LSU the undisputed No. 1 team in America after thrilling win

Quarterbacks. Drew Brees rebounded from one of his worst games in recent memory with a workmanlike showing against a sound Bucs defense.

Grade: B+

Halfbacks. The team ran the football effectively and won. Eureka! Sarcasm aside, this was the most life the team’s backs have had all year.

Grade: A

Wide receivers. The Saints wide receivers really didn’t have a big day, despite solid numbers for Drew Brees. Three of the top four receivers Sunday were either tight ends or halfbacks. Marques Colston was the only Saints receiver to eclipse 50 yards receiving.

Grade: B

Offensive line. What a difference a week makes. One week after being battered by the lowly Rams, the Saints beat up the Bucs front in both run blocking and pass protection.

Grade: A

Defensive line. Josh Freeman stayed clean, being sacked just once. LeGarrette Blount also had a nice night on the ground, despite limited touches. This grade would be much lower if not for a big stand on a fourth down play early in the game that stole Tampa Bay’s momentum.

Grade: B-

Linebackers. Without Jonathan Vilma, the Saints’ linebackers held their own against a stingy Tampa Bay offense. This is a tough group to get a beat on, because they are so dang inconsistent.

Grade: B+

Defensive backs. Take away nine costly penalties and the Bucs did pretty much whatever they wanted to do through the air against the Saints’ still struggling defensive backs.

Grade: C-

Special teams. The coverage teams were average. The return teams were the same. John Kasay doesn’t appear to be as steady as he was early in the season. That could be a concern later as weather deteriorates.

Grade: B

Coaching staff. The Saints pounded the football and controlled the tempo Sunday to avenge an earlier loss to Tampa Bay. It appears pretty simple that the team is at its best when it attempts to establish a ground game. It’s just a bit of a struggle to convince the play callers that’s the case. Either way, they got it right Sunday and that’s all that matters.

Grade: A-

Overall, in the NFL, you can’t let one bad week derail your season. The Saints made sure that wouldn’t be an issue for them, easily showing no ill effects from an embarrassing loss to the Rams. All the ups and downs of the NFL grind, aside, the bottom line is the team is 6-3, a record a lot of teams envy. With the heat of their schedule forthcoming, consistency is the next thing the team needs to master. For now, good showing and a heck of a way to rebound!

Grade: A

TEAM GRADE: A

LSU TIGERS

Quarterbacks. As good as Jarrett Lee’s been all year, Alabama’s defense left him completely overwhelmed. Enter Jordan Jefferson, whose running ability kept the Tide off balance. Who says the two-quarterback system doesn’t work? The experts were wrong. That will be a theme in this report card.

Grade: B

Halfbacks. The so-called experts also said no one in the country could run the football on Alabama, much less LSU. The Tigers amassed 151 yards on the ground, led by Michael Ford, who was stellar on the edges on a night when Spencer Ware was ineffective. What do you know? The experts were wrong again.

Grade: B+

Wide receivers. Several Tigers had two receptions, but no one really shined. Throwing the football was Plan D for LSU on the priority list Saturday. It’s hard to fault the Tigers’ receivers for that.

Grade: B-

Offensive line. The LSU offensive line is vastly underrated. It’s tough to execute stretch outside runs on any defense. The Tigers held their blocks against the mighty Crimson Tide, allowing the team to get the bulk of its 151 yards rushing. Oh yeah, LSU quarterbacks were sacked just once, too.

Grade: A

Defensive line. Trent Richardson is supposed to be explosive? The experts said he would surely have his Heisman moment against LSU. He didn’t. That had a lot to do with the massive LSU front four that sealed the game getting a huge overtime sack.

Grade: A+

Linebackers. The LSU linebackers had near fatal coverage breakdowns on Trent Richardson in the passing game. How can you not guard the best player on the field?

Grade: C

Defensive backs. The Tigers defensive backs have been amazing all season. It was no different Saturday, recording two huge interceptions and bottling Alabama’s efficient passing game at opportunistic times.

Grade: B+

Special teams. Brad Wing is the best punter in America and it’s not even close. The guy is a pooch punting machine. His night, combined with the team winning a game with a field goal, these guys ace the test!

Grade: A+

Coaching staff. The experts said Les Miles was a maniac, who’d either lose or win the game on a trick play. He didn’t, simply staying true to his game plan, this time winning in part because of a botched trick play from the great Nick Saban. The experts said he couldn’t win without Saban’s recruits. The Mad Hatter keeps on chugging along at LSU. The experts … again were wrong.

Grade: A

Overall, the LSU football team is now the unquestioned No. 1 team in the land after shocking a sold out crowd of Alabama fans one field goal at a time. With three regular season games to go, the toughest being at home, it appears LSU is in the driver’s seat to make a return trip to New Orleans to try and win a crystal ball. Either way, when you’re 9-0 and you’ve played LSU’s schedule to this point, you’re doing OK.

TEAM GRADE: A+

NSU COLONELS

Quarterbacks. LaQuintin Caston was steady and protected the football reasonably well. But 92 yards passing just isn’t enough to obtain victory when you don’t have LSU’s defense to rely upon.

Grade: C+

Halfbacks. Caston’s greatest worth Saturday was as a running back, accumulating 94 yards on 27 carries with a touchdown. The problem is Caston’s not a halfback, his stats do nothing for the team’s struggling stable of those, who combined for just 45 yards on 13 carries.

Grade: C-

Receivers. Caston isn’t exactly a gunslinger. But it’s not 100 percent his fault his receivers mustered just 92 yards on his 14 completions. Nicholls just doesn’t have a deep threat.

Grade: D

Offensive line. The Colonels amassed 139 yards on the ground and Caston stayed relatively clean. A good ballgame from a struggling unit.

Grade: B+

Defensive line. The Cowboys didn’t hit many long runs, but they were steadily effective, pushing the Colonels back for 156 yards on the ground. Pressure on the McNeese quarterbacks was also nonexistent.

Grade: D

Linebackers. The Colonels linebackers did a good job keeping moderate rushes manageable and also did a good job monitoring the Cowboys’ backs out of the backfield. Good showing.

Grade: A-

Defensive backs. After being gashed for a lot of the Southland schedule, the Colonels’ defensive backs did well limiting McNeese in the passing game. Again, good showing.

Grade: B+

Special teams. The Colonels didn’t pop a big return, nor allow one. No shame in the way the team played in this realm.

Grade: B

Coaching staff. Give props to Charlie Stubbs. The Colonels lost for the ninth-straight time, but played hard throughout the game. Injuries have hampered the Colonels all season and they’ve never used it as an excuse. A coach that can motivate a 1-9 team is a good coach. The future is still bright.

Grade: B+

Overall, Nicholls needs a win. Period. It looked like Saturday might have been the day, but the team scuffled in the second half and fell short. The outcome wasn’t good, but progress was made. Go out and win the last game of the season, guys!

TEAM GRADE: C

LSU junior defensive back Morris Claiborne fires up fans during a game this season. Claiborne was a huge factor in the Tigers’ win against Alabama, intercepting a pass to set up one of LSU’s three field goals. STEVE FRANZ