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Published: Thursday, September 23, 2010, 8:04 AM
Updated: Thursday, September 23, 2010, 8:42 AM

Jeff Duncan

Game 1 of the New Orleans Saints' 2010 season A.B. -- After Bush -- is only three days away, but you couldn't sense any remorse or panic on Airline Drive.


New Orleans has been here before.


The Saints have navigated this Reggie-less road and fared quite well, thank you.

In fact, it might surprise folks to know the Saints averaged more yards (430.7) and points (33.3) in the 12 games Bush missed the previous three seasons than they did in the 37 games with him (379.1 yards, 26.5 points). I didn't count last season's finale at Carolina because it was an outlier.

Still, there's no question the fifth-year back's injury has created the first hurdle of New Orleans' Super Bowl championship defense.

The Saints are going to have to find some guys to replace not only the eight or so touches Bush got each game, but also the decoy routes and play-action fakes he ran in Coach Sean Payton's high-powered attack.

Quarterback Drew Brees said the job will fall to a committee of Saints:

Lance Moore will likely assume his punt return duties.

Pierre Thomas will get most of his carries.

Moore, Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem will catch his bubble screens.
Jeremy Shockey and David Thomas might catch all those check-down passes from Brees.

"Who's getting those balls? You can't sit there and say it's just going to be spread among the running backs," Brees said. "... Those touches could be spread among anybody on offense: tight ends, other backs, receivers."

Read the rest here...

New Orleans Saints will shuffle their lineup in these days A.B. (After Bush) | NOLA.com

Bold parts sounds familiar doesn't it? Where's that Falcons fan that was attempting to mock me yesterday?

darstep

Sounds like a plan. Just distribute the rock a few more times to ALL the other guys and we should be fine. We are STILL fully loaded with spare clips to boot. Reggie can heal and we can still get the job done with the other folks.

dizzle88

Reggie is a key contributor, one of the most dangerous players on the football field. However our coaching staff is at the top of their game, Payton has worked without Bush before and created a heck of a game plan, just see week 12 vs patriots last season. In the coaching staff i trust, we have all of our WR's healthy so we will still create matchup problems that teams can't stop. I want to see us sustain drives, after we've already scored on our first drive of the game.

Rugby Saint II

Reggie's touches will go to another player. Payton will put the player in the right position to make a play. No one is electrifying as Reggie but we do have some other play makers on the team. I'm hoping to see Meachem get back to last seasons form. Atlanta is good but we are better.

st thomas

the news paper this morning with fits smith acknowledging the saints have plenty of weopens to take bush's place. then he goes on with like you have those running back's, then the good tight ends and meachum then you have henderson to give the ball to then there's ah colston that you can throw to him over the middle. it was like he has our playbook and he was calling the play's. it just got under my skin already.

homerj07

PLay smart & spead the ball around.

Teams watched the SB & Have disected our short passing game - SP needs to get creative & show the Dirty Whores some new moves!!

pherein

My hope is that with Bush gone the offense will be forced to pass more, like we had to in 2008. That might get the offense clicking.

xan

I'd also like to see time of possession difference. A full td and 5 first downs generally means quite a bit. I'm sure those stats aren't adjusted for quality of opponent. Great question for Football Outsiders.

st thomas

great point homer

st thomas

take a few more shots down town, its no worst than a few of those wasted -1 to-2 yard completions or holeless runs that we mostly call out before they happen.