New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - Article New Orleans Saints wary of Jake Delhomme

This has been a rough year for Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme.

It began in January, when the Lafayette native threw five interceptions in a playoff loss to the Arizona Cardinals, and it carried over to this season. Carolina lost its first three games and got off to a 2-4 start, with Delhomme throwing 13 interceptions, fumbling twice and being sacked 13 times in his first six starts.
Then when the Panthers were finally playing their best game last week, a 34-21 victory at Arizona, he got knocked out during the third quarter with a chest injury that sent him to the emergency room.
But Delhomme checked out OK, and he practiced fully Wednesday. So as far as the Saints are concerned, he'll be just as dangerous Sunday as he's always been.
Delhomme, 34, has an 8-2 record against the Saints, and he's never lost a game he's been the starter in the Superdome, including his days as the Saints' backup and in college at Louisiana-Lafayette.
"We know going in, whether they say he's struggling or not struggling, we know he'll be at his best against us, " Saints defensive end Will Smith said. "We know the type of quarterback he is. He's a tough guy. And he knows how to finish games.
"He's well known for his fourth quarter play. So that's our biggest concern against them because when we play against them, it's always tight and it always goes in the fourth quarter. And somehow or other he always winds up making a play."
Delhomme said it has been "very tough" going through early season struggles. "I always prided myself in being there for my team and making plays when they needed to be made, and I wasn't doing that.
"I was turning it over and putting us in bad situations, and I think I was pressing a great deal, trying to search and find an answer, " Delhomme said. "Obviously that didn't work for me."
Delhomme and the Panthers (3-4) haven't returned to form yet. He completed 7 of 14 passes for 90 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions before leaving the Arizona game. But it's clear that the team is gaining confidence, led by the dynamic running duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.
There were reports that Carolina Coach John Fox considered making a quarterback switch recently, but Fox said he always believed Delhomme was the team's best quarterback.
"I knew he'd fight through it, and he did, " Fox said Wednesday.

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