QBREES9

New Orleans beat Minnesota 31-28 in overtime on Jan. 24 to get to the Super Bowl. And we all know what happened there – the Saints beat Indy 31-17 to bring home the franchise’s first-ever title.

The Saints broke to a 13-0 record in 2009 before losing three straight. That only steeled the team to win three straight in the postseason.

Now it’s 2010 and last season is but a memory. New Orleans opens the season in the Dome against the team it ended the home schedule this past year – Minnesota.

It’s also the first in a stretch of three out of four home games to begin the season.

It’s All History
The Vikings own an 18-7 lead in the all-time series between these two teams, but the Saints own the most important win, the victory in the NFC championship game in January.

The January win ended a four-game losing streak to the Vikings for New Orleans.

In the last regular season matchup between the two, the Saints lost 30-27 in a nationally televised Monday night game, a game that Reggie Bush returned two punts for touchdowns and electrified a packed Superdome.

New Orleans has scored 31 points four times against Minnesota, the last time coming in a NFC title game. The Saints have been shutout only once, coming in the series’ second game, a 26-0 loss in 1970.

Minnesota’s most points came in the 1988 playoff game, the 44-10 win over New Orleans in the Superdome. The Vikings have been shutout once, a 26-0 loss in 1991

Opening Day
New Orleans is breaking open its 44th season in the NFL and is 15-28 since the franchise’s inception on opening day.

However, the Saints are 6-4 in the past 10 season openers, but have won two in a row and four of the past five. The Saints opened 2009 with a 45-27 win over Detroit, 2008 with a 24-20 win over Tampa Bay, 2007 with 41-10 loss to Indianapolis, 2006 with a 19-14 win over Cleveland and 2005 with a 23-20 win over Carolina.

New Orleans has opened the season at home 30 times and this season marks the third consecutive home game to open the year. However, New Orleans has been on the road six times since 2000.

The Saints are 11-20 all-time in home season openers. That includes a 1-1 mark against Minnesota, both games coming prior to 1980.

Sean Payton is the only Saints coach with a winning record on opening day.

Numbers game
Some numbers that stand out in the Sean Payton Era:
510 – Points scored in 2009, ninth-best in NFL history
39 – Takeaways in 2009, or 17 more than in 2008
391.8 – Yards per game since 2006, best in the NFL
6 – Saints rank in rushing in 2009, up from 28th in 2008
8,851 – Yards after catch since 2006, best in the NFL. Green Bay is second with 8,301
72 – Sacks allowed since 2006, second-best in NFL behind Indy’s 65

Breesing through
We all know Drew Brees is impressive. But do you know just how impressive? Since 2006, he leads the NFL in six categories and is in the top three in several others.

He has the most attempts (2,355), completions (1,572), yards (18,298), 300-yard passing games (30), touchdown passes (122) and completions of 25-plus yards (142).

Meanwhile, he’s second in completion percentage (66.8), fourth in passer rating (97.3) and third-down passer rating (102.9).

His 38 wins is tied for fifth-best since 2006, behind Peyton Manning’s 51.

2009 3's Company (third-down analysis)
197 plays overall of which 54 were runs and 143 were passes. They have averaged 4.54 yards per run and 7.17 yards per pass play.
• Third-and-short (1-2 yards) - 28 runs, 23 first downs; 16 passes, 6 first downs
• Third-and-(3-5) - 10 run, 3 first down; 52 passes, 33 first downs
• Third-and-(6-10) - 8 runs, 2 first downs; 48 passes, 16 first downs
• Third-and-(11-15) - 8 run, 0 first downs; 15 passes, 4 first downs
• Third-and-(16-plus) - 0 runs, 0 first downs; 12 passes, 2 first downs

The Saints have a new third-down running back in DeShawn Wynn. He claims his strength is blitz pickup and Pierre Thomas called him a powerful short-yardage back.

www.sportsshooter.com/johnjcoleman

" Anyone can take a picture Only a Photographer can take a photograph "

SmashMouth

Here's to 600 points this year!

QBREES9

2Dat

Rugby Saint II

I never was a big fan of stats before. But I love them now. Two Dat!!