So, I Assume You Watched Saints V. Vikings Last Night
by Brad Wells on Sep 10, 2010 10:58 AM EDT
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PrintRatings for last night's regular season opener were gi-normous. Re-Tweeting by Greg Aiello at the NFL:
RT @darrenrovell1: Last night's NO-Minny game RT @NBCSportsPR Best NFL regular season primetime (rating) in 13 years
While the Saints certainly did not score with the same frequency as they did in the second half of the Super Bowl, it seems their offense picked up right where it left off. Drew Brees completed 75% of his passes in the game. The reason? No pressure from Minnesota's defense. None.
No pressure on Brees = Conceding the game.
Seriously, why even put the defense on the field?
Despite both Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson having decent games, the Vikings defense (which is their strength) simply could not slow down Brees. In fact, the Vikes are lucky the score wasn't even more lop-sided. Robert Meachum flat out dropped that gimme TD in the fourth quarter. The game should have ended there with a 21-9 Saints romp.
Also, unlike my good friend John Bena at MHR, I thought the gesture of union solidarity was effective for the players last night. John called it 'classless,' but John is over-reacting (and coming from someone with a rep for over-reacting to EVERYTHING, I'm an authority on the subject). The gesture was lead by Drew Brees, hardly a classless man. It was a smart and savvy way to, in front of gazillions of people, show that the Player's Union is one. Had it been done DURING the National Anthem, I could see people calling that 'classless.' Afterward, with the cameras all on the players, it was a powerful symbol of unity. It conveyed the message the union wanted to convey.
Score one for the players.
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Score one for the players
except for Favre, of course, who was the only player on either team not to do it…
Cookie Cookie Cookie starts with C!
I didn't catch Favre not joining in...
but I agree w/BBS on this one – I thought it was a great move. And it was done in a small, but powerful way.
I heard Mike & Mike this morning summarizing a bunch of fan emails blasting the move, however … so this whole lockout thing is going to get really interesting.
I hate unions
hate hate hate them.
But there’s no question whatsoever that it’s a great move for the players. Looks cool, shows solidarity, and is as effective a gesture to the owners as it would be if they used a different finger.
Cookie Cookie Cookie starts with C!
Regarding the game…
It looked like a 5th preseason game. Even the best players (Brees for instance) were up and down. Payton came out with the pedal to the metal but let up. Williams played some great unexpected 8 man coverage schemes but also ran some really dumb obvious big blitzes that allowed easy first downs. Childress did smart things (didn’t rely on Favre early) but then totally abandoned what was working. The refs went from allowing blatant holding to calling everything minor (and back). Inconsistency everywhere. Bad receivers. Flashes of potential, but Yuck overall. (But hey, let’s reduce it to only two PS games!)
Favre looked… like a guy who skipped preseason.
With the exception of that one excellent drive, he was awful. Rushing throws that didn’t need to be rushed. Making bad decision. Looked a bit scared. Was making great throws over the middle (including one beauty dropped into a tight spot… that was dropped) but throwing ill advised ducks in other places, many of which he got lucky on.
The pick was an obvious defensive holding/PI, though. I’ll give him that.
Both teams have reason for optimism, though. But I’m still not high on the Vikings. Their DL isn’t as scary as it once was, and the QB won’t be as good as last year… and they have a MORON for a coach. They aren’t going anywhere with that guy. Sorry, Vikings fans.
Cookie Cookie Cookie starts with C!
It will be interesting to see if Peyton raises a finger on Sunday
Considering who the Vikings had playing CB, I thought they did a heck of a job on D. Favre will get more familiar with his WR’s and they’ll get better on O. Peterson was Peterson.
Yeah, sloppy game. One that I really didn’t care about since it’s NFC. However, I did feel pretty good that neither team looks dominant.
jared Allen got HANDLED
he was non factor
"We ARE going to our own private island, Chris: it's called the State Fucking Fair!"
No doubt!!
"If me and King Kong went into an alley, only one of us would come out. And it wouldn't be the monkey."
"I don't really trust a sane person."
"I never met a man I didn't want to fight." The one and only Lyle Alzado
Yep
I think most of the reason for this is that the rest of their DL is aging and nowhere near as effective. So they can key in on Allen more. He’s not nearly the threat when they can give him full attention.
I’m sure it won’t be like that every game, of course. He’s still a beast. But the Viking D, starting with the DL, is not what it used to be. Their LBs are improved, but they’re going to get run on and scored on this year.
Cookie Cookie Cookie starts with C!
I thought the game was simply bad...
I was with the players in their show of solidarity…
As for the game…did anyone else think Favre looked a little heavy? I have even noticed it in his newer Wrangler commercials…I also don’t think his ankle is that big of a deal. It is being used as an excuse…too much talk about injections, etc. He is old and didn’t participate in training camp. His season won’t be good. As for Peterson…does he need a blow on the sideline after every run? WTF??? I mean I kept thinking of the old Colts “every down back” Edge with a big smile on my face every time Peterson was huffing on the sideline!!
At least the season is finally underway!!
"If me and King Kong went into an alley, only one of us would come out. And it wouldn't be the monkey."
"I don't really trust a sane person."
"I never met a man I didn't want to fight." The one and only Lyle Alzado
Favre looked heavy because he just became a grandfather recently
Give him a few months to work off the baby weight and he’ll be his old self again
at least that was my excuse for gaining 10 lbs every time my wife had a kid.
I hate Joe Namath. That's how long I've been a Colts fan.
I have a feeling that he'll be looking like a grandfather by the end of this season
"My goal is to be the person my dog seems to think I am."
"I'm all lost in the supermarket/ I can no longer shop happily/ I came in here for the special offer/ A guaranteed personaility."
The Vikings Are Going To Have Problems On Offense Until Sidney Rice Comes Back
The Vikings don’t run one of those spread type offenses where the WRs are basically interchangeable. They still run an offense where the #1 WR is basically a possession WR, the #2 WR is a big play threat, and the #3 WR is a wildcard/sparkplug. Well, Sidney Rice is their #1 guy, their Michael Irvin or Jerry Rice, and no one else on the roster has the skills to fill that role. Berrian is a big play guy, and putting him at #1 WR keeps him from doing what he does best. The same is true with Harvin … he is more effective in the slot where he can get out in space than he is outside facing a starting CB. (If you recall, Harvin wasn’t even a regular every down offensive player in college … the Gators would move him around to make plays as a runner and passer.)
The best chance the Vikings have on offense until Rice comes back (which won’t be till midseason at the earliest) is to become a run-oriented team behind those three great tailbacks they have. But that would be asking Josh Childress to go against everything he knows and is as an offensive coach.
You have no idea what you're talking about
Josh Childress? Pass-wacky?
Do you not remember the years of Chillyball? He’s anything but a pass-wacky offensive coach. He’s a timid fraidy cat who punts inside the 45 with 5 minutes left down by a touchdown.
I hate Favre, but he was absolutely right: Childress is clueless about offense.
(Also, I’d say Rice is the big play threat too. But a WR has nothing to do with why they might struggle. He’s not THAT good.)
Cookie Cookie Cookie starts with C!
It was also THE GAME
You have to know, the way the game has been, you punt and you lose.
Funny moment:
Bryant McKinney got carted off the field.
For a FINGER injury.
Cookie Cookie Cookie starts with C!
That's a big damn finger!
size of my left leg.
I hate Joe Namath. That's how long I've been a Colts fan.
You know what Favre looks like?
He looks like a guy who missed training camp. No timing, no feel for the pocket. He’s still got the guns but if his body can’t handle the strain of preparation then his performance will obviously suffer. Plus no Sydney Rice means nobody has to respect the deep ball.
The Minnesota D just looks bad. Pat Williams was getting absolutely HANDLED on play after play after play.
Brad Childress is still a bad game manager. Punting on fourth down when you D has been shredded? The Hoodie knows when to put it all on the line to win it, the Cueball needs to learn that.
There are many differences
between Manning and Favre, but one definite difference is this: Manning wouldn’t miss a day of training camp unless it absolutely couldn’t be helped. Favre decided to tactically miss training camp because he just didn’t want to be bothered with it.
As the father of three boys under 10, I recently came to this conclusion about Favre vs Manning
Favre is a better athlete and QB, if only because he’s put up comparable numbers (INTs excluded) and had comparable success, all the while having some parental responsibilities, sleepless nights, etc.
Peyton has the awesome (and often enviable) luxury of being able to focus on his job 100%. And a wife who is a a saint. He’s never had a 3 a.m. call of “daaaad, I think I have to throw up” to interrupt his sleep or home film study sessions. Basically, my take is that Favre is like Babe Ruth who probably played 80% of his amazing career hung over, actually drunk, bloated with bratwurst, and/or with searing gas pains. And 30 lbs overweight. What would Ruth have done had he been a modern MLB player with off-season training, nutrition, conditioning, film study, etc? 1,200 HRs and a .400 BA?
Perhaps I am overwhelmed with back-to-school stuff. Plus I am not being entirely serious. But a little…. yes.
I hate Joe Namath. That's how long I've been a Colts fan.
i know what you mean,
but disagree with the conclusion. perhaps peyton is less well-rounded as a person (not the right term, but i think you know what i mean), but its by design. as such, i dont think you can say he is less of a QB. less pure talent or less athletic you could argue, but as with any athlete the amount of dedication you put in shouldnt be used against you in a debate of greatness relative to other players. but yeah, its fun to think about regardless.
as for the babe ruth thing, he was no crazier than most other players of his era. yeah, he was overweight in his later years, but not terribly so when he was still the best player in the game, and by a huge margin at that. back then, all players had off-season jobs, ate and drank whatever they wanted, and did no real training to speak of. and of course the game itself was strategically different, and it was still all-white. if you let ruth train like a modern player, you’d have to let everyone he played against do the same and add in all ethnicities. its likely his stats wouldnt change all that much really, though its definitely hard to say.
"I throw him four wide ones then try to pick him off first base." - Preacher Roe on Stan Musial
anybody else catch the favre pre-game quote?
don’t remember if it was michaels or collinsworth, but one of them said that favre asked himself “what am i doing here?” when he arrived at superdome on bus during pre-game interviews. i thought he looked like he hadn’t really answered the question during the game.
by mississinewa on Sep 10, 2010 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh, so now throwing passes to high school kids isn't training camp??!!
Someone better tell Haynesworth, he was planning next summer’s vacation in Hattiesburg.
"My goal is to be the person my dog seems to think I am."
"I'm all lost in the supermarket/ I can no longer shop happily/ I came in here for the special offer/ A guaranteed personaility."
What game were you watching?
I don’t know what game you were watching but the Vikings didn’t look as bad as you say. Considering the injuries they have in their secondary they still held the Saints to 14 points. That pass to Meachem for a “gimme TD” you mentioned was not a TD because Allen made a great defensive play. He knocked the ball out of his hands. There’s a reason why the Saints only scored 14 points. The Vikings have a good defense. Favre is still getting used to his new receivers while Rice is out. If Rice plays this game it’s a blow out the other way EASILY. If these two teams meet again in the playoffs when the Vikings have all their weapons back I don’t see the Saints winning. I don’t even see the Saints beating Greenbay or the Cowboys at this point. The Saints defense is still suspect just like it was last year. They can’t consistently stop the run.
This game
was piss poor sloppy and the only reason the viewership was up is because of the great game these two had for the right to go to the SB.
If the Saints were to play like this against teams who are at full strength, they’d get blown out of the water…..
Lastly, the Colts opener in 2007 was a far superior game to this one IMO….. of course….watching Jason David getting torched for 3 TDs was hilarious in its own right..
I TOTALLY disagree
Viewership was up because America needed its Harry Connick, Jr. fix. And to hear how the Saints saved NO, of course.
I hate pregame, but loved how sloppy both teams looked at times. It was real toss-up which team I wanted to lose more. Go Colts!!
"My goal is to be the person my dog seems to think I am."
"I'm all lost in the supermarket/ I can no longer shop happily/ I came in here for the special offer/ A guaranteed personaility."
I will say this
I watched the game for one reason, and one reason only: FOOTBALL is BACK!
After six months of no meaningful professional football games, here was a game to watch!
And I enjoyed it, even though I wasn’t rooting for either team.
Check it to Pancakes! Pancakes!
The Colts: We play more football in the fourth quarter than some teams play all year!
Here here..
I commend you and agree whole heartedly..
by Coltsinsider on Sep 10, 2010 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions
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