papz

METAIRIE, La. — With all the talk about how physical rookie defensive back Kenny Vaccaro has been this training camp, it would be easy to blame him for Joseph Morgan’s season-ending injury.

He’s the one, after all, who tackled Morgan during Saturday’s Black and Gold scrimmage, tearing the receiver’s meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the process.

But Vaccaro’s teammates all came to his defense Wednesday, minutes after coach Sean Payton announced Morgan’s season-ending status.

“It was such a freak play,” quarterback Drew Brees said. “It’s not like it was the blatant, obvious… It was kind of bang-bang. He catches it and Kenny is there to jump on his back and in the process of putting his knee down, it just kind of buckles on him or gets caught in a funny position.

“Sometimes you have those freak incidents where it’s kind of out of everyone’s control. It just happens.”

Added receiver Marques Colston, “He’s a guy that’s out here and he’s doing what the coaches have asked him to do. Like I said, unfortunately that’s kind of the nature of this game. But you can’t really fault a guy for playing and practicing hard."

The injury happened on the fourth play of the scrimmage. Brees threw a four-yard pass to Morgan in the right flat and Vaccaro grabbed him, riding him to the ground for the tackle.

Afterward, Morgan was quick to tweet that the injury wasn’t the young safety’s fault.



Joseph Morgan ✔ @jmthegreat

Don't blame @KennyVaccaro4 It was a routine tackle. I admire how feisty a player he is too. He's going be great for us.
1:41 PM - 3 Aug 2013



Offensive tackle Zach Strief said how Vaccaro is playing in practice will translate into game in the regular season.

“I’ll tell you right now – that guy that works his butt off out here and people are going, ‘Boy, he’s going a little hard, what’s his deal?’ ” Strief said. “That guy is going to be good during the season, and as soon as that fourth (preseason game) gets played and the roster’s set and he’s on your team, man, you’re putting your arm around him like, ‘Glad you’re here.’ ”

Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.

All little common sense goes a long way.

Halo

I blame gOD-hELL and his stupid cross fit BS during the offseason to prevent injuries. Doesn't sound like it's working so well?!

DemonicSaint

SP brought in the cross-fit program, I think.


Sean Payton brought back high-intensity attitude and high-intensity workouts to New Orleans Saints | NOLA.com

ChrisXVI

It's about time someone in our secondary gave a crap... Seperate the men from the boys!

Danno

There may be 2 or 3 people blaming Vaccaro for Morgans injury. They're the same ones who probably like the current shift towards two-hand touch football too.

Lord_Saint83

It was a normal tackle from what seen when i was there that day. Its not vaccaro's fault joe is a lot like glass joe.


The end is nigh

halloween 65

He!!, we actually got someone who tackles, I love this guy!! Maybe he can show the pansies how it's done.

homerj07

If the cross-fit is what is doing it to layers what is the excuse for the rest of the league.

Do we just have crappy memories or has this been a really bad preseason for injuries??

rezburna

Injuries happen. It's football. I don't know when the world is going to realize that. Take off the pads, people get hurt. Put the pads on, people get hurt. Take away helmets, people get hurt. Put on helmets, people get hurt. Only way for people not to get hurt? Don't play.

The worse injury I had my senior year was a face to head collision during a pass scale. No helmets, no pads. Shorts and t-shirts. Stuff happens.

Keep hitting Vacarro! Keep hitting!

Seer1

Yep. Nobody'll be taking it easy on us once the season starts.