TallySaint

Tuesday morning quarterback
Tuesday, 10:10 a.m.

By Benjamin Hochman
Staff writer, Times Picayune



Because we’re in the heart of training camp – and Monday’s preseason game against Dallas was crucial and telling – I strapped on my virtual helmet and took snaps as the Tuesday Morning Quarterback.

If you didn’t see the game – or disgustedly turned it off at halftime – the Cowboys won 30-7. Here are some random things the Tuesday Morning Quarterback saw – before being flushed out of the pocket by DeMarcus Ware:

* If I had to name a Saints’ defensive MVP (today’s oxymoron), it would be for rookie safety Roman Harper. He made the first tackle of the game, a vicious commencing tackle on the opening kickoff. Then, on a third down on the first drive, his blanket coverage forced an incomplete pass, and the Cowboys settled for a field goal. In the third quarter, he scooped up a fumble, and showed off some Reggie Bush-like moves (strike that – some Jamal Branch-like moves). On that play, kudos to Javon Nanton, who you probably overlooked during the mania – he was the reserve lineman who forced quarterback Tony Romo out of the pocket -- and fumbled shortly after.

* Was that Marion Barber or Tiki Barber? The Cowboys running back steamrolled the Saints defense in the first quarter. I wonder if Chargers linebacker Donnie Edwards watched the game?

* Think the Saints are high on rookie Marques Colston? The towering receiver was in during the first offensive series. And, for the second-straight game, caught two passes. (Obviously, there was some miscommunication between Colston and quarterback Drew Brees on the final play of the first half -- that pass from the 2-yard line that went awry. But, the fact that the Saints were confident to go to the rookie on the final play of the first half is telling.) More on Colston, Harper and the rest of the draft class in Wednesday’s Times-Picayune.

* Perhaps the most exciting Saints play of the night was Joe Horn’s 28-yard catch on the final drive on the first half. But Brees’ big pass was courtesy of backup tight end Nate Lawrie, who blocked for dear life – and just enough time – for his quarterback to release the ball.

* I watched the game twice last night, the first time during dinner at the new Bruno’s Uptown, the second time on my DVR (I bet you envy me because I could fast-forward through the Travelodge commercials with the dancing teddy bear). At Bruno’s, the loudest noise outburst from the crowd wasn’t a cheer for the Horn catch or a jeer for a Cowboy touchdown – it was the raucous boos when Governor Kathleen Blanco came on the screen.

* Some players, depending on their postion, can hide their inconsistency because they’re not involved in every single play. Not the case for left tackle. Jammal Brown was inconsistent. The aforementioned Ware – a fabulous rookie defensive lineman last year – occasionally gave Brown whiplash. Surely, fans are yapping about the Brees errant pass that hit Dallas lineman Greg Ellis in the hands and was dropped (otherwise, it would have been a touchdown). Well, it was Ware who pushed Brown right into Brees, sparking the ineptitude.

* Who needs special teams specialists Steve Gleason or Fred McAfee when you have - Alfred Fincher? The linebacker made an athletic, open-tackle on punt returner Skyler Green (who seemingly ran 100-yards horizontally). Fincher has been battling all season for a starting spot in the linebacker unit (he didn’t start Monday), but textbook tenacity can’t hurt his cause, even if it’s on special teams.

* Jay Foreman made his first preseason start at linebacker, quietly notched seven tackles, second-most on the team (Ron Ninkovich, the defensive lineman, had eight, including a sack).

* I’m sure it was nice for Saints fans to see rookie Reggie Bush as a punt returner (images of his dazzling returns in college dancing in their heads.) And, I’m sure it was nice to see him let the punt bounce (images of Clinton Portis, a star player injured in preseason, dancing in their heads).

* Yes, that WAS an L.P. Ladoucuer sighting. Louis-Philippe, who was in Saints’ camp as a backup deep snapper, is now in Cowboys camp.

* I’m no coach, but Joey Thomas looked bad. Here was my observation about the backup cornerback – the players he was covering often seemed to be uncovered. And then they often made big catches. And then, when approached by Thomas, they eluded a tackle. On receiver Sam Hurd’s second-quarter touchdown, there was Thomas falling to the ground, his desperate right hand like a fly in Hurd’s face. Then in the third quarter, Thomas made receiver Terrence Cooper look like Terrell Owens.

* How funny was it that people in Dallas last week actually thought Romo would be the starting quarterback come September? Drew Bledsoe ’06 looked like Drew Bledsoe ’96. Then again, the Saints line couldn’t have hit him with spit if they tried.

* Overall, perhaps Coach Sean Payton said it best after the game: “I'm disappointed that there wasn't much good that happened.�



Glass half full: It’s only the preseason, so the Saints can work out the kinks.

Glass half empty: It’s only the preseason, and the Saints already have glaring issues.



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