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QB Brees sharp in only series of exhibition work

By SHELDON MICKLES
Advocate sportswriter
Published: Aug 19, 2007

CINCINNATI — New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees opened Saturday night’s game with the Cincinnati Bengals with his two starting wide receivers — Marques Colston — and Devery Henderson — on the bench with injuries.

Colston was scratched because of soreness in his right leg and Henderson has a hamstring injury. Brees hardly missed them in his only series of work, however.

Brees completed all six of his passes for 55 yards, throwing twice to Reggie Bush and Terrance Copper and hitting Deuce McAllister and David Patten as well. McAllister capped the crisp 10-play, 69-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown run to give the Saints, who went on to a 27-19 win, a 7-0 lead.

Big leg
The Saints made a trade with the Miami Dolphins during the offseason in part to get a stronger leg on kickoffs, giving up a sixth-round draft pick to acquire veteran Olindo Mare.

Mare has certainly been that and more, especially on Saturday night. Two of his first three kickoffs went out of the end zone on the fly and the other was fielded nine yards deep in the end zone by former LSU star Skyler Green.

Tigers to Bengals
Green, who’s trying to win a job as a wide receiver and kick returner, is one of five former LSU players on the Bengals’ roster this summer.

Also on the roster are tackle Andrew Whitworth, who started the game because of an injury to Levi Jones; wide receiver Bennie Brazell; defensive tackle Kenderick Allen; and guard Nate Livings.

Clutch catch
Sean Payton’s team won’t have to practice Monday thanks to a catch made by country and western star Kenny Chesney, a friend of the coach, in Friday’s walkthrough practice.

Payton told the Saints they wouldn’t have to practice Monday if Chesney, who caught four passes in individual drills, cleanly fielded a punt. He did, which means the Saints won’t have to hit the field when they report to work Monday morning. They’ll lift weights and have a film review, however.

“Reggie Bush said, ‘I like country music,’ after (Chesney) caught that punt,” Payton said later.

More flags
Saints special teams picked up two more penalties Saturday night, giving them 10 in three games.

The second penalty wiped out a 76-yard TD by Tramain Hall on a punt return in the fourth quarter. The Saints actually had two penalties on that play, one on an illegal block in the back by Marvin Mitchell — which was declined — and a holding call on Curry Burns.

Jason Craft was caught grabbing a facemask while blocking for Lance Moore on a punt return in the first quarter.

Sitting it out
In addition to Colston and Henderson, six other Saints did not dress for the game. They were T Jammal Brown, C Jeff Faine, SLB Scott Fujita, DT Brian Young, DE Rob Ninkovich and G Dave Yovanovits.

Injury report
MLB Mark Simoneau left the game late in the first quarter with an injury to his lower right leg.

Simoneau was later seen sitting on the bench with a large ice pack on the injured leg. He was replaced by former Bengals standout Brian Simmons.

Happy homecoming
In addition to Simmons, a former first-round draft pick who played nine years in Cincinnati, two other ex-Bengals returned to Paul Brown Stadium with the Saints. Safety Kevin Kaesviharn played the last six seasons with the Bengals and tight end Ronnie Ghent was on the practice squad last season.

2theadvocate.com | Featured Saints Stories | Saints Notebook for August 19, 2007 -- Baton Rouge, LA

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