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New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush showed flashes of greatness against Atlanta
By Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune
December 14, 2009, 6:01AM
ATLANTA -- Reggie Bush flashed some of his vintage explosiveness and elusiveness as he broke free from a frustrating month in the New Orleans Saints' 26-23 victory against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at the Georgia Dome.
"I thought Reggie Bush was outstanding," Coach Sean Payton said after Bush gained 102 all-purpose yards and scored two touchdowns on a total of 13 touches against the Falcons.

Bush busted out a 19-yard run, scored on catches of 21 and 6 yards and returned his only punt for a season-long 23 yards.
"I'm always anxious to make plays," said Bush, who said he has felt healthy for a few weeks, even though he looked faster and fresher than he has since a sore knee sidelined him in Weeks 11 and 12.
And he was much more effective than last week at Washington in New Orleans' 33-30 victory in overtime, where he gained 26 all-purpose yards on six touches and was benched for a long stretch in the second half.
In that game, Payton was seen yelling at Bush on the sideline, as he yanked him from the game after his poor effort on a series of plays -- a scene that Payton and Bush claimed was blown out of proportion.
"Like I said to these guys (in the locker room), I yell at a player about 10 times a game, but when I yell at Reggie Bush it's national news," Payton said. "He's just been patient, keeps working hard, and he's doing a great job. He came up big in a lot of key moments for us."
Said Bush: "Honestly, Sean gets on everybody. I understand that you guys like to single me out, but it's fine. I can take that. But Coach Payton gets on everybody, and sometimes we yell back, sometimes we don't. I think it's one of those father-son kind of relationships with me and him, and pretty much everybody else on the team.
"When you mess up, you can expect to get yelled at."
Bush nearly drew the ire of Payton in the third quarter against Atlanta when he fumbled inside the Falcons' red zone after being hit by defensive end John Abraham 3 yards behind the line of scrimmage on a blown-up handoff.
Bush recovered his own fumble, and on the next play, he followed a convoy of blockers to a 21-yard touchdown on a third-and-19 screen pass.
"I think any one of you could have scored on that touchdown, so I don't want to take too much credit for that touchdown," Bush said. "It was the right call at the right time. I think a lot of that credit goes to Coach Payton for calling that play, a screen when they were all-out blitzing."
Bush did deserve credit for making tacklers miss on three or four of his biggest gains, turning potential losses into big plays. That's what he did on the 19-yard run early in the third quarter.
On his 6-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter, he made a move to spring free in the right flat in single coverage against linebacker Mike Peterson.
"I was manned up, in man coverage with the linebacker, and most of the time you like that matchup," Bush said. "So I just did what I do best, made him miss, and made a move. And Drew (Brees) threw a nice ball and we scored a touchdown."
HARTLEY KICKS BACK: In his second game since taking over as the Saints' primary kicker, Garrett Hartley made both of his field-goal attempts but shanked an extra-point attempt off the right upright in the second quarter.
"It was all me," Hartley said. "It came off the side of my foot, and I pushed it. That type of stuff can't happen, but the biggest thing is you have to be able to come back. You know everybody wants to see how you can handle adversity. The coaches, everybody. So I just had to step up and do my part for the rest of the game."
Hartley made his only field-goal attempt in the second half, a 38-yarder that broke a 23-23 tie with 4:42 remaining.
BREES TIES RECORD: With his three touchdown passes against the Falcons, Brees tied Aaron Brooks for the Saints' franchise record with 120 in 61 games with the team.
He also passed the 30,000-yard mark in his ninth NFL season.
"It is certainly a tremendous honor," Brees said. "I'm blessed to be playing here under a coach like Sean Payton and an offense like this. But that's a team deal. It's just as much about the other guys as it is about me."
The Saints also broke a team record Sunday, breaking the franchise record for points scored in a season with 466. The previous record was 463 points, set last year.
New Orleans is falling behind pace in its quest to set the NFL record for points scored in a season. The Saints are averaging 35.8 points, putting them on pace for 574 points. The NFL record is 589 points, set by the 2007 New England Patriots.
INJURY REPORT: The Saints did not report any injuries after Sunday's game, though tight end Jeremy Shockey was in and out of the lineup with an apparent ankle injury, and right tackle Jon Stinchcomb left briefly with a right knee injury before returning to finish the game.
Tailback Mike Bell was inactive Sunday after some soreness in his knee crept up during the week of practice.
Also inactive for the Saints were cornerback Jabari Greer (groin), cornerback Tracy Porter (knee), linebacker Scott Fujita (knee), linebacker Marvin Mitchell (hamstring), receiver Lance Moore (ankle, hamstring), kicker John Carney (coaches' decision) and cornerback Marcus McCauley (coaches' decision).
Moore was dressed, though, and was designated as the emergency third quarterback. So he looks close to returning from his injury.
The Falcons played without quarterback Matt Ryan (toe) and tailback Michael Turner (ankle), who were listed as questionable heading into the game.
FRIENDLY FLAGS: It's worth pointing out the Saints got some help from a few timely -- and controversial penalties -- Sunday.
The officials missed a clear face-mask penalty by defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis on Atlanta's opening drive on a third-down stop that forced the Falcons to settle for a field goal.
And Atlanta was flagged for two questionable pass interference penalties, including one on cornerback Brent Grimes against receiver Robert Meachem in the third quarter that negated an interception, forced Coach Mike Smith to go ballistic on the sideline and eventually led to Bush's 21-yard touchdown.

New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush showed flashes of greatness against Atlanta | New Orleans Saints Central - - NOLA.com

RealDeal37

Ok, look... YES, I know as well as anyone else that BUSH hase'nt lived up 2 tha hype. Now, his first 2 year's he played very well. Since then he has had a tremendes drop in touches. The MORE he get's the ball, the better he get's as the game goes on. Stat's have PROVEN that. Me personaly, i believe that since coach has discovered more & more weapon's on our team now, that he's try'n 2 spread it around. So when Reggie was get'n 20-25 touches a game, rush & pass, he was put'n up good #'s. Now he's lucky to even get the ball 10 times a game. It's just too hard to get into any kind of rythem on only 10 touches or less.
I know alot of people say & or think he will be traded next year, MAYBE, i dunno, but i dont so.
They KNOW what he bring's to the table when he's healthy & get's the ball. I would'nt be surprised to see him a whole lot in the playoff's... Every team has got'n used to him NOT get'n the ball much & have'nt been double'n up on him much. If they go into the post season & drop a very heavy dose of BUSH on every team, it could throw them & there game plan completely off... Think about it... Anyway, Reggie has made it VERY CLEAR that he want's to be in N.O. & nowhere else. I feel like he & his agent will get with the Saint's & RESTRUCTURE his contract & set it up for incentive bonuses do to production on the field. I feel like that's the BEST way to go... LoL, now i know that u know & so does everybody else, that as soon as Reggie signed with another team, he would be the premier back & go to the Pro Bowl, but even worse, play his BEST game of his carrer against the Saint's, LMAO!!!

LoL, Thats just the kinda luck we've alway's had, haha!!!