Saints fans who have kept up with training camp shouldn’t have been surprised by Monday’s result. Weaknesses that have popped up since the first scrimmage were exposed on a grand scale. Offensive line continues to be a worry, causing Drew Brees and Todd Bouman to throw on the move often. TE Ernie Conwell and FB Mike Karney were frequent members of the first team offense, no doubt for their blocking ability. That may be a good indicator of how often two back sets will be used this season. I spoke with Karney after the game and he said that sets involving Deuce and Bush will be implemented for a change of pace. I came away with the impression that he expects to be featured quite often. Players with questionable blocking skills, such as Zack Hilton, had difficulty getting on the field. It will be unfortunate if talented players with special skills remain unused throughout the season due to a severe need for blockers. Another weakness on display was the lack of skill and talent at the linebacker position. The Cowboys, like many teams will likely be able to do this season, completed short and medium passes at will. The lack of athelticism of the LB’s was apparent, allowing halfbacks and tight ends to easily create distance on slant and drag routes. Defensive Coordinator Gary Gibbs has his work cut out for him with a group that is too slow to play man to man and too inexperienced to run any sort of short/medium zone. I’ve said it for some time now, this position will consistently drag this team down until a serious effort is made to bolster it. After years of championing has-been free agents and late round picks, Saints fans should be more than fed up. The secondary, apart from an excellent Roman Harper fumble recovery that showcased his rare athletic talent, found it difficult to match up in single coverage. No defensive back showed an ability to battle on a fade route, a fact that Drew Bledsoe and Tony Romo exploited in spades. If this game assessment sounds bleak, it’s because there simply was not much good news. Despite having a sub-2.0 yard rushing average, Reggie Bush showed flashes of the kind of talent that can make him a special player in the pros. Rookie DE Rob Ninkovich, despite executing anunnecessary suplex on a stopped runner and losing 15 yards for the team, had a sack and seemed to move well on the inside. Brees continues to sync with Joe Horn, an important relationship to solidify by the start of the season. Unfortunately, his tenure with the first team was brief and unremarkable. Depth will remain a serious concern all season long, with few positions safe from a severe talent drop-off. QB, CB, and possibly TE are positions that losing a starter may well prove fatal. I’ve said before that 6 wins or so is a likely end result for this club, but I worry that with a few nicks, the win total may fall quite a bit lower. There are signs of a nucleus being developed on offense, of which the future looks bright, but it will be a difficult journey to develop this team into a contender.
Saturday’s Scrimmage Saturday, Aug 5 2006
Uncategorized 7:11 pm
Today’s practice was closed to the public, apparently, for the benefit of the fans. Except for the earliest drives, the offense was sluggish and inefficient. Drew Brees looked fairly crisp, but seemed to wear down. Unlike Jamie Martin and Todd Bouman, who are consistently overthrowing their targets, Brees is having some difficulty reaching his. An example today was a throw on the run that most QB’s would have had to take something off of. Unfortunately, the ball died before it could get there. His arm is defiantly improving and he seems to be gaining confidence with each day, but there are still some throws where the injury’s effects are noticeable. Reggie Bush looked sharp early, breaking long runs and catching screens. His ability to cover large amounts of field in a short time really must be seen to be believed. He did get some work split out as a receiver, but wasn’t really used that much. Deuce was serviceable with the first unit, although he looks quite a few pounds over weight. Travis Gordon, who is familiar with his physique in the offseason, says that it is not uncommon for Deuce to be as heavy as 250 during this time of the year. Joe Horn and Donte Stallworth did not participate, allowing the other receivers to split time with the first, second, and third teams. Jamal Jones continued his strong play and looked good at WR and returner. He brought down a high pass with a leaping grab and took a wicked hit on the way down, but maintained possession. “He made the team with that play”, said Mike Wallace, only half-joking. Mike Hass was a reliable possesion receiver but, except for a streak route where he was overthrown, he did not show an ability to noticeably separate from defenders. Marques Colston has an uphill climb to make this team, but the 6′4″ wideout from Hofstra used his large frame to create space and hauled in quite a few balls. Devery Henderson was unsurprisingly erratic. Zach Hilton had a nice endzone catch, using his large body to shield the defender. However, Hilton’s poor blocking may make it difficult to get playing time. To put it bluntly, the offensive line was dominated all day long. No quarterback had much time in the pocket, regardless of what unit was on the field. Especially troubling was the success the second and third team defensive lines had against the first team OL. Brees seemed to manage the pressure best, with all other quarterbacks tieing for last. Sacks were plentiful, as were tipped balls. Adrian McPherson had an especially difficult time of getting his passes over the defensive line. His performance today was indicitive of a player that has a ways to go before he can seen as a legitimate pro QB. The most poignant problem with this team is a lack of depth and today that weakness was on display. The dropoff in talent in a number of positions was apparent and, unless the team is miraculously healthy, will cause serious problems during the regular season. This was the first scrimmage and it is far too early to write off this team, but the weaknesses shown today are real and will be difficult to remedy.
Two backs are better than one Thursday, Aug 3 2006
Uncategorized 6:43 pm
Thursday afternoon’s practice featured a number of two back sets, including one with Zach Hilton in an H-Back role. Deuce and Bush were the most popular tandem, but all of the backs were used in various combinations. Mike Karney was an infrequent participant in today’s five on five and seven on seven drills, possibly indicating that the team plans to use a two back set as something other than simply a change of pace. Bush played his share of WR today and looked comfortable at the position. I’m starting to believe at least some of the hype regarding Bush and his receiving ability, as he looked natural and fluid in his movements, tracked the ball well, and caught it with his hands away from his body. I’m not ready to declare that he would have been a top pick as a WR like some of the national media has been saying since the draft, but he does not look like a back masquerading as a receiver. He also does not look as tall as he is listed, as Mike Karney and his purported 5′11″ frame appeared a good bit taller than Bush. He’s looked fairly sharp carrying the ball so far and today was no exception. The QB’s looked good as well and most balls got to their intended target. Jamie Martin looked better today, but understandably still seems to have difficulty maintaining focus. Mike Wallace believes the backup slot is Martin’s to lose and Todd Bouman squandered an opportunity to secure the position during Martin’s absence. Adrian McPherson continues to be an impressive athlete and is making it difficult to draft a preliminary depth chart at QB. I won’t be surprised if the loser of the backup spot is jettisoned to create a slot for McPherson. AMac had the play of the day, rolling out left and juking rookie DE Rob Ninkovich out of his shows. He consistently shows his athletic prowess, but it will be difficult for the Saints to keep him if he does not secure a QB slot. Rookie WR Mike Hass continued his strong play, bringing a little more speed to the table than in previous outings. He hauled in a pass at the left sideline and turned it upfield for the score. Other WR’s of note were Joe Horn and Marques Colston. Colston, a rookie from Hofstra, has impressive size and soft hands, but will have a difficult time making this team. Horn has had a strong camp and seems to be connecting with Drew Brees around the endzone. The offense seemed to have a step on the defense all practice long, save a few plays. On a side note, the scrimmage on Saturday will be at 2 P.M. and will not be open to the public.
Bennett traded, Brees coming along Wednesday, Aug 2 2006
Uncategorized 8:01 am
HB Michael Bennett has been traded to the KC Chiefs for an undisclosed draft pick. Bennett has looked impressive in camp this season and with the number of suitors he had in the trade market, I would hope that the Saints received a worthwhile pick in return. I’m more than a little surprised that they did not pursue a defensive player in the deal, but can’t really comment on this too much until more details come out. Drew Brees has been looking better in recent days. He is throwing the ball with more zip and confidence than earlier in camp. Unknown WR Jamal Jones has been consistently impressive throughout camp and is making a serious push for a roster spot. He’s a bit undersized at 5′11″, but his motor never stops. It’ll be an uphill climb due to the number of players competing for a limited number of WR slots, but Jones may find his niche as a special teamer. The national spotlight has been unrelentingly on Bush and a few muffed punts yesterday made news around the country. Fans shouldn’t read too much into it, as he’s handled the media pressure well for a rookie. He looked crisp athletically, but it’s still far too early to make any comments about his performance. Safety continues to be a competitive position, with newcomers Omar Stoutmire, Bryan Scott, and rookie Roman Harper battling veteran Jay Bellamy for the starting spots. No one has pulled away to an extend that there is a clear cut front runner, but Scott has looked solid and Harper has shown plenty of talent.
McPherson returning punts? Sunday, Jul 30 2006
Uncategorized 11:29 am
Saints QB Adrian McPherson was fielding punts with the rest of the return men on Saturday and did not seem to be out of his element. He tracked the ball well and didn’t try to force anything. It will be interesting to see if he continues this practice throughout camp. I like that the staff is trying to find ways to implement McPherson and his skills into the gameplan, but wonder if this is an indication that the coaches don’t have much confidence in him as a legit QB. – Chris
Early Camp Review Sunday, Jul 30 2006
Uncategorized 11:23 am
It’s too early to make any accurate statements about who’s hot and who’s not, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to talk about. The competition for WR slots is heating up, with Mike Hass continuing his strong showing. Donte Stallworth and Devery Henderson have dropped catchable balls, but have looked sharp athletically. There’s plenty of competition for the two safety spots, with Jay Bellamy, Bryan Scott, Josh Bullocks, newly acquired Omar Stoutmire, and rookie Roman Harper. It’s a position worth watching, as it seems fairly wide open at this point. Drew Brees has not thrown a ball further than 30 yards or so, indicating that the coaching staff is not ready to take the kid gloves off just yet. He hasn’t looked bad, but he seems to be hanging his passes. Short, medium, or long, many of his throws have too much air under them, a recipe for interceptions come gametime and a possible indication that his shoulder is not ready to put some zip on the ball. A Qb that hasn’t had any problem adding zip is Adrian McPherson. His throws have been crisp and generally on target, though he has had some problems with a few short routes. I talked him after his first day of camp, hopefully we can get that interview uploaded soon. – Chris
Hey Everyone Sunday, Jul 30 2006
Uncategorized 11:08 am
Hey, this is Chris Liuzza and I’m happy to announce that our Saints blog is up and running. Travis Gordon will also be posting and we’ll be looking to get some of our interviews uploaded for everyone.
