saint5221

Smith looked damn good and sure out played Ruff in the jets game, it will be interesting to watch against the niners to see if Ruff answers the challenge.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/...eader001.shtml
By SHELDON MICKLES
smickles@theadvocate.com
Advocate sportswriter

Darrin Smith METAIRIE -- New Orleans Saints middle linebacker Darrin Smith believes in the old saying that practice makes perfect. Then again, he also believes that preparation makes perfect.

That's one of the reasons why the Saints defense played much better in a 22-17 victory over the New York Jets last Saturday after dropping a 27-17 decision to the Philadelphia Eagles five nights earlier.

Smith sat out the Eagles game with a groin injury, but he was back on the field and doing what he does best -- calling out signals and getting his teammates in the right pre-snap position -- against the Jets.

"The biggest thing I bring is experience and understanding of the game," Smith said. "I try to be a student of the game, and that makes a real big difference in the way you play the game."

Saints defensive coordinator Rick Venturi saw it against the Jets.

"What Darrin gives us is a lot of stability and veteran leadership," said Venturi. "He's the director of the defense. He goes out there and gives us direction without panic."

Panic set in for the Saints early against the Eagles. When they started shifting and sending players in motion during the first drive, some of the Saints' newcomers on defense were lost -- simply because they hadn't played a lot, Venturi said.

"That's not to say (backups) Orlando Ruff and Cie Grant aren't playing well, because they are," Venturi said. "But this is their first year here, and it's going to take more time to get into the scheme and understand it.

"Darrin came in and certainly gave us stability against the Jets," he said. "He did a real good job. The guy has always played a little bit better than people think he can play."

Which is why Smith, who is entering his 11th NFL season, has started 130 of 138 games since coming into the league as a second-round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 1993. He's also started all 13 playoff games he's played in -- including Super Bowl XXX with the Cowboys

Most of those starts came at weakside 'backer, but Smith moves back to the middle this season after playing a key role there for the Saints in their run to the NFC Western Division title in 2000.

And the Saints' coaching staff is hoping Smith will be able to help rekindle the magic of that season after letting unrestricted free agent Charlie Clemons go this offseason. Clemons eventually signed with the Houston Texans.

It didn't take long for Venturi and coach Jim Haslett to pencil Smith in at the vacant spot even though they signed Ruff from the San Diego Chargers and drafted Grant, who has tremendous speed, in the third round.

At first, it was thought that Ruff would play in obvious running situations and Smith would come in on passing downs. But after four weeks of training camp, Smith, one of the few players in the NFL with a master's degree, has solidified his starting spot.

When he came to the Saints after being released by the Seattle Seahawks in 2000, Smith didn't have a starting spot.

But he moved right in when Clemons was felled in preseason by a torn Achilles tendon.

While it would not have been a smooth transition for most players, Smith settled right in.

"Preparation always makes a difference in the way you play," Smith said. "A lot of players have talent and ability, but you have to do the things that give yourself that edge. You have to know what the other team is trying to do to you."

That year, the Saints finished eighth out of 31 teams in total defense and went to the playoffs and won a postseason game for the first time in club history.

"We felt good about what we did that season, we were a top-10 defense and everybody came through and contributed," he said. "I did what the coaches asked of me and it was something special to be a part of."

Now, the Saints are asking Smith, who watches at least five hours of game tapes at home each week and three times that much at the team's training facility, to do it again after back-to-back disappointing seasons for the defense.

"There are a lot of little things that go with playing this defense," he said, "and most of it comes with experience.

"But my job is to get my teammates in a better position to help our defense. If we do that, the defense will work the way it's supposed to work."