From look of New Orleans Saints, playing quarterback must be a Brees
"A sack is typically at least a 5- to 7-yard loss, and you lose the down, " Brees said. "That's worse than a holding penalty. At least with a holding penalty, you get the ball back. When you understand what sacks do, you have more of a clock in your head about getting rid of the ball. Throwing it away is OK, or even a check-down (pass) for 1 or 2 yards is better than no gain."
-Drew Brees
"You just try to feel those guys, feel where they are, " he said. "Every play is different. I can't tell you this play I know I'm going to have three or four seconds to throw. You never know. The fact is if you know where you can get rid of the ball, you can keep out of trouble."
-Drew Brees
"Peyton (Manning) and Drew Brees do a good job of getting rid of the ball, " said Allen, the 2007 NFL sack leader, in his weekly diary with The St. Paul Pioneer-Press. "When you play a quarterback that has a good internal clock, like Peyton Manning, in a system that's designed to have a vertical threat but a check-down outlet, it makes it hard, especially as a defensive end. You can only do so much. You have to have time to get there. But if he's getting rid of it under 2 1/2 seconds, it's tough to get there."
-Jared Allen
New Orleans Saints getting healthy
"I'm looking forward to it, " Bush said of the grass fields. "I always get injured on that field turf. That stuff is so hard on your body."
-Reggie Bush
"This is the first time I can actually sneeze without feeling like I'm getting stabbed at a bar, " said Shockey, who admitted he should have addressed the problem sooner rather than trying to fight through it. "It should have been fixed in camp. I live and learn. Next time I have an injury, I'll be going to see my doctor."
-Jeremy Shockey
"It's going to be interesting, " said Saints quarterback Drew Brees of the unusually long road trip. "Obviously, playing a tough divisional game on the road, and then having to jump right on a plane for seven hours to fly to London and having to get adjusted to the time change and everything, and playing a very good Chargers team that's kind of in the same situation we're in. . . . We'll just try to get adjusted as quickly as possible."
-Drew Brees
"Last year, it was handled very unprofessional, what the Giants did to me and not even wanting me go to the Super Bowl, but that's the past, " said Shockey, who was traded to New Orleans just before the start of training camp. "Sean, everyone here in this organization is first class, and I think that when we go to the Super Bowl this year . . . well, I'll be playing in it and not on the sidelines."
-Jeremy Shockey
Saints' Campbell, Stecker ready when called
"It was satisfying," Campbell said of the 2-yard pass from Brees. "It wasn't any more satisfying because of the conditions. You just want to be able to make plays and contribute to the team.
"I enjoy playing. I consider myself a guy that loves the game and I do pretty much whatever I have to do to get on the field."
-Mark Campbell
“As Jeremy gets better I understand that my role will change again,” Campbell said. “I’m fine with that. I get it. I’ve been around long enough that I understand the situation. I’ll just keep chipping away and keep doing the right things. Hopefully it’ll turn out to be more playing time for me and more Ws for the team.”
-Mark Campbell
“I felt like I had a good preseason,” Stecker said. “I was looking forward to doing some big things in the regular season and I had the setback with the hamstring.
“I’ve been a quick healer for the most part during my career. After a couple of weeks I thought I was ready and I went out there and tweaked it, and every time it felt like it was 100 percent I’d do something to tweak it. So for a while there I thought it was going to take a long time to heal. I just rested it trying to get ready.”
-Aaron Stecker
“The last two weeks I’ve finally got a chance to play and get back into a rhythm,” he said. “I got a chance to get out there and I got a chance to score and help the team.”
-Aaron Stecker
“The first game back I was a little winded and last week it felt like it was coming back,” Stecker said. “In practice, I just try to take extra reps with the scout team and run a little farther to catch my wind.”
-Aaron Stecker
“Just having a chance to go out there and help the team — that’s my big thing, whether it’s special teams or getting in on offense,” Stecker said. “If I get a chance to score, so be it, but if I don’t, I’m not going to be upset as long as we win.”
-Aaron Stecker
“We probably could have won some more games,” Stecker said, “but we’re 3-3 and we’re about to get some of our studs back, so that’s good.”
-Aaron Stecker
Nothing can stop Brees, but Saints are another story
If he keeps up his pace, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees would shatter longstanding NFL records for single-season completion percentage and passing yards.
If the Saints keep up their pace, they'll finish 8-8.
That's the duality in New Orleans, where the NFL's second-ranked offense, a dangerous return game starring Reggie Bush and a serviceable defense (19th in yards, 18th in scoring) have added up only to a 3-3 start — putting the Saints last in the competitive NFC South Division.