Just two more days to go before "The Rematch." That's really all one needs to call it because the 2010 NFL kickoff game matching the Vikings and the Saints is without a doubt THE most hyped rematch of the season. It's become a modern day Rocky II set on an NFL gridiron. Just like between Balboa and Creed, there's still lots of bad blood between these two teams and their fanbases. Will it be settled after this Thursday night? Mick says no.
Headlining the above mentioned strained relationships is none other than the disagreement between Brad Childress and Gregg Williams on how a defense should come after opposing quarterbacks. Chilly has been telling anyone who'll listen lately that he thinks the Saints D came after Favre a little too aggressively in last season's NFC Championship Game. This begs the question - Do 40+ year-old future Hall of Famer QBs warrant special treatment in this league or is Chilly just a whiny wuss who only gets upset when it's his signal-caller taking shots? My money is on option B. One has to wonder if Childress is really a NFL head coach or a player for the London Silly Nannies.
How does Gregg Wiliams respond to Chilly's latest shots across his bow? We won't know until tomorrow. That'll be the first time he'll be available to the media this week. It should make for a very interesting transcript and video. My guess is that Williams will respond something like this, "Eff him."
Hans set the bar pretty high for these Fleur-de-Links posts. His work lately has been magnificant. I'll try my best to keep those high standards rolling. Loads of Vikings vs. Saints links, tweets, and video after the jump. I'll update it a little later with any afternoon links and transcripts I find. ADRIAN!
UPDATED AT 7:00 PM CDT! Steelers sign Al Woods to practice squad. Brees wants to lead Superdome crowd in pregame chant!
TWEETS:
MalcolmJenkins well im bout to get back to my film study of the Vikings. This insurance talk is getting out of hand lol Who Dat!!
alexbrown96 @HollyGhere I mean think about it we hear more about #4's ankle than we do about the fact were going to lose football all together. Not cool
JonVilma51 i was able to do a "lil sumthin" today!!! told you i'm getting better cant wait for thurs!!!
usama_young28 Great game... Time to get in this playbook and knockout. Night tweeps
LanceMoore16 Good morning everyone. The goal today, as it is everyday, is to do whatever it takes to get a little bit better. #improvement
jeffduncantp Great point. RT @FO_DougFarrar: In 2009, Saints were flagged 5 times for roughing passer/roughness. Vikes flagged 12 times. Shut up, Chilly.
bobbymccray Tell me about it. To bad I don't control that..RT @Fleur_dLovely: Still trying to wrap my head around the fact that ... http://tmi.me/17OBr
jeffduncantp Compelling take on media by > RT @RickyWilliams: Thank u Dave Hyde 4 the piece that you wrote in today's Sun Sentinel. http://bit.ly/c6kv9r
jeffduncantp Not sure. I would guess 10-15 mins before kickoff. @cmack2134: what time are they dropping the championship banner? Don't want to miss it?
LATE AFTERNOON UPDATE:
| Drew Brees Proposes New Pre-Game Ritual |
New Orleans Saints take practice to Superdome on Tuesday | NOLA.com
Session serves as 'dress rehearsal' for emotional Thursday opener
New Orleans Saints issue counterfeit ticket warning
"It has once again come to the attention of the Saints that, unfortunately, there are counterfeit tickets in the secondary market," Stanfield said. "These tickets will not be accepted at our games and those fans that purchase the counterfeit tickets will sadly be unable to gain admittance to the games.
Saints fans urged to prepare for large crowds, delays for Thursday's season opener
Due to the expected above-average vehicle and pedestrian traffic in and around the downtown area, the Saints want fans who are attending the game to know that it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to attend the NFL’s Parade and concert and still make it to their seats for Pre-Game festivities and kickoff, including the unveiling of the Super Bowl Championship Banner.
Steelers sign former Saints, LSU DT Al Woods to practice squad
The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed former New Orleans Saints fourth-round defensive tackle Al Woods to their practice squad.
Don't forget about the Hargrove special on NFLN tonight - Canal Street Chronicles
Airs at 9:00 PM CDT.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees wants to lead fans in pregame 'Who Dat' chant | NOLA.com
"We as a team wanted to find a way to kind of engage our fans prior to the start of the game with some kind of interaction where we just get the Dome excited, electric," said Brees, who invited the media for a hastily-arranged press conference Tuesday afternoon to explain the plan that he and his teammates came up with for the organized chant, which will take place following the opening coin toss.
Heisman executive director says no decision has been made on Reggie Bush's Heisman Trophy | NOLA.com
"Yahoo! Sports claiming Heisman Trust has reached a decision is completely false," Whalen said. "The Heisman Trophy Trust has made no decision regarding the Reggie Bush matter." Once again, Yahoo Sports jumps the gun and proves itself unreliable.
New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings release injury report | NOLA.com
Defensive tackle Anthony Hargrtove did not participate
Some New Orleans schools closing early on Thursday because of Saints festivities | NOLA.com
As excitement mounts for the Saints' season opener, some New Orleans schools, including the 22 schools directly run by the Recovery School District and the four schools run by the Orleans Parish School Board, will dismiss early on Thursday to avoid traffic gridlock from the pre-game festivities.
NFL power rankings Week 1: New Orleans and Indianapolis at the top | NOLA.com
Not much has changed in the last seven months. Just as they were last season in the Super Bowl, the Indianapolis Colts are looking up at the New Orleans Saints.
SAINTS vs. vikings:
Saints vs. Vikings | The Onion - America's Finest News Source
As the season kicks off in New Orleans with a rematch of last year's NFC championship game, Onion Sports breaks down the NFL opener. Props to Cobra Jet for first posting this hilarious little breakdown.
Saints' Williams preaches necessary roughness | nola.com
Gregg Williams exhibits a fanatical devotion to the concept of necessary roughness. The Saints' defensive coordinator is quick to remind his players that defenses are "respected when they're feared."
New Orleans Saints defense hungry for even more turnovers in 2010
"Turnovers is the one key stat that helped us have a lot of the success we had last year,’’ Saints left cornerback Jabari Greer said. "The formula is there; we just have to follow it. We had a lot of opportunities that we left on the ground last year. So, the product is unfinished. We still got a lot of work to do.’’
Saints hoping offseason moves help in run defense | wwltv.com | Eye on Black and Gold
New Orleans finished 21st in the NFL in 2009 in run defense, allowing 122.2 yards on the ground per game. The Saints were 26th in rushing yards per play at 4.49.
In the Numbers: Rematch of NFC title game on docket | wwltv.com | Eye on Black and Gold
New Orleans beat Minnesota 31-28 in overtime on Jan. 24 to get to the Super Bowl. And we all know what happened there – the Saints beat Indy 31-17 to bring home the franchise’s first-ever title.
Picked up late, Wynn still succeeds to become Saints’ No. 3 back | New Orleans News, Local News, Breaking News, Weather | wwltv.com | Eye on Black and Gold
DeShawn Wynn sat in his locker Sunday lacing up his boots, a smile continuing to find a way on the fourth-year running back’s face.
Hype for Saints’ opener rivals that of return to Superdome in ‘06 - New Orleans Saints - SunHerald.com
The NFL schedule makers knew what they were doing when they decided the New Orleans Saints would open defense of their first Super Bowl championship with a home game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Beloved/disliked: New Orleans Saints - NFC South Blog - ESPN
Poor Aaron. It wasn't all his fault.
New Orleans Saints fan guide to screaming at the Superdome | NOLA.com
Professional vocal coach tips for New Orleans legendary "12th Man."
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson knows he needs to hold on to the ball | NOLA.com
If last season's 31-28 overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints in the NFC championship game at the Superdome did anything to Minnesota Vikings All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson, it taught him he had plenty of work he needed to do.
Times-Picayune's New Orleans Saints 2010 special section at a glance | NOLA.com
Can the Saints buck recent history and win back-to-back Super Bowls?
Vikes vs. Saints intense again - NFL - Sporting News
Vikings QB Brett Favre has heard all the talk about the beating the Saints gave him in the NFC title game last season. The Vikings say some of the hits were illegal and should have been penalized. The Saints say they'll be just as aggressive Thursday.
Vikings-Saints Preview - Sep. 6, 2010 - NFL - CBSSports.com Game Preview
In case Brett Favre needed any extra motivation entering his 20th NFL season, watching the New Orleans Saints raise a championship banner should provide it.
NFL Videos: Saints prepare for Vikings
Steve Wyche reports from Saints practice as Sean Payton's team prepares for Thursday's rematch vs. the Vikings.
The Saints are coming: An editorial | NOLA.com
Football season is finally here again
New Orleans Saints know the game with Minnesota will be physical | NOLA.com
The Saints are going to have to work on stopping the Vikings' running game
Dear New Orleans Saints fans: Cheer like champions | NOLA.com
Time for the Who Dat Nation to embrace a new role: Defending Super Bowl Champions
NFL Hall of Famer Dan Hampton apologizes to New Orleans and Gulf Coast for Katrina remark | NOLA.com
"I regret it immensely and I am sorry," Hampton said. "It was a horrible choice of words and a stupid comment."
Malcolm Jenkins will get his shot with the New Orleans Saints against Minnesota | NOLA.com
Said Saints Coach Sean Payton: "The one thing with him is his football IQ is strong. He's a very smart player, and we knew that from the day he walked in the building. I would say one of his strong suits would be his awareness and his intelligence, along with his athleticism.
Hakim Drops the Ball!: Favre-aggedon, Part 7: INterCEPTION
Hey Vikings fans, was it a dream or reality?
Sources: Trust to take Bush's Heisman - College Football - Rivals.com
Two sources close to the Heisman trust said the body’s investigation is coming to a close, and will ultimately concur with the NCAA’s determination that Bush was ineligible during his Heisman-winning season in 2005. Because of that independent conclusion, sources said the trust will relieve Bush of the award and leave the honor for that season vacant. The sources said Bush met with Heisman representatives last month at the New York law offices of Emmet, Marvin & Martin. The sources would not reveal details of that meeting.
FROM A VIKINGS PERSPECTIVE:
Favre Knows The Saints Are Coming - Again - NYTimes.com
MIAMI (Reuters) - The last time the New Orleans Saints played at their home venue, the Louisiana Superdome, they won the NFC championship after battering and bruising Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre.
Vikings' corners see math problem | StarTribune.com
The Vikings have only three healthy cornerbacks on their active roster
Vikings offense aims to match Saints defense blow for blow - TwinCities.com
Forget giving Brett Favre an extra second to throw. Adrian Peterson might make sure Saints defenders need more than a second to get up. "We're definitely going to be the ones delivering the blows," the Vikings running back said about Thursday's game in the Louisiana Superdome.
Unrepentant Saints planning to put the hits on Brett Favre -- again - TwinCities.com
About 45 minutes before Monday's news conferences with the Saints coaching staff, a team official announced that defensive coordinator Gregg Williams would not be available until Wednesday because of a "scheduling change." Curious timing considering the spitball fight Vikings coach Brad Childress started Sunday when he accused Williams' defense of playing dirty when it battered Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre to the brink of retirement during New Orleans' 31-28 overtime victory in the Jan. 24 NFC championship came.
Peterson confident he can cure fumbling problem
For all the time Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings have spent studying his fumbling problem, knowledge and strategy will mean nothing if he loses the ball this week in New Orleans.
MinnPost - Vikings' season-opening game: No place for faint hearts in New Orleans
A sequel on the first week of the new season was inevitable, too good to be cluttered with competition from a dozen other NFL games and scrambled TV networks. And Thursday night it will be Favre and his bodyguards against Williams' blitzers; the Saints' quarterback Drew Brees against the best defensive line in football; Adrian Peterson craving the ball and a national television audience of tens of millions wondering if it can possibly be as good as promoted.
LAGNIAPPE:
VIDEO:
| New Orleans Saints video: Jeff Duncan's Monday Vlog |
| Jabari Greer says turnovers will be big against Minnesota |
| Saints are going into Thursday's games with injury questions |
| What Danny Clark brings to the New Orleans Saints |
| Alex Brown says the Saints have to stop the run Thursday |
Sharper says he's ready to play, but will wait if necessary
Vilma: We have to get to Favre.
Bush: We can't win the Super Bowl this Thursday