Da Boot Sports 9/12/2021 Article courtesy of Crescent City Sports By: Ken Trahan Sean Payton is famous for telling his players not to “eat the cheese” in vociferous fashion, not to listen to the outside world and praise from others.Sunday in Jacksonville, Payton’s New Orleans Saints ate the cheese, as in the cheesehead Green Bay Packers. I am sure Payton did not mind. On Nov. 8, 2020, the Saints went to Tampa Bay and bludgeoned the Buccaneers 38-3. It was the most complete performance of the season and arguably, the most complete performance in franchise history. It came against a team that eventually won the Super Bowl. On Sept. 12, 2021, the Saints went to Jacksonville to play a “home game” and made themselves right at home in another complete performance in bludgeoning the Green Bay Packers and a team that is a perennial contender for Super Bowl honors. The final score in both games was the same, 38-3 in favor of New Orleans. The similarities were striking. It was a demolition. The Saints totally undressed, exposed and demoralized the Packers. Despite losing its starting center on the opening series of the game and having to make two moves to replace him, the Saints did not miss a beat and dominated the game on both sides of the football, physically crushing the Packers. Like many, I did not know what to expect on this day, though I thought the Saints had a chance to win. Everything Mickey Loomis and the organization planned worked out off the field, including moving the team to Dallas and electing to play the opening game at Jacksonville, in the heat which the Packers are not fond of, and far away from the fan base of the Packers. For that matter, choosing to wear white and to make Green Bay wear green in the heat was smart as well. The smartest thing of all was the way the coaching staff prepared its players in all phases and the way the players executed the game plan to perfection, ignoring the clear distraction of Hurricane Ida which would make a good excuse. **Center Erik McCoy was hurt on the first series, resulting in Cesar Ruiz moving in at center and Calvin Thrackmorton replaced Ruiz at right guard. **The Saints took an early 3-0 lead, driving 49 yards in nine plays, taking four minutes off the clock with Aldrick Rosas kicking a 44-yard field goal. **On the drive, Winston ran twice for 26 yards. **Kwon Alexander started and made two nice tackles on the first series for the Packers. It marked a remarkable journey of a swift comeback from a devastating torn Achilles tendon, being released, then being brought back. **The Packers went for it on fourth-and-one from their own 34-yard line on the opening series and Aaron Rodgers hit Marquez Valdes-Scantling for three yards and a first down on a rub-route. **Tony Jones lined up in the backfield with Alvin Kamara on the same play on the second series and Tayrom Hill lined up at running back and converted a third-and-one situation. **The Saints had the ball for 11:09 in the first quarter to just 3:09 for Green Bay. New Orleans had 21 snaps to just five for Green Bay in the quarter. **New Orleans completed a 76-yard drive in 15 plays, taking 7:51 off the clock with Winston shoveling a pass to Alvin Kamara for a 3-yard touchdown to make it 10-0 with 14:18 to play in the first half. **On the drive, Winston had a huge 10-yard scramble for a first down to keep the drive alive. Additionally, Winston hit Deonte Harris on a 17-yard completion. **Marcus Davenport had a tackle for a loss on the first Green Bay offensive snap and he came up with a big sack early in the second quarter when Zack Baun did not bite on a play-fake, bootleg by Rodgers and had Robert Tonyan covered like a blanket, leaving Rodgers with nowhere to throw it. **Then, the Saints did it again on offense, wearing down the already tired Green Bay defense, driving 80 yards in 14 plays, taking a full 10 minutes off the clock. **Sean Payton elected to go for the touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line. **First, New Orleans drew Green Bay offside. **Then, Winston, under pressure, hit Juwan Johnson, who elevated and made an excellent catch on an excellent throw for a 1-yard touchdown to give New Orleans a 17-0 lead with 1:07 to play in the half. It was the first touchdown of Johnson in his young career. **Right before the half, it appeared the Saints may get another stop but C.J. Gardner-Johnson was flagged for hands to the face to keep the Green Bay drive alive. **On the next play, Rodgers hit Devante Adams on a great throw and catch for 29 yards to the New Orleans 21-yard line. **Green Bay took advantage to get points on the board as Mason Crosby connected on a 39-yard field goal as time expired to make it 17-3 at halftime. The drive covered 54 yards in six plays, taking 1:07 off the clock. **New Orleans totally dominated the half, running 38 plays to just 17 for Green Bay. The Saints had the ball for 21:51 to just 8:09 for the Packers. The Saints had 208 yards to just 70 for Green Bay. That included a whopping 140 yards rushing. **The Saints became the first team to have consecutive 15-play touchdown drives since Minnesota did so on Sept. 17, 2000. **Marshon Lattimore did not start the second half, apparently suffering from a right hand injury. Desmond Trufant, who was just signed, replaced him. Lattimore played the entire first half. He did return with just over six minutes to play in the half. **Green Bay took the second half kickoff and promptly drove to the New Orleans 9-yard line but Rodgers made a poor throw and rookie Paulson Adebo picked it off and returned it to the New Orleans 40-yard line. Cameron Jordan had great pressure on the play. **Adebo, per Pro Football Reference, became the sixth player in New Orleans Saints history with an interception in his first game and the first since James Allen in 2002 on the famous botched punt overtime interception to win at Tampa Bay. **Hill, as a tight end and reserve quarterback, returned to punt coverage teams. **Blake Gillikin saw his first punt in the NFL downed at the Green Bay 5-yard line, an outstanding effort and a terrific job by former Packer Ty Montgomery to dive to catch it as the gunner. **Marcus Williams then made an outstanding interception of Rodgers on a deep ball. Williams read Rodgers and worked from one side of the field to the other to pick it off with a great catch, hands outstretched. Williams then returned it 50 yards to the Green Bay 12-yard line. **The Saints capitalized in full, driving 12 yards in three plays with Winston hitting a wide open Chris Hogan with a 9-yard touchdown pass to give the Saints a 24-3 lead with 3:07 to play in the third quarter. On the play, Winston stepped up in the pocket to avoid pressure and the threat of him taking off and running froze a defender or two. **Green Bay then gambled on fourth down from its own 21-yard line and failed in a desperation move. **New Orleans took over and Winston was intercepted in the end zone by Darnell Savage but Za’Darius Smith was called for roughing the passer, clearly a questionable call, and the Saints had new life via a break from the officiating crew. The interception may have been overturned by replay as the ball appeared to touch the ground but it was still a big break. **The break turned into a touchdown as Winston hit a wide-open Johnson on a 10-yard touchdown pass. On the play, two Green Bay defenders collided in coverage, leaving Johnson all alone and the Saints led 31-3 with 14:54 to play in the game. **Amazingly, the Saints got another stop and got another score, driving 66 yards in just four plays, taking just 2:14 to add to the lead on a perfect 55-yard bomb from Winston to Harris to make it 38-3. **It was the fifth touchdown pass for Winston, tying his career high. It also illustrated that Winston, along with Harris, can stretch the field with the former’s big arm and the latter’s big speed, something Drew Brees could not do last season. **Winston finished 14-of-20 for 148 yards with the five touchdowns and he rushed six times for 37 yards, including four first downs rushing. His quarterback rating was 130.8. **Rodgers finished 15-of-28 for 133 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. His quarterback rating was 36.8. **According to Fox Sports, it was the fewest yards passing for a quarterback with five touchdown passes in the NFL since 1948. **Matt Lafleur threw in the towel with 10:46 to play, removing Rodgers and inserting Jordan Love into the game. **Rodgers did not have a third down conversion in the game against the New Orleans defense. It took a fourth quarter completion by reserve Jordan Love to accomplish that feat. **Tanoh Kpassagnon and Kaden Elliss finished it off as Kpassagnon had a strip-sack of Love, forcing a fumble and Elliss recovered to seal the deal. All offseason, I have stated repeatedly here and on my radio shows on NASH ICON 106.1 FM that the Saints need to run the football more, in fact, more than they throw it. On Sunday, New Orleans rushed 39 times and passed just 21 times. Those 39 rushed resulted in 171 yards. To find any negatives, Trautman had two drops and drew a penalty as well, not what you want to see from a player who is being counted on to be a solid starter. Much like the enormous disappointment and negativity surround LSU and its loss to UCLA as a favorite must be put in perspective to remind all that it was just one game, the enormous euphoria and positivity of the Saints demolishing Green Bay must be put in perspective to remind all that it was just one game. Still, you cannot help but be encouraged, if not thrilled, with what you saw from the New Orleans Saints Sunday. Joe Buck perhaps stated it best when he stated on the Fox broadcast that Sean Payton should give a game ball to himself. The Saints thoroughly outprepared, outcoached, out-hit and outplayed the Packers. Though the cheese heads may have outnumbered black-and-gold fans in the stands, they left the stadium as mice, trying to scamper out without being noticed, much like their football team was in hiding all afternoon. Carrying the reference a step further, the Saints turned the Packers into Swiss cheese without any real impact from their Swiss Army Knife (Hill). Now, Payton can immediately rejoin the theme to his team of not eating the cheese after the praise that is certain to be lavished on his squad in deserving fashion, much as you read here. It was a thing of beauty to watch as a Saints fan. For perhaps a day, we will not have to read or hear about the Aaron Rodgers soap opera, though that is sure to ramp up again after this Green Bay performance. After all, this was the largest margin of defeat in the outstanding career of Rodgers. Having watched New Orleans Saints football since day one in 1967, the win over Tampa Bay last year and the win Sunday over Green Bay, considering the opposition, were the best performances in the 55-year history of the franchise. What a way to start!
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Da Boot Sports 9/1/2021 Article courtesy of Crescent City Sports By: Justin Macione The National Football League announced today that the New Orleans Saints opening game of the 2021 season against the Green Bay Packers will be played in Jacksonville, Florida at TIAA Bank Field, on Sunday, September 12 at 3:25 p.m. (CT). Due to the impact of Hurricane Ida on New Orleans and surrounding areas on August 29-30, the decision to move the game to Jacksonville provides the city of New Orleans the greatest ability to continue storm clean up procedures and allow the city’s infrastructure to recover and allow all resources to be directed towards the most expedient recovery possible. ASM International manages both the Caesars Superdome and TIAA Bank Field. “I am proud of the collective communications that occurred between many entities in a short amount of time that led to us making this decision,” said New Orleans Saints Owner Gayle Benson. “It is never easy to make a decision that involves not playing a Saints home game in the Caesars Superdome, but I am confident that this is the right decision for our city at this juncture. Collectively, we have a monumental task ahead of us in cleaning up the after effects left by Hurricane Ida, but it has been inspiring to see people getting right to work and starting the process. I wish to personally thank Shahid Khan, Mark Lamping and the entire Jacksonville Jaguars staff and their city leaders in offering to host our game. Our staff is working diligently to prepare for the game and we anticipate many Saints fans from across the region will be there to support Coach Payton and the Saints players.” The Saints and league have had extensive discussions with local and state governmental leaders, Entergy officials, ASM International and other key community leaders. The team will remain in regular contact as daily assessments are made, with the greatest hopes that the Saints can return home to play the balance of their home games at the Caesars Superdome as soon as it is feasible. “We also want to thank Governor Jon Bel Edwards and Mayor LaToya Cantrell for their leadership during this hurricane,” said Benson. “And, of course all of the first responders and those at Entergy and everyone working to get power and water restored to our city. We are grateful for their leadership and tireless efforts.” The Saints are preparing for the upcoming game in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area after the team evacuated on August 28. The team will travel to Jacksonville the day before the game. Season Ticket Holders will receive access to tickets prior to a general on-sale for fans. More details on ticket sales timing and policies will be released on Thursday. NFL RELEASE: Week 1 Green Bay-New Orleans Game To Be Played in Jacksonville on Sunday, September 12 Due to the ongoing recovery efforts in New Orleans and the surrounding communities in the wake of Hurricane Ida, the New Orleans Saints Week 1 home game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, September 12 will be played at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida, the NFL announced today. The game will remain a 4:25 p.m. ET start and be broadcast on FOX. The decision was made, in consultation with state and local officials and both clubs, in the interest of public safety. Details on tickets and other specifics, including how fans can continue to help in the recovery effort, will be announced in the days ahead. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS PRE-SALE TICKETS GO ON SALE THURSDAY FOR SEPTEMBER 12 GAME VS. GREEN BAY PACKERS IN JACKSONVILLE Da Boot Sports 9/1/2021 Article courtesy of Crescent City Sports By: Justin Macione The New Orleans Saints formally announced Wednesday that the team will be temporarily conducting practices and strength and conditioning sessions at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. New Orleans, which is currently recovering from the effects of the storm, is currently without power and water and other necessary utilities in many parts of the city, as well as in many nearby surrounding communities. While tireless efforts are underway to repair key components of the city that will hasten the return of team to New Orleans and their year around home at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center in Metairie, the Saints are committed to maintaining their normal game week preparations prior to the start and into the early portions of their 2021 schedule. TCU, located in Fort Worth, immediately stepped forward with an offer to host the team and support the Saints’ effort in their preparations. Following a careful review of many top-notch facilities in close proximity to the Saints’ temporary headquarters, Saints leadership, spearheaded by Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis and Head Coach Sean Payton, selected TCU’s facilities as the most logical solution to the team’s unique situation. “Our organization is tremendously appreciative and grateful to TCU for their hospitality” said Loomis. I would personally like to thank Chancellor Dr. Victor J. Boschini Jr., Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jeremiah Donati and Head Football Coach Gary Patterson for the sacrifices they are making in order for us to prepare on the field and in their strength and conditioning facilities. We are truly grateful for the many offers we were presented with in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and have been overwhelmed with the support of this community in our time of need. We are cognizant of fact that TCU and their student-athletes and staff are hard at work in their preparations for their season and understand the stress and strains an NFL team will place on their facilities. They have our organization’s most sincere appreciation for their sacrifices.” While working on-campus at TCU the Saints will have access to locker room facilities at Amon G. Carter Stadium, outdoor fields, the Sam Baugh Indoor Practice Facility and the strength and conditioning facilities at the Bob Lilly Performance Center. Specific information regarding Saints practice schedules and arrangements will be shared at the appropriate time. -- From TCU Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jeremiah Donati: “We have a good number of student-athletes and TCU students in general who are from Louisiana. The New Orleans Saints are an important part of their communities and the entire state. Thanks to our campus leadership and especially the support of Head Football Coach Gary Patterson, which includes his relationship with Saints Head Coach Sean Payton, we are proud to welcome the Saints to TCU and Fort Worth. We look forward to hosting them on campus as a practice site and being of assistance during this most difficult time. Our hearts go out to all those impacted by Hurricane Ida.” From TCU Head Football Coach Gary Patterson: “The state of Louisiana, just like Texas, means a lot to us. Many of our past and present players are from there, and we recruit the entire state. The New Orleans Saints are very important to the people in Louisiana, and that’s why they’re important to us. My relationship with Saints Head Coach Sean Payton is also very important to me. Coach Payton has always given our players a good look and this year spent time personally visiting with them at our Pro Day. The entire Saints organization, under Mrs. Gayle Benson, is first class and has always treated TCU and our NFL players great.” Da Boot Sports 8/27/2021 Article courtesy of Crescent City Sports By: CCS Staff The New Orleans Saints announced Friday, Aug. 27 that due to the impending impact of Hurricane Ida on the Gulf Coast region that the team’s preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals has been canceled. The game, which was originally scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug 28 was moved to noon at the Caesars Superdome. Due to the intensification of the hurricane throughout the day and after the most recent tropical update, the team’s leadership has made the decision in the best interests of all personnel that may have been directly and indirectly affected by the storm. This announcement comes after constant communications with City of New Orleans officials, the National Weather Service, Homeland Security, Governor Edwards and leading state officials and the National Football League. The team encourages all residents of the region to take precautionary measures to remain safe throughout the impending hurricane. The Saints will be in communication with season ticket account holders regarding applicable refunds and/or credits to their season ticket accounts. Saints-Cardinals preseason game moved to noon kickoff time Saturday due to hurricane threat8/27/2021 Da Boot Sports 8/27/2021 Article courtesy of Crescent City Sports By: CCS Staff The New Orleans Saints have announced that the kickoff time of the team’s Saturday, Aug. 28 preseason finale vs. the Arizona Cardinals in the Caesars Superdome has been moved from 7 p.m. CT to noon CT (official kickoff time is 12:02 p.m.). The change was made for proper and safe preparations regarding the potential landfall of Hurricane Ida and following consultation and agreement with City of New Orleans officials, the National Weather Service, Homeland Security and the NFL. 2021 New Orleans Saints Broadcast Information Preseason Week 3 | Vs. Arizona Cardinals | Saturday, August 28, 2021 | 12:00 P.M. (CST) | Caesars Superdome The New Orleans Saints host the Arizona Cardinals for the team’s final preseason contest of the 2021 season on Saturday, August 28, 2021 at 12:00 P.M. CST. Below outlines when and where you can watch, listen, and follow game coverage: Saints APP 11:00 A.M. (CST): New Orleans Saints Pregame Show – John DeShazier and Erin Summers reflect on 2021 Saints Training Camp while providing insight into the Saints final preseason matchup against the Cardinals. TV 12:00 P.M. (CST): Gray Television Network (WVUE FOX 8) – Joel Meyers (play-by-play), Saints Legends Jon Stinchcomb, Jonathan Vilma (color analysts) and Meghan Payton (sideline) will bring you all the action. LOCAL RADIO 12:00 P.M. (CST): WWL (870 AM and 105.3 FM) – Mike Hoss (play-by-play), Deuce McAllister (color analyst) and Steve Geller (sideline) Da Boot Sports 8/27/2021 Article courtesy of Crescent City Sports By: CCS Staff NEW ORLEANS, LA: What was assumed is all but official. Jameis Winston will be the Saints’ starting quarterback to open the season when New Orleans hosts the Green Bay Packers, ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported Friday via sources. The 2015 No. 1 overall draft pick by Tampa Bay spent five seasons with the Bucs before signing in 2020 with New Orleans and serving as one of Drew Brees’ backups with Taysom Hill. The 27-year old Winston beat out Hill for the opener starting role this preseason. Da Boot Sports 8/24/2021 Article courtesy of Crescent City Sports By Ken Trahan The lingering question for the New Orleans Saints before their preseason game with Jacksonville was who would the starting quarterback be? The answer came swiftly and decisively from Jameis Winston, who was scintillating from his first snap to his last. It would not be a surprise to see Winston announced as the starter this week. He certainly earned it. With the situation settled, it enables Sean Payton to begin his scheming to return Hill to his wild card/joker role, lining him up at tight end, as a wide receiver and even at running back. Of course, Hill can still take some snaps at quarterback, as he has done the last few years. It was a nice performance overall by the primary players before the most fans we have seen in two years in what is now Caesars Superdome. Of course, there were many empty seats, being a preseason game and in the midst of a pandemic. Here are my Quick Takes on the 23-21 win over Jacksonville: **Cam Jordan led the pre-game “Who Dat” chant with the fans, whose sound was a bit muffled by the masks they were wearing. **Ty Montgomery handled the opening kickoff return. **Saints starters were on the field on offense, other than Tony Jones starting at running back. **Jameis Winston quickly asserted himself on the opening drive, taking the Saints 72 yards in six plays, taking 2:43 off the clock. **Winston connected with Marquez Callaway on a 43-yard touchdown pass over two defenders. Callaway made the catch despite being blatant pass interference. It was impressive on both ends as the Saints grabbed an early 7-0 lead with 12:17 to play in the opening quarter. **Nolan Cooney, not Aldrick Rosas, kicked off for the Saints following the touchdown. **C.J. Gardner Johnson had a pair of tackles on the opening defensive possession as Jacksonville went three-and-out. **Shy Tuttle and Jalen Dalton opened at the defensive tackle spots. All other starters were on the field defensively. **The Saints forced a three-and-out and got good field position but a pair of false start penalties, one each on Erik McCoy and Ryan Ramczyk, killed the drive and New Orleans had to punt. **Adam Trautman left with an injury and was carted off while Brian Poole limped off in the first quarter. **Winston then engineered another touchdown drive, going 57 yards in six plays, taking 3:06 to do so with Winston hitting Callaway with a perfect dime on a 30-yard touchdown pass against tight coverage by Shaquill Griffin. It was simply a perfect throw. **Taysom Hill took over at quarterback with second team players on the final series of the first quarter and he was sacked by Jihad Ward on third down to force a punt. **The next series resulted in another three-and-out with Hill again being sacked on third down after holding the ball a bit too long. **Blake Gillikin blasted a 63-yard punt early in the second quarter, his second blast in as many games. It is easy to see why the Saints protected him last year with Thomas Morstead still on the roster. **Jacksonville finally mounted a drive to produce points, going 12 plays, 57 yards in 5:43 with Josh Lambo connecting on a 34-yard field goal to make it 14-3 with six minutes to play in the first half. **Hill finally got it going with a pair of 25-yard completions to Lil’Jordan Humphrey on the next possession but on a fourth-and-three from the Jacksonville 34-yard line, he held the ball too long, a consistent issue, and threw incomplete, killing the drive. **Jalen Dalton, who is battling for a roster spot and looking good to get a spot, had a key sack of Trevor Lawrence to stall a good Jacksonville drive late in the first half. Lambo came on and missed a 43-yard field goal, hitting the right upright, with 36 seconds left in the half. **Hill got his team points before the half, driving the Saints 33 yards in 10 plays, taking just 36 seconds with Rosas banging home a 52-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to make it 17-3 at the half. In his regular season career, Rosas is 10-of-14 from 50 yards and beyond, a real strength. **New Orleans amassed 225 yards of offense in the first half, 195 of those passing. **Each team had 34 offensive snaps in the half. **Jacksonville had a long drive to start the second half but the Saints held. **Hill remained in the game but could not get anything going on the first possession of the second half. **Then, Hill engineered a good drive resulting in a score, going 76 yards in eight plays, taking 4:07 off the clock with Hill connecting with Humphrey on a 14-yard touchdown pass to make it 23-3 with 1:27 to play in the third quarter. **Unfortunately, Rosas missed the extra point. **It was Humphrey’s second touchdown reception in as many games. With his size, he has the ability to be a weapon in the red zone. **Hill finished 11-of-20 for 138 yards and a touchdown. Interestingly, Hill has not run the ball once in two games, a strength of his game. **Jacksonville had a nice drive which reached the New Orleans one-yard line but Wynton McManis came up with an interception. McManis later had a big hit as well. **C.J. Beathard then guided the Jaguars to a touchdown, driving 74 yards in seven plays, taking 1:35 off the clock with Beathard hitting Jeff Cotton on a three-yard touchdown pass to make it 23-13 with 5:19 to play in the game. **A pair of secondary players, Eric Burrell and Bryan Mills each got hurt in the final quarter. **Beathard then hit a wide open Collin Johnson on a 24-yard touchdown pass to make it 23-19 with 2:46 to play. On the play, Natrell Jamerson was looking in the backfield, stopped running, and that left Johnson wide open. Then, Beathard hit Nathan Cottrell for the two-point conversion to make it 23-21. The drive covered 50 yards in seven plays, taking 1:32 off the clock. **Trevor Siemian played the fourth quarter for New Orleans, going 4-for-8 for 59 yards. Siemian hit Dwayne Washington on a 33-yard pass to put the game away with two minutes left. **David Onyemata came on in the fourth quarter to take snaps defensively. The stars were clear on this night in Winston and Callaway, who caught five passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Winston got the ball down the field, something the Saints have lacked recently, certainly last year. Once again, Marcus Davenport was very good, as was Gardner-Johnson. Kpassagnon made his presence felt. Ken Crawley played well, as did Dalton. Once again, Paulson Adebo distinguished himself well. Carl Granderson picked up a personal foul in the second half but otherwise, he was a terror, playing very well. The big negative was seeing Trautman leave on a cart with a foot injury. Initial X-rays were negative but Trautman will undergo an MRI on today, according to Adam Schefter. The other big positive, aside from Winston, was the Saints went from six turnovers to none and from 10 penalties to six, compared to the preseason opener against Baltimore. The final preseason game is Saturday night, at home against Arizona. It is doubtful that we will see much of starters, if at all, in the game. Da Boot Sports 8/23/2021 Article courtesy of Crescent City Sports By: CCS Staff We should know who the starting quarterback for the Saints for their regular season opener is before the end of the week. Head coach Sean Payton told NBC’s Peter King that he hopes to name a starter before the final preseason game for New Orleans on Saturday night against Arizona. The battle between Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill continues tonight with Winston taking the first Saints snaps against the Jaguars. Hill started the first preseason game at Baltimore. Da Boot Sports 8/22/2021 Article courtesy of WWL Radio Sports By: Jeff Nowak The No. 8 isn't technically retired by the Saints, but no one has worn Archie Manning's number since his final season in New Orleans nearly four decades ago. But with NFL rule changes, single-digit numbers can now be worn by skill position players, leading a pair of players new to the roster to request the No. 8, according to a report from NOLA.com's Jeff Duncan. Those players were second-year wide receiver Easop Winston Jr. and former Falcons and Giants running back Devonta Freeman. Both were told the number was off-limits, according to Duncan, an unofficial tradition to honor Manning that started with former equipment manager Dan Simmons. Current equipment manager John Baumgartner has continued that tradition, though it's a policy that previously only had to contend with specialists and QBs if they picked a single-digit number. Freeman landed on No. 34, while Winston donned No. 18. Both new players can be forgiven for not knowing the policy surrounding Archie's No. 8, but the lone other single-digit number not currently being worn might indicate a new policy emerging. A handful of players have thrown on the No. 6 thus far this season, including Tommylee Lewis, Prince Amukamara, Brett Maher, and now newly signed kicker Aldrick Rosas. Wide receiver Marquez Callaway also took advantage of the new rules to switch from the No. 12 he wore in his rookie season to the No. 1. But no one has yet donned the No. 9 worn for 15 seasons by Drew Brees before his retirement this offseason. Kamara joked after Friday's practice at the Caesars Superdome that he wants a shot at the starting quarterback job, and he'd wear No. 9 in Brees' honor. That seems unlikely, as does any other player taking over the mantle of No. 9, given the history. Da Boot Sports 8/15/2021 Article courtesy of Crescent City Sports By: Ken Trahan It is better to give than to receive. The New Orleans Saints embraced the axiom to its zenith Saturday night. It was the first real impression of a team that is and will look substantially different than the team we last saw losing to Tampa Bay to conclude the 2020 season. On a sunny, hot evening at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, the 2021 New Orleans Saints, or a reasonable representation of who that team will be, debuted. Reality set in when Taysom Hill took the first snap and the realization that Drew Brees was not on the roster for the first time in 5,704 days. Reality then set in as the Saints had five possessions in the first quarter, resulting in four turnovers and no points. Then, the Saints committed three more turnovers in the second half, an astounding six for the game. Then, there were three encroachment penalties on three different defensive linemen in the first half alone. The end result was a 17-14 loss. Of course, several key players did not play, including Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas (of course), Tre’Quan Smith, Ryan Ramczyk, Terron Armstead, Demario Davis, Cam Jordan, Malcolm Jenkins, Marcus Williams and PJ Williams, among others. All in all, it was a mixed bag of the good and lots of bad. Here are my Quick Takes on the 17-14 loss at Baltimore: **Michael Thomas was on the sideline with his teammates, wearing a boot on his left foot. He was even catching passes from Jameis Winston on the sideline. **Ty Montgomery opened as the kickoff return specialist. Deonte Harris is likely to be suspended to start the open of the regular season **It was no surprise that Taysom Hill took the first snap at quarterback. Hill started the four games in 2020 which Brees did not start. Just because Hill took the first snap is not an indication that he will be the starter week one against Green Bay on Sept. 12. **On the first play from scrimmage, Hill hit Lil’Jordan Humphrey perfectly on a short out-route and Humphrey dropped the ball. **Hill responded well, hitting Marquez Callaway for 10 yards on a third-down play to move the chains before throwing a strike to Callaway for 28 yards to the Baltimore 35-yard line. **Hill then defeated a blitz, with Latavius Murray missing a block but Hill bought time moving right and drilled a 23-yard completion to Callaway for a first-and-goal at the Baltimore nine-yard line. **Murray then ruined the drive with a fumble when he was hit by Malik Harrison with DeShon Elliott recovering at the Baltimore eight-yard line. **Hill was 4-of-5 for 62 yards on the drive. **Zack Baun, who has looked good in training camp, then made two plays in succession, one for a one-yard loss on a pass completion and one on a run for just a yard. **David Onyemata got a sack of Trace McSorley on third down, forcing a punt. **The next offensive series resulted in another turnover. After Hill threw wide on a check-down to Murray, Geno Stone picked off Hill on third down. On the play, Montgomery was running a crossing route and was open but he stopped running. Hill threw to the spot he was heading to, leading the receiver but the pick resulted from Montgomery stopping. **Then, on fourth-and-one at the New Orleans 40-yard line, Kaden Elliss stuffed JK Dobbins for a loss of a yard, getting a big stop. **Eastop Winston handled the first punt return. **Hill engineered a drive that reached the Baltimore 37-yard line, including an 11-yard completion to Murray, but former Livonia and LSU star Patrick Queen wrecked the drive, hitting Devonta Freeman for a three-yard loss on a screen pass before sacking Hill to force a punt. **Jameis Winston entered late in the first quarter on the fourth possession of the game. **On his first play, a handoff to Freeman, the new veteran back coughed it up and Justin Madubuike, who made the hit, recovered at the New Orleans 35-yard line. **The first quarter ended on a sack by David Onyemata. **New Orleans held Baltimore to a total of two yards in the first quarter. **Justin Tucker drilled a 56-yard field goal to give Baltimore a 3-0 lead with 14:16 to play in the first half, scoring off the fumble by Freeman. **Tony Jones Jr. ran 28 yards, to the right side, for a first down on the first Saints offensive series of the second quarter and he followed that with a 17-yard run and another first down. **Winston hit Humphrey for 16 yards, a good throw, for a first down. **Then, Jones finished what he started, racing left on an 18-yard touchdown run, diving for the pylon, to give the Saints a 7-3 lead with 11:38 to play in the first half. On the play, Adam Trautman got a very good seal block, allowing Jones to get the edge. **On the drive which covered 80 yards in seven plays, taking 2:38 off the clock, Jones rushed three times for 63 yards and a score. **Defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon went down injured on the next series but he was able to return later in the quarter. **The Ravens got their initial first down with just over 10 minutes to play in the first half. **Baltimore got its first drive of the game, going 52 yards in 13 plays, taking 6:07 off the clock with Jake Verity connecting on a 42-yard field goal to make it 7-6 with 5:31 to play in the half. A pair of penalties by the Ravens stalled the drive. **Dwayne Washington was next to return a kickoff for New Orleans while Chris Hogan was next to line up to return a punt. **Winston, given a good pocket, drilled a 26-yard completion over the middle to Montgomery for a first down. On the play, Jones did a good job picking up the blitz. **Then, Winston, well protected again, hit Juwan Johnson on a 33-yard completion to the Baltimore 20-yard line. **Winston finished the drive with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Humphrey to make it 14-6 with 1:02 to play in the half. **The drive covered 80 yards in seven plays, taking 1:59 off the clock. Winston completed 5-of-6 passes for 79 yards on the drive with the score. **Then, Bryce Thompson picked off a deep pass by McSorley at the New Orleans 40-yard line. **On the next play, Winston pump faked and tried to go deep for Humphrey. The throw was a tick late and hung up and Stone came up with his second interception of the game. **That led to a 53-yard field goal by Verity on the final play of the half and New Orleans led 14-9 at halftime. **The Ravens started three possessions in New Orleans territory in the first half and came away with just six points. **The Saints had 230 yards to 121 for the Ravens in the half. **Hill was 8-for-12 for 81 yards with an interception while Winston was 7-of-12 for 96 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the half. **Nolan Cooney kicked off to start the second half. **Onyemata played into the third quarter. **Ian Book started the second half for the Saints. **Jones then fumbled it away, killing another drive, at the Baltimore 11-yard line. Book had gone 5-of-8 for 65 yards on the drive. **Baltimore had a nice drive, an 11-play drive, reaching the New Orleans 15-yard line but Tyler Huntley was hit by Eric Burrell, fumbled, and Elliss recovered to kill the drive and keep the lead early in the fourth quarter. Burrell delivered a big hit on a completion later in the quarter as well. **Blake Gillikin blasted a 59-yard punt with outstanding hang time as well and Paulson Adebo made an outstanding, shoestring tackle for no return. **The Ravens then drove 79 yards in 12 plays with Huntley scoring on a seven-yard counter play. After pass interference in the end zone by Prince Amukamara on the two-point conversion attempt, the ball was placed at the one-yard line and Ty’Son Williams ran it in to make it 17-14 with 6:35 to play in the game. **On the final drive of the game, Book got the Saints to the Baltimore 35-yard line on a 38-yard completion to Juwan Johnson but with pressure in his face, he underthrew Kawaan Baker and Shaun Wade picked it off to seal the win for the Ravens. In the final analysis, it was amazing that the Saints were even in the game, considering they turned it over six times. New Orleans was equal opportunity in its turnovers, with six different players, including Hill, Winston, Book, Murray, Freeman and Jones each committing one. Those who were very impressive for the Saints included Adebo, Baun, Burrell, Callaway, Davenport, Elliss, Jones, Onyemata, Johnson and Jones. As for the quarterback battle, Winston had two scoring drives but there was no clear winner. The interception of Hill was not his fault while the pick of Winston was an underthrow and a tad late. Both had good drives and good moments. It would not be a surprise to see Winston get the first reps next week. Book did a solid job in his debut, looking good on bootleg plays while making solid decisions, outside of one poor one. He showed the mobility to buy time and get away from pass rushes. The next audition comes a week from Monday when the Saints host the Jaguars in Ceasars Superdome. You can bet Sean Payton will have ball drills and drill it into his players to secure the football better. Make that much better. Da Boot Sports 8/1/2021 Article courtesy of Crescent City Sports By: Justin Macione NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Saints and Caesars Entertainment announced today the formation of a 20-year, exclusive naming-rights partnership that rebrands New Orleans’ iconic downtown stadium as the Caesars Superdome. Caesars Superdome will host all Saints home football games, and Super Bowl LIX to be played in February 2025. The building will also host the 2022 NCAA Men’s Final Four, the annual Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff contests, a variety of concerts and hundreds of other annual events including Essence Festival, the Bayou Classic football game between Grambling State and Southern University, the New Orleans Bowl and the Louisiana State High School Athletic Association Football Championships. “All of us at Caesars are proud to be part of New Orleans’ vibrant culture. We understand that the Caesars Superdome is more than an iconic venue, it’s the symbol of a resilient and innovative community,” said Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment. “We’ve had a strong relationship with the New Orleans Saints for nearly two decades and we are thrilled with the opportunity to strengthen it and celebrate our commitment to the city, the state, and the entire Gulf Coast region.” In the last five years, Caesars Entertainment has led with its heart in the Pelican State, giving more than $30 million directly into community non-profits and services. Through a combination of volunteer hours, grants from the Caesars Foundation, and donations supporting local non-profit programs dedicated to disadvantaged populations, tourism, and infrastructure, Caesars remains committed to the state of Louisiana and its residents. Caesars Superdome will stand as testament to Caesars’ commitment to the New Orleans Saints and to the city of New Orleans as it embarks on a $325 million renovation to transform Harrah’s New Orleans into Caesars New Orleans. “This partnership sends a strong message about the positive future for the New Orleans Saints, Caesars Entertainment, and the entire state of Louisiana,” said Saints Owner Gayle Benson. “That message states that companies with the global reach of Caesars Entertainment are investing in our city, state and region. Caesars has long been one of the world’s most respected entertainment companies. Caesars is in the midst of creating a first-class multi-million dollar entertainment facility in downtown New Orleans, this significant investment also demonstrates the strength of their commitment to our state and region. We are proud to partner with a company that is dedicated to the economic growth of our city, state and region.” The agreement between the Saints and Caesars Entertainment represents a union between two iconic companies and brands that are built on creating economic growth in their communities. Both are engaged in spearheading expansive projects, which will help spur significant economic growth for the state of Louisiana and the entire region. “Having faced a very trying 2020 with the Covid-19 Pandemic, this is wonderful news to see that two iconic brands like the Saints and Caesars are partnering on a long-term business deal that will not only benefit New Orleans, but the entire State,” said Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards. “I congratulate Mrs. Benson and her team on securing this partnership. Caesars Superdome is an iconic building, globally recognized and I am certain that Caesars will be very pleased having their name on the building that will be hosting future Super Bowls, Final Fours, and Essence Festivals, to name a few.” “In addition to being one of the world’s premier entertainment operators, the investment Caesars Entertainment is making into its downtown property that is being transformed into Caesars New Orleans will create an impact that will be felt throughout our entire state and region for many years,” said Saints President Dennis Lauscha. “Caesars is a great partner for the Saints and the region, as they are investing $325 million into their downtown facility, while at the same time, significant work and investment is being made into making our playing facility state-of-the-art not only for Saints football, but multiple major events that benefit the entire community. In 2009, when the Saints and State reached their new agreement, the team took on the responsibility of selling the naming rights to the Caesars Superdome; a model that has resulted in no lease generated general fund requests from the State. The team has brought two iconic global brands in Mercedes-Benz and now Caesars Entertainment to this state-owned building. This agreement represents a tremendous opportunity for the New Orleans Saints franchise and further entrenches Caesars Entertainment as one of the region’s leading and dedicated corporate citizens.” “The partnership between the Superdome and Caesars Entertainment represents a powerful combination of two legendary entertainment brands,” said Michael Hecht, President & CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. “The Superdome contributes close to $600 million in annual economic impact to the state of Louisiana, and Caesars is the largest gaming company in America. Together, they will ensure that our iconic stadium drives even more jobs, tax revenue, and global brand awareness for New Orleans and Louisiana. The fact that Caesars Superdome is so integral to the culture of New Orleans, and that Caesars is well-known as a community-oriented company, makes this partnership that much more compelling and promising for our collective future.” Caesars Superdome, in a partnership between the Saints, the State of Louisiana and the Superdome Commission, is currently undergoing a $450 million renovation that is positioning the stadium to remain one of the world’s premier spectator sports and entertainment venues. Prior to the most recent renovation, the facility had seen over $350 million in improvements in the last 12 years. This most recent project will enhance the quality of experience for the spectator at all levels, with the addition of field level suites, improved concessions and vertical spaces which improve the environment and amenities and ingress and egress, as well as operational upgrades crucial to event operation. This renovation, which is expected to be completed by Super Bowl LIX, will help the Caesars Superdome retain its place in the pantheon of sporting facilities, having hosted seven Super Bowls (the most of any facility), the most recent, Super Bowl XLVII, which propelled $480 million in spending in New Orleans and approximately $262.8 million in direct spending by visitors. The last Super Bowl played in New Orleans also helped inspire an estimated $1.2 billion in public and private improvements to the city. The facility has also hosted five NCAA men’s basketball Final Fours, three BCS College Football Championship games, the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship game and three NCAA College Football Playoff semifinal contests. Edwards added, “The Superdome is currently undergoing a much needed state-of-the-art renovation, an investment that will prove to be a benefit for many years to come. I am thankful to the board of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, and specifically it’s chairman Kyle France, for the hard work on this critical investment in a state facility. I am pleased that the Saints, who may only use the building a dozen times in a year, are contributing $150 million of the $450 million and it should be noted that the building hosts hundreds of events annually…so everyone that uses the building will benefit.” “In 2009, the State, in its new lease agreement with the Saints, gave the team the right to sell naming rights to the Superdome, thereby eliminating State subsidies to the team,” said Senator Page Cortez, president of the Louisiana Senate. “Today, we are thrilled with the announcement of a 20-year deal between the team and Caesars. In 2011, the State approved Mercedes-Benz as the naming rights partner for the Superdome, that 10-year partnership presented to the State by the Saints. What is important to note here is that the team is working to create its own revenue sources for New Orleans and the Superdome. That is very important in our deal with the team. It is a good business deal for the state.” The New Orleans Saints and Gayle Benson have pledged all proceeds from this partnership will go directly back into the building to help with ongoing and continued renovations, which include enhanced and expanded concourses, vertical transportation systems and on-field high-end hospitality luxury suites. This naming rights partnership for the Caesars Superdome is a perfect fit with the corporation’s burgeoning local investment. Caesars Entertainment, the parent company of Harrah’s New Orleans, is currently in the midst of a $325 million renovation and construction project to transform the property, the only land-based casino in Louisiana into Caesars New Orleans. The project will create a flagship resort steps from the French Quarter, including an all-new 340 room hotel tower and new culinary and hospitality offerings within the casino, putting hundreds of people to work on the project, and creating more than 500 sustainable, long-term jobs. Caesars Entertainment is the largest gaming company in the United States, holding more than 50 first-class gaming facilities worldwide. Lauscha added, “We want to acknowledge the Oak View Group, for their tireless work in helping us build a naming rights strategy. Their partnership was a win-win for us.” “This partnership is a long-term business investment, in the city of New Orleans, but the entire state can benefit from having Caesars and the Saints partner in this naming rights deal,” said Representative Clay Schexnayder, speaker of the House of Representatives. “It is wonderful to see this deal take place after we have all had to deal with a terrible pandemic and hopefully this is a signal that commerce is coming back.” Caesars Superdome has housed the Saints since 1975. The naming rights agreement includes the opportunity for Caesars Entertainment branding on the exterior of the facility, as well as stadium signage and other unique displays inside the stadium. Mercedes-Benz USA held the naming rights to the stadium since 2011, with the brand experiencing significantly increasing sales and visibility. That visibility now shifts to Caesars Entertainment. Caesars Entertainment and the New Orleans Saints have started work already to enhance the look of the stadium in support of both the Caesars Entertainment brand and the anticipated success of the 2021 Saints season and other events scheduled to take place at the facility. Caesars Superdome is home to a record seven Super Bowls, including Super Bowl XII (1978), XV (1981), XX (1986), XXIV (1990), XXXI (1997), XXXVI (2002), XLVII (2013), plus another, coming in 2025 (LIX). Da Boot Sports! 7/21/2021 Article courtesy of Crescent City Sports By: Les East The New Orleans Saints are beginning their most significant transition in 15 years. Drew Brees has retired and a dozen other key players from last year’s team are gone for a variety of reasons. As the start of the 2021 training camp looms in late July, the four-time defending NFC South champion Saints are still one of the more talented teams in the NFL. Sean Payton is still one of the longest-tenured and most-successful coaches in the league. But things are changing as New Orleans ventures into the post-Brees era. Crescent City Sports takes a comprehensive look at this transition in this series as a build-up to the start of training camp. One of the biggest questions facing the New Orleans Saints this preseason is who will replace Janoris Jenkins as the starting left cornerback. Will it be 12-year veteran Patrick Robinson? Or a younger veteran such as P.J. Williams or Ken Crawley? Or rookie third-round draft choice Paulson Adebo? Or will it be someone else – perhaps someone not yet on the roster with the start of training camp looming next week? The Saints have been in the market for a veteran at cornerback ever since they released Jenkins in a salary-cap move. Jenkins has since signed with Tennessee. The organization was cash-strapped for much of the off-season and did more subtraction than addition to the roster. But they have freed up enough money to sign a veteran, though one prime candidate – Richard Sherman – seemingly took himself out of consideration with his arrest for domestic violence last week. He pleaded not guilty to five misdemeanor charges related to a domestic incident at his in-laws’ house. That’s not the only off-the-field incident that could have an impact on the Saints’ secondary. Starting right cornerback Marshon Lattimore could face disciplinary action for his off-season arrest on a felony gun charge in Ohio. So it’s anyone’s guess who the starting cornerbacks will be when the Saints open the season against Green Bay on Sept. 12 in the Superdome. The picture is much clearer at safety as Malcolm Jenkins (strong) and Marcus Williams (free) are entrenched as starters and C.J. Gardner-Johnson established himself as a playmaker in his second NFL season in 2020. “We have lot of veteran guys who are willing and able to help new guys coming in and mold them,” Marcus Williams said. Gardner-Johnson said he “felt like a kid” last season after his coaches told him “to go out there and just play football and relax. “A lot of people play this game and go out there all tight,” Gardner-Johnson said. “I’m me. So when they said relax, slow down, just understand what you’re doing, that’s when I found my groove.” The nickelback might as well be considered a starter because the Saints utilize a fifth defensive back roughly as much as they utilize a third linebacker. Robinson and P.J. Williams have been the primary nickelbacks the last two seasons, but if one or both are pressed into duty at corner, there will be a trickle-down effect. First-year secondary coach Kris Richard praised Lattimore, the 2017 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and a three-time Pro Bowler, for his “incredible competitive mind-set and athleticism.” Adebo was first-team all Pac-12 Conference at Stanford two seasons ago before sitting out 2020 to focus on the draft after the league reversed course late in the summer and decided to play a shortened season. “I think we’ve got to get him out there and throw as much at him as we possibly can and see how he responds to it,” defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said. “He’s big, long, can run, is smart, a lot of the characteristics that we like in a corner.” Adebo said he’s “champing at the bit” to put on pads after sitting out last season. The Saints re-signed safety J.T. Gray, who has been a special-teams standout, though they lost another special-teams leader, cornerback, Justin Hardee, to the New York Jets in free agency. Other departures were safeties D.J. Swearinger and Karl Bademosi, and the Saints filled out the depth chart with cornerbacks Grant Haley, Keith Washington Jr., Deuce Wallace, Bryce Thompson and Lawrence Woods and safety Eric Burrell The most significant addition to the secondary was Richard, who was brought in after Aaron Glenn was hired as defensive coordinator in Detroit. Richard was the position coach for Seattle’s “Legion of Doom” secondary that helped the Seahawks win the Super Bowl after the 2013 season and return to the title game after the 2014 season. He was defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator in Dallas for two seasons before sitting out last season after Jason Garrett and his staff were fired. Head coach Sean Payton said Richard “did a good job” as a candidate and cited Richard’s experience, attention to detail and teaching ability as key attributes. Allen said he has “a lot of respect for” Richard. “I’ve admired his work,” Allen said. “He’s highly competitive. He’s extremely intelligent. He brings a championship pedigree with him that gives him instant credibility within that room.” Allen said he’s learning from Richard, whose background is with schemes different from those Allen is most familiar with. Richard called the opportunity to join the Saints staff “a no-brainer.” “A lot of defense is about intensity and coverage,” Malcolm Jenkins said. “(Richard) is someone that is going to push this group, bringing that intensity to a group that has a ton of potential. It needs somebody to always be pushing the best out of us.” Da Boot Sports! 7/17/2021 Article courtesy of Crescent City Sports By: Les East The New Orleans Saints are beginning their most significant transition in 15 years. Drew Brees has retired and a dozen other key players from last year’s team are gone for a variety of reasons. As the start of the 2021 training camp looms in late July, the four-time defending NFC South champion Saints are still one of the more talented teams in the NFL. Sean Payton is still one of the longest-tenured and most-successful coaches in the league. But things are changing as New Orleans ventures into the post-Brees era. Crescent City Sports takes a comprehensive look at this transition in this series as a build-up to the start of training camp. Demario Davis is clearly the New Orleans Saints’ best linebacker. He clearly is one of the leaders of the defense and the team as a whole. But the clarity regarding the Saints linebacking corps essentially begins and ends with him. The other two starters from last season – Kwon Alexander and Alex Anzalone – are no longer on the roster. Anzalone signed with Detroit as a free agent and Alexander is still on the market while rehabbing from a torn Achilles that prematurely ended his only season in New Orleans. Davis, 32, is entering his 10th NFL season and has led the Saints with an increasing number of tackles singe coming to New Orleans as a free agent – 106 in 2018, 108 in 2019 and 119 in 2020. Davis said he continues to work at “finding new, innovative ways to take my game to the next level.” He said that this season he has adopted an “evolved” Mediterranean diet, balancing meat and plant-based cuisine. “It’s like I build, and I detox,” Davis said. “That was quite a transition in my diet that I think is making a huge difference. I’ve tapped into reading my sleep a little bit different. When you get to this point in your career, it’s a lot of little things. “Continue to sharpen things that I’ve been doing, adding the little things that allow me to get one percent better, two percent better. I’ve been reading a lot of books, too, that have unlocked a lot of things mentally.” The Saints are going to need far greater than one or two percent improvement from their younger linebackers if they’re going to excel on defense this season. Zack Baun, a third-round draft choice in 2020, and rookie second-round draft choice Pete Werner appear to be the top candidates to play the most alongside Davis, who rarely leaves the field. But their prospects are based more on potential that an NFL track record. The Saints, like many NFL teams, are playing nickel or dime schemes more frequently than they are their base defense, meaning they mostly use fewer than three linebackers at a time. “Obviously with Demario, we feel great about him and his ability to play,” defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said. “We do play a lot of two-linebacker sets, so the thing I’m excited about is that when we get to training camp we’re going to let those young guys get out there and let them compete. “May the best man win. I don’t think we’ve pigeonholed anybody into any specific spots necessarily. We’re really just trying to evaluate guys and certainly that will come once we get into training camp, but it will be a nice little battle.” Baun was an edge rusher during his senior season at Wisconsin before the Saints moved him to the SAM spot as a rookie. The absence of off-season, on-field work last year because of COVID-19 and a hamstring injury in training camp sidelined him for several days and made the transition especially challenging. Still, Baun played in 15 games, starting three, and made 12 tackles on defense while becoming a special-teams regular. “I’d say the difference between this year and last year is I’m just way more comfortable,” Baun said during the Saints minicamp last month. “(I’m) comfortable with the playbook, I know everybody. I know all the coaches. I know I’m just coming into this season way more comfortable and way more confident.” The Saints have moved Baun to WILL this season, which should provide an opportunity to play significantly more than the 82 defensive snaps he played last season. “Certainly there were some things that he was able to do last year that gave us confidence he was ready to take the next step,” Allen said of Baun. “We all knew there was going to be a development (curve) from him in terms of being an off the ball linebacker and last year we kind of played him at Sam and Mike off the ball. “That development was slowed and once you get in to the regular season it’s hard to find all those reps to continue develop guys.” Werner, who demonstrated an ability to rush the passer, defend the run and play in pass coverage at Ohio State, has an opportunity to carve out a niche as a rookie because of that versatility. “I kind of have that versatility piece where I can play a SAM and I can be inside the box,” Werner said after being drafted. “I can be outside in space. “You talk about a guy that can fit in A or B gap, as well as lockdown a tight-end or fit well with the zone. I think that is me.” Two years ago, seventh-round draft choice Kaden Elliss of Idaho exceeded expectations in training camp before suffering a season-ending knee injury. The Saints, who did not re-sign special teams leader and versatile backup linebacker Craig Robertson, have several unproven linebackers competing for roster spots – Chase Hansen, Andrew Dowell, Wynton McManis, Quentin Poling, Sutton Smith, Shaq Smith and Marcus Willoughby. “We feel like we’ve got added depth there,” head coach Sean Payton said. Da Boot Sports! 7/17/2021 Article courtesy of Crescent City Sports By: Les East The New Orleans Saints are beginning their most significant transition in 15 years. Drew Brees has retired and a dozen other key players from last year’s team are gone for a variety of reasons. As the start of the 2021 training camp looms in late July, the four-time defending NFC South champion Saints are still one of the more talented teams in the NFL. Sean Payton is still one of the longest-tenured and most-successful coaches in the league. But things are changing as New Orleans ventures into the post-Brees era. Crescent City Sports takes a comprehensive look at this transition in this series as a build-up to the start of training camp. The defensive line was the New Orleans Saints’ deepest unit in 2020. It also was the unit that sustained the most attrition during the off-season. As a result, how well the Saints overcome the losses on the defensive line will be one of the most important factors in their success in 2021. Gone are end Trey Hendrickson, who led the team with a career-high 13.5 sacks last season and signed with Cincinnati as an unrestricted free agent; tackle Malcolm Brown, who was the most important run defender on the line and was sent to Jacksonville in an economics-driven trade; and tackle Sheldon Rankins, who was mostly a starter for five season before signing with the New York Jets as a free agent. The Saints’ most significant defensive line acquisition was Payton Turner, the team’s No. 1 draft choice (No. 28) from Houston. It’s difficult to avoid seeing Turner in the same context as veteran end Marcus Davenport, whom the Saints traded up to select in the first round in 2018. Davenport, like Turner, played for a non-Power 5 program (Texas-San Antonio). Davenport, like Turner, was drafted a bit higher (No. 14) than the consensus of draft analysts projected. Davenport, like Turner, was chosen more for what the Saints envision from him in the NFL than for what he produced in college. Davenport is listed at 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, and Turner is listed as 6-6 and 270 pounds. Defensive end Cameron Jordan called Turner “Marcus Davenport Jr.” and said his 4-year-old daughter told him “Mr. Marcus is here” when Turner visited the Jordans’ home. After three seasons, the wisdom of the Saints selection of Davenport remains undetermined. He has shown hints of becoming the impact player the Saints expected, but has not done so with any inconsistency – partly because of a series of injuries. He has missed 11 regular-season games, including five last season, because of injuries. After having a career-high six sacks in 2019 while making 13 of his 14 career starts, he finished with a career-low 1.5 sacks last season. His drop-off coincided with the ascension of Hendrickson at right end. Davenport said his mental confidence lagged last season, creating hesitancy on his part. So he has focused on changing that this off-season. “A lot of it’s just been trusting myself more,” he said. “I think it’s just that simple. I’ve seen that I can do a lot of things, and it’s just all about applying. Sometimes, I think as people we forget simple things. I forget that sometimes I can do things quite good. “I’ve been practicing, I know the moves and I know what to do, and I’ve got coaches here to correct me. So it’s just on me to go out there and do it.” In April, the Saints exercised the fifth-year option on Davenport for the 2022 season. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen noted that this has been Davenport’s most useful off-season after rookie contract negotiations, injury and COVID denied him important off-season work during his first three years. “You’re beginning to see the light bulb (turn on),” Allen said. “I think we all knew when we drafted Marcus that it was going to take some time for him to develop and I think that development was from the fact that he never had a great opportunity at an off-season program. I think this off-season has been critical for him.” If the Saints are going to avoid a significant drop-off in productivity from the defensive line this season, they likely are going to need a significant increase in productivity from Davenport, as well as contributions from Turner, who had five sacks in five games as a senior last season. Jordan remains a fixture at left end, having earned five Pro Bowl selections while becoming the Saints’ No. 2 all-time sack leader (94.5). Last season, Jordan had just 7.5 sacks after having 15.5 the year before. The drop-off could have been due at least in part to core muscle surgery in early 2020. “I didn’t have to go under the knife (this off-season),” Jordan said. “I’ll take that.” Perhaps being another year removed from the surgery will enable him to regain his 2019 form – or perhaps his age (he turns 32 next week) means he is in the early stages of the inevitable descent from the peak of his career. Carl Granderson enters his third season as a promising backup to Jordan, having made five sacks last season. He joined the team initially as an undrafted free agent and has spent this off-season working on getting stronger, especially in his lower body, and studying film to try and improve his “get-off” as a pass rusher. “The opportunities will be there for everyone that’s showing up to camp,” Granderson said. “Once I get stronger, I feel like everything I did last season will improve.” The Saints added a veteran end when they signed former Chief Tanoh Kpassagnon as a free agent. Kpassagnon said the Saints were “super high” on his radar when he realized he wouldn’t be re-signing with Kansas City. The Saints played the Chiefs last December and Kpassagnon said he was impressed with how the defensive line played. “I saw how their defensive line especially just got after it,” he said. “You see it with their production on the field, how they stop the run, how they really get after the passer and playing them, seeing that in person really is what made that stick to me.” Kpassagnon’s said his ability to rush the passer from the outside and the inside made him and the Saints a “perfect fit.” “Certainly (Hendrickson) played extremely well for us,” head coach Sean Payton said. “It won’t be just one person. There’ll be a series of players that pick up for some of that production.” The departure of Brown and Rankins left David Onyemata, like Rankins a 2016 draft choice, the leader among the tackles. He had 6.5 of his 16 career sacks last season. Malcolm Roach and Shy Tuttle figure to move up the depth chart in Brown’s absence, and the Saints have a half dozen other young linemen on hand to compete. “The addition of some of these younger players to the room has helped,” Payton said. “Certainly, Marcus will be healthy as we get started. (Turner) is doing well training. We feel like with that position group we’ve added some depth.” Another key returnee is someone the Saints nearly lost. LSU head coach Ed Orgeron was prepared to hire Saints defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen as his defensive coordinator before Payton invoked a clause in Nielsen’s contract to prevent him from leaving, signed him to a new deal and promoted Nielsen to assistant head coach. Young players such as Hendrickson, Rankins and Onyemata developed under Nielsen’s tutelage, and those player-development skills will be important as the Saints move forward with a revamped line. “Coach Nielsen,” Kpassagnon said, “just coming out of college I remember him working me out and how he actually coached and I love the passion and you know he’s going to get the most out of you.” 7/16/2021 By: Terrill J. Weil Da Boot Sports! No player in franchise history is loved more by the New Orleans fan base then Archie Manning. Manning was drafted second overall in the 1971 NFL draft by the Saints and played ten seasons for the team. In those ten years the Saints had nine losing seasons, managing only a .500 record of 8-8 in 1979. Manning was asked to lead some pretty bad teams during his career, as he was sacked 337 times in New Orleans. In 1972, he led the league in pass attempts and completions and led the NFC in passing yards, though the team's record was only 2–11–1. Archie sat out the entire 1976 season after corrective surgery on his right shoulder, spending the second half of that season in the team's radio booth. In 1978, he was named the NFC Player of the Year by UPI after leading the Saints to a 7–9 record. That same year, he was also named All-NFC by both the UPI and The Sporting News. Manning was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1978 and 1979. He went on to conclude his career with the Houston Oilers (1982–1983), and the Minnesota Vikings (1983–1984). He ended his 13-year career having completed 2,011 of 3,642 passes for 23,911 yards and 125 touchdowns, with 173 Ints. He also rushed for 2,197 yards and 18 touchdowns. His 2,011 completions ranked 17th in NFL history upon his retirement. His record as a starter was 35–101–3 (26.3%), the worst in NFL history among QBs with at least 100 starts. He retired having never played on a team with a winning record or made the playoffs. He is one of the few players to have played 10 or more years in the NFL without taking part in an official playoff game. Even though the Saints have never officially retired Manning's #8, no other player in team history has worn it since he was traded away to Houston. Everyone knows that two of Archie's sons, Peyton and Eli have gone on to have Hall of Fame NFL careers.... |