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NFC South: Saints Show They Can Win Games Multiple Ways


(Sports Network) - The toughest task facing the New York Jets this weekend is figuring out which New Orleans Saints team to get ready for.
Will they be facing the Drew Brees-led air attack that accounted for six passing touchdowns in Week 1? How about a Week 2 version of the Saints that carried the ball 29 times for 133 yards and two rushing touchdowns?
New Orleans has thrown a third version into the mix as well, a defensive- minded squad that held the Buffalo Bills to just seven points in a 27-7 victory this past weekend.
How dominant was the unit? It forced two turnovers, had four sacks, limited Buffalo to just 243 yards of offense and held Bills receiver Terrell Owens without a catch for the first time since 1996, his rookie year.
"We didn't fall back or let up," said cornerback Jabari Greer. "We showed great resilience. The defensive line got on the quarterback and the linebackers secured tackles."
If someone had told you before Sunday's game that the Saints would pull out a 20-point victory without getting at least 200 yards of passing or a touchdown out of Brees, you probably would not have believed them. Yet here is New Orleans sitting at 3-0 while quickly becoming the most feared and balanced team in the NFL.
"What I am most proud of is the fact that our defense played outstanding," Brees said. "They got us a few turnovers and they just played with such a great attitude. Every time they stepped on the field they just felt like they were going to shut everyone out."
While Brees threw for just 172 yards to see his streak of 22 straight games of at least 200 passing yards or more end, the defense came up big.
Defensive end Will Smith had five tackles, a sack and notched the first interception of his career. Fellow end Charles Grant was credited with 1 1/2 sacks and rookie corner Malcolm Jenkins forced a special-teams fumble for the second week in a row.
Most teams fear the Saints' multi-weaponed offense. Now they need to respect the defense as well.
"We don't mind not getting the recognition," said Smith. "We kind of lay in the weeds and sneak up on people. We're happy to have a great offense that backs us up."
The Saints next host the Jets this Sunday in a battle of 3-0 teams. New Orleans will be aiming to win its first four games in a season for the first time since beginning 1993 with a 5-0 mark.
"We're going to play a real good football team this upcoming weekend -- we'll enjoy this one for 24 hours, but there's a lot we've got to clean up here," said head coach Sean Payton.
FALCONS: The bye week gives teams time to regroup and adjust to the fast-paced world of the NFL. For the Atlanta Falcons, it will also give them time to digest their humble pie.
Atlanta rolled through Miami and Carolina to begin the season, posting 47 points over its 2-0 start. Facing stiffer competition in the Tom Brady-lead New England Patriots, the Falcons offense was limited in a 26-10 loss.
Playing on the road for the first time this year, the Falcons were held to just 257 yards of offense. Matt Ryan threw for a mere 199 yards, running back Michael Turner posted just 56 on 15 carries, though he did score a touchdown, while tight end Tony Gonzalez's only catch of the day didn't come until the fourth quarter.
That wasn't the type of result Ryan was used to in Massachusetts after starring at Boston College prior to his NFL career.
"I didn't feel like we played our best game today," said head coach Mike Smith following the loss. "It was a hard fought game and I think we played well in spurts, but we weren't able to get the job done."
Still, Smith wouldn't count the setback to the Patriots as a total loss.
"I learned that our guys played hard. We did not quit. Those guys were battling, battling through adversity, battling through a lot of things and again, that's a good football team in a hostile environment.
The Falcons now head into the bye a game back of the 3-0 Saints for the top spot in the division. Atlanta gets no breaks after the off week, as it visits the San Francisco 49ers before an even tougher three-game run versus the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans, with the last two games on the road.
In addition to getting their offense back on track, the Falcons will need to address a run defense that allowed the pass-happy Patriots to carry the ball 39 times for 168 yards.
"That was definitely the issue [Sunday]," Smith added on Monday. "We definitely need to evaluate, not only the defensive line, but the linebacker fits and the secondary."
Atlanta was playing its first game since losing 2009 first-round pick Peria Jerry for the season. The defensive tackle is out due to a left knee injury.
BUCCANEERS: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' rebuilding season as taken a predictable turn. The club is getting younger at the quarterback spot.
Head coach Raheem Morris announced on Monday -- one day after his club was waxed 24-0 by the New York Giants -- that Josh Johnson will take over for Byron Leftwich as the starting quarterback. First-round pick Josh Freeman will be elevated to the backup role, while Leftwich drops to the No. 3 spot.
Morris said on Monday that Johnson gives the Buccaneers more options in addition to increased mobility at the position.
"It does help with the offensive line...(Johnson) creates a different matchup for people," said the head coach. "He gives you a better chance to obviously break out of the pocket and make a play with his feet every once in a while."
The 29-year-old Leftwich reestablished himself as an NFL quarterback in limited snaps with the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, but seemed as a curious choice to be Tampa Bay's No. 1 this season, given that the team is obviously rebuilding.
Johnson, 23, was inactive for all 16 games as a rookie last year and could benefit in the long term with some time on the field, while Freeman was taken 17th overall in the 2009 draft and figures to be Tampa Bay's QB of the future.
In falling to 0-3, the Bucs were outgained 397-86 on offense by the Giants. Leftwich ended 7-of-16 passing for 22 yards, while Johnson was 4-for-10 for 36 yards. Leftwich was also intercepted once.
"I think the secret is out of the bag, this is a young team," said Morris. "We're in constant evaluation of our guys. We have to look at all of our young players and see what they're going to be and what they've got the opportunity to be, and this is just one of those decisions you got to do that on. Certainly this probably won't be the only change."
Don't be surprised if the 21-year-old Freeman sees some time under center this year in what looks like is going to be a lost season for the Buccaneers. They will try to avoid their first 0-4 start since 2006 on Sunday at Washington.
On the positive side, at least the Bucs have a veteran quarterback around like Leftwich to mentor their young quarterbacks. The Marshall product, who threw for 594 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions in his three games this year, owns 49 career NFL starts.
PANTHERS: Do you think the Carolina Panthers are starting to regret signing quarterback Jake Delhomme to a five-year contract extension this past offseason?
How has Delhomme responded to the $42.5 million deal, $20 million of which is guaranteed? How about guiding the Panthers to an 0-3 start and throwing seven interceptions to just two touchdown passes in the process.
To be honest, the 34-year-old has just not been good this year. While he isn't the only one to blame, when you are the quarterback and are signed through 2014, the spotlight will shift your way rather quickly.
Carolina gained 175 yards in the first half of Monday night's 21-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, but held a 7-0 lead despite allowing nearly 200 yards to the Cowboys. The Panthers, though, ended each of their four second-half drives with punts.
Now down by six, Delhomme attempted to guide Carolina up the field late in the fourth quarter. However, on the third play of that drive, the signal-caller was picked off by Dallas' Terence Newman, who took the gift 27 yards for a back-breaking score.
The pass was intended for wide receiver Steve Smith, who took the blame on the play after the game, saying he changed his route. Delhomme, of course, shifted the fault to himself.
"We battled hard. We fought hard...we just couldn't get anything going," Delhomme said.
The numbers are telling for the Panthers. They did not force a turnover versus the Cowboys while giving the ball away three times themselves. That gives Carolina a minus-eight turnover ratio on the season.
The Panthers went 12-4 a season ago and won the NFC South. They are 0-3 this year, giving the club its worst start since it began the 1998 campaign 0-7.
Thankfully, Carolina is on its bye this weekend. That should give the squad some time to work on things, as it needs to string together some wins if it wants to save the season.
The Panthers will host the Washington Redskins the following Sunday.

NFC South: Saints Show They Can Win Games Multiple Ways - NFL News Story - KOCO Oklahoma City

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SaintGup

The Bills game has beem my favourite game so far. The reason? It shows we do not have to rely on Drew Brees. That we can finish games by running the ball and we are no longer one dimensional. Teams have seen us coming and have said, 'if you stop them throught the air, they cannot run on you'. Well, teams must be quaking in their cleats and defensive co ordinators must be groaning with the knowledge that they have to plan for the whole team, even special teams. Malcolm Jenkins has been great on special teams, Morstead has been punting well and our rotation of running backs does not have me worried if one goes down. Payton has been making smart calls and managing the clock well and looking on the sidelines shows the team as a unit, all pulling in the same direction because they know that, if they don't pull their weight and play for the team, they'll get their butt kicked. LOOK UPON OUR MAJESTY AND DESPAIR, FOR WE ARE THE BLACK AND GOLD. BLACK FOR THE DARKNESS WE WILL CAST UPON YOUR SEASON AND GOLD FOR THE JOY WE WILL BRING TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW ORLEANS. TREMBLE AT OUR POWER AS WE STRIDE ONTO THE FIELD, FOR OURS IS THE SUPERDOME AND THIS IS OUR KINGDOM!!!!

DeadmaN

yeah I have to admit
Had I not watched the game and only read Drew’s stats alone and someone was too asked me “Do you think they won the game?”…
I would have looked at them and said "No. I don't think they won."

I have to give it to the whole "D" and I mean every aspect of it and the "O" line and the run game especially PT
They showed that if a team is able to slow the pass then we will pound the ball right through them into the end zone

This Saint’s has stepped up and made a statement…
That this team is for real!!!