Getting to Know You: PT Cruiser Edition

1. I believe that PT will sign the tender before the deadline so the Saints can’t screw him out of more money, cause he knows they will.
2. PT is good because of his awareness. He knows where that goal line is and he fights for every inch of it.
3. No he could not. Just like JShock, he plays with his heart full on and that, I believe, will lead to more injuries.
4. Any and all teams, he has a great personnality and I think he could lead a locker room efficiently.
5. Any screen pass that leads to him leaping into the end zone ;)

I’m not sure about the others, but clearly the answer to #2 is that he ain’t got no distractions, can’t hear no buzzers and bells. Don’t see no lights a flashin’, plays by sense of smell.

I hear he’s got quite a supple wrist as well.

1. I think he will sign a tender around 2 million this year and will get a 3 year contract. Will get it after camp but before the season when Mickey sees he really does mean it.
2. Like every other Saint, puts in his heart on every play. On that 4th down play in the SB, you see him trying everything to pass the plane even while being tackled by two guys, yeah he didnt get it but he showed as much heart then as when he scored that TD pass later on.
3.No. Hes a 1000+ yard back but after a season or two of that I would think he would start to decline.
4.Any that need a solid running game, or a team needing a solid second running back.
5. The NFC championship on the first TD. PT on the screen and broke 2 or 3 tackles and got into the end zone. That play personifies who he is as a running back.

1. Victim of bad timing. Saints have all the leverage. His only real option, sign the current tender and hope for a new CBA for 2011.
2. Work ethic and demeanor makes him a perfect fit for Saints offensive scheme.
3. Not for the full season. He could handle several games in a row, but could not take the pounding for 16+.
4. Any other team with a shared backfield. Sames as with the Saints, not an every down back.
5. Dive at the goal line with a defender riping at his helment.

Good Luck PT, I would hate to see you leave…..

1. The Saints reduce his tender and his agent talks Loomis back up to slightly more than the first offer. The agent spins it as a win.
2. He runs hard on every play and doesn’t fumble. He seems to have a way of bouncing off of tackles.
3. No. I don’t think he can stay 100% healthy for a full season.
4. Eagles, Raiders and Seahawks come to mind.
5. His touchdown in the Super Bowl that gave the Saints their first lead of the game. That play gets better the more times I remember it. I think I’m up to 8 tackles that he broke before diving into the endzone.

1. he’ll sign the tender and get a new contract midway through the season
2. when you say his name really fast it sounds like something you would say when you karate chop someone in jugular (PE-YAH!)
3. unfortunately, no
4. Pats (i really thought they would scoop him up on the tender offer)
5. when pt realized we weren’t face stomping the bills as we should by halftime, stood up, ripped the iv’s from his arms, grabbed his helmet, and ran out of locker room and torched the bills to the tune of 14 carries for 126 yds and 2 tds (PE-YAH!)

1. I think he will end up signing, even if he thinks the contract is crap. He still needs a great full season to deserve a bigger contract.
2. Pierre is good awesome because he never stops moving his feet…it’s one thing coaches tell you when you’re playing little league football, and for some reason not everyone gets that…PT does..
3. I think he could, he might need some extra conditioning to take over full time.
4. I couldn’t imagine Pierre somewhere else, but if I had to…maybe the Titans, they just lost their power back with Lendale White, and even though I don’t think of Pierre as just a power back, he’d add a little more pop than CJ.
5. Anytime he has a run where the defender thinks he is going down and he uses his balance and somehow stays on his feet…the defender just lays on the ground like “what the H**L just happened??”. To be more specific I love his TD screen pass in the SB.

1. How do you think these contract negotiations will end?
Not well. Mickey seems bent on alienating PT in order to save money. Sometimes I just don’t understand financial people.

2. What do you think makes Pierre so good?
PT is one of those rare backs who is always moving forward—the one-cut-and-go type. Reggie tries to do the same thing with speed; PT relies on economy of motion. The angles he takes are never farther from straight forward than they need to be. Plus, he’s deceptively fast and strong.

3. Could Thomas handle the running load by himself if necessary?
Yes. I believe he has what it takes to be the best back the Saints have ever had. After three years, he has a better average per-carry than Deuce, Rueben Mayes, George Rogers, Ricky Williams, Chuck Muncie, Dalton Hilliard. He was better last year than ever before, with a heavier workload. The only question mark is his durability, but that’s never really been adequately tested. I like the way they use him, and I don’t want to see him prematurely burned out, but pound for pound and run for run he’s among the best in the NFL.

4. What other NFL team would benefit most from having Pierre in their backfield?
New England. He’s be an absolute star on the Patriots, and he’d re-energize an offense that frankly seems to be getting a bit tired.

5. What is your all-time favorite Pierre Thomas moment?
Gotta be the Super Bowl TD.

Mickey will loosen the purse strings just enough to work out a long term deal. They have to know that PT has been a model pro athlete and is not so easily replaceable.

His work ethic and self motivation.

Probably not, but he’d do better at it than any of our other RBs

Many teams. The Eagles and Patriots come to mind.

His screen pass TD to give us the lead in the Super Bowl. I still tear up whenever thinking about it. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

1. How do you think these contract negotiations will end?
Partly cloudy. I think he’ll reluctantly sign his one-year tender, opt to test the free agent market next season and probably wind up making bank somewhere else. For what it’s worth, I expect the Saints’ backfield to look vastly different in 2011, with this being Bush’s last season in the Black & Gold, as well. Look for them to pursue a legitimate franchise RB, either in free agency or next year’s draft.

2. What do you think makes Pierre so good?
Not being burdened by expectations, playing within his abilities, good vision, being able to find the holes when they aren’t there initially, dedication to offseason strength and conditioning. His power and tread have both improved steadily since his rookie year, which has helped his inside game develop to the point it has. He doesn’t lack confidence either, which is key to any RB’s success.

3. Could Thomas handle the running load by himself if necessary?
Uncertain. While he and Ryan Grant appear to be cut from the exact same cloth, as far as overall skill sets go, Thomas has yet to play a 16 game season despite splitting time, something Grant doesn’t do nearly as often. I don’t think a 1,200 yard rushing season would be out of the question, if he was indeed the featured back … I just wouldn’t bet a whole lot of money on it. Especially with Sean Payton calling the plays on offense and Pierre’s history of debilitating dents and dings.

4. What other NFL team would benefit most from having Pierre in their backfield?
The Texans. A young, vibrant team with an established passing game and a stable of complimentary backs. I agree that the Patriots and Eagles would be good fits, as well. The Bengals could work too, as both Cedric Benson and Bernard Scott have exhibited questionable character traits in the past. With all that said, I think Pierre would sign with the Bears in a heartbeat, if given his druthers.

5. What is your all-time favorite Pierre Thomas moment?
I’d have to say the preseason of his rookie year. Watching this unheralded blip on the radar consistently upstaging Bush, eventually beating out Antonio Pittman — who just about everyone, including myself, had penciled in for a roster spot — just the hunger he exhibited throughout those few meaningless games. That’s when his sheer determination to succeed first became evident, as he won over the hearts of thousands of Saints fans. If he remains relatively healthy and doesn’t let his new “big boy” contract quell that drive, I’m sure he could go on to have a career similiar to Rodney Hampton or someone of that caliber.

1) How do you think these contract negotiations will end?
a signature

2)What do you think makes Pierre so good?
vision, never going down with 1st contact, Drew Brees

3) Could Thomas handle the running load by himself if necessary? I think absolutely. I’m really wondering what it is that people see that lead them to believe otherwise. I keep seeing posts about injuries…. where is all that coming from? Until I see him ever stop finishing runs, or geting hurt frequently, I can noy say that he can’t do it because everything I’ve seen so far says he can.

4) What other NFL team would benefit most from having Pierre in their backfield?
Any team really. But I really like Mtn pick of the Pats, even though I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.
 
5) What is your all-time favorite Pierre Thomas moment?
Watching the Dolphins-Saints final preseason game of his rookie year. He had a few great kick returns, and runs from scrimmage. I remember looking for a roster to see why the hell Fred Thomas was returning kicks…Once I figured out it was actually that undrafted kid from Illinois, I’ve been on his bandwagon ever since. I remember being half-intoxicated ranting about the effort he’s putting out is gonna get him a roster spot because of it. Something like “I’m @$#%ing telling you man, I don’t care if it’s the crappy dolphins 3rd string, that guy is good… I’m telling you.. 23 …don’t forget it ….a$$holes”

1. He’ll eventually sign the tender. Not sure how things will play out from there.

2. His elusiveness during and after contact, not before. It’s like he seeks out contact when it can’t be avoided, then somehow just phases through the defender.

3. Doubtful. Too many bumps and bruises while splitting carries. He’d likely downplay injuries and play hurt as well, because he’s exhibited his toughness on many occasions. While admirable, that’d likely lead to more serious problems down the road.

4. Pats, Steelers, Chargers, Dolphins (not thinking about this anymore)

5. Like so many others that have already posted, I really fell in love with Thomas during the end of the preseason of his rookie year. I began to feel like he was something special and would end up meaning a lot to the team.

1) I see Thomas signing his tender before the deadline in order to prevent the Saints from further dropping his pay. He will sign a long term deal before the 2011 season, I am almost certain.
2)Pierre is just an all around back who runs with desire. You see him bounce off of tackles all over the place. Look back at the Super Bowl…he broke tackles and just never stopped driving his legs. He fought for every yard he could get and that made him a very valuable runningback.
3) I think he could be a feature back in any offense that utilizes one; but because the Saints like to pass the ball a majority of the time, he won’t see the number of touches that one would expect from a “featured” runningback.
4) I would say the Colts would benefit most with him. He is a smart player and a good blocker and excels at catching passes out of the backfield. He could give the Colts a certain toughness that Peyton Manning could depend upon.
5) My favorite Pierre Thomas moment was against the Buccaneers in the Superdome this past season where we lost in overtime. There was one run where he ran off to the right side, and he had their safety(piscatelli maybe…) right in front of him getting ready to tackle him, but Thomas lowered his head into the guys chest and just pushed him backwards for about 10 yards before being pulled down from behind. That was so epic.

1. I see him getting a contract, although I’m not sure whether he’ll sign the one-yr tender or the longer contract offer. Might depend on how PO’d he is at the Saints!
2. His willingness to do whatever is necessary to get results. He’ll fight for the first down, he’ll sacrifice his body going out for a pass, whatever it takes.
3. Honestly not sure. I think he could mostly handle it for a year or two, but his style of play would take quite a toll on his body.
4. I’d hate to face them with him, but I agree with the last poster in saying the Colts would benefit from him. Imagine the improvement in their running game with him playing, and how it would allow their passing game to develop into an even more dangerous weapon.
5. So many to choose from…I always enjoy seeing how he takes a hit, then spins or bounces off and fights for the extra yards. There were several examples this past season…

1.Hopefully, PT signs his tender, has another outstanding season, and gets a big payday next year.

2.He can do it all. He runs hard, catches the ball well, and pass protects well. He seems to never go down on the first hit.

3.I think he could definitely handle the load by himself if it came to that, but he is in the perfect situation of running back by committee and he is probably more effective and better suited in this type of system.

4.Any team would benefit greatly from having him on the team. He’s selfless and dependable. He’ s a hard worker and a great all around player. Class act.

5. Any screen pass that he caught basically went for a TD and were usually at a critical time in the game. Those were my favorite (especially the one in the Super Bowl). Also, the Buffalo game where he missed the whole first half and came in in the 3rd and STILL finished with 126 yards and 2TD’s. IN ONE HALF!!!!!

two games, two draws… no wonder its not that popular in the us

1. How do you think these contract negotiations will end?
Things look bleak in terms of the Saints increasing their offer, so at the moment I think he signs the one year tender and then leaves next summer.

2. What do you think makes Pierre so good?
He’s not the fastest or toughest RB in the league and he doesn’t get many carries, so his production always seems to exceed expectations.

3. Could Thomas handle the running load by himself if necessary?
I feel like PT has a 1300 yard season in him, given the carries, but I don’t think it will be with the Saints because of the way their offense is run.

4. What other NFL team would benefit most from having Pierre in their backfield?
Eagles, Bengals, even the Dolphins.

5. What is your all-time favorite Pierre Thomas moment?
Buffalo last season. Didn’t even expect him to come into the game, let alone tear their defense apart.

1. How do you think these contract negotiations will end?
Not well. I agree with arcuate, 1 year tender and he’s gone next year. With the money Reggie’s getting, what they doled out to Evans, and my best guess is he’s looking for 3.5 mil a year for 4 years. Loomis is being a pr—- and stingy, and I think PT’s ticked off. Plus from the Times-Pic:

Asked what he would do if the Saints held firm in their stance, (Thomas’ agent Lamont ) Smith said, “We have a plan.”

2. What do you think makes Pierre so good?
Seemingly never going down on the first hit. Perfect work ethic, never one to rock the boat. Seems to be the type you want more players like on your team.

3. Could Thomas handle the running load by himself if necessary?
No. Or yes and the extra impacts and injuries would shorten his career.

4. What other NFL team would benefit most from having Pierre in their backfield?
Tampa or Minnesota. I think the Vikings would like someone that doesn’t fumble as much. He would be a good fit on the Colts as well.

5. What is your all-time favorite Pierre Thomas moment?
The fourth down run in the first half of the Super Bowl. There’s one camera angle that shows the cornerback, I believe, coming in to tackle him. PT pops him with his left arm, and the guy just crumples to the ground. It’s awesome.

1) How do you think these contract negotiations will end?
He will sign the tender, and a new contract before the start of the regular season – nor Rickey Jackson’s money but more than 11 ml/4yy

2)What do you think makes Pierre so good?
His elusiveness – he never goes down with the first tackle

3)Could Thomas handle the running load by himself if necessary?
Nope. He has already been nicked on and off – bruised ribs, knee… oh… and it got that laceration “jumping from a fence after his dog” but that’s another story. Committee is the best option for PT hopefully for a longer than average career

4)What other NFL team would benefit most from having Pierre in their backfield?
Another pass happy offense – Colts springs to mind

5)What is your all-time favorite Pierre Thomas moment?
I loved the second half in Buffalo when he singlehandely won the game for us in the second half after being IV’d all week for whatever was bugging him. A ton of heart

1) He signs with the Saints, but at a price he doesn’t like
2) His drive and balance.
3) As much as any other back in the NFL today
4) Any, but I can see the Bears doing well
5) His game against the Bears in ’07

1. How do you think these contract negotiations will end?
PT signs a 3-4 year deal for 2-3 million/year. I gotta think Loomis loves PT, but hates his agent. I think this is what it’s all about, basically a pissing contest/manhood challange between those two. I think Loomis & PT both want a longer term deal & will get it done.

2. What do you think makes Pierre so good?
Vision.

3. Could Thomas handle the running load by himself if necessary?
Not really. He would try with all his heart, but get injured/worn down/physically burnt out. I happen to think RBBC is a good thing & an important part of our system.

4. What other NFL team would benefit most from having Pierre in their backfield?
My guess is whoever was 32nd in rusing yards/game.

5. What is your all-time favorite Pierre Thomas moment?
His screen pass TD in the Super Bowl.

1Bad timing has to suck it up and sign
2Heart
3Like Schokey plays to hard
4Colts
51st TD in the Viks game that run set the tone
 

1.He’s getting squeezed and I don’t like it, he deserves better, he’ll just have to take all he get this yr.
2.Balance,Strength,Soft Hands.
3.Yes, with Heath Evans opening holes, fa-getta-bout-it.
4.Any team.
5.His 1st and last TD.Plus the ones in between. Love that screen in the SB!
***Some Great names in Saints history Guido, Tinker, Deulimus, and now Pierre!