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WHO'S HOT: The first-team offense in goal-line drills -- and as a result, Rob Ryan

Saints coach Sean Payton waited until the final day of open practice for the public to line up offense vs. defense in a full-contact goal-line showdown during training camp. And the offense walked away as the victors.

Tight end Benjamin Watson opened the sequence with a wide-open touchdown grab near the corner of the end zone. Pierre Thomas followed with an easy TD run on an outside zone and was nearly untouched. Jimmy Graham then hauled in a TD pass on a quick bubble screen with a defender not in the vicinity as the offense scored on three consecutive plays.

The offense's success made Ryan hot under the collar as the coordinator barked criticism at his defense with language not suitable for children.

Center Brian de la Puente downplayed the offense's overall success (scoring eight of 12 times) during the drills saying, "Our goal down there is to be a 100 percent so that is not what we want, but it is in the right direction. We just have to get back and watch the tape and get better."

Safety Jim Leonard added: "They can split Jimmy out, they can throw the ball. They have all the tricks down on the goal line. They are still physical enough to go ahead and pound it down your throat. They cause a lot of problems just like they do in any of their personnel groups."

ROOKIE WATCH

First-round pick Kenny Vaccaro likes to eavesdrop on secondary coach Wesley McGriff's interviews with the media after practice. Vaccaro has made a habit of walking by "just to say hello" and check out if McGriff is talking about him. When called out on it after Wednesday's practice, Vaccaro put his arm on McGriff and said, "That's my dog." For the record, McGriff has had plenty of encouraging things to say about Vaccaro throughout all of training camp.

PLAY OF THE DAY

Despite the defense's struggles through much of the full-contact goal-line drills, undrafted linebacker Eric Martin made the most impressive play of anyone on either side of the ball. Martin snuffed out an outside running play inside the 5-yard line and stuffed Travaris Cadet along the edge, halting him short of the end zone. Martin is fighting for a roster spot and that'll certainly help his cause.

QUOTABLE

"He wouldn't dare! -- '@LarryHolder: Jimmy Graham catches a quick pass for another TD. Rob Ryan uses some R rated language.'" -- former Saints and Browns linebacker Scott Fujita via Twitter. Fujita played for Ryan in Cleveland.

QUOTABLE II

"Oh absolutely, I have a trophy on top of my locker facing his locker just to let him see it every day. ... Drew isn't the one to tell you that it eats at him, but you got to know is." -- backup quarterback Luke McCown on still gloating about beating Brees in the home run derby at Ben Grubbs' charity softball game in mid-May.

Observations from Wednesday's practice at New Orleans Saints training camp | NOLA.com

TheOak

Danno

55 - Eric Martin
Watch this guy tomorrow night. He's been a terror all camp.

TheOak

That's why I used the picture I did.. That is Martin wrapping Cadet.

Beastmode

8 for 12 on the goaline...with all those weapons what D can really have 8 stops against it.

|Mitch|

Maybe a sign that our run defense in game 1 wasn't a fluke?

Crusader

I love that. Nothing like some healthy competition among teammates.

homerj07

Great read Oak. Bazinga!

Rugby Saint II

Rob ryan cusses? I wonder if Godhell knows about this? Watch and see if Ryan pops out an obscenity during games Godhell will fine him! Maybe throw him out for a couple of games just to throw off our rhythm. Profanity Gate.