blacksaint

Posted by Mike Triplett
August 04, 2007 7:19PM

CANTON, OHIO -- The Saints' players weren't exactly thrilled about the idea of playing five preseason games when they first heard they would kick off the 2007 season at the Hall of Fame Game in Canton.
But after a merciless week of two-a-days in training camp in Jackson, Miss., they couldn't wait to get on the plane Saturday.


"Oh yeah, I'm thrilled to get to block somebody else," offensive tackle Jammal Brown said. "I'm thrilled to get to sleep in a hotel bed. Just the little things are big right now."

Said quarterback Drew Brees: "I like it. I'm excited about the opportunity to get out under the lights again and see what some of the young guys can do. The more game-type reps you can get, I think it only prepares you for the season and what you can expect. I think you just get better and better each time out."

Brees will have a light workload -- about 12 to 16 snaps, according to Saints Coach Sean Payton -- against the Pittsburgh Steelers tonight. He'll probably be done by the end of the first quarter.

The same will go for many of the starters on offense and defense. Some veterans, like tailback Deuce McAllister, defensive tackle Hollis Thomas and defensive backs Jay Bellamy and Fred Thomas will play even less.
Safety Roman Harper, who is returning from major knee surgery last year, might not play.

"I've been involved in this game before when I was in New York in 2001," said Payton, a former New York Giants assistant coach. "I think anytime instead of scrimmaging yourselves and you can play someone else, I think there's an advantage to that from the standpoint that you're getting a different look and a different defense against different personnel.
"I think it's an excellent measuring stick."

The Saints, who turn around and host a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Friday night at the Superdome, are treating this game as a replacement for the intrasquad scrimmage they would normally hold on the second weekend of camp.

Payton had the option to open training camp five days earlier to allow the Saints time to build up to this game, but to the delight of the players, he chose not to.

"In general, no, you're not excited about (a fifth preseason game). But it all depends on how the coaches handle it," linebacker Scott Fujita said. "For him to not make us report to camp as soon as we possibly could, that's big. We didn't come in here beating each other up for two weeks before the first game."

Said defensive end Will Smith: "The more games, the less practices. You've always got to see the positives."

The trip to historic Canton also is a positive.

Many players have been there before -- including Smith, who played at Ohio State and made the 90-minute trip several times. But many more were getting their first glimpse when they toured the grounds Saturday.

"I think it's not only good for the young players but for the veterans and for us as an organization to study and look at the history of our league and how fortunate we are to be in it," Payton said.

Center Jeff Faine, who spent three years with the Cleveland Browns, said the trip to Canton is "huge for the right player."

"I regret saying that, because it should be that way across the board for everyone," Faine said. "It's a privilege to play in this league."
Brees had never been to the Hall of Fame before Saturday, but he did have a chance to meet 2007 inductee Thurman Thomas 16 years ago, when his grandfather was being inducted along with Thomas into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame.

"I was there when I was 12 years old, getting his autograph and thinking how cool that was," Brees said. "I've had the chance to meet him on a few occasions again, play in a golf tournament with him, my wife and his wife talk occasionally. Every time I see Thurman, we're old buddies.

"It's really cool to look back to a time when I was a kid looking up to a guy like that, and obviously now that I'm in the NFL, I'm trying to do the best that I can do. I'm trying to win championships, and I'm trying to get there, too." 

saint4life
(504)

poydras

Let's just all remember how anemic our offense looked and how porous our defense looked in preseason last year and not worry too much about anything other than just trying to get our men home uninjured.

BJSim

Great comment, and it needs to be repeated. I don't care if we go 0-5 in the pre-season. It's a warm up and that's it. I want everyone to make through healthy and ready for a great regular season.

UK_WhoDat

Too true poydras.

I remember a nauseous Dolfan who kept on telling me his team would win SB just because they had a good preseason.
Preseason is what it is. Preseason = a period prior to the beginning of the regular season which is devoted to training and preparation.

UK_WhoDat

.......... but they are not supposed to stink on television