Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons needed quite a few different things in order to make this year’s draft a success; a receiver to counteract Roddy White, help at linebacker, depth at defensive tackle, an offensive guard to solidify the line, and somebody who knows how to stop the pass (I know they have to defend Drew Brees, but when you play Carolina twice a year, ranking 28^th in pass defense doesn’t cut it).

With their first round pick (19^th) Atlanta decided to take Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. Now this is a great pick considering that he was the best player available; He’ll surely cure all their problems at linebacker; he can play all three linebacker positions. His combine results were top-of-the-line and his film backs it up. A very instinctive, playmaking linebacker, Weatherspoon will probably serve a huge role as a weak side backer in Atlanta’s Tampa Two defense. I say this pick was a huge success.

The Falcons had to wait until the end of the third round before their next selection came around. This time, big-boy Kentucky defensive tackle Corey Peters was the selection. Now Peters isn’t the ideal starting defensive tackle, in the sense that his technique isn’t where it needs to be in order to compete every down in the NFL. However, Peters will add another hard-working body to the defensive tackle rotation in Atlanta; that looks like a solid pick to me.

Now in order to get their offensive line under control, which wasn’t too bad in the first place (only allowing 27 sacks in 2009), they drafted Alabama offensive guard Mike Johnson and UNLV offensive guard Joe Hawley. Neither may be the immediate fix at offensive guard, however, they will provide much needed depth to Atlanta’s questionable offensive line. Johnson can be a solid backup as a rookie, while Hawley has the versatility to play any of the three interior positions. Hawley may not be quite as talented as Johnson, but will provide more help than many may expect. Okay so these two picks didn’t quite exemplify the offensive line, but it’ll work for the time being.

Well, so far so good for the Falcons. At this point, they’ve used every one of their picks in a good manner. However, with all the needs that Atlanta came into the draft needing, it’s nearly impossible to satisfy all of them; Roddy White’s still lonely out wide and the secondary didn’t get any better when you drafted two straight offensive guards. Yet, I think this is where the Falcons did the best job. Still needing some help in the secondary, Atlanta chose Oklahoma cornerback Dominique Franks. Franks is a surprisingly good fit for Atlanta’s Tampa Two defense and should excel with his great instincts and zone coverage. He may not be a starting corner at first, but could help out in packages that require more than four defensive backs such as nickel or dime.

At this point, the only need left for the Atlanta Falcons to fill is at receiver. Wide receiver Roddy White accounted for 85 receptions, 1153 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns in 2009, so it’s safe to say that they have a #1 receiver. But other than that, the Falcons don’t’ have a guy that can pick up the slack (#2 receiver Michael Jenkins only had 635 receiving yards and one touchdown reception in 2009). So, with all this in mind, Atlanta picked up hybrid Kansas receiver Kerry Meier to fill their hole. Meier used to start at quarterback for the Jayhawks, but was converted to a receiver during his junior year. Ever since, Meier has been more than productive considering his circumstances. However, I don’t think that Meier is gonna be enough to satisfy that #2 spot. Hey, he might go out there and prove me wrong, but I haven’t seen enough proof to lead me to believe that this guy can be a productive receiver in the NFL. Picking up someone in the fifth round doesn’t exactly fill their need as well as it should. I’m not very impressed with how Atlanta handled that.

Overall Draft Grade: B

Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers came into the draft needing three main things; a quarterback to build their team around, someone for that quarterback to throw to, and some players that could stop the run for God’s sake (particularly at defensive end). Some fans argue that quarterback is not as big of a need as the media portrays it to be, however, when your team leader throws more picks per game than any other quarterback in the league, we got a problem. So, to fit this need, the Panthers looked to the draft for answers.

It was probably a very painful few hours in Carolina’s draft room, as they were forced to wait until the mid second round before their first pick arrived. When it did, and they saw that Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen was still on the board, they couldn‘t believe their eyes. What is it with Notre Dame quarterbacks these days? I don’t know, maybe Brady Quinn scared teams off. But no matter, Carolina jumped all over Clausen while he was still there and there probably isn’t a second that goes by that the Panthers regret their decision. Clausen has an NFL-ready arm and is very used to playing in a pro-style offense at Notre Dame. He can fire passes into small spaces and can put some touch on the ball in order to make it just over the defender and into the receivers hands. Clausen should have plenty of opportunities to blossom as a quarterback in Carolina. Running backs Jonothan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams should make him look good anyways (much like Mark Sanchez and the Jets).

Now for that player for him to throw to; the Panthers had another whack at the NFL Draft piñata, this time in the mid third round, and went with LSU receiver Brandon LaFell. LaFell was a player that was projected to go in the early-to-mid second round, but it wasn’t a huge shocker when he was still around at the 78^th pick. Carolina‘s #2 receiver Muhsin Muhammad is entering his 15^th season in 2010, so this is a very smart pick, as LaFell shouldn’t have to wait long before his spot opens up in the offense. During his junior and senior season at LSU, LaFell never really had an established quarterback to throw him the ball and still managed to put up 1721 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns during that two-year speriod; he’s probably thrilled to be starting along side a matured quarterback in Jimmy Clausen.

That’s two needs down with their first two picks, so I guess you can say that the Panthers had plenty of breathing room with eight picks left. However, drafting quarterback Tony Pike and wildcat quarterback Armanti Edwards in the later rounds, I guess you can say Carolina would rather be safe than sorry when it comes to quarterback. Don’t wanna take any more chances there. These two picks may not look like much of a significance at first, but this is really where Carolina’s draft is going to make a huge impact. Not only do they have one franchise quarterback (Clausen), but they have two (Pike)! Not to mention someone to take the snaps in the wildcat and give Deangelo Williams a break.

This is where the “great” part of the Panther’s draft ends and the “good” part begins. With Probowl defensive end Julius Peppers on his way out, Carolina needed a strong, balanced guy to take his spot. Drafting Ole Miss defensive end Greg Hardy may not be in the best interest for the Panthers. Hardy used to be a big-time, explosive player at Ole Miss, but wasn’t even a starter in 2010 because of how badly injuries have affected him; I don’t think Hardy is a very reliable replacement at defensive end. Well too bad that’s the only defensive lineman they drafted, cause they sure needed some help in the middle if you ask me. Ranking 22^nd in the league in rush defense, the line is in obvious need of repair. And don’t go blaming their linebacking core; middle linebacker Jon Beason racked up 141 tackles last year; he’s not the problem.

However, the Panthers did draft South Carolina outside linebacker Eric Norwood in the late fourth round. Norwood isn’t the best athlete, but he has instincts and playmaking skills that shows very great potential. Norwood actually reminds me of middle linebacker Jon Beason that I spoke of earlier. If Norwood turns out like Beason, then the Panthers may not need a defensive line for then next eight years.

Overall Draft Grade: B+

New Orleans Saints

Coming into 2010 as the defending Super Bowl champs, it’s hard to believe that the Saints have any needs whatsoever. However, with last year’s first-round selection Malcolm Jenkins being in a limbo between corner and safety, while free safety Darren Sharper’s career is coming to a close, New Orleans has a lot happening on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive tackle and linebacker are areas of concern and some how the secondary still isn’t up to par.

With their first round pick, 32^nd overall, the Saints took another chance with a corner, this time Florida State’s Patrick Robinson. All this means is that last year’s 16^th overall pick Malcolm Jenkins will have a chance to move to safety, hopefully solidifying the secondary; so, when are the Saints going to give the whole defensive back thing a rest? That’s three years in a row that they’ve selected a defensive back with their first round pick, meaning that those picks obviously didn’t make a big enough impact to direct their draft picks in another direction. Now Robinson is a speedy, athletic corner that closes in fast on the receiver. He has great see-to-do instincts and can make a play pretty much anywhere on the field; he didn’t fall into the first round on accident. Robinson can provide another solid developing corner to the Saints secondary and can hope to be starting along side Malcolm Jenkins in the near future.

The next two picks were a bit of a mystery to me; first of all, do the Saints really need another tight end? They had five on their roster last season. And it’s not like they’re all bad or anything, Jeremy Shockey is probably the best pass-catching tight end in the game and back up David Thomas has enough talent to be a starter for just about any other team. Anyways, the guy they drafted, Miami tight end Jimmy Graham, is an ex basket ball player that only played two years of college football. He was very productive during his time on the gridiron and reminds many of Chargers tight end Antonio Gates. It would be great if this guy turned out like Gates, heck, it’d be great if all six of their draft picks turned out as pro-bowlers; then Drew Brees would have to get used to throwing out of two tight end packages.

The Saints took USC offensive tackle Charles Brown in the late second round, fulfilling a potential need at tackle if Jammal Brown gets traded. Brown is a solid NFL tackle that has a certain potential to become a starter sometime during his career. 6’5” 305 pounds, his size is certainly good enough and has pretty good athleticism for a big guy. This is a solid pick by New Orleans, they took the best player available rather than someone to fill their immediate needs, but I think this pick will certainly pay off.

Trading up seven spots to draft LSU defensive tackle Al Woods was probably the best decision by the Saints this draft. He may not be that player that’ll just blow up the scene in New Orleans, but he’s a hometown hero in Baton Rouge and will attract plenty of fans. The college-NFL transition will be very easy and he’ll have tons have people pushing him for success. He was one of the best run stoppers in the nation last year and that’s exactly what the Saints are looking for in a defensive tackle. With a surprising draft up to this point, Al Woods just made it look better.

Moving to their last pick of the draft, the Saints drafted Oregon State quarterback Sean Canfield. Even though the Saints don’t have a very good history in drafting quarterbacks, this was a mediocre pick because they needed somebody be behind Drew Brees. If Brees were to get injured, the Saints wouldn’t be receiving their Super bowl rings this August. The need for a back up was exposed after Mark Brunell went unsigned this off season; in Brunells only start last season, he threw for 102 yards and one interception, so they’re not losing too much. Canfield is the type of quarterback that will be a good fit in New Orleans. He’s smart and accurate, much like Brees, and has great leadership skills; should be a great back up for the Saints.

Draft Grade: C

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers finished with the worst record in the NFC South, third worst in the NFL, and therefore had the third overall pick in the Draft. They needed quite a few things this draft, particularly on defense; two defensive tackles to satisfy the defensive line, help at defensive end, a play-making safety, someone at wide out, and maybe a guy or two to help out at linebacker.

Having the third pick of the NFL Draft, Tampa Bay had the opportunity to draft practically in player in the whole draft (outside the first two picks). Luckily, the Bucs chose the right year to be in need of a defensive tackle; Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy fell right into their laps. One of the four Oklahoma players to be drafted in the top four picks, McCoy was slightly overshadowed by the presence of Nebraska counterpart Ndamukong Suh. Suh was drafted second overall by the Lions, leaing Tampa Bay with a defensive tackle of equal value. McCoy is an extremely quick and speedy defensive tackle that also has enough power and strength to fight off the double team. An all-around athlete that has virtually no weaknesses. Predictable, yet great pick by Tampa Bay.

Does everybody remember when Warren Sapp and Anthony McFarland ruled the LOS back in the early 2000’s? They actually won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay if you recall. Well maybe that’s what they’re trying to recreate here by drafting UCLA defensive tackle Brian Price to follow up McCoy. Price brings more of a raw talent to the defensive line. He is very quick, like McCoy, but also is very violent in his play. Has great moves and is one of those guys that can really shoot a gap and stuff it. I like what the Buccaneers are trying to do here with their defensive line and I think both McCoy and Price have great potential starting next to each other.

Tampa Bay drafted two big-play receivers to quench their thirst for a receiver; Illinois receiver Arrelious Benn in the second round and Syracuse receiver Mike Williams in the fourth. Benn is a player that knows how to make guys miss and is a terrific worker, while Williams is very talented, yet had some off the field issues that put him at risk of not finding the field as much as wants to. The Buccaneers weren’t a very explosive offense in 2009, so adding these two receivers was a great way to add more talent around quarterback Josh Freeman.

In the later rounds, Tampa Bay addressed their nagging concern for a linebacker by not drafting one, but two solid players. Virginia Tech’s Cody Grimm and Florida State’s Dekoda Watson were both drafted in the seventh round by the Bucs. Both Grimm and Watson have enough drive and heart to be very effective special teams players as a rookie. Watson has more immediate potential to actually make a difference on defense, while Grimm may stick as a special teams player for most of his career.

As cornerback Ronde Barber is getting towards the point of retiring from the NFL, Tampa Bay looked for, and found, a replacement in this year’s Draft. Taking Vanderbilt corner Myron Lewis in the third round, Tampa Bay hopes that the retirement of Barber will not leave the secondary in ruins, but let a young star take over. Lewis has sound technique at every secondary position and is one of those guys that will impress wherever you put him. A good pick by the Bucs.

Overall Draft Grade: A

Now that the playoffs are not possible the Falcons decided to play for wins and pride. On Sunday they manhandled the Bills from the start. On the first play from scrimmage Matt Ryan hit Roddy White from 42 yards out to make it 7-0. The Bills would never be in the game from that point on. They managed just 187 total yards with only 40 coming via the run. Ryan finished 18-35 for 250 yards and three touchdowns. White had another scoring catch to close the scoring and finished with 139 yards on eight catches. The running tandem of Jason Snelling and Jerious Norwood combined for 28 carries for 120 yards and the defense is playing the way they had hoped they would all year. They held the Bills to 11 first downs and 2-10 in third down efficiency. They forced three turnovers and 10 penalties for 60 yards and two sacks. Next week they go to Tampa Bay to try and finish the year with a winning record.

Tampa Bay 20 New Orleans 17

The last fourth of this season has been really hard on the Saints.  They started off so strong but have been exposed in the last month. The defense is the first thing that needs to be addressed and fast. They are finding ways to keep drives alive by allowing the big play, like the 77-yard punt return by Michael Spurlock to tie the game late in the fourth. They gave up 439 yards total yards to the Bucs. Tampa Bay was 7-12 on third downs and had the ball for 36 minutes. Not too bad for a team that started so bad. It was to the point where people were asking if head coach Raheem Morris could survive more than one year. New Orleans actually lead 17-0 and it was still 17-3 at the half. It would not be enough as Drew Brees was held under 300 yards passing and the Bucs defense came up big when they needed to. They took advantage of an injury to Saints running back Pierre Thomas and shut down the run game in the second half. Josh Freeman continued his evolution going 21-31 for 271 yards with no touchdowns and two picks. He did make a big play in the overtime that kept the winning drive alive. So Tampa continues to look like they are improving with each week and the Saints keep looking more vulnerable game after game. They and some fans thought they had won the game in regulation but Garrett Hartley missed a field goal from 37 yards out with five seconds left in the game. So Tampa moves on to finish the year next week looking to next year and the improvements they need to make. On a last note Morris may have saved his job with the team’s play in the last month or so.

Carolina 41 New York Giants 9

It was the last game at the Meadowlands and it hit home for me personally. I grew up going to that stadium and was looking to see the Gmen go out with a win. Unfortunately the Panthers had other plans. They came in with many questions in a season that had gone south. So, with not much to play for, they decided to show up and show out. Matt Moore had an effective day going 15-20 for 171 yards and three touchdowns. On top of that Jonathan Stewart ran all over the Giants defense to the tune of 206 yards on 28 carries and a score. The Panthers were 10-15 on third downs and had 416 total yards. They ran for 247 and forced four turnovers. The defense held the Giants to 60 yards rushing 27 minutes in time of possession. It was an ugly way for New York to go out as they showed no heart and little emotion. Eli Manning was 29-43 for 296 yards but he was playing from behind all day. It was 24-0 at the half and 34-3 by the end of the third. It was Carolina’s third win in their last four games and just like in Tampa that may have saved their coaches job for sure now.

Now that the Saints have gotten the perfect record thing out of the way maybe they can get back to playing football. The last month has seen this team struggle with a few teams and they have been exposed on defense as well. This past Saturday the Cowboys had aspirations of beating the Saints. Granted, it was a long shot but they still had a chance. Players like Tony Romo said that if the Boys played their game they could win. Well it appears that the rest of the world didn’t believe when Dallas did and they came out smoking. They put pressure on Drew Brees from the start of the game and ended up sacking him four times while forcing two fumbles that Brees lost. He was hit on many occasions and for three quarters could not put his team in the end zone. Dallas struck immediately in the first when Romo hit Miles Austin for a 49-yard touchdown to make it 7-0. At halftime is was 14-3 and when Marion Barber ran it in from two in the third the game looked lost to the Saints. In the fourth it became a different story as Brees began to move his team and finally hit pay dirt when Mike Bell scored from one-yard out. Now it was 24-10 with just over 12 minutes to go. When Lance Moore pulled in a Brees pass to make it 24-17 the Saints were back in it. Dallas got the ball back and looked to go three and out when Romo hooked up with Austin for a huge 32-yard gain and the first down. After moving the ball 74 yards on 10 plays the Cowboys set up for a 24-yard chip shot by Nick Folk to extend the lead to 10. Somehow it hit the upright and the Saints got the ball back with a chance to tie or win the game. So here were the Saints with the ball and a little more than two minutes to go. The ball was at their 20 and Brees proceeded to move the ball down the field. Just like that DeMarcus Ware stepped in and stripped Brees for the second time of the day and that was that. New Orleans was no longer undefeated and they could now look to the bigger challenge of finishing with the number one seed in the NFC. 19-0 is good, but more than that, they want finish strong in December and January to get to the Super Bowl.

Atlanta 10 New York Jets 7

The Falcons came into this game with nothing to play for and for about 58 minutes they played just like that. The Jets defense pushed them around and dominated for most of the game. The Falcons did get on the scoreboard first when Matt Bryant hit a 24-yard field goal to make it 3-0 in the first. That would all the offense Atlanta cold muster as they punted seven times after that and missed a field goal later. They finished with 238 yards of offense and 73 of those came on the final drive. Matt Ryan returned at quarterback and was just 16-34 for 152 yards and one touchdown. The running game was ineffective as Michael Turner hurt himself again and Jason Snelling could not get off. Atlanta had only 12 first downs and they were just 7-18 on third down efficiency. Still as the saying goes you have to play the full 60 minutes, the Jets did not, and the Falcons did. With 4:27 left in the game the Falcons got the ball with one last shot at putting a dent in the Jets playoff aspirations. On a third and five from their own 32 Ryan hit Jerius Norwood for nine yards and the first down. On another third down play Ryan got another first down when he hit Roddy White for 16 yards and a face mask penalty on the Jets moved the ball to the New York 27. One last third down from the six and this time it failed when Ryan’s pass to Tony Gonzalez fell short. The Falcons took a timeout to discuss their options while the Jets knew all they had to do was get a stop and remain one game behind the Patriots in the AFC East. They decided to go for it and lined up in the shotgun again. They threw the same pass to Gonzalez again and this time he caught it in the end zone for the lead with 1:38 left in the game. The Jets took over but Mark Sanchez was intercepted for the third time on the game and Atlanta pulled out the victory. They were able to win the game and put the Jets playoff hopes in jeopardy. This is how you play football when you are out of the playoff hunt. Stay hungry and play with pride.

Tampa Bay 24 Seattle 7

Near the end of the game the stands were about empty, but some very irritated fans stayed to watch their team tank another game. The Bucs had just put a whipping on their team to win just their second game of the year. Josh Freeman bounced back from two horrible games to throw two touchdown passes while going 16-26 for 205 yards. Derrick Ward and Cadillac Williams each ran for a touchdown and Connor Barth kicked three field goals as Tampa Bay won on the road for the first time since last year. The Tampa defense recorded a sack; four interceptions and a lost fumble to the hapless Seahawks. Williams and Ward combined for 31 carries for 133 yards and Kellen Winslow chipped in with 93 yards on six receptions. Their record is now 2-12 but the team has been playing inspired football even when they are losing. It has been a rough season but some of the players feel like the team is headed in the right direction. Head coach Raheem Morris is in his first year and we will see if he makes it to a second. One thing is for sure with Freeman, Williams and Ward the team has a future to build on. They also have player s like Winslow and a kicker that is sure fire. Now let’s see how they put those pieces together for the final two games of the year. Granted they are at New Orleans and then at home for the finale against the Falcons. Still there is room for learning and working towards next year.

Carolina 26 Minnesota 7

Once again no one knows what Panther team will show up but if this one would show up every week they would be in the playoff running now. With no reason to play except to play the game itself, the Panthers stuck to Brett Favre and the Vikings in dominating fashion. They scored 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and sent the Vikings reeling. Matt Moore had a career day going 21-33 for 299 yards and his first three-touchdown game of his career. Jonathan Stewart ran all over the Viking defense for 109 yards on 25 carries and a rushing touchdown. He also had a touchdown catch from two-yards out to cap the scoring. The Panther defense was fantastic harassing Favre repeatedly and sacking him four times. Julius Peppers was in Favre face all night to the point where head coach Brad Childress thought of removing his star quarterback for safety purposes. Favre got angry and the two had a heated discussion. It was all for naught as the Panthers came out firing in the fourth as Steve Smith pulled in a 42-yard pass for the score to make it 12-7. Smith finished the game with nine catches for 157 yards and the Carolina defense held the Vikings to 10 first downs, 237 total yards and 1-10 on third down conversions. It was a dominating performance for sure but the Panthers need a lot of help. They have no answer to the question for the quarterback of the future. Sure Moore is 4-2 but he is still unproven. The defense will undergo an overhaul and there is still the question about the future of coach John Fox. Still for one Sunday things were right in Carolina and they will take that any day.

Somehow some way Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme finds a way to get the ball in the hands of his opponent. Sometimes he does that a little too often, like he did Sunday when he threw four more interceptions and was a miserable 14-34 for a mere 130 yards. He looked about as lost as a kitten in a dog pound. He got absolutely no help from his running game either as DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart combined for 75 yards on 25 carries. There was also the problem of 11 first downs to go with 179 yards of total offense and three sacks of Delhomme. Head coach Jack DelRio is already on the hot seat and must now decide if its time to bench his quarterback. Then add the fact that Delhomme broke a finger which will make the decision easier. He had a passer rating of 12.7 and appears to have lost all confidence in himself. He now has 18 interceptions and that is his career high for a single-season. The worst part is that alot of his picks have resulted in scores too. When they had an oppotunity to score they could not. They had just intercepted Jets QB Mark Sanchez and Delhomme quickly hit Steve Smith in the end zone for a touchdown. Jets head coach Rex Ryan did not believe it was a catch and challenged the call. He would wn and the Panthers would have to settle for a field goal. It has been a season to forget for Carolina and Delhomme and it isn’t over yet. The question is not whether Matt Moore will start next week. The question is will Delhomme ever get his job back. Speaking of jobs, what about DelRio? Can he last the season and if he does will he be here next year. Highly unlikely at this point so please stand by. One thing is certain and that would be that this team has to make alot of changes if they hope to compete next year.

Atlanta 20 Tampa Bay 17

It has not been a kind season for either of these teams. The Falcons had high expectations coming into this season but were 5-5 coming in. The Bucs, playing under new head coach Raheem Morris, have had one of those years you already want to forget. Still they have played hard for their coach and rookie QB Josh Freeman is showing that he can be an NFL quarterback. On this day he was sacked six times but was 20-29 for 250 yards and two touchdowns. His counterpart Matt Ryan was hurt early when his foot was rolled on and he could not return. Also injured for the Falcons were running back Michael Turner, linemen Harvey Dahl and Sam Baker, The question is when will they return because they are so key to the Falcons success. So Chris Redman came in and saved the day when he hit Roddy White for the winning score with 23 seconds left. The Bucs had a chance to win but like usual found a way to lose it. Atlanta finds itself still in the playoff hunt but will need to keep winning and get some help from the rest of the NFC. The Bucs find themselves at 1-10 and need help badly. They could only muster 13 first downs and had just 73 yards on the ground. Penalties continue to haunt them and they added eight more on Sunday. They appear to have their quarterback of the future and have Cadillac Williams in the backfield. They will need to shore up the offensive line to protect Freeman better and their defense needs to improve dramatically. Redman was not bad in going 23-41 for 243 yards and no picks with two touchdowns. Tony Gonzalez is the only thing they have to count on as he addded nine catches for 83 yards. The Falcons are still in the playoff hunt but need teams like Philly and Green Bay to lose as well as continuing to win themselves. Three of the last five games are at home where they are 5-0 this year and one of those are against Philadelphia. They also go to the Jets and Tampa where they have a good chance to win those games if they are healthy. If Ryan and Turner do not return soon it won’t matter because Atlanta needs them if they have any chance at making the postseason.

New Orleans 38 New England 17

Wow would be a word to describe this Saints offense I would say. Another could be explosive or plain and simply terrific. It was the showdown of the week and it was not supposed to disappoint. Drew Brees against Tom Brady is all the billing you needed to sell this one but it was Brees who made the statement. He was as accurate as you can be and finished 18-23 for 371 yards and five touchdowns. It was the first time a quarterback has thrown for that many scores against a Bill Belichick defense. They had no way of stopping Brees especially in the second quarter when he threw three scoring passes to three different players. Yet, as much as the offense has done the real story is the improvement of their defense. Darren Sharper sent Brady to bench for good with one of two picks the D had and the Pats looked lost and confused. It was a sight to see when Brady walked off the field each time he was stopped. He had a look on his face rarely seen during his career. His offense could not move the ball and his ground game did not help. They got two touchdown runs from Laurence Maroney and that was all they could get. Brady was harrassed and knocked around the whole game. So now the Saints are 11-0 like the Colts and are looking to run the table. It is games like this that can define a season and the Saints can use this win to propel them all they way to the Super Bowl. Saints receivers had a ball as Marques Colston had only four catches but that was good enough for 121 yards and a touchdown. Devery Henderson chipped in with only three catches but he finished with 116 yards and a nice 75-yard strike from Brees. So with their offense in sync and their defense playing ferociously the Saints have a good chance of running the table. Of course we all know that will be a moot point if they end their year the same way these Pats did when they went 16-0 only to lose to the Giants in the Super Bowl. Now we will see if they can win out and with games at home against the likes of Dallas and Tampa and roadies at Washington, Atlanta and Carolina, an undefeated season is looking better every week. I have a question for all of you. Give me a reason for Brees not getting the MVP this year.

When rookie QB Mark Sanchez took the field he was looking to keep his team undefeated. Well reality set in as well as mistakes and the kid turned out to be human after all. Darren Sharper picked off two Sanchez passes, returning one 99-yards for a touchdown, to help keep the Saints unbeaten. Just two weeks ago he set the team record when he ran one back 97-yards against Philadelphia. He now has 10 career touchdowns and that ranks him second all time behind Rod Woodson’s 12. Sanchez was harassed all day and finished 14-27 for just 138 yards and three picks. Remi Ayodele also had a touchdown when he recovered a Sanchez fumble after he was sacked by Saints end Will Smith. Pierre Thomas had another strong showing with 86 yards to lead the running game. For the second consecutive game Drew Brees did not throw a touchdown pass and he had only 190 yards passing. So Brees has a sub par day and the running game does not have a 100-yards runner but they win by 14. The Saints still showed that they are capable of playing a complete game on both sides of the ball. They have the Giants in two weeks after a bye.  After the G-Men take care of the Raiders next week it will be another clash of the unbeaten.

Washington 16 Tampa Bay 13

The young Bucs came into this game believing they could win it. After all, the Redskins had just come of a loss to the Lions, ending their 19-game winless streak. Things started well for them in the first few minutes of the game. At the 13:00 mark quarterback Josh Johnson put the Bucs up when he hit Antonio Bryant for an 8-yard touchdown on his first pass of the game. By halftime it was 10-0 and Washington QB Jason Campbell was wondering if he should come out for the second half. Whatever was said in the locker room worked. The Skins came out in the third quarter and scored 16 points to put the game away. Campbell was 7 of 9 for 110 yards and two touchdowns in the quarter. Johnson showed his inexperience and finished up 13-22 for 106 yards one touchdown and one pick. The ground game could never get started and the offense could not mount a drive in the second half. They are now 0-4 and head coach Raheem Morris is still looking for his first NFL win.

The Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers were idle this week. Next week the Falcons go to San Francisco and try to beat a 49er team that is 3-1 and looking better every week. Carolina looks to get into the win column when they host the Redskins next week. They need quarterback Jake Delhomme to get on track as he has had a shaky start to 2009.