New Orleans Saints Friday Injury Report

Out

DT Sedrick Ellis (knee)

CB Aaron Glenn (ankle)

DT Antwan Lake (groin)

Doubtful

S Kevin Kaesviharn (back)

WR David Patten (groin)

TE Jeremy Shockey (hernia)

Questionable

WR Marques Colston (thumb)

Probable

C Jonathan Goodwin (hamstring)

CB Mike McKenzie (knee)

S Chris Reis (hamstring)

T Jon Stinchcomb (back)

Opening Statement:

"Much of what we talked about last night applies in this game. I thought defensively we played with great energy and with great effort. I thought we did a great job. There were a couple of plays in there, but overall I was real encouraged with our fits, our effort and how we tackled. It was probably one of our best games to date, if not our best game to date, defensively. On the other hand, the disappointing thing was the turnovers and the penalties, which I alluded to a little bit yesterday. They ended up hurting us in this game. We had opportunities to go ahead. We had opportunities a number of different times. Those cost you positions, and in a game where you're really looking at anything from 10-to-14 possessions, those are drive-killers and they were for us last night. It was a tough loss. We have to move forward and get ready to play Oakland on a short week. Most of our day will be spent in preparation for Oakland. We'll move the schedule back for our players tomorrow where they'll be coming in at one o'clock and meeting as team and we'll get right into the Oakland gameplan so tomorrow's schedule will be a little bit altered. That one o'clock meeting will be much like an eight o'clock meeting on a normal Wednesday."

Continue reading this post »

Because the Saints injury report is so long and I didn't want to take up the entire front page with this post, you will have to make the jump to check this one out. 

When did Chris Reis get hurt?

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Below are the transcripts from post game interviews conducted with the team. These were taken from the New Orleans Saints official website.

Sean Payton

Opening Statement…

"A couple of notes just with the injuries, we lost two players during the game. They should be alright but we will see where they are on Wednesday, David Patton started early on the in the nickel and went out with a groin (injury) and Chris Reis left the game with a hamstring injury. I was pleased with our effort today. I thought we played inspired despite some of the setbacks we have had injury-wise and with the suspension of Jammal Brown. I thought our guys played hard on both sides of the ball, particularly I thought we rushed the passer well, I thought we had good balance offensively, I thought the quarterback played well and we did a great job blocking up front. It was great to see Deuce (McAllister) back in there. He did a nice job for his first game with the most amount of work. I was pleased with the effort. We were battling early in the first quarter and got things going a little bit in the second quarter. That is a better 49ers team than we played in the last two years, much better, and I think our players understood that, but it was a good win for us at home. We have a little bit of a longer work week this week with a Monday night game. Any Questions?"

Q: What made you feel like this was the game to set Deuce McAllister loose?

A: The thing we tried to do before the opening game was sit Deuce (McAllister) and Mike (McKenzie) down and tell them that is was going to be a process. We have to bring you along and it just takes time. You just have to be smart. I said this last week, our plan was going to be a lot more through the air. We just felt by the nature of the game that this week we had a chance to run the ball more. We saw a lot of nickel defense and we felt like we could take advantage of that so we kind of mixed up our personnel and it worked out pretty well. We made some good plays. The one thing I have been happy about is we have been able to get the ball down the field in all of our games."

Q: Can you talk about the job the young receivers did, particularly Robert Meachem and Lance Moore?

A: The both made plays. Robert (Meachem) made some big plays for us down the field and Lance (Moore) has been playing well really this whole training camp and this whole season, he came up big today, especially on some third down plays. That is how it is, when you are not 100 percent healthy someone else very talented is in the game and obviously the quarterback has confidence in these players just as we as coaches do. We just have to battle through this injury thing and it just something mentally we cannot allow to be a factor in how we play. The key is working through the week in practice and making sure we are doing the right things from a rotation standpoint, but I was pleased with how we handled that. With all the guys that didn’t practice this week, and we had a lot, I have never been a part of a week in preparation where so many guys missed practice, and I thought we handled it pretty well today."

Q: Can you talk about the secondary play and if it led to good pressure on the QB?

A: I thought we did some good things, especially some of the man coverages you saw. We caused some turnovers. I thought we played the ball pretty well. I thought we hit the quarterback, which was good. I think when they became a little bit one dimensional, which was really late in the third quarter, fourth quarter that we were able to benefit from that. I thought defensively we played well against a good team on offense and certainly a good running back. We talked about it a lot to our team this week that these guys had a lot more confidence on offense and I think it is a really good football team we played today so that was encouraging. I thought the back end played well, I thought they played physical and it was a good effort.

Q: With Deuce McAllister’s increased touches, how does it change the look of the offense?

A: You’re just trying to spread some of these touches around without being too fancy. Those were some tough yards he was getting for us so he did a good job. It goes back to just trying to take advantage of the players you think can move the football. Instead of play action passes and running the play action down there at fourth-and-one, those are the little things that benefits your play action passing game, benefits your running game and benefits you first down numbers. Right now with the way our quarterback is playing, it becomes a lot easier to be a play caller. His decision making, his accuracy and what he is doing with his offense is obviously pleasing and its really something else. We are going to continue to be aggressive and keep mixing the personnel up and trying out the best plan each week to move the ball and score points. That is what we are trying to do."

Q: Can you talk about the importance of taking advantage of the home field?

A: Once we got into the situation with a little bit of a lead then the crowd noise becomes more a factor. I credit San Francisco, they came out with a good first drive and moved it into field goal range and cam out with the points. We struggled a little bit early but then I thought we settled down and made some plays and that was encouraging, in the second quarter especially so it was good. I thought the fans were outstanding, it was loud and it makes it hard to operate offensively. The next home game is a Monday night game and particularly the night games have been even louder so we look forward to that. They (the fans) did a lot of big things for us and it is good."

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS PLAYERS

#98 DE Sedrick Ellis

On getting defensive credit

"You pride yourselves in winning games in this league. We pride ourselves on winning games and making sacks and getting tackles. Saying that you are close doesn’t cut it. I think it makes a lot of people feel better that we got pressure on the quarterback. I think the defensive line has a lot of potential. We are continuoing to get a lot better the more that we gel."

On getting pressure on J.T. O’Sullivan

"We honestly kept doing the same things we have been working on. We really didn’t change anything. We just all had more intensity today. We refused to be denied. Charles Grant had a great game today. Some of the older guys have been leading the way for us."

#22 CB Tracy Porter

On how the defensive pressure helped the secondary

"The defensive pressure was great. It made the quarterback make quick decisions which resulted in our favor. It starts with the front line. They can really make it easy for us."

On his interception

"We were playing a three deep coverage. The guy thought he had a wide open inside. I read it and stayed on his hip. I read the quarterback. I saw that he was looking at him the whole time and at the last second I under cut it and made a play."

#43 S Kevin Kaesviharn

On his interception

"Their tight ends like to run the seam routs. I favored that side the whole way. They ended up running a wrap play where they run a guy short and run a guy just behind him. They want to see if you are going to jump the short route or jump the deep route. They are going to try to take the one that you don’t jump. I was able to sit between both of them and I made a play when (O’Sullivan) through the ball."

#91 DE Will Smith

On his forced fumble

"We knew he was a scrambler and he wasn’t holding on to the ball. Coach Ogeron emphasized all week to keep staying after him and finishing our rushes. I think finishing was the word of the week. We hadn’t finished the two weeks prior. I saw an opportunity with him running with the ball. I just went after him and knocked it out."

#26 RB Deuce McAllister

On his performance

"The most important thing for us was to get a win. We had a sour taste in our mouths the last to weeks with games we thought we should have won. That’s water under the bridge for us. We wanted to get a win. I can’t say it was a must win, but it was a game that we definitely needed. I just tried to come out and contribute and make plays when I had an opportunity."

On his touchdown

"It was pretty exciting to get in the end zone after not playing for a year. I had to let Patrick Willis know that I still had it and that I could go over the top. It felt good just to be able to get in the end zone."

This weeks grades are pretty optimistic after a pretty impressive all around performance from the entire team. 

Quarterback A

Nothing unexpected here. Drew is the rock of this team. He is quietly putting together an MVP caliber season. He looked a bit off at the very beginning and threw an interception but the rest of the game more than made up for it and earning him this grade. He makes it look so easy. 

Wide Receiver  A

One hand washes the other. If Drew has a good game it would be pretty unlikely that the receivers didn't put up big numbers too. This should be an A+ really because they got all of this done with Colston or Shockey. These guys made some amazing catches yesterday. Deep passing plays to Moore, Meachem and Henderson were all crushing for the Niners defense. They made San Francisco's secondary look like the Saints' of old. 

Running Back B

This wasn't a dominating performance but it was statement game for sure. The numbers may not show it but the running game was important in this game. Having a threat on the ground opened up the passing game for Brees and company. The Siants were also successful converting those all important short yardage plays. Reggie Bush was pretty much a no show but the Niners were focusing and game planning for him all week. 

Offensive Line B

Drew never hit the ground once. Deuce seemed to have bigger holes than usual to run through but his running ability may help too. Carl Nicks did a good job filling in. Still not dominant on the line enough for an A.

Defensive Line A

A great performance by the line. This was exactly what we know these guys are capable of and it's great to see if finally be executed. Charles Grant was just a monster. Sedrick Ellis continues to look like a great draft decision. Kendrick Clancy is getting in the mix as well. Bobby McCray was the only slight disappointment yesterday. 

Linebackers B

Vilma got back to form this week tying for a team high 7 tackles this game. Shanle and Vilma had less productive afternoons. Overall, a pretty quiet game from this unit. 

Secondary A

Talk about a noticeable upgrade. This unit has gone from losing games for us to winning them. Two interceptions in the end zone. No huge plays. Even Jason David looked solid. The cornerbacks and safeties both played well together. We can't ask for much more than this after last season. 

Agree? Disagree? What grades would you give?

This was a fun one to be in attendance for. The Saints played a full game on both sides of the ball and put together a convincing win. I think this could be a turnaround game for this team this season.

We are gonna get into the game much more, but I wanted to get these up for you first. Below are my notes and initial reactions from the game.

• Before the game they played a video with Saints mascots Sir Saint and Gumbo working out to the song "Gonna Fly Now" the theme to Rocky. The crowd was then introduced to the new and improved, completely ripped, physically fit, steroid using Gumbo carrying a barbell.
• Jon Secada sang the National Anthem. And by sang I mean butchered. He added his own little riffs and even went falsetto at the very end. I will give him credit though because he really got into it, bending at the waist and pointing all around. It was a good laugh. He should stick to the script though. I hate when people use our country's anthem like its an American Idol tryout.
• It was supposed to be rally towel day but I don't think they did a very good job of handing them out. I didn't have one and I didn't see too many people with them.
• They actually played football while we were there too.
• You know we gotta start this off with Deuce. Payton kept his word and gave him a fair share of carries. It was awesome. On his first run a huge pile of 49er defenders formed on and around him like a rugby scrum in an effort to try and take him down. The next thing you saw was the entire pile move forward as Deuce kept churning, taking about ten guys with him. The crowd went nuts and it was a statement first run. The rest of the day Deuce continued to pick up nice chunks of yardage as the crowd chanted "Deeeeeeeeuce!" throught the entire afternoon. The fans demanded he get the ball for his touchdown on the goal line series.
• Was that blood on Deuce's jersey?
• Brees looked a little off at the start but then turned back to the player he really is: the best quarterback in the NFL. Period.
• Moore, Meachem and Henderson all had great games thanks in large part to my previous point. Brees makes amazingly perfect throws and these guys all come up with equally impressive catches. Lance continues to have hands of glue, though he lost his shoe on his touchdown, and Meachem is going the way of Colston (plain scary!).  That catch on the fleaflicker was just amazing. When the ball was in the air I kept thinking to myself there is no way. Couldn't believe it when he came down with it. I just can't say enough good things about Moore. I think FrenchFreak summed it up pretty well..."Reliability is spelled L-A-N-C-E."
• You know its a good day when Devery isn't dropping a deep ball! Just think how dangerous this unit will be when Colston and Shockey return.
• The defense as a whole looked great. They didn't give up a touchdown until late in the game. Getting key turnovers like two interceptions in the end zone is so unfamiliar and unexpected but so game changing and fun to watch.  
• Talk about bringing some pressure. This was a sack-fest. Charles Grant had a great day with two sacks. After his second sake he did a funny little shimmy. Sedrick Ellis got one. Clancy too. Will Smith forced a fumble that Vilma recovered.
• The safeties really stepped it up today. Obviously Kaesviharn had his interception. The last time he did that in the Superdome he was doing it for the Bengals. He also laid some guy out coming across the middle just after the receiver missed the catch. Roman Harper almost had his own interception but it went off his hands. How often do we ever talk about our safeties like this? Never. This is refreshing.
• Tracy Porter and Mike McKenzie got the start. That is my ideal combo. Jason David came in for nickel packages. They all looked good. Porter had a great interception. It's hit or miss with him. He makes huge plays but also gives up a couple of big ones also.
• Usama Young looked like he had a really good game. He made some great tackles on special teams and even got involved in the secondary. I liked what I saw from him today.
• The tackling in general looked much better. Glad to see we have gotten that problem cleaned up.
• Not much to get excited about from Reggie.
• Did Weatherford kick one of the kickoffs?
• It's fun to watch the special teams guys dance to hip-hop on the 15 yard line while waiting to kick it off. Jason David has some moves.
• I guess with Deuce back now we will be seeing less of Pierre. I'm okay with that if Deuce continues to run the ball like he did today.
• My mother has been in town so I took her to this game, her first. In 2006 I brought my father to the Niners game when Reggie ran for three touchdowns. My parents seem to be good luck.
• Whats the deal with the Cort Comfort Zone? For those of you who don't know, Cort is a company who sponsors games and chooses a couple of fans to sit in nice couches that they have set up, but it seems they are set up in the back of the section, under the overhang and out of eyesight of the game. Why would anyone want to sit there?
• There was a Niners fan with his wife sitting in front of me. He got a little ribbing but he said everyone was very nice and treated him well.
• The Tenet Choices old person of the week was some 95 year old woman who looked like she was 65. She was doing chin ups. Very impressed.

Here are some pictures for you guys.

 
My transportation for the day.

Walking up to the Dome.

The giant turkey legs I told you about last time.

Lance Moore being introduced.

Jon Secada.

Urlacher? Really?

Halftime festivities.

Willie Roaf driving around the field at the half.

The coolest pencil ever!

New jacked up Gumbo.

The Niners about to get a first down late in the game.

Here is the roll call for the open game thread. Thanks to everyone for participating.

Reggie Bush Bush has done well against San Francisco in the past. He has looked great so far this season and there is no reason why this won't continue. In fact, its scary to say, but I think we haven't even seen Reggie get hot yet. The Niners will definitely be keying on him so Reggie will definitely need to elevate his game. Patrick Willis makes a lot of tackles so Bush has a tough matchup over the middle on Sunday. 

Lance Moore/Robert Meachem This is a big opportunity for the two young receivers. Matter of fact, this is really a big opportunity for all of the receivers. Lance Moore has continued to show improvement and we know that Drew has a lot of trust in him. Meachem has also continued to turn in respectable games with big catches. We could definitely see a break-out game from either of these, maybe 100 yards and 2 touchdowns. Maybe even both? That would be sweet. 

Carl Nicks  Time to step up. Nicks is a rookie so he's no where near perfect but I hear good things about the rookie. Losing a good player like Jamar Nesbit hurts but his pass blocking was better than his run blocking and run blocking is what we need more of. With Nicks' size, maybe he will be the key to opening up bigger holes for our running backs. 

Sedrick Ellis/Kendrick Clancy  With Frank Gore and DeShaun Foster toting the rock for San Francisco these two are going to have a long day. The Niners run the ball straight up the middle more than any other direction and average 5.6 yards per carry when doing so, 4th highest in the league. Their success in this matchup with be very key in the Saints stopping the run.

Deuce McAllister  All signs point to yes. I doubt we will see him much, certainly not 20 carries but this should be the official beginning of the comeback. If he dresses and doesn't see the field again, heads are gonna roll. 

J.T. O'Sullivan/Jamie Martin  I just thought it was interesting that the Niners have two former Saints quarterbacks.  

Key Matchups

Saints receivers vs. Broncos secondary: Champ Bailey and Dre Bly are past their prime. Those names sound intimidating but they don't represent what they once did. Denver ranks 29th and 28th in passing yards allowed per game and per play, respectively. The Broncos focus more on stopping the run, a result of being in the AFC West, a division with a lot of talented running backs. If Drew can get a lot of time in the pocket, he may have a chance to carve up this defense.

Advantage: Who Dat!

Saints defensive line vs. Broncos offensive line: Denver's offensive line is like a patchwork quilt right now, made up of all kinds of players at all different points in their career. Though they have looked pretty good the first two games they still have some room to grow. Defensive ends Will Smith and Charles Grant should be able to take advantage of the situation. The Saints pay them enough.

Advantage: Who Dat!

Saints run defense vs. Broncos running backs: After the last two weeks, stopping the run is imperative this Sunday. The bad news is that on top of having the most productive offense in the league, the Broncos are ranked 10th in rushing yards per game and have a two talented backs in Selvin Young and Andre Hall. I'm not sure how much more Vilma can do so it's incumbent on everyone else to step it up and help plug those holes. The Broncos have run the ball right up the middle 22 out of 56 times, almost 40% of the time. That means Sedrick Ellis and Kendrick Clancy will definitely have their hands full in the middle. 

Advantage: Screw Dat!

Saints running game vs. Broncos run defense: The Broncos are known for having a good defense year in and year out but so far this season it has been less than extraordinary. That being said the Saints running game has not been everything it could be either. This may be the first game we see some significant action from Deuce. If that's the case, maybe our offensive line will start to run block better. Otherwise Reggie and Pierre will have to attempt to make something out of nothing. This matchup is too tough to call. 

Advantage: Even

Saints secondary vs. Broncos pass offense: Jay Cutler and the Denver receiving corp has been lights out thus far. The Broncos are 2nd in the league in pass yards per game thanks in large part to Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal. The good news is that Mike McKenzie, Randall Gay and Roman Harper all may return to action this weekend. The bad news is this Broncos aerial attack may still be too much for them to handle. 

Advantage: Screw Dat!

Keys to the Game

• Establish the run.
• Pressure Cutler. A lot.
• Get defense off the field quickly.
• Play all 60 minutes.
• Tackle better.

Stopping the Saints

"The Saints have a lot of good athletes on their team," Daniel Graham said. "Guys that can make plays. You never want to underestimate them just because you don't know too much about them. If you do that, they will come in here and get a win. We respect the Saints and everything that they do -- it will be a hard game on Sunday."

-Daniel Graham   

"Just get 11 men to the ball," Bailey said. "That is all there is to it. When he gets the ball everybody has to be there. He is good at making one man miss so we have to have every hat to the ball."

-Boss Bailey, on Reggie Bush   

"Reggie can do everything," he said. "He's a pretty good pass protector, but at the same time he's a running back coming out of the backfield playing receiver. I'm not on defense -- I won't be out there tackling him -- but just watching him, he brings a lot to the table. He's one of the big go-to guys in this league. We're going to have our hands full with Reggie Bush."

-Boss Bailey   

"Like I said, this is my first game -- three weeks in -- and I have to get it started right now," he said. "That is something that helps me on Sunday, just that drive. It's just something that'll give you that edge and make you even want it more."

-Jarvis Moss   

Broncos Report: No Changes on Special Teams

"He still has some history in that computer upstairs of his where he can kind of draw from," Broncos defensive coordinator Bob Slowiksaid. "But I'm not sure it matters who he plays. As long as he gets a comfort level with the coverages and so on, he's awesome."

-Bob Slowik

"He's been around and seen everything you can throw at a quarterback, so he's not really thrown off by anything," Broncos safety Marlon McCree said. "You can't really surprise him. You can try to disguise but he knows where to find the holes. You've got to put pressure on him and make him earn everything."

-Marlon McCree

"They're completely different guys. Both are great players. But Reggie Bush is Reggie Bush. . . . He's a great athlete. He has balance in what he does and they know different ways to get him the ball. And when he does, he makes things happen."

-Marquand Manuel, on Reggie Bush and Darren Sproles

Random Links:

Denver Post Game Preview

An Inside Look at the Denver Broncos

Saints at Denver Game Preview

Broncos Set to Face Saints

Times-Pic Scouting Report

Broncos vs. Saints Matchups

Broncos vs. Saints: Five Keys

Cooley dragged half our team. (Reuters Pictures)

Saints Defense First Drive (4 plays, 8 yards, 2:07, Field Goal)

This might have been the best drive of the game for the Saints defense. They make two nice run stops and on the second down play, Tracy Porter makes a nice quick hit on Chris Cooley for a gain of only 6 yards. Campbell had all day to make the pass. The unit is able to get off the field quickly. 

Saints Offense First Drive (3 plays, 4 yards, 2:05, Punt)

This drive was just pure crap. Bush has no where to run. Stinchcomb gets beat and allows Jason Taylor to sack Brees. 

It's funny because whenever I re-watch some of Reggie's runs I find myself noticing this: When he attempts a run between the tackles, it often appears that he has opportunities to quickly bounce it outside and find a lot of open space but doesn't ever notice and runs right into the pile.  Similarly, the situations when he is contained and has nowhere to go are when he tries to dance and change direction. Reggie is an amazing athlete with the ability to do anything as a running back but it seems when his mind is made up that he is going to run between the tackles, he shuts down the creative aspect of his talent. Reggie needs to do a better job as a decision maker and should get a little more loose and improvisational with his inside runs. This offensive line is not going to do him any favors, so he is going to have to make something happen. A good running back would do that.

Saints Offense Second Drive (6 plays, 26 yards, 2:45, Touchdown)

After a fumble on the punt return by Randle El, the Saints take over on Washington's 27. 

Brees and Patten have a miscomunnication issue as the Saints try and go for the touchdown right off the bat. It looked like the same play they connected on for the touchdown last week. Brees does connect with Shockey over the middle for a first down.

On a 1st and 10 play the handoff is to Reggie for a run up the middle. Kedric Golston gets through the offensive line untouched and is standing there just waiting for Reggie to make his move. It's ridiculous. Poor Reggie. Pierre Thomas takes over from here and makes a nice catch and dive for a first down. Thomas later takes it into the endzone after two goal line attempts. 

Saints Defense Second Drive (8 plays, 33 yards, 3:17, Missed FG)

More of what we saw earlier from this defense. Bending and giving up some decent plays including a completion in quadruple (I am only slightly exaggerating) coverage to Santana Moss for 14 yards and a Clinton Portis run up the middle for 11 yards but then tightening up deep in their zone.

Sedrick Ellis takes a roughing the passer penalty for 10 yards. 

After fumbling the punt on the last possession and missing two field goals, the Redskins are just begging us to run away with this game. Of course we don't. It is this fact alone that makes me wary of future opponents. Good teams will not give you those opportunities.

Saints Offense Third Drive (3 plays, 8 yards, 1:59, Punt)

On first down Reggie runs between the tackles with Mike Karney in front of him. He strictly follows Karney which gets Bush into trouble as the hole closes up in front of him. Again, it looks like there is an opportunity for him to bounce it right and into space but he just plows forward. I wouldn't expect any average NFL back to see these opportunities and make those cuts and decisions but this is Reggie Bush we are talking about. It seems that if any player could do it, Reggie would be the man. This is the same player who, on the very next play, hurdles over Shawn Springs. Regardless, this offensive line could be creating much better opportunities for Bush to succeed. Additionally, I have to ask again why not run this play with Pierre?

This drive is just plain ugly. Saints punt.

Saints Defense Third Drive (8 plays, 50 yards, 2:14, Field Goal)

I'm gonna start this whole thing by admitting that I just don't get this defense. I don't. Someone please explain it to me. No comprende. They look awful the first five or six plays but finally get their act together to force yet another Redskins field goal attempt. I am laughing right now but it is that kind of laughing where you're actually angry and a little confused. So angry and a little confused that its actually funny and you just can't help but laugh at how angry and confused you are. You know what I am talking about? Allow me to explain why I am laughing like this.

After giving up a six yard run and two eight yard passes over the middle all in a row, Campbell completes a pass to Chris Cooley over the middle in between the coverage. It gets even better with, are you sitting down, four missed tackles! Including Vilma! Cooley gets an extra eight yards after the catch. This play makes me want to bang my head against a cement wall repeatedly. Then all of a sudden they tighten up. Dunbar makes a nice pass break up, they do a great job of containing Portis on an outside run and the secondary's coverage forces Campbell to throw one away. 

Saints Offense Fourth Drive (7 plays, 59 yards, 1:04, Field Goal)

This was a great drive that allowed the Saints to grab the lead before the half. 59 yards in a little over a minute is exactly what we should expect from this team's offense. 

Reggie had two nice runs up the middle, both for nine yards. Nice blocking created some holes. Amazing how that works. A 22 yard completion to trusty old David Patten and a short pass over the middle to Reggie who gets out of bounds puts Gramatica in position to make the field goal. Ummm...where was that all half?

End of the Half: Saints 10 - Redskins 9

It's amazing that the Saints are actually in the lead at this point in the game. The good news is that they haven't really played well and they are still winning the game. All they will need to do in the second half is play the better brand of football they know they can play and this game will be over. 

Hopefully, Drew won't have to do too much running(Getty Images)

Sunday's matchup between the New Orleans Saints and the Washington Redskins should be an interesting one. The Redskins are coming off a frustrating loss to the Giants last week while the Saints will attempt to keep the ball rolling with another win. These two teams last met in 2006 and saw Washington defeat New Orleans who had just come off an incredible win over the Dallas Cowboys. Let's take a look at what we might expect when we settle in to watch this weekend.

Saints Offense  vs. Redskins Defense We should see much more Reggie Bush. He looked pretty impressive last week and I think Payton will ride the wave of that momentum. After last weeks performance, I am hopeful that Payton has figured out the right way to use Reggie and we see a lot of screen passes, pitches, quick slants etc. Like last week, I expect more reception yards than rushing yards for Reggie. The Redskins know how explosive Reggie can be and they have gone on record as saying they will be looking to contain him. Deuce is also listed as Probably so there may be a chance that fans will get to see him for the first time in the regular season.

 The Redskins have a very talented secondary with players including Shawn Springs, Carlos Rogers, Fred Smoot and LaRon Landry. These guys can all make big game changing plays particularly interceptions, if they can hold on to the ball. Last week they dropped a couple of sure interceptions that may have changed the entire outcome of their game and have been focusing on that all week. Drew Brees will have a tough challenge tomorrow for sure. Both he and the receivers need to make sure they are on the same page and not give this secondary any opportunities. The turnover ratio will be key in this game. Of course with Colston gone the door is wide open for the other receivers, particularly Robert Meachem who will be making his regular season debut this weekend. David Patten might be interested in making a statement to his old team this Sunday as well.

Newcomer Jason Taylor anchors the Skins defensive line but he has lost a step or two over the years and is admittedly not 100%. Andre Carter lines up at the other end and both will be looking to get after Drew Brees big time in an attempt to rattle and contain him. This also means the Saints offensive line needs to show that great pass blocking we have come to know the last couple of years. If Drew has a 300+ yard day and the Saints don't win, something went terribly wrong.

Starting linebacker Marcus Washington is questionable for the game but the talented London Fletcher will still be out there making his presence known. This group will have the wonderful responsibility of keeping tabs on the fiery Jeremy Shockey. Shockey will now have more responsibility with the absence of Colston and will be the Saints best bet to fill in for those tough over the middle throws. Skins linebacker Rocky McIntosh will be a big part of containing Shockey come Sunday. Keep an eye on that matchup.

If the Saints can grab an early lead and make the Redskins play catch-up, they will be forced to throw the ball and rely more on Jason Campbell. Campbell's play has always been shaky despite showing a lot of talent. It is most likely the result of having so many different coaches in such a short period of time and having to learn a new playbook nearly every year.

Saints Defense vs. Redskins Offense  Sad to say that its only week 2 and our roster is already starting to look beat up. Injuries abound at every area of this defense. At defensive tackle Hollis Thomas is out indefinitely and Antwan Lake will not play. The Saints looked pretty weak in run defense last week so the Redskins will look to exploit that with running backs Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts. Portis looked pretty solid last week against the Giants gaining 84 yards on 23 carries. Portis averages 101.5 yards in FedEx Field home openers with three touchdowns.Betts can do some damage in his own right.

Sedrick Ellis and Kendrick Clancy will be responsible for getting a push up the middle and stopping a formidable ground attack from Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts. Newly acquired DT Alvin McKinley may or may not see some time. (On a side note, he rounds out the Saints all black, all Irish tandem of Deuce McAllister, Mike McKenzie, Bobby McCray and now Alvin McKinley. Seriously has any team ever come close to this many "Mc's" at one time before?) If the Saints can get good pressure and a solid performance from its highly paid ends, Jason Campbell could be in for a long day. Getting a good rush to throw quarterback Jason Campbell off his game will be crucial to help our secondary.

In the linebacking corp the team will be without Scott Fujita while Mark Simoneau is done for the season. Man this is getting ridiculous. Troy Evans should get the start now. Look for Vilma to continue to increase his level of play and be all over the field.

Of course the Saints secondary is what everyone is still focusing on and, like the rest of the team, is battling the injury bug. Roman Harper and Randall Gay are both listed as Out for the game. The good news is Mike McKenzie has been listed as Probable and he should be a go. That leaves MM and Porter as your starters, the best combination so far in my mind. The Redskins have two talented receivers in Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El. This will be a huge challenge for our two cornerbacks

The Redskins offense has struggled a good bit on first downs so it will be crucial to close out the drives and come up big on third downs and allow themselves to get off the field quickly and stay fresh. Third down percentage is always an important stat and tomorrow it will be more important than ever.

Redskins Player to Watch: Cllinton Portis

Saints Player to Watch: Reggie Bush

Saintsational's Sleeper: Lance Moore

Score Prediction: Saints 24 - Redskins 17

Random Prediction: The Saints defense will have at least 3 sacks.