Saints, Colonels score high grades this weekend

New Orleans Saints:

Quarterback: Drew Brees still is struggling badly to hit a deep throw. But that didn’t matter against Pittsburgh, as he carved the Steelers with dump offs in a masterful performance.

GRADE: A

Halfbacks: People say the Saints cannot run the football because Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas are hurt. Not so. They have no holes, and until that changes, the results will be the same.

GRADE: Incomplete

Receivers: Marques Colston had two costly drops, but all-in-all, three Saints receivers had six or more catches. One doesn’t find that much balance too often around the NFL.

GRADE: B+

Offensive line: There was absolutely zero run blocking, and Drew Brees was picking himself off the turf repeatedly throughout the game. The skill players won this one for the Black and Gold.

GRADE: C

Defensive line: The Steelers like to punch their opponents in the mouth with a stout running game. And the truth is, they averaged 5 yards per rush throughout the game. They just abandoned it for some reason.

GRADE: C+

Linebackers: Jonathan Vilma was exceptional, plugging holes and making life miserable for Big Ben throughout the game. Solid outing for this sometimes shaky group.

GRADE: B+

Defensive backs: The Saints were down to just one healthy cornerback by the end of the game, but that didn’t matter. These guys made all of the plays in the end of the game to seal victory.

GRADE: A

Special Teams: Garrett Hartley made both of his field goals and Thomas Morstead had three of his four punts downed inside the 20-yard-line. That’s pretty big-time stuff there.

GRADE: A-

Coaching Staff: The Saints cannot run the ball. So against a great rushing defense, they didn’t. And that was the difference between a win and a loss on Sunday night. Why waste plays when your line can’t block? Put the ball in Drew Brees’ hands and ride your best player to a win.

GRADE: B+

OVERALL GRADE: The Steelers are a very, very good team, so whether one beats them by one or by 101, it’s an excellent win. Upfront, the Saints weren’t as good as one would hope, but the Steelers have a lot to do with that, too. The Saints forced the big turnover, then made the big offensive plays when they needed to – all while having sound special teams. Sounds familiar? It should – that was the formula last season.

TEAM GRADE: A

Nicholls Colonels:

Quarterbacks: True freshman Landry Klann took most of the reps and he didn’t disappoint, protecting the football, while completing a high percentage of his passes. This kid will be a good one for quite a while.

GRADE: B

Halfbacks: Nicholls really couldn’t penetrate a tough McNeese State front. Jesse Turner struggled throughout the night – granted, his running holes were never exactly large.

GRADE: D+

Wide Receivers: With more of a pocket quarterback in the lineup, the Colonels’ receivers were able to make plays, led by Kenyad Blair’s four catches for 79 yards with a touchdown.

GRADE: B

Offensive line: It seems like this group is very hit or miss. Sometimes they allow close to 15 sacks and sometimes they do all right. Saturday they were OK, protecting Klann in the passing game. With a little sounder run blocking, this unit would be something.

GRADE: C+

Defensive line: Nicholls had no answer for Andre Anderson all game, which allowed the Cowboys to protect their early lead. Not the best day for the usually steady Colonels front-4, even though Anderson is a big-time, future NFL back.

GRADE: D

Linebackers: Likewise, when one halfback has 170 yards rushing, that’s bad. When your opponent has 290 rushing yards total, that’s even worse. Some of that blame has to fall on the Nicholls linebackers. They play in the box, too.

GRADE: C

Defensive backs: The Colonels’ secondary did a very good job preventing the Cowboys from stretching the field in the passing game, allowing just 112 yards total through the air for the game. A good coverage day for the Nicholls secondary.

GRADE: B+

Special Teams: Patrick Dolan was terrific in the punting game with a 48 yard per punt average. The Nicholls coverage units were pretty good, as well. Solid day for this group.

GRADE: B

Coaching Staff: The decision to hand the offense to Landry Klann is interesting, but it proved to be effective. If Nicholls can overcome their tendency to slow start, these freshmen could really be something the remainder of the season.

GRADE: B+

OVERALL GRADE: Nicholls struggled in the opening minutes for the second-straight week, falling into a hole that they never got out of. But all-in-all, the Colonels were competitive. With mostly new blood on the roster and now a new quarterback under center, wins might not pile up for Nicholls the rest of the way. But it’s still hard to deny they are heading in the right direction.

TEAM GRADE: B-