Smart changes helping the Saints be contenders
 

The Saints might look the same as they did in Super Bowl XLIV, but there are some major differences.

Sure, Sean Payton is still in the driver’s seat, with his crutches in the passenger side. And the chassis looks the same: Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Will Smith, the offense of a thousand formations and the Gregg Williams defense of a million blitzes. But there has been a lot of redesign under the hood. The Saints are winning with the help of a lot of players who were not around, or who had minor roles, during the team’s Super Bowl run.

Here’s a closer look at some of the new features available only on the 2011 Saints. Some are already well known. Some are less visible. All are making an impact.

Read more.
Tanier: Smart changes help Saints remain contenders - NFL- NBC Sports

Nice read. Thanks!

Really? We have a million blitzes? Now I know what's wrong with the defense.

As Jon Gruden noted in the Monday night game, the 260-pound Graham often runs deep routes to draw coverage so Devery Henderson — one of the league’s fastest receivers — can run shorter routes underneath.

Love it. LOL

Undrafted rookie?

Saint: Smart Changes
 

good read-
I like this line:
Enter De La Puente, a 26-year old “rookie” who has been involved in 20 roster transaction and zero games during a three-year non-career

And I really liked this one:

Built for the Future: The Saints are far from a has-been champion trying to saddle up for one more Super Bowl run before Brees, Smith, Vilma and others pass their expiration dates. Graham, Ingram, De La Puente and Dunbar are just part of a young core that also includes defensive backs Malcolm Jenkins and Patrick Robinson and defensive end Cameron Jordan. The Saints are built to be a very good team for several more seasons.

To the Editor...

In a recently posted article, entitled Smart Changes Help Saints Remain Contenders located at Tanier: Smart changes help Saints remain contenders - NFL- NBC Sports on the web a gross factual error is made.

Your employee, Mike Tanier, states in said article "The only true center on their roster when Goodwin left was Matt Tennant, a former undrafted rookie with little experience."

Mr. Tennant was, point of fact, drafted in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft with the 158th pick; would refer you to the following articles and to his NFL.com player profile National Football League: NFL Draft 2011 - Matt Tennant

Would appreciate a note published below the article once said correction can be properly verified as Mr. Tanier failed to do.

As I am sure you'd agree, your writer has a fundamental obligation as a member of the press to verify his article before publication, even if he is associated with the New York Times...

Yep, and as always, our young players are brought along slowly, so I expect good things next year from Cam Jordan, Martez Wilson, Johnny Patrick, Jonathan Casillas, Junior Galette, and to a lesser extent, Jonathan Amaya, Isa Abdul-Quddus, Greg Romeus and maybe even Nate Bussey.

Championship!

Sproles?

Greg Romeus is who I am most looking forward to seeing...

True dat.

Problem is poor GW has all 1,000,000 blitzes going at the same time.

:help: