously I was interested to learn more about my dad’s career, which I have a lot of admiration for.”

Digger, who was born the same year his father retired from professional football, actually shares the same name as his father, but was nicknamed “Digger” at an early age in large part due to the fact that he’s always had huge feet (currently a size 18). Besides owning a nickname that is perfectly suited for the yeoman-line work associated with interior offensive linemen, (as well as for an undertaker or gravedigger), Bujnoch is working tirelessly at forging his own legacy as a professional football player.

“Each day I’m working on going out and trying to hold my own and make a name for myself,” Bujnoch said. “It’s about getting the mental and physical parts down and executing and not letting there be a drop-off in productivity from the first team to the third team.”

After going undrafted in 2008, Bujnoch signed as a rookie free agent with the New York Giants but was injured and then waived late in training camp. He spent early portions of the regular season rehabbing an injury and then latched on with the Bengals’ practice squad midway through November, where he spent the final six weeks of the season.

The Saints came calling in mid-June with an offer and he gladly accepted and has been working with the team’s third-string offensive unit during camp. “It’s been a great experience so far and I have learned a lot,” he conceded. “I am looking forward to trying to get on the field on Friday night and hopefully helping the team perform well.”

Bujnoch admits that the game will be special for one other major reason than the aforementioned connections. “My mom and dad are coming in for the game, so it’ll be nice to see them and play in front of them,” he said. “I’m sure my parents are looking forward to it and will get a kick out of it as well.”

THIS WEEK’S CONNECTIONS: Head coach Sean Payton, strength and conditioning coach Dan Dalrymple, running backs coach Bret Ingalls and offensive line coach/running game Aaron Kromer have all served on the coaching staff at Miami (Ohio) University. Dalrymple played on the Redhawks offensive line from 1983-86, oversaw their strength program for 17 years and is a member of the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame, while Kromer played tackle from 1987-89. Dalrymple, Kromer and Bengals quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese served on the Miami coaching staff from 1996-97...Quarterbacks coach Joe Lombardi served as defensive line coach at the University of Dayton from 1996-98...Defensive assistant/linebackers Adam Zimmer is the son of Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Payton served on the same staff with Mike Zimmer in Dallas from 2003-05. Mike Zimmer tutored LBs Scott Fujita and Scott Shanle with the Cowboys. Fujita, WR Lynell Hamilton/Skyler Green.aspx">Skyler Green and Shanle played with Cincinnati S Roy Williams in Dallas. Green played for the Bengals from 2006-07, splitting time between their active roster and practice squad...Bengals QB J.T. O’Sullivan was a sixth round pick of New Orleans in 2002 and played for the Saints from 2002-04. TE Dan Campbell played with O’Sullivan and Cincinnati CB Jamar Fletcher in Detroit. QB Drew Brees and Fletcher were teammates in San Diego from 2004-05...LB Troy Evans prepped Lakota (Cincinnati) HS and played at the University of Cincinnati...Evans and Bengals WR Antonio Chatman were teammates for the Bearcats….S Darren Sharper and Chatman were teammates in Green Bay from 2003-04...DE Charles Grant and T Jon Stinchcomb played with Cincinnati DE Robert Geathers at the University of Georgia. Geathers is the nephew of former Saints DE James “Jumpy” Geathers...T Zach Strief prepped at Milford (Ohio) High School...CB Malcolm Jenkins and DE Will Smith played for Ohio State...... RB Reggie Bush, DT Sedrick Ellis, Cincinnati LBs Rey Maualuga and Keith Rivers and DE Frostee Rucker were teammates at USC....Bengals RB James Johnson is a Baton Rouge native...S Roman Harper played with Cincinnati G Evan Mathis and DE Antwan Odom at Alabama...DT Lynell Hamilton/Rod Coleman.aspx">Rod Coleman, QB Anthony Hargrove/Joey Harrington.aspx">Joey Harrington and Cincinnati S Chris Crocker were teammates in Atlanta...WR Adrian Arrington and Bengals CB Leon Hall were college teammates at Michigan...CB Danny Gorrer and Cincinnati DE Chris Harrington were college teammates at Texas A&M...Bengals S Kyries Hebert prepped at Eunice HS and played at Louisiana-Lafayette...Cincinnati WR Chris Henry prepped at Belle Chasse HS...G Carl Nicks, Bengals RB Marlon Lucky and WR Maurice Purify were teammates at Nebraska...S Usama Young and Cincinnati CB Rico Murray were teammates at Kent State...DT Remi Ayodele, T Jammal Brown, K Garrett Hartley and FB J.D. Runnels Jr. were teammates at Oklahoma...LB Jonathan Casillas, RB Garrett Hartley/P,-d-,J,-d-, Hill.aspx">P.J. Hill and Cincinnati FB Chris Pressley were teammates at Wisconsin...G Tim Duckworth and Bengals DT Pat Sims were teammates at Auburn...C Digger Bujnoch is a Cincinnati native who prepped at Elder HS, played at the University of Cincinnati from 2003-06 and spent the final six weeks of the season on the Bengals practice squad in 2008. His father Glenn was an a lineman for the Bengals from 1976-1982...C Heath Evans/Nick Leckey.aspx">Nick Leckey and Cincinnati RB Brian Leonard were teammates in St. Louis from 2007-08...Tight ends coach Terry Malone and Bengals defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle served on the same staff at Holy Cross in 1985...LS Jason Kyle was tutored by Cincinnati special teams coach Darrin Simmons in Carolina from 2001-02...WR Jeremy Shockey/Paris Warren.aspx">Paris Warren and Bengals DE Jonathan Fanene were teammates at the University of Utah...Cincinnati T Augustus Parrish spent part of the 2009 off-season with the Saints.

Saints Announce 2009 Rookie Free Agent Class

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:01:25 GMT

New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced Monday the 10 undrafted rookie free agents that have agreed to terms with the team. Joining the Saints are linebacker Jonathan Casillas, quarterback Patrick Cowan, offensive linemen Cedric Dockery, Alex Fletcher and Leigh Torrence/Sam McNaulty.aspx">Sam McNaulty, running back Garrett Hartley/P,-d-,J,-d-, Hill.aspx">P.J. Hill, cornerbacks Danny Gorrer and Reggie Jones, wide receiver Adrian Arrington/Kenneth Harris.aspx">Kenneth Harris and defensive end Jermey Parnell.

The following is an outline of the 10 players signed who will be coming to New Orleans to participate in the team’s rookie minicamp, scheduled to take place May 7-10.

Jonathan Casillas – Linebacker, Wisconsin (6-2, 226): Casillas was a three-year starter at Wisconsin, opening 36 of the 48 career games he played for the Badgers. Elected a captain for his final two seasons in Madison, the native of New Brunswick, N.J. posted career stats of 251 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. A three-time honorable mention All-Big selection, he also blocked three punts, one of which he recovered for a touchdown.

Patrick Cowan – Quarterback, UCLA (6-4, 218): A two-year starter under center for the Bruins, Cowan’s collegiate career was cut short when he tore the ACL in his left knee late in spring practice prior to his senior season, the same knee that limited him to five games as a junior in 2007. A right-handed thrower hailing from Surrey, British Columbia, he took over as the starter as a sophomore and posted career numbers of 217 completions on 411 attempts for 2,478 yards with 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 19 games, 13 of them starts.

Cedric Dockery – Guard, Texas (6-4, 315): Dockery was a three-year starter at right guard for the Longhorns, opening 30 of his 41 career games including all 13 in his senior year of 2008. The native of Garland, Texas earned all-conference honors twice, being named second-team All-Big XII as a senior after getting honorable mention in his junior season. Dockery has good bloodlines, as he is the younger brother of Washington Redskins guard Derrick Dockery.

Alex Fletcher – Center, Stanford (6-3, 296): A rare four-year starter at Stanford, Fletcher was in the starting lineup for all 44 of his career games for the Cardinal from the start of his redshirt freshman season in 2005. A versatile interior lineman, the Old Brookville, N.Y. native earned second-team all-Pac 10 honors at right guard as a junior and followed up with another second-team all-conference nod playing at center in his senior season. Finished his career with a 32-game consecutive starts streak and totaled 20 starts at right guard and 24 at center.

Danny Gorrer – Cornerback, Texas A&M (6-0, 173): Gorrer was a two-year starter in College Station and split starting duties in his senior season after seeing his junior campaign cut short by a knee injury seven games in. In 42 career games, 24 of them starts, the native of Port Arthur, Texas tallied 141 tackles with two sacks, one interception, 13 passes defensed and two forced fumbles. He posted career-bests in his sophomore season with 52 tackles and an interception.

Adrian Arrington/Kenneth Harris.aspx">Kenneth Harris – Wide Receiver, Georgia (6-3, 212): Harris played in 50 games over four years for the Bulldogs with five starts, catching 41 passes for 689 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The sizable wideout from Cherryville, N.C. had 11 receptions for 116 yards as a senior and caught a touchdown.

Garrett Hartley/P,-d-,J,-d-, Hill.aspx">P.J. Hill – Running Back, Wisconsin (5-11, 236): Hill was the Badgers’ featured runner for each of his three campaigns in Madison, joining former Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne as the only backs in UW history to gain more than 1,000 yards in each of their first three seasons. Hill closed his collegiate career with 3,942 rushing yards on 770 carries (5.1 avg.) with 42 touchdowns and added 39 receptions for 358 yards and two more scores. In 37 career games, Hill ran gained 100 yards in 20 of those contests and had a pair of 200-plus yard games. Before forgoing his final year of eligibility, the East Elmhurst, N.Y. native was named honorable mention All-Big 10 for the second straight season to go along with first-team all-conference honors earned as a redshirt freshman in 2006. As a senior, Hill ran for 1,161 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Reggie Jones – Cornerback, Portland State (6-0, 200): A speedy cornerback, Jones played one season at Portland State after transferring from the University of Idaho where he spent three injury-plagued seasons from 2004-06. A former all-state high school cornerback and wideout from Federal Way, Wash., Jones made the most of his lone season with the Vikings, making 38 tackles, notching seven passes defensed and recording four interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

Sam McNaulty – Tackle, Clark-Atlanta (6-4, 320): The offensive tackle impressed scouts at CAU’s pro day posting a 4.9 40-yard dash time, and tested well in all facets of the workout drawing a high-level of interest from several NFL clubs.The Oakland, Calif., native was a first-team all-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) selection, while being named offensive lineman of the week on four separate occasions. He led an offensive unit that finished third in rushing while also leading the way for the SIAC’s leading rusher Winston Thompson, helping him gain 1,134 on the ground. McNaulty was a finalist for “The Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year” award, while also being selected to play in the “East Coast Bowl” collegiate all-star game.

Jermey Parnell – Defensive End, Mississippi (6-8, 245): An athletic defender with size and speed, Parnell returned to the gridiron in 2008 after playing four seasons for the Rebels’ basketball team. Playing organized football for the first time since eighth grade, the Gosnell, Ark. native saw action in five games for Ole Miss and made one tackle.

Saints Win Over the Falcons To Re-Air on NFL Network on Wednesday Evening

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:32:02 GMT

Indianapolis’ come-from-behind win against the San Francisco 49ers to remain the lone unbeaten team in the AFC and New Orleans’ victory against the Atlanta Falcons to become the NFC’s only 7-0 team will be “encored” in a fast-paced, 90-minute format on NFL Network’s NFL Replay on Wednesday, November 4 at 8:00 PM ET & 9:30 PM ET, respectively.

NFL Replay highlights the most exciting games from the weekend, re-airing them on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. The abridged, yet enhanced version features the match-ups minus halftime and other elements not critical to the outcome, while granting insider access to fans with sideline and on-field sound, as well as post-game press conference sound bites. NFL Network’s NFL Replay also incorporates exclusive shots and camera angles distinctive to NFL Films.

DID YOU KNOW? The Saints drew a record audience in New Orleans, averaging a 63.8 household rating, 83 household share and 405,000 homes for the MNF game vs. Falcons (7:30p-11:15p CT) simulcast on ESPN and WDSU (NBC affiliate in New Orleans). The prior high was set by Super Bowl XXXVIII, New England vs. Carolina (Houston, TX in 2/1/04), with a 53.0 HH rating , 70.0 HH share, and 352,000 homes.

Lance Moore to Appear at Lowe's Tonight; Sign Up for the Saints Kids Club

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:35:57 GMT

Hello Kids Club Members!

I'm sure you are just as excited as I am about the Saints great 7-0 start! We will continue to work hard at practice and in our classrooms each and every day to make sure that we continue this success. I sure hope that you are working equally as hard in your classrooms!

Be sure to come see me today, Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at Lowe's in Marrero, LA. I will be there signing autographs and visiting with Saints and Lowe's Kids Club Members from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

This is also another chance to have some fun constructing a project with a Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic.

Remember, you can get another square punched on your Kids Club membership card by participating in the Build and Grow clinics. Members with two or more punches/ signatures will be allowed to enter a drawing for special prizes that evening. So I hope to see you next week and feel free to invite your friends and family who may not be Kid's Club members as we will have registration available on site!

Appearance information:

Lance Moore at Lowe's in Marrero, LA
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
4:00 - 6:00 p.m. CT
4950 Promenade Blvd.
Marrero, LA 70072

GO SAINTS!!!

Your Friend,

Lance Moore

Saints Try New Technology Created by Makkar Advantage

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:10:24 GMT

During Monday Night Football’s telecast of the Saints’ thrilling 35-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the Louisiana Superdome, color analyst and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden talked about a new mouth piece that many Saints players are using this season.

The revolutionary product is called: Pure Power Makkar. It is designed to be more than just a mouth guard and strives to increase balance, strength, flexibility, range of motion and endurance.

Numerous Saints players are wearing the mouth piece, which were specially fitted for each individual player during consultations at the Saints’ practice facility.

How does it work?

The Science is based on the position of the lower jaw, when the lower jaw is in the right position it aligns the neck with the spine. When the body is in a perfect erect position, you experience the above noted benefits. Unfortunately, 95% of the population is not in proper alignment.

The proper alignment of the lower jaw, is defined, via a “tens” machine. This machine relaxes the major muscle groups of the face, and thereby putting the jaw in a relaxed state. Once the right position of the jaw is found, it is captured with a bite registration material. This bite is then sent to a lab and incorporated into a re-positioning device (mouthpiece).

This special “bite” is the foundation of an athlete unlocking their true potential. Once the athlete bites into the PPM, the muscles in their face become completely relaxed, which allows them to use more of their upper and lower body strength.

Instant balance is achieved, because the lower jaw has come down and forward, thus allowing the neck to align it with the spine.

You can learn more at www.makkaradvantage.com

Saints vs Falcons Game Notes

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:56:43 GMT

Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints ● Monday, November 02, 2009

* The Saints have matched the best start in its history and are undefeated after seven games for the second time in the 43-year history of the franchise. The 1991 team also started 7-0. The Saints and the Indianapolis Colts are the only two undefeated teams remaining in the NFL in 2009.
* This marks the fourth seven-game win streak in club history. The club won seven straight from Sept. 11-October 23, 1988 and had nine game win streaks from November 1-December 27, 1987 and from December 23, 1990-October 20, 1991.
* Tonight was the 33rd all-time meeting between the teams in the Superdome. The Saints hold a 17-16 edge in those meetings.
* The Saints won their fourth straight home game over the Falcons, the first such streak in the series since 1974-77.
* The Saints are now 10-17 all-time on Monday night football. Under Payton they are 4-2 on Monday evenings with their second consecutive win.
* New Orleans’ 273 point total is the fourth-highest total in NFL history through a team’s first seven games.
* QB Drew Brees completed 25 of 33 passes for 308 yards with two touchdown passes and one interception for a 111.7 rating. Brees now has attempted 2,071 passes as a Saint, surpassing Bobby Hebert for third place on the club’s all-time list.
* Brees passed Pro Football Hall of Famer and Louisiana native Terry Bradshaw and Ron Jaworski, who served as color analyst for ESPN this evening, on the NFL’s career passing yards list into 42nd place all-time.
* Brees entered the game tied with teammate Mark Brunell for career touchdown passes with 182, 41st all-time in NFL record books. With two scoring throws, he now has 184 all-time and has moved into sole possession of 40th place.
* TE Jeremy Shockey caught a pass for the 102th consecutive game, the second-longest active streak among tight ends in the NFL behind Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez (139). Shockey had five receptions for 72 yards. Shockey now has 5,087 career receiving yards. He surpassed Jimmie Giles to move into 25th place all-time among NFL tight ends.
* WR Marques Colston had a game-high six receptions for 85 yards with one touchdown. His second quarter touchdown reception was the 30th of his four-year career. He is now tied with RB Wayne Wilson for seventh place on the club’s all-time list for touchdowns. Colston now has 251 receptions in his career as he surpassed RB Dalton Hilliard for seventh place on the club’s all-time list. He’s tied for second in the NFL with six touchdown receptions on the season.
* DE Will Smith had four tackles and a career-high tying two sacks. With his quarterback takedowns, he now has 41 for his career and moved past Bruce Clark into 11th place on the club’s all-time list. It was the fifth time in his career that he had two sacks in a game to match his career-high.
* RB Pierre Thomas had 14 carries for 91 yards with one touchdown to lead the Saints in rushing. His 15-yard scamper for a score in the first quarter was his fourth of the season and he is tied with Reggie Bush for the team lead in rushing scores. Thomas also had two receptions for nine yards, including a fourth quarter one-yard touchdown reception. It was the sixth multiple touchdown game of Thomas’ three-year career.
* RB Reggie Bush’s second quarter one-yard touchdown rush was his fourth of the season, to tie him for the team lead with Thomas. The touchdown was the 28th of Bush’s career, putting him in a tie with Henry Childs for tenth on the club’s all-time list. It was the 16th rushing touchdown of his career, putting him in a tie for ninth on the club’s all-time list with Wilson and Ricky Williams.
* CB Jabari Greer’s second quarter 48-yard interception return for a touchdown was the club’s fifth return for a touchdown on the season, tying the club record set in 1998. Following CB Tracy Porter’s fourth quarter 18-yard interception return, the Saints now have set a club record with 489 interception return yards on 16 picks, surpassing the prior club mark of 482 set on 29 picks in 1991.
* S Darren Sharper had his seventh interception of the season to tie for the NFL lead. It is the 61st career interception for Sharper, who ranks ninth in NFL history and first among active players in picks.
* The Saints defense allowed Atlanta to successfully convert only 3-of-11 (27%) third down attempts. Opponents came into the game converting only 31% of third down attempts against the Saints’ defense.
* Conversely, the Saints offense converted 7 of 12 third downs, including all four attempts in the first half. The Saints entered the game converting 44% of third down attempts this season.

Saints Down Falcons 35-27; Improve to 7-0

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:45:49 GMT

New Orleans – The Saints, through the first seven games of the season, have proven they can win pretty, can win ugly, can win via the comeback, and can protect a late lead, if need be. They also proved, perhaps most importantly, that they can win against the NFC South, and against their next closest competitor.

RB Pierre Thomas capped an 11-play, 81-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown reception from Drew Brees to put the Saints ahead of the Falcons, 35-24, with just under three minutes to go in the game.

“When my number was called, I knew I had to make a play,” Thomas said. “I had to help my teammates and make a play. Coach Payton called a great play that got us into the end zone. It was a struggle, and Atlanta put up a great fight. We have to eliminate the fumbles and the turnovers, and if we do that, we will be a tough team to stop.”

The Saints hung on and survived a late Hail Mary attempt following a Falcons field goal and walked away with a hard-earned 35-27 win.

“I’m pleased and excited with that win,” said Saints Head Coach Sean Payton. “It wasn’t always pretty and clean, but we did enough to beat a very good team and that pleases me. Our defense came up with some game-turning plays. It feels good and clearly we did enough to earn the win.

“We are focused on just trying to get better and we have Carolina coming in here off a big win,” Payton said. “We just need to get right back to it and continue to keep improving.”

The Saints improved to 7-0 for just the second time in team history and moved ahead of the pesky Falcons by three games in the NFC South standings following their first win against NFC South opponents this season. The Saints and the Indianapolis Colts, also 7-0, remain the two lone unbeatens through eight weeks of NFL play.

The Saints, who trailed early, 7-0 and 14-7, used a 21-point second quarter to take the lead and never looked back, but all the while had the competitive Falcons nipping at their heels. New Orleans was edged in the total yards category, 442 to 437, but came up with two huge interceptions, one each by the Saints’ starting cornerback duo of Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter, to turn away the Falcons (4-3).

Saints quarterback Drew Brees completed 25-of-33 passes for 308 yards with two touchdowns to one interception and captained an 81-yard, 11 play drive in the fourth quarter that widened the Saints lead from 28-24 to 35-24 after he found Thomas in the flat and the tough running back went airborne for the remainder of the play and the score. The Saints’ rushing attack seemed to match the impressive rushing attack of the Falcons, who featured Michael Turner with 151 yards on 20 carries. The Saints' tandem of Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas pounded out 146 yards on 35 carries and two scores, including one by Reggie Bush.

The Saints’ passing attack was led by the outstanding efforts of leading receivers Marques Colston (6-85-14.2-1 TD) and TE Jeremy Shockey, who hauled in five receptions for 72 yards (14.4 yards), including a sensational 27-yard reception that he hauled along the sideline.

The Saints had witnessed their once 14-point lead shrink to a mere four points earlier in the fourth quarter, but the team’s late fourth quarter drive, which was set up by a CB Tracy Porter interception, sparked the Saints’ offense, who made several huge and clutch plays in crunch time on the drive. Porter finished with six tackles (second-most on the team) along with the interception and pass defensed.

The Saints outgained the Falcons 288 yards to 187 in the first half, including an impressive 104 yards on the ground with RB Pierre Thomas churning out 75 yards on eight carries including a 22-yard touchdown run, while Mike Bell has picked up 26 yards and Bush three and a score. QB Drew Brees completed 15-of-his-first 17 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown pass to WR Marques Colston.

Atlanta won the opening coin toss and elected to receive and began their opening drive at their own 23 yard line. Turner began the drive with two consecutive carries, one for three yards and the next for 22 yards to the Atlanta 48. Ryan’s first pass of the game was an incompletion but he responded two plays later with a five-yard completion to WR Michael Jenkins for a first down. The biggest play on the drive came via a 27-yard completion to TE Tony Gonzalez, which took the ball from the New Orleans 40 to the Saints’ 13. On the next play Turner went around the right end of the Falcons’ offensive line for a 13-yard scoring run. Following K Jason Elam’s extra point the Falcons, 7-0, with just having 3:57 in time of possession expired off of the clock.

RB Mike Bell started the Saints’ first drive with a five-yard run and followed it up with a nine-yard burst off the left side of the line for a first down. A four-yard completion from Brees to Lance Moore on first down set up a short draw from Reggie Bush, which brought up a third-down and Brees found Shockey down the sideline and fired a back-shoulder bullet to him for a gain of 13 yards and a first down. Thomas then churned out an eight-yard gain on first down, and Brees came right back and found TE David Thomas for a gain of 11 yards and another first down. Brees then hit Bush for a gain of four yards and then Bell picked up two on a subsequent inside carry. On a third-and-four from the Falcons’ 22, Thomas slammed into the line of scrimmage and appeared to be stopped near the first down marker, but Thomas stuttered-stepped and hopped out of a would-be tackle and scampered the remaining 18 yards into the end zone. Following John Carney’s extra point, the Saints and Falcons were knotted at 7-7. The Saints were flagged 15 yards for an excessive celebration penalty and had to kickoff from their own 15.

Atlanta started their second drive at their own 46-yard line. Turner picked up three yards on first down, and then the powerful running back was met by LB Jonathan Vilma after a three-yard gain. LB Marvin Mitchell was guilty of an encroachment penalty on third down that gave the Falcons a first down, but DE Will Smith sacked Ryan on second down for a loss of two-yards. It would be the first of two sacks for Smith, who very nearly added another one in the fourth quarter. A second down pass intended for Michael Jenkins was overthrown after CB Tracy Porter blitzed off the blindside corner. DT Anthony Hargrove stopped Ryan after a gain of one yard on third down and forced the Falcons to punt the football away, which Lance Moore fair caught at the Saints’ nine-yard line with 2:30 remaining in the first quarter.

The Saints began their next drive by getting DT Jonathan Babineaux to jump offsides for a quick gain of five yards. On second-and-five Brees tried a play-action blitz by was sacked by S Thomas Decoud with a jarring hit. Brees couldn’t hang onto the ball and second-year defensive end Kroy Bierrman scooped up the loose ball and returned it four-yards for a touchdown, which following the extra point, gave the Falcons a 14-7 lead.

“It’s rare to have a sack, fumble and return for a touchdown, an onside kick recovered against you and to lose the giveaway/takeaway battle and still come out with the win,” Payton said. “Clearly there are things that we need to work on and clean up, but in the end the victory is the most important thing I take out of the game.”

The Saints picked up a key third down on their next drive when Brees hit a crossing Marques Colston for a gain of 10 yards. Thomas then picked up six yards on the final play of the first quarter. Bell churned out a hard five-yard run and a first down. Two plays later Brees connected with Shockey for a gain of 27 yards, but Brees was sacked on a blindside hit by Babineaux for a seven-yard loss to the Falcons’ 39 on first down. The Saints called their first time out of the first half and Brees came out and found TE Dave Thomas for a gain of 15 yards, which brought up a third-and-one from the Atlanta 23. Bell, despite encountering a congested line of scrimmage, kept hammering away at the right side of the Saints’ offensive line and found a hole big enough for a two-yard gain and a first down. Bell then came right back and picked up a hard-earned three yards to the Atlanta 18 and on a second-down and seven, Brees dropped back and found Colston in single coverage in the end zone and fired a high pass into the end zone for Colston’s sixth touchdown of the season and after Carney’s extra point the score was tied at 14-14.

Atlanta began their third drive at their own 30 and Ryan found Roddy White on a quick slant for a gain of 16 yards. On the tackle Saints CB Tracy Porter was accidentally nicked by Saints FS Darren Sharper who was coming in to stop White from turning up the field. Turner then picked up three yards and on second down got around the right side of the Falcons line for a gain of 37 yards to the Saints’ 22. Turner picked up another yard through the middle and a second down completion from Ryan to former Saint RB Aaron Stecker picked up five yards to the 15. A third down pass intended for White in the flat could not be brought in by the lanky Ohio State product as fellow Buckeye Malcolm Jenkins closed in quickly. Elam came in to try to convert the excellent field position into a field goal, but his 34-yard effort smacked off the left upright and fell to the turf. It was the first time this season that the Saints witnessed an opposing team’s field goal kicker not convert a field goal (had been nine-of-nine).

The Saints started at their own 24 and picked up a seven-yard completion from Brees to Shockey on first down and then Pierre Thomas snuck off the left side of the line, picking up a huge block by reserve TE Dave Thomas for a gain of 30 yards to the Atlanta 39. Pierre Thomas continued his success with a five-yard carry on first down and Brees, clearly in rhythm, found WR Lance Moore for a gain of seven yards and a first down. Thomas then was stopped for a loss of one-yard and WR Devery Henderson was docked for a pass interference call that cost the Saints 10 yards. On second down Brees appeared to find Henderson sneaking down the sideline, but a spectacular leaping interception by CB Brent Grimes ended the Saints’ drive and gave the Falcons possession at their own 18 with 3:59 left in the first half.

Turner worked into the middle for a gain of four yards on first down and DT Kendrick Clancy, who returned to action after a few weeks on the inactive list, pressured Ryan into throwing the ball away on second down. On third down CB Jabari Greer broke in front of Roddy White and knocked Ryan’s pass away, forcing the Falcons to punt away to the Saints.

New Orleans, after a holding infraction on the punt return were penalized, began their drive at their own 20 with 2:46 and two timeouts remaining, plus the two minute warning. On first down Brees found Colston across the middle of the field for a gain of 15 yards to the 35. On the ensuing first down Brees hit Bush out of the backfield for a gain of seven yards as Bush took on the defensive back by lowering his shoulder. The Saints called timeout their second timeout with 2:02 left and the ball on 42. Brees watched the Falcons re-adjust at the line of scrimmage into a blitz look and re-adjusted the Saints’ protection scheme, with Bush picking up a blitzing cornerback and Brees was able to sit in the pocket and loft a pass deep down the middle of the field for a 30-yard completion to a sliding Robert Meachem at the Atlanta 28. The two-minute warning was signaled with 1:56 left in the first half. Brees dropped back and found Henderson down the near sideline for what looked like a 24-yard spectacular catch, getting a foot and an elbow down at the four. The Saints quickly lined up to run a play but the officials signaled that they wanted to review the play to see if Henderson indeed had possession. The officials confirmed the ruling of a reception after the video replay and with 1:49 on the clock. Pierre Thomas picked up three yards to the Atlanta one and on the next play, Brees gave a hard handoff fake and coolly flipped the ball to Bush who was in single coverage with a linebacker and jogged into the end zone. Carney booted the extra point but TE Darnell Dinkins was flagged for a holding call and Carney had to move back ten yards to connect on the extra point that gave the Saints their first lead of the night, 21-14, with 1:05 remaining in the half.

Atlanta attempted to mount a late half rally, but after a short completion and a timeout, Ryan was victimized by a ball-hawking Greer, who stepped in front of a pass intended for White and raced 48 yards into the end zone for a touchdown. It was Greer’s first touchdown as a Saints (the 16th different Saint to score a touchdown this season) for his third career touchdown via interception return that gave the Saints a 28-14 lead. It was fifth interception returned by the Saints this season, which tied the team-record from most interceptions returned by the Saints for a touchdown in a season (1998).

The stunned Falcons received a good kickoff return to their 34 but Ryan’s first two passes missed their mark. Ryan found Gonzalez over the middle on third down for a gain of 15 to their own 49 with :21 left. Ryan then found TE Justin Pelle for a short gain of six yards to the 47 with :15 left and one timeout remaining. Ryan was able to find Gonzalez over the middle in single coverage with the Saints’ safeties playing deep and for a gain of 14 yards. Atlanta attempted a 51-yard field goal by Elam, but the field goal was never on-line and missed short and to the left to end the first half.

Courtney Roby returned the kickoff of the second half 30 yards to the Saints’ 28 to begin the second half of play. A first down pass attempt to Henderson fell incomplete and a second down run by Thomas managed two yards and a third down holding call in the Saints was declined after Brees’ pass attempt was incomplete and P Thomas Morstead was called upon for his first punt of the game and he booted a 47-yard punt that was field by Eric Weems, who returned the punt nine yards to the Atlanta 32.

DE Charles Grant was flagged for an offsides call on first down, giving the Falcons a free five yards and a few plays later Ryan dropped back and found White down the Falcons’ sideline for a 68-yard touchdown that pulled the Falcons to within a touchdown, 28-21.

New Orleans started at their own 38 after a 35-yard kickoff return by Roby. Bell was stopped after a short gain on first down, then Brees hit Colston for a gain of six yards to 44 and the Saints converted their first third down of the second half on an eight-yard strike to Shockey, which took the ball into Falcons’ territory. Bell rocketed off the right side of the line for a gain of five yards. Brees then rolled out and hit Meachem for a gain of 17-yards as the third-year wide out from Tennessee made a tip-toe grab along the sideline. Bell then pounded his way to seven yards on first down to the 19, put two nice passes defensed by the Falcons resulted incompletions and Carney trotted on to try a 37-yard field goal, which he narrowly pushed right to the right and the Falcons took over at their own 28 with 8:29 left in the third quarter.

Ryan hit White for a gain of 19 yards on the first play and then Turner picked up five yards and into New Orleans territory to the 48. LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar stopped Turner for no gain on second down and the Superdome crowd roared to life on third down, with Sharper blitzing from his safety spot and forcing Ryan to throw off target as Greer had White blanketed across the middle and forced the Falcons to punt, which Bush fair caught at the Saints’ 16.

New Orleans, clutching to a 28-21 lead with 6:21 remaining in the third quarter, started off with Brees scrambling for a gain of four yards on first down after his deep threats both were double covered. Thomas slammed through a hole for a gain of five yards on second down, then converted the third down into a first down with a three-yard run inside the tackles. DT Jonathan Babineaux needed to be helped from the field after an official’s time out and Bell was promptly stopped for a one-yard loss. The aggressive Falcons pass rush was caught by a quick screen to Thomas, who managed eight yards to the Saints’ 35, but Brees’ pass on third down was short of target Reggie Bush and Morstead came on and hit a 42-yard punt that Weems fair caught at the Falcons’ 23. Turner bulled his way off the left side of the line for a gain on nine yards on first down and converted it into a first down with a two-yard gain to the 34. DE Will Smith put a jarring sack on Ryan with a sack of three yards on first down but Ryan dropped back and hung in the pocket and found Jenkins for a 29-yard gain to the Saints’ 40. Greer forced Ryan to step out of bounds after a three-yard scramble on first down and on the final play of the third quarter Turner got around the edge for a gain of eight yards to the New Orleans 29.

Ryan tried to find Gonzalez down the sideline but was tightly covered by Porter. Turner found five yards over left guard before Scott Shanle could bring him down. On third-and-five from the 24 the Falcons tried an end around to Weems but Greer pushed him out of bounds four yards shy. The Falcons went for it on fourth down and converted it with an 11-yard completion to Gonzalez. Turner then picked up three yards to the Saints’ seven on first down. A false start penalty on left tackle Sam Baker cost the Falcons five yards back to the 14 on second down, which Ryan and Stecker picked back up with a seven-yard completion on second down to the seven. Ryan appeared to hit a diving White in the back of the end zone, but the Saints’ Sean Payton quickly challenged the ruling, claiming White did not have possession of the ball. Following the official’s review the call was overturned and the Falcons faced a fourth-and-fourth from the seven. The Falcons, who earlier passed on an intermediate field goal, elected to try a 25-yard field goal attempt by Elam, which he converted to pull the Falcons to within four points, 28-24, with 11:33 left in the game.

New Orleans started at their own 25 and picked up an eight-yard completion from Brees to Henderson on first down and then garnered a yard with a carry by Bell to the Saints’ 34. Thomas tried the right side of the line and appeared to get the first down, but lost control of the football as he crossed the 35, which S Erik Coleman somehow came up with after a scrum of players wrestled for the loose football. Payton challenged the ruling, saying that Thomas’s right knee was down, but after the official review the Falcons were awarded possession of the football at the Saints’ 35 yard-line with an even 10:00 left on the clock.

Turner picked up 24 yards on first down, breaking a host of tackles along the way to the Saints’ 11. Turner then picked up a yard on first down to the ten. On second-and-nine Ryan attempted to hit Gonzalez in the flat but LB Jonathan Vilma tipped Ryan’s pass and Porter undercut the route, intercepting the ball at the Saints’ one and managing to return the ball 18 yards to the Atlanta 19 before being stopped by FB Ovie Mughelli.

Bell picked up five yards on first down. Brees’s pass on second down was thrown into coverage but fell incomplete as he threw back across his body on a scramble. His third down pass was incomplete but his intended target, Bush, was held by LB Mike Peterson for a five -yard penalty and an automatic first down. Bell then picked up two yards and on second down Brees audibled out of his play and instead went deep, finding Colston for a leaping 29-yard grab to Atlanta 40 before he was upended. Bell picked up four more yards and Brees went right back to the air and found Shockey, who made a sensational 17-yard leaping reception to the Atlanta 19. Thomas jammed it into the middle of the Falcons’ defensive front with a four yard gain to the 15 and then Brees hit Colston over the middle for a seven yard gain and a first down to the Falcons’ eight. A first down carry by Bell picked up one-yard to the seven and the Falcons called their first timeout of the second half with 3:14 left in the contest. Brees then rolled out and found Henderson on a quick out for a gain of six yards to the one before being driven out of bounds by a big hit by CB Brent Grimes. Atlanta called their second timeout of the half with the ball on the one, with 3:09 left in the game, and Brees found Pierre Thomas out of the backfield after extra tight end Zach Strief picked up a Falcons defensive back, regardless Thomas, atoning for his earlier fumble, somersaulted into the end zone, giving the Saints a 35-24 lead with 3:03 left in the game.

The Saints’ crowd, which reined their loudest ovations of the night down on their home team, cheered wildly as the Saints’ defense took the field with the intent of stopping the Falcons from putting a mark in the Saints’ loss column, witnessed the Saints’ defense rush Ryan and force him to throw underneath to his targets. The Falcons advanced the ball to their 47 yard-line at the two minute and avoided a possible game icing scare when Will Smith grabbed hold of Ryan’s throwing arm and hung on as Ryan’s arm went forward. The Falcons challenged the call, saying it was an incompletion, and kept possession of the ball. FS Darren Sharper broke up a pass play on second down with a big hit on White along the boundary and a third pass attempt for Jenkins was mistimed after Saints’ pressure. The Saints dropped eight into coverage on a fourth down and Ryan’s pass sailed over the head of Jenkins and the Saints took over possession of the ball on downs with just under two minutes to go in the game.

The Saints, unable to run the clock out because Atlanta had a time out remaining, ran Bell up the middle for no gain. On the play a defensive player appeared to ricochet back into C Jonathan Goodwin, who remained down on the field of play and the Saints were charged with their second timeout with 1:37 left in the game. Bell once again hammered the ball into the line but was unable to gain a yard and the Falcons called their final timeout. Bell was stripped of the football after it appeared he was down on the ground at the Falcons’ 46, which was forced and recovered by LB Coy Wire.

Ryan dropped back and found Gonzalez for a gain of 14 yards to the Saints’ 39. His next pass to Jenkins was incomplete by the officials on the field but reviewed by the officials with :54 left in the game, but the call was overturned by the officials after the replay and the Falcons were awarded the 16-yard completion to the Saints’ 23. Ryan was then promptly sacked by DT Anthony Hargrove, who beat his blocker and snared the quarterback for a three-yard loss. Ryan then spiked the ball to stop the clock and his third down check down route to RB Verron Hayes picked up four yards. The Falcons sent on Elam to try a 40-yard field goal, which he connected on, and closed the scoring to 35-27 with :35 left.

Atlanta then tried an onside kick against the Saints’ “hands team,” with P Michael Koenen attempting the onside kick. TE David Thomas came up to try to make a play on the onside kick but it scooted away from him and was recovered by Wire at the 37.

Ryan then hit Jenkins for a 14-yard gain and came up to spike the ball at the 49 with :11. Ryan tried a “Hail Mary” but Sharper leaped up and intercepted the Saints’ 15th pass of the season, and his seventh pick off of the season.

Notes: Prior to the game the Saints held Military Appreciation Night, which featured a satellite link with troops from the Gulf South talking to the Saints fans back home in the Superdome. An ensemble of active military personnel unveiled a 25-yard wide American flag prior to the ceremony… legendary rocker Lenny Kravitz and members of his band were on the Saints’ sideline before the game. Kravitz was a headline act at the recently concluded, and very successful, VooDooFest… tonight’s paid attendance was 70,088…Payton said WR Lance Moore left the game with a bruised shin and C Jonathan Goodwin suffered a knee contusion, “which is a good thing considering what it could have been.”

Saints vs Falcons Postgame Quotes

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:41:24 GMT

SAINTS HEAD COACH SEAN PAYTON:

Opening Statement…

“Real quick, two injuries. Lance Moore had a shin bruise in the second quarter; he didn’t return. With Jonathan Goodwin, he’s got a knee contusion, so that’s good news for us.

“Obviously it was good to get the win. We did a lot of things well, yet we did a lot of things that made it close at the end and we have to get those corrected. We have some ball security issues that are obviously a concern, but third down was a good down for us on both sides of the ball. I thought we operated pretty well in the red zone. I thought we came up big on defense when we needed to after we turned the ball over.”

“I’m excited to win this game and get to 7-0. It was an important game against a division team. It wasn’t perfect; it wasn’t clean. We have to get better this week

(On defense) “I thought responding the way they did to some of the short fields was significant. We don’t recover the onside kick and we still come out and play good defense. There are a number of opportunities where they were put on a short field and they responded and that is one thing we talked a little bit about just five minutes ago.”

(On offensive-defensive balance) “When you can rush the ball that helps with your time of possession. We won the third down battle tonight, but one thing we didn’t win is the turnovers. That being said, we try to as best we can play a complementary game. There were portions of tonight where we were able to do that and there were other times when the ball came loose and it was sloppy, but that can be corrected.

(On undefeated talk) “The reason it’s premature is we haven’t hit the half way point of the season yet. Each week, we’ve got another challenge. We’re just focused on trying to get better. Each week new play another game and each time it seems to have that much more significance.”

(On overcoming four turnovers and a missed field goal) “I thought defensively we answered, we responded in the short field. We gave a sack-fumble for a touchdown, an interception, two more fumbles in the second half, and we missed a field goal. We did a lot of things that will get you beat and we were still able to get the win.”

(On how the 2 RB’s were used and if that is typically how he wants his offense run) “We try to get a good rotation going with Pierre (Thomas) and Mike (Bell) and then there are certain packages for Reggie (Bush) and it has been pretty effective. I thought we did a good job of rushing the football tonight and converting on third downs. Each week it kind of changes depending on how these backs are playing and it just depends on how the game is unfolding.”

(On Gregg Williams and if he has exceeded his expectations) “I think certainly he (Gregg Williams) is a big reason why we are 7-0. I don’t know that when you start off you envision exactly what it is going to be like. We set goals as a team to win the division and reach the playoffs. The way we’ve been able to turn the ball over and score defensively is a big reason that we are where we are right now. They defended some short fields tonight and did a real good job.”

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS PLAYERS

#9 QB Drew Brees

“Obviously, the defense is playing great. They’re doing a great job of taking the ball away. Our scoring defense has been unbelievable. They’ve had the ability to create momentum for our side of the ball. They feed off of our success and vice-versa.

“This is a huge win. We knew obviously coming in, you win this (division game), it’s worth two. It wasn’t the prettiest win at times, but we did what we needed to do when we needed to do it.

(on catches) “Marques Colston, he’s no stranger to those kinds of catches. You can get some of those defensive backs in an off-balance situation, or even when they know it’s coming, he can go pluck it out of the air. Jeremy had a nice one. Devery had a nice one.”

(on value of being 7-0 and having things to correct) “The fact is, yes we’re 7-0, and we’re happy to be 7-0, but there’s some things last week and this week that will get you beat. First off, turnovers. Four last week and four this week. I thought we had that figured out for a while, then all of a sudden, the last two games have been horrendous.”

#32 CB Jabari Greer

(On his interception for a touchdown) “There was a drag in the slant on an out route. We were in a coverage where I was playing deep. The line did a great job of getting pressure and allowed Matt Ryan not a lot of time to throw the ball. Fortunately, they had ran that route a few times to my side. I broke it up the first time they threw that play, but I knew that wasn’t going to be good enough against this offense. Fortunately, I was luck enough to get another opportunity. I was able to go out there and catch a ball. The defensive guys created a lane with their blocks. I got down the numbers and took it in.”

#42 S Darren Sharper

(On the impact of Tracy Porter’s interception) “It was huge. That had to be the play of the game. They were driving to go up. We get that interception and didn’t allow any points. That was big. We have done a good job of making big plays in the red zone. That has kind of been the staple of our defense. It’s big preventing them from scoring.”

# 88 TE Jeremy Shockey

(On the balance of the team) “Balance is playing lights out the whole game. We did it on the offensive side the first half and the defensive side the second half. It feels great anytime you get a win.

“We would do some different things if we could do it all over again. It was great to get a win. We have been sneaking by with these penalties and turnovers. It is going to catch up to us if we don’t correct them.”

#25 RB Reggie Bush

“I think we played pretty well in all three phases, but at the end of the day we still have a lot of things that we need to work on to get better. It feels good to be 7-0 right now, but there were a lot of mistakes we made today that will get us beat.”

FALCONS HEAD COACH MIKE SMITH

(On Porter’s interception in the red zone late in the fourth quarter) “That was definitely a big play. I don’t want to say that it’s one play here or one play there. The ball was tipped on the interception when we were going in to score in the red zone. It was definitely a crucial play in the ballgame.”

(On the team) “We’re 4-3 right now going into the last game of the second quarter of the season if you break the season down into quarters. That’s where we’re at right now. We have a short week in terms of preparation for the Redskins to prepare for. I thought it was a very hard fought game. I thought we showed a lot of resolve to stay in it. I thought we dug ourselves into too big of a hole in the first half to be down by two touchdowns. I thought our defense came out and played extremely well in the third quarter and gave us an opportunity to be in the game.”

(On Matt Ryan) “I thought Matt’s play through the game was good. We have to take care of the football. That was a very good defense. My hat is off to Greg (Williams) and his staff and Sean (Payton) and his staff to come out with the win.”

(On Michael Turner) “We wanted to get Michael and our running game going. I thought that Michael ran extremely hard. It’s an emphasis point that we’ve been working on. I thought that Michael was effective in running the football. We’re blocking better with our offensive line, our receivers, and our tight ends.”

ATLANTA FALCONS PLAYERS

QB #2 MATT RYAN

“It’s a tough loss playing a good NFC South rival in the Saints. We expected it to be physical and it was. I thought our defense gave us plenty of opportunities to take advantage and score & we just didn’t get it done.

“I thought we were in the game right until the end but we just fell short. I know everyone is saying we are too far back now in the division to catch them – but you know what, every week is a tough week. And when we get to week 17, we’ll see where we are at the end of the season.”

C #62 TODD McCLURE (Center)

“You have to hand it to them (Saints), they have a lot of talent on their squad. Every matchup in this league is tough. But all we can do now is regroup and get ready for Washington next week. The good news is that we will face the Saints again soon & we’ll be ready for them.”

S #28 THOMAS DeCOUD

(on Brees fumble for TD) “Actually I was untouched on the play. As I was getting up I saw the ball come loose & Kroy (Biermann) took it in for the score. At that time it was a big play in the ball game. Looking back, the Saints moved the ball well – not so much for what they were doing, but it was what we were doing.”