Some players face final call tonight for New Orleans Saints
August 28, 2008
Posted by Teddy Kider, The Times-Picayune August 28, 2008 6:13AM
Categories: SaintsFor some of the Saints, the notoriously uneventful fourth preseason game could be the most important they play this year.
New Orleans will slash its roster from 75 to 53 by the NFL’s Saturday-afternoon deadline, leaving many players without a job.
Tonight’s game at the Superdome against the Miami Dolphins will be the final opportunity for members of the team to earn a regular-season roster spot. And Saints Coach Sean Payton said his mind is not made up about several positions on the team.
“I’ve been at a few other teams where in this game there have been players that have done something very well and merited making the team,” Payton said. “And so the evaluation isn’t over.”
A great portion of the attention tonight could be on Tyler Palko, the second-year quarterback who has had a role playing behind the star, Drew Brees, and the veteran, Mark Brunell. Brees is not expected to play against the Dolphins, leaving Palko, the third quarterback on the Saints’ roster, to play about two-thirds of the game.
Palko did not play in a regular-season game with the Saints last season, and he does not know if he is headed to the regular-season roster, the practice squad or the list of free agents after tonight. His preseason results have been mixed, full of completed passes and fumbled snaps.
“Obviously I’d like to make the 53, and think that I have worked hard all offseason and put the time in and done what Coach has asked me to do,” Palko said. “But when it comes down to it, that’s not my call. Usually it’s a numbers thing, and I think hopefully this last preseason game kind of finalizes what Coach has asked me to do.”
Payton said he wants to see progress from Palko in the final preseason game. He has completed 19 of 32 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown, with one interception, and rushed for 14 yards.
“I think last week there were some things he did real well, looking at the tape, and then there’s some things he struggled with,” Payton said. “So the challenge for the third quarterback is always the surrounding group. Sometimes it isn’t always perfect, or the communication or just the simple quarterback-center exchange. But those are things he’s battling through, and those are things he’s working on. He’s working on his progression, his foot mechanics. So it’s a work in progress, still. He’s a young player, in his second year, and this will be an important game for him.”
The advantage for Palko could be that he is one of only three quarterbacks on the roster. Other players, such as Skyler Green and Ronnie Ghent, might face tougher odds.
Green, formerly of LSU, is one of nine receivers on the roster, and heading into tonight’s game he probably falls behind about six others on the depth chart — Marques Colston, David Patten, Devery Henderson, Lance Moore, Robert Meachem and Terrance Copper. Green’s chances at a roster spot could rest on his abilities in the return game, and even there he has not taken a spot as an outright starter.
“Wherever they need me, that’s where I’m willing to play,” Green said.
Ghent is one of five tight ends on the roster, and he has one catch for 1 yard and a touchdown this preseason. Jeremy Shockey has not yet suited up but is likely to be the Saints’ starter for at least the bulk of the regular season, and Mark Campbell has been another consistent option at that position.
The players probably don’t know whether the Saints will keep three or four tight ends, and according to Payton’s theory, a spectacular performance from a player such as Ghent in tonight’s game could mean the difference between a job and being waived.
With Brees out and the Saints already focused on Week 1 of the regular season, tonight is about the final opportunities and the numbers game.
“As best as we can, we’re trying to gather all of the information we have on these players and give them the fairest opportunity to make this team,” Payton said, “and I think that’s the only way you can do it.”
Three veteran cornerbacks face uncertain futures with New Orleans Saints
August 27, 2008
Posted by Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune August 26, 2008 10:01PM
Categories: SaintsThe math has been impossible to ignore ever since the Saints brought in three new cornerbacks this offseason.
There simply aren’t enough roster spots to go around. So by this time next week, at least one experienced veteran will be a former Saint.
Rusty Costanza / Times-PicayuneSaints coach Sean PaytonJason David, Jason Craft and Aaron Glenn all appear to be on the bubble, vying for one or two roster spots, assuming that Mike McKenzie, Randall Gay, Tracy Porter and Usama Young are
safe.“When you start getting higher draft picks and guys from other teams, you’ve got to kind of look at it realistically that, ‘Hey, things might change,’¤” said Craft, who has appeared in 64 consecutive games with the Saints since 2004, including the playoffs.
“You know, I’ve definitely had a great time here, and hopefully I can have another good season here,” said Craft, 32, who has started 13 games and been a mainstay in the nickel defense and on special teams. “I mean, I know that I can help out and you always need depth. So I’m just going to keep going out and giving it my all.”
Even David is not safe, even though the Saints gave up a fourth-round draft pick in 2007 and signed him to a four-year contract worth a reported $16.5 million to pry him away from Indianapolis as a restricted free agent.
David, 26, has shown great athleticism and potential during his time in New Orleans, but he has been woefully inconsistent.
He started 12 games last season and remained with the starting defense through the first few weeks of training camp this summer. But the Saints have been auditioning Porter, a rookie, in that role ever since David struggled against Houston in the second preseason game.
“You know, I really can’t pay too much attention to that kind of stuff. That’s not in my hands. That’s up to the coaching staff,” said David, who had three interceptions last season and has 11 in his four-year career. “I just try to go out and practice hard every day. I just have to go out there and keep competing in practice and show them that I’m trying to get better. You know, I’m still a growing player in this league.”
It would be difficult for the Saints to give up on David after one year because of how much they invested in him, but his contract status won’t likely be a factor in the Saints’ decision. If they keep him, he is due $2.4 million in base salary this season, according to the NFL Players Association. If they release him, the remaining portion of his original signing bonus will all count against this year’s cap (that number is believed to be about $3 million).
Craft, meanwhile, is due $900,000 in the final year of his contract. And Glenn is due $830,000 as part of the one-year deal he signed as a free agent in April.
None of that should come into play, however. The Saints have enough wiggle room under the salary cap to afford any scenario. All they care about is shoring up a position that has caused headaches in recent years.
The choice will likely come down to factors such as trust and potential.
The Saints have always believed in David’s ability. He routinely makes big plays in practice and has a knack for finding the ball. In fact, he intercepted two passes during seven-on-seven drills Tuesday.
“He’s got quick feet. I think he gets to the ball quickly. He’s someone that can transition the ball well,” Saints Coach Sean Payton said. “You know, you keep working with technique and some of the little things to improve his game, but those are some of the things that he’s done well in training camp that we’ve seen.”
Craft and Glenn naturally get lumped together because they are both “old-timers.” But becoming an old-timer requires consistent performances year in and year out.
Glenn, 36, has spent 14 years in the NFL with the New York Jets, Houston, Dallas and Jacksonville. He was drafted 12th overall by the Jets in 1994, and he ranks fifth among active NFL players, with 41 career interceptions.
“I’ve never been the type to try to guess what’s going to happen. I’ve been doing it for a while, and my thing is just go out there and play and let the coaches make the decisions,” said Glenn, who became a preseason roster cut for the first time last September when the Cowboys let him go. He was quickly signed by Jacksonville.
“Whatever decision they make, you live with it and go on. And hopefully, if it’s not with a certain team, you can move on to another,” said Glenn.
He said he has been mostly happy with his performance this summer.
“I’ve shown that I can still go out there and do what I’ve always done,” he said. “I’ve always prided myself on that. There’s no dropoff with me. A lot of people use age as an excuse, but I’ve always said that the way that you look at a player is by how they play. You don’t look at the age.”
Neither Glenn nor Craft has played much with the first-string defense in practices or games, both because they are a little behind in the pecking order and because they are known commodities.
Payton said with veteran players, coaches “still need to see what they once were able to do,” and that they are still looking for improvement. But he said with players such as Glenn and Craft, “you’ve got a pretty good background on them.”
Both players have been solid in the preseason. And both bring value on special teams, where backup cornerbacks are likely to spend the majority of their playing time.
“I don’t know. It’s tougher than ever (to predict),” Craft said. “But I’m still feeling good, like the last few years I’ve been here. And I definitely feel confident that whether I’m here or wherever I might be, I can still take care of business.”
Sean Payton: Saints have plan in place for possible hurricane
August 27, 2008
Posted by Teddy Kider, The Times-Picayune August 26, 2008 2:15PM
Categories: Saints
Brett Duke/The Times-PicayuneSaints coach Sean Payton says the team has a plan if Hurrican Gustov hits the New Orleans area.Saints Coach Sean Payton said Tuesday that the team has a plan in place if Hurricane Gustav affects the New Orleans area.
Payton, who was not with the Saints when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, said the team has evacuation plans to several possible locations, depending on the track of the storm. But he declined to say where the team might go.
“What we do is really predicated on when it’s supposed to arrive, and the good news with a hurricane is there’s advance warning,” Payton said. “So we’ll have a plan; i’s currently in place. And having gone through this once before, we’ll be thoroughly prepared.”
If Gustav takes a path toward New Orleans, it could affect the area by this weekend. The Saints have their final preseason game Thursday night at the Superdome against Miami, and will play their first game of the season Sept.¤7 at the Superdome against Tampa Bay.
“It won’t be any of a distraction; we won’t allow it to be,” Payton said. “And I think the bigger issue is not the Saints. The bigger issue is those people for whom it’s much more difficult to evacuate or much more difficult to prepare.”
PLAYING THURSDAY: Payton mentioned six players, all previously injured, that he is looking forward to watching in Thursday’s game: running Deuce McAllister, tight end Jeremy Shockey, receiver Devery Henderson, cornerback Tracy Porter, cornerback Mike McKenzie and safety Josh Bullocks.
He also elaborated on McAllister’s status with the team.
“I think the big plus has been he’s come in in shape and his weight’s down,” Payton said. “And so he’s someone that obviously we’re still evaluating because we’re wanting to give him a lot more carries in this game. The key is to find out where we think he’s going to be as we open the season, because past the 53 (regular-season roster spots), we’ve also got decisions as it pertains to the 46 (players who can dress) at Tampa.”
Payton said that he doesn’t think McAllister is a candidate for the injured reserve list.
“Now it’s a matter of trying to gain a clear understanding of what he’s doing real well right now or what’s his percentage,” Payton said. “Is he 88 percent? Is he close to 100 percent? And I don’t know that I have that answer, but clearly he’s moving better on it. We’ve been playing him, and we wouldn’t be playing him if we felt like he was going to get hurt more.”
WILLIAMS BACK: Running back Ricky Williams, a former Saints player, will return to the Superdome with the Dolphins. Williams is leading his team in rushing in the preseason with 27 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown.
Saints make roster cuts
August 25, 2008
The New Orleans Saints made five roster moves today to reach the NFL limit of 75 players.
http://www.topix.com/nfl/new-orleans-saint…
Results of Saints starting Defense
August 25, 2008
Lets hope this continues through the season. Courtesy of http://www.gotfanatics.com
New Orleans Tailgaters very own Tamale Balls
August 24, 2008
Tamale Balls
2 lbs Ground Meat
2lbs Jimmy Dean regular pork sausage
3 cups Yellow Corn Meal
1 cup Flour plain
1 1/2 cups V-8
2 tsp Garlic Powder
5 tsp Chili Powder
4 tsp Cumin Powder
2 tsp Salt
3 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Mix all ingredients together very well. Roll into balls. Drop balls into hot bubbly sauce a couple at a time. Cook on Medium-Low heat for 45-60 Minutes. Don’t stir. Just let them simmer for the cook time.
Tamale Ball Sauce
10 cups V-8
4 tsp Chili Powder
4 tsp Cumin
4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cayenne
Note:
tsp = teaspoon
Cayenne Pepper can be cut back if you are feeding a bunch of sissies. Or, add a couple more teaspoons in the sauce and tamales themselves if you are not a girly man.
New Orleans Tailgaters very own Tailgating Teriyaki Marinade
August 24, 2008
Tailgating Teriyaki
1 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1 cup Soy Sauce
1 cup Pineapple Juice
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp ginger
2 tblsp minced Garlic
1/2 purple Onion chopped
1tblsp Sesame Oil
1/8 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
Mix all ingridients together and marinate your MEAT!!
Continue reading “Injury hits New Orleans Saints player’s dog”
August 24, 2008
If it weren’t for bad luck, Saints defensive tackle Brian Young would have no luck at all.
http://www.topix.com/nfl/new-orleans-saint…
Continue reading “With New Orleans Saints, it’s just too soon to tell”
August 24, 2008
So what about that hot football topic: Has the Saints’ defense improved? Let’s see.
http://www.topix.com/nfl/new-orleans-saint…
Super Bowl champ Giants miffed by lack of respect
August 23, 2008
Winning the Super Bowl didn’t remove the chip on the New York Giants’ shoulder. It just made it bigger.
Since their stunning win over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots in February, the players have paraded down the Canyon of Heroes in New York City, visited the White House and been handed the so-called ’10-table’ championship rings.
They have also heard from the doubters with a variety of theories on why they won’t repeat:
_There is the history theory. The Giants have failed to make the playoffs following each of their three previous Super Bowl appearances (1987, ’91 and 2001.)
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