Sugar industry recovers with sweet harvest
December 21, 2010
Tri-parish families get troops home for holidays
December 23, 2010
New Orleans Saints:
Quarterbacks: Drew Brees was good for three quarters and nine minutes, but he really failed when it mattered most, using a costly timeout before throwing the game-clinching interception.
GRADE: C+
Halfbacks: The Saints had less than 30 yards rushing. With Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush back, one cannot make the excuse that the unit is depleted, even though losing Christopher Ivory is a big blow.
GRADE: C
Wide Receivers: How about that play by Lance Moore on the sidelines? That’s going to be a strong candidate for catch of the year. The Saints’ wide receivers make Drew Brees’ job easy n not that he needs much help.
GRADE: A-
Offensive line: They didn’t run block or protect Brees. A pretty sour performance from this usually steady group.
GRADE: D
Defensive line: Likewise, the Saints had no chance stopping neither Ray Rice, nor Willis McGahee on the ground, allowing more than 200 yards rushing on 39 carries.
GRADE: C-
Linebackers: With no Todd Heap in the lineup, the Saints’ linebackers just took the night off, allowing Rice to also get off in the passing game.
GRADE: D
Defensive backs: When one takes away the 80 yards Rice had in the passing game, the Saints’ defensive backs allowed less than 100 yards passing to the Ravens. It wasn’t the defensive backs’ fault the defense struggled. Not today, anyway.
GRADE: B+
Special Teams: Garrett Hartley is as cold as ice again, but the return teams and coverages teams could be a little better. How about Nicholls’ own Lardarius Webb making the Tri-parish area proud with a long punt return? Good to see the local doing well.
GRADE: B-
Coaching Staff: The Saints won the Super Bowl last year because they had an explosive passing attack AND a good rushing offense to keep teams off balance. This year, Sean Payton has completely abandoned the running game and that’s 100 percent why the Saints’ offense isn’t as crisp. You can’t have just 27 rushing yards and expect to win a game on the road against a playoff level team.
GRADE: C
OVERALL GRADE: The Saints’ winning streak is over, but let’s be real n the streak was more about strength of competition than it was dominant play. There’s an old adage that says, “The team who runs the ball and stops the run will win the Super Bowl”. If that is true, that’s not good news for the Black and Gold, who will have to play on the road throughout the playoffs now, thanks to this loss.
TEAM GRADE: C-
Saints quarterback Drew Brees evades the pass rush of Ravens’ linebacker Terrell Suggs. Suggs was a problem for the Saints throughout the game with his ability to put hits on Brees and disrupt the Saints’ offense. ROB CARR n ASSOCIATED PRESS
