Saints Sideline Blog

AN EYE “OPENER”

Friday, September 10th, 2010      Email Print

DATELINE: New Orleans, LA/ September,10th 2010 (Hey Brett, any second thoughts?)
 
14 points has sure taken on different meanings for this Saints bunch this year. First off they win a Super Bowl by 14 points with an offense which was near perfect against the Colts. Fast forward seven months later, we put our magnifiing glass on the Who Dat Defense who bailed out an "offensive" 14 point effort against the Vikings. Raise your hand if (a) you would have predicted that the Saints would only score twice against Minnesota, especially after that opening drive and (B) that the team would win with the unit doing so? I didn't raise mine and its the Saints Defense who is laughing at its doubters, a unit which found itself in unfamiliar territory after its opening act. For once they were the heroes instead of the reigning number one offense in the NFL. A role reversal which could bode very well for a Saints team that is flexing its well rounded muscles winning as a team and showing a growing comfort level in year two under Gregg WIlliams attacking and ever changing scheme.
 
So much for the preseason huh? During exhibition season, the defense at times looked vulnerable against the likes of Brady, Schaub and Rivers. The special teams were shaky, the penalties were early and often and the offense was crisp----none of the above were replicated in the Saints opening act. Speaking of unpredictable, how about the Saints running game appearing in the 1st half as often as Nick Saban at an LSU booster club function. Who would have ever guessed, the Saints would run the ball a mere three times in the first half? Sure the Vikings boasted the second best defense against the run a year ago, but this was a shocker. At halftime, Pierre Thomas told me it was time for adjustments and nobody adjusted better than Saint Pierre who turned into a first down machine and plowed in for a touchdown on the Saints first drive of the second half.Thomas had only one rushing yard more than Taylor Swift in the 1st half but turned it around for 70 huge second half yards. Drew Brees may have disappointed his fantasy owners, but having been around Brees every game since he's been a Saint I would be hard pressed to have seen him happier after a regular season game. He was glad to see the team effort and he knows his offense won't be limited to 14 points often, if ever again this season.
 
While Brees didn't produce the expected opening act, how about the performace of Brett Favre or lack there of. The Saints defense gladly will take credit for that. There is no "O" in Favre except on this night where the black and gold gooseegged ole man Viking in the second half and they did it together. If it wasn't Vilma picking him apart, it was Ellis sacking him or Jabari Greer blanketing his targets. The defense only forced one turnover and didn't give him as many "remember me" hits as they did a year ago, but this effort was much more complete and gives every Saint fans the optimism that things will only get better especially with no Darren Sharper and a brand new weakside linebacker.
 
The moral to this opening day story was an unpredictable change of heart. The offense didn't carry this team in round one, no it was the defense who landed the knockout punches. To further wax poetic those boxing analogies, it seems if this team is going to go 12 rounds aka a Super Bowl, they are on their way to perfecting that winning balanced formula.Can you imagine this offense with a defense that limits opposing offenses to 14 points? I know its early but "for starters" this one for the Saints was surely an eye OPENER!
 
 
WHO DAT HITS
 
*STAND UP AND CHEER: It was everything Brees hoped for and so much more. He told the fans to wait for the sign and then go Who Dat crazy and they sure followed its leader. In unison over 70 thousand fans chanted Who Dat in what was a sign of support which overshadowed the unveiling of the Super Banner.
 
*MIGHTY MALCOLM: How about the steady play of Malcolm Jenkins? Coaches and teammates have raved about his football IQ which was on full display against Minnesota where the second year Saint didn't provide any Darren Sharper type turnovers but was more than a steady safety against Favre and company. Jabari Greer couldn't say enough about his peformance afterwards echoing what Gregg WIlliams said throughout camp that this guy is going to be a player.
 
*WEAKSIDE HARDLY WEAK: Big night for the Saints linebackers. Vilma had a pick, Shanle led the team in tackles and Jo-Lonn Dunbar picked up at the weakside right where Jonathan Casillas left off. Dunbar was steady against the run and looked comfortable in his newfound starting role.
 
*HARTBREAKING: Lost in the euforia was the performance of Garrett Hartley who missed as many field goals in the season opener as he had in his ENTIRE Saints career-- that would be two. To his credit, he talked to the media afterwards but its clear this is one area of concern. How long will Payton stand by his man?
 
BALANCED ATTACK: The offense didn't light up the scoreboard but there was on constant---balance. Brees found nine different targets versus Minnesota. How about this symmetry: Colston and Bush both had six catches, Meachem and Lance Moore both had four and Pierre Thomas and Shockey each had three.
 
NOBODY ASKED ME BUT: Before the game both teams showed their committment to the players union by pointing fingers in the air as a gesture to their solidarity. I thought it was unique and disagree with the criticism that there was no place for that in this game. The players are sending a message that they mean business, I hope the owners are listening---let's hope both sides feel the same urgency to get something done with the CBA as I think both sides can agree on this-- we all don't want to be without
football this time next year.
 
UNTIL NEXT  BLOG,
Mike Nabors
CST

By: Mike Nabors

An Emmy award winning sports reporter who covers a wide variety of events for CST. Primarily, Mike serves as the network's reporter for Saints coverage.

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