blacksaint

Team heads into Titans game with one backup DT

Saturday, September 22, 2007
By Jimmy Smith

There are many things the Saints have yet to do this year on the football field: win a game, score a first-quarter touchdown, produce an individual 100-yard rusher or receiver, intercept a pass.

Or record a sack.

For a team with a Pro Bowl defensive end (Will Smith), and another (Charles Grant) who in the offseason was rewarded with a contract worth a potential $63 million, making him the highest-paid non-Pro Bowl end in the league, that's somewhat confounding.

Yet Grant was predicting earlier in the week that he and Smith would eventually finish the season with double-digit sack totals.

"I ain't worried about all that," Grant said. "Sacks will come."

They better get busy.

League-wide, 43 defensive ends have at least one sack. The New York Jets, also winless, are the only other NFL team that's thus far without a sack.

Coach Sean Payton said he realizes there are many tangible things the Saints still lack heading into Monday night's game against Tennessee.

"We'd like to be doing a better job in the kicking game, a better job throwing the football," Payton said. "You can point to a number of things. We're looking to pick up this week and hopefully get a few (sacks)."

In two games this season, Tennessee quarterback Vince Young has been sacked twice.

Including two playoff games, the Saints have recorded just one sack in the past five games.

Lack of a consistent pass rush in the Saints' first two games this year may be contributing to the struggles of the defensive secondary. New Orleans has allowed 11 passes of 24 yards or more this year and five touchdowns.

TACKLE SHORTAGE: With defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy listed as questionable for Monday's game with a turf toe injury, he did not participate in Friday's practice, that gives the Saints only one true backup defensive tackle.

Hollis Thomas will step in as the starter, as he was a year ago, but Antwan Lake could be the only sub, a difficult task with the way the Saints rotate tackles in and out, especially considering the Titans come into the game with the league's top-ranked rushing offense, averaging 211.5 yards per game.

Payton said defensive end Renaldo Wynn was a possible tackle fill-in.

"Renaldo is a guy who can play inside," Payton said. "That would give us another guy and he's worked some there this week with Kendrick not practicing. We'll see where Kendrick is at with his toe and if it keeps getting better."

Safety Jay Bellamy (ankle) is out as listed on the first official injury report. Safety Josh Bullocks (right knee) did not practice Friday. He's listed probable.

PREGAME CONCERT: New Orleans rockers Cowboy Mouth will play a 90-minute set leading up to the game in a concert outside the Superdome on the Bud Bridge, located outside Gate C at LaSalle Street.

The music begins at 5 p.m. and ends one hour before the scheduled 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

National recording artist Clay Walker is scheduled to perform the national anthem.

NOLA.com: Everything New Orleans

saint4life
(504)

Tobias-Reiper

... well, Charles better be worried about it.
Nothing against Grant, but I never thought he was that good, just an average NFL DE.

LongTimeFan

If I'm Payton I'd get Harper to spy on Young, keep him in the pocket and the Saints have a good chance in beating the Titans..

darstep

I agree LTF. We have the best chance against Young if we keep him in the pocket and make him beat us with his arm and not with his feet. He is dangerous and will kill us if we let him get into the open field for 15 here and 25 there.

blacksaint

Yo, if we took it to Vick, we won't have any problems with Young. I mean Young is good, but he's no Mick Vick.

saintsrule

They might have to concentrate on the run, and are not able to get the sacks, yet.

hagan714

3-4 baby.