Hospital offers training tips with half-marathon looming
October 30, 2012
Keeping up with the local pro: Sumar diaries from Puerto Rico
October 30, 2012
Saints
Quarterbacks – Maybe my opinion is off, but I think Drew Brees is worse when Jimmy Graham is in the lineup. He just seems to zero in on the big tight end too much and it makes the team more predictable. Maybe I’m crazy, but it’s just a thought.
Grade: C+
Halfbacks – Believe it or not, but the Saints had limited success running the football in the early drives of the game. They just didn’t keep doing it. I’m not sure why. We won’t penalize the backs for that.
Grade: B
Receivers – Marques Colston is an elite NFL receiver – there’s no doubt about that. But Champ Bailey really did a fine job taking him out of the plan Sunday. With the head of the snake struggling, the rest of the snake fizzled.
Grade: C
Offensive line – The Saints’ offensive line actually played a good game Sunday and kept Brees relatively clean considering all of the obvious passing situations he faced throughout the game. They were the bright spot of the offense.
Grade: B+
Defensive line – One Denver halfback rushed for 122 yards with a score and another had 86 yards on just 14 carries. The Saints’ defensive line is really bad and it sets the tone for the entire defense, which is easily the worst in the NFL.
Grade: D
Linebackers – Saints fans can bicker about the Jonathan Vilma suspension until they are blue in the face. But without it, the Black and Gold likely wouldn’t have Curtis Lofton on its roster. How bad would those guys be then? It’s almost scary to imagine.
Grade: C+
Defensive backs – Peyton Manning did whatever he wanted against New Orleans’ secondary, completing 73 percent of his passes for three touchdowns. Why would we expect anything different from this group? They get blistered every week.
Grade: F
Special teams – The Saints’ special teams didn’t do anything wrong in Sunday’s game. We actually learned that little-used Thomas Morstead is one of the best punters in the NFL. That guy has a whale of a leg.
Grade: B+
Coaching staff – So many people talked all week about how Joe Vitt’s return would have a stabilizing effect on the Saints. I chuckled all week when hearing such sentiments. If this Vitt guy was an elite-level coach, he’d be a coordinator or a head coach by now in his own right. He is the same as the guy before him – a very poor man’s version of Sean Payton.
Grade: D
Overall – Get used to this Saints fans – games like this could happen pretty often in the near future. With the Giants, 49ers and the Falcons (twice) still on the schedule, more elite teams are coming to a team ill equipped to handle top-flight competition. The Saints just do not have defense this year and it’s impossible to win at a high level without that facet of the game. The team has played seven games and has allowed 24 or more points in all seven. That is historically bad. It also makes it awfully hard to play offense when you know that every drive must end in points or it’s a complete failure.
Grade: C
Nicholls
Quarterbacks – Landry Klann had an average day against the Demons, tossing for two touchdowns and 198 yards. But the 45 percent completion percentage has to be much better for the Colonels to ever become an elite offense.
Grade: B-
Halfback – A special welcome back to LaQuintin Caston, who returned to the Colonels’ lineup Saturday after missing about a month with a collarbone injury. The slasher carried for 57 yards on 10 carries. Overall, the Colonels had little success on the ground, rushing for just 95 yards as a team.
Grade: C
Receivers – The Nicholls receivers are a sneaky bunch. Against Northwestern, they averaged well more than 10 yards per reception and had a solid day.
Grade: B+
Offensive line – Landry Klann was consistently running from pressure in Saturday’s game. The Colonels’ offensive line really needs consistency. Some plays they are good, but others they are terrible. That has to change going forward.
Grade: D
Defensive line – The Colonels’ defensive line also struggled to get a push in the trenches and was muscled by the Demons. Northwestern State rushed for 233 yards and three touchdowns, easily accumulating yardage through the ground.
Grade: C-
Linebackers – Nicholls just had a hard time getting ball carriers to the ground on Saturday. Two yard runs were consistently being stretched to four or five-yard scampers. That makes a really big difference in a closely contested game.
Grade: C
Defensive backs – The Colonels’ secondary earns the golden star of the day in this game, allowing just 129 yards through the air, while also intercepting a pass.
Grade: A
Special teams – The Colonels finally converted a short field goal or two, which allowed the team the opportunity to keep the game close. The special teams unit had a solid day.
Grade: B+
Coaching staff – Nicholls lost a game that it probably should have won on Saturday. The Colonels were ahead by five points with 12 minutes to play in this game and seemed to have momentum on their side. But turnovers and an offense unable to break the Demons’ bending defense cost the team the victory. After a rough month of action, at least the Colonels were ready to compete in this one – that’s a plus.
Grade: B
Overall – When Nicholls has a chance to win games in the fourth quarter, they have to capitalize and seal the deal. They didn’t do that Saturday and lost a heartbreaking game to its rival. The challenge will now be to put themselves in a similar situation this coming week to try and get off the schnide.
Grade: C
Nicholls State receiver LaQuintin Caston makes a move during a game last season. Caston returned from an injury this week, but the Colonels couldn’t win their second game of the season in a close loss to Northwestern State.
