Good Friday morning to one and all! HansDat's here with a special Friday edition of the Hot Reads.
So far this preseason, the Saints have played on Sunday night, Thursday night, and now Friday night. Next week they play on Saturday night and then another Thursday nighter to close out their exhibitionism for 2012. Hope they'll be ok with a daytime game when it's for real in September.
Make the jump for the four things I'll be putting under the microscope in tonight's game.
PRIMARY OPTION
Changing things up, am I. This time the kicking game is first, JUST FOR KICKS, and it's about time we see Garrett Hartley get some serious reps with the placekicking. As it stands now, I've hardly seen enough of either Hartley or the encumbent, John Kasay, to give me confidence in either one of them.
What I'd Like To See: Lots and lots of field goal attempts for both Hartley and Kasay, from short and long range to help us get a read on who's really got the best leg and no "yips" anywhere near him.
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CHECKDOWN # 1
New defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo likes to generate pressure from his front four, and they've been working with his system for three weeks in Training Camp, so this week, I want to try and get the DOWNLOW ON THE D-LINE.
What I'd Like To See: Just how well these guys get pressure on the QB, and how they hold up against the run.
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CHECKDOWN # 2
As promised earlier this week, now it's time to pay attention and see if Courtney Roby's GUNNING DOWN A DREAM, so to speak, and still getting reps as the gunner on punts.
What I'd Like To See: Whether or not he's getting reps as gunner, and then to speculate about it if it means anything for the regular season. Just above my comment linked to above, CP says that playing gunner would not preclude him from being in the regular WR rotation.
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SAFETY VALVE
There's been a bit of concern lately over Chris Ivory's ability to hang onto the ball in practice. I'm going to jump on this preseason over-reaction bandwagon and say that TUSK IS HANGING ONTO HIS JOB FOR DEAR LIFE.
What I'd Like To See: If Ivory can get some good carries while hanging onto the ball and get some good work in this game, or can Travaris Cadet usurp Tusk's role as the # 4 running back on the team with an actual breakout performance in the running game, not the screen game, not the return game, but the running game.
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Now that the Hot Reads are out there, we can start warming up our Friday Night Lights. Get after it in the Comment Thread, and I'll see you back here tonight with my earbuds in, WWL.com Big Talkers on the interwebs, and a Blue Moon Pale Ale in hand. Mazel Tov!