Goin' Tubing

Here's what writers from around this series of tubes we call the Internet are saying about the Saints:

* Peter King, Sports Illustrated:

I admire Reggie Bush for, in his words, "trying to ignore the outside world'' for the trashing he's received in the last month. We now have a 22-game sample on which to judge Bush. He rushed for a 3.6-yard average last year in 155 carries. He's at a 3.5-yard average this year.

I made this point on NBC Sunday night: Since Deuce McAllister went out with a torn ACL three weeks ago, Bush has averaged 26 touches a game, for 111 yards. The Saints would take 111 rushing/receiving yards a week from Bush. They'd want more, but they'd take that. "The expectations on me are pretty high,'' he told me Sunday night, "because I came into the league with a lot of hype.'' He is what he is -- a tough-running back who isn't the firecracker everyone thought he'd be behind an average offensive line.

* Mike Triplett, Times Picayune:

The Saints made fewer mistakes than Atlanta (1-6), especially in the second half. They applied more pressure to the opposing quarterbacks -- Byron Leftwich and, when Leftwich went out with an injury, Joey Harrington.

And they made more big plays in big spots -- including a 48-yard punt return by Lance Moore in the first quarter, a 37-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees to Devery Henderson in the first, a 24-yard touchdown run by Pierre Thomas in the third, and a 4-yard go-ahead touchdown pass from Brees to Reggie Bush with 5:04 remaining.

* Vince Verhei, Football Outsiders

The Saints' offensive line gave Drew Brees plenty of time to throw all day, and he generally looked OK, but his interception was bizarre. The Saints were going for it on fourth-and-2 from the Atlanta 34 right before halftime. Brees play faked and rolled out to his right. There was no defender chasing him and he had a wide receiver wide-open, but he threw the ball right into the hands of Demorrio Williams.

* Les East, The Advocate:

The Saints defense held the Falcons running game in check, pressured both of their quarterbacks, and kept them out of the end zone often enough to play a major role in New Orleans' 22-16 victory Sunday in the Superdome.

The Saints had just one sack in losing their first four games, but now have eight in winning their last two. The improved pass rush has coincided with an increase in blitzing by defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs.