JOESAM2002

Saints News



Friday Forecast: Trouble looming
09:40 AM CDT on Monday, August 25, 2003

Ralph Malbrough


The display you saw Saturday night will be what the 2003 Saints are all about. A team that’s defense will be wildly inconsistent from series to series and a team that will not win games when they kick field goals instead of score touchdowns. I could sugar coat it and say Kenny Smith looked good, Dale Carter has found the fountain of youth, and KiJanna Carter will be a fine back up for Deuce but I’ll leave that for the more articulate media to say later in the week. Sure the Saints may have a great year and go deep into the playoffs and this column could win a Pulitzer.


The preseason is basically over because game four of the warm ups the starters barely play so game three is the best look at a team you get so what do we know. First, for the Saints to win Brooks, Horn, and McAllister will have to perform at the highest level not okay or average. I’m thinking this offense better hang 27 points up on the score board most every week if the Saints want to post W’s. And from what these eyes see they seem out of sync and will struggle against quality opposition. The line is not what everyone thought it would be and Deuce doesn’t appear to have many creases to run through. In the NFL teams find each other’s weak spots fast. If the line is struggling after a couple of weeks once the real bullets fly defensive coordinators will declare it hunting season with the trophy buck being Aaron Brooks. Also it may be time to bring a voodoo priestess in to bless the Saints tight ends to help with all their injuries. Zach Hilton may play a lot by default.


As for the defense don’t listen to all the people saying,� But Howard and Grant didn’t play.� Whatever. Do you think the Saints will have no injuries on defense the whole year? Someone on the defense will get hurt cause the NFL is a violent game and what then?


I’m also guessing Bill Belichick isn’t having second thoughts about swapping the younger faster Tebucky Jones for the older and slower Rodney Harrison. The Saints secondary has only put together two good series in 3 halves of football. McNabb, Pennington, and Saturday Garcia and Rattay all have done pretty much whatever they wanted. And the only Saint linebacker that has made consistent plays at all has been Darrin Smith. And by plays I mean a defended pass or a tackle that’s not 15 yards down field.


Most analysts tend to be cautious when predicting a teams’ outlook on preseason performance because hey who wants to be bold and crash and burn if they’re wrong? I could be the same and say,� It’s just preseason, they’re not game planning and suddenly wonk, wonk, wonk I’m sounding like Charlie Brown’s freaking teacher. No, my gut tells me this team will work real, real hard to get to 9-7. I judge a team by the ‘if rules’. When you are predicting how a team will do and you say “if� three times or more trouble is ahead. You know � If this happens then..� Well the Saints have at least three if’s. If Deuce stays healthy, if they can get a pass rush, if the linebackers can make at least some plays, if Dale Carter can be a shutdown corner. If all those things happen I’ll probably be wrong.

tweeky

Check his ISP address, I think he\'s a regular here!

WhoDat

If you\'re thinking it was me, it wasn\'t - but I couldn\'t agree more.

JOESAM2002

Sorry guys, but no cigar. That was from either WWL or Times-Picayune. LOL

Batwood

You guys win the opener and Ralph will be writing about them winning the Superbowl