LKelley67

excellent article, snippets-

The Saints quarterback oozes confidence as he shoots the breeze while throwing strong and, most importantly, pain-free.

Drew Brees is meticulous, mad at the world, and that's a great trait. "He's just one of those guys with a chip on his shoulder who will have to prove it always. That chip he carries will serve him well.

"People say, 'Well, there's risk because he's coming off of shoulder surgery.' Name me the guy where that injury ended his career. Nowadays you can come back from everything. I came back from it. Carson Palmer's career is not over after he suffered a knee injury (in the playoffs). Believe me, Drew Brees will be fine. (Phil Simms)

Veteran receiver Joe Horn notes that a too-predictable attack hasn't scared defenses in years.

"It will be very hard for teams to prepare now for the New Orleans Saints," Horn says. "I really feel in my heart that it was easy for defensive coordinators to prepare for us. Now we're coming at them on a whole new different level.

Payton will run a motion-heavy, multiple-set version of the West Coast offense.

"Maybe we'll call it 'The Gulf Coast offense,'" Payton says. "You want to have flexibility and not predictability. A little is going to fall on the players to pick up the formations and the shifts.

"Our biggest challenge, the thing that needs to change, is you can't lead the league in turnovers and you can't have minus 24 in the turnover column and you can't be in the bottom five in penalties.

Turnarounds in the NFL are common enough. The Brady-led 2001 Patriots rose up from 5-11 the year before to Super Bowl champions. The Panthers went from 1-15 in 2001 to 11-5 and came within a last-minute Brady drive of having a chance to win Super Bowl XXXVIII. One common denominator to those turnarounds is unselfish team-first players with everything to prove.

"I've seen many teams with all the talent in the world not do a darn thing because the guys couldn't bring it together and play as a team," Brees says. "Maybe they didn't have the type of leadership qualities that they needed. I feel like we have all the pieces."


http://www.usatoday.com/sports/footb...r_x.htm?csp=34

hagan714

Agreed Joe. Stop Duce with 8 in the box and let the WR run and You can beat the Saints. Even on a good day for AB the WR are not that consistant to beat you. Sorry Joe, that is what teams were thinking and they proved it. Joe was the only threat in the group

I am so happy that AB's grin is gone that I AM GRINNING.