Things we learned
The optimist in me would point out that the Saints offense looked nearly as bad throwing the ball in Week 1 last season against Cleveland (30 attempts, 170 yards). The Saints fan in me knows this season will get better, but Sean Payton's magic may not work quite as consistently this season.
All right, things we learned
1. Eric Johnson (8-for-56) is going to be a nice PPR option, especially against zone defenses.
2. Anthony Gonzalez (one target) may not be a big part of the Colts offense for a while. Ben Utecht may have been on the field more.
3. When Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister combine for 78 yards rushing against the Colts, you know it's a brand new season.
4. Rotoworld GM Rick Cordella is off to a good start with his prediction that Reggie Wayne (7-122-2) will be the number one fantasy wideout. Marvin Harrison (4-83-1) owners weren't disappointed.
5. Fred Thomas is on the bench, but the Saints are still prone to giving up big plays.
6. David Patten is New Orleans' third receiver, for what it's worth.
7. Drew Brees (28/41-192-0-2) owners don't need to panic. He was way off all day, but only panic if something remotely similar happens next week at Tampa.
8. Joseph Addai (142 total yards, one touchdown) must prove his durability over the long haul, but his owners will enjoy his life as a primary back in the meantime.
Thanks for reading. We're doing our first subscriber chat on Season Pass tomorrow at noon, so stop on by.
Comments
I vote Curtis.
Posted by: Dave | September 7, 2007 05:31 AM
crayton
Posted by: greggr | September 7, 2007 08:36 AM
I was going against Bush in two leagues and my division foe has brees so this game helped me as Bush put up 3 points aganst me swinging the advantage my way heading into sunday.
Posted by: GQ1NYC | September 7, 2007 09:26 AM
michael,
easier said than done. when you're playing an offense like the colts, it takes away a lot of that run game. you spend the whole game trying to keep up with the colts as they plow their way down the field.
plus... deuce and reggie were getting nowhere! the colts defense (as bad as they were against the run last year, AND with all the players they lost) stuffed them everytime they tried to run the ball. why keep trying to tap a dry well? especially when indy's gonna score... takes that running game away quickly.
Posted by: matt | September 7, 2007 09:53 AM
matt, I don't know what game you were watching, but McAllister was successful running the ball in the first half. He had 6 carries 4 of which were for 3 yards or more and none for a stuff (0 or negative). Was he averaging 6 yards per carry? No, but he was getting enough to move the chains and keep Peyton off the field. The thing is that if you keep doing that, then the DL wears down and you generally become even more successful at it as the game goes on. It should be no surprise that the Saints' best drive was the one in which McAllister ran the ball a high percentage of the time. It ended with a missed field goal after Bush was stuffed for -3.
Reggie Bush was, well, Reggie Bush...gain 7, get stuffed for -2...gain 8, get stuffed for -3. That's why you don't count on him to churn out yards. The guy could get arm tackled by a 12 year old girl. Great in open space though.
The lesson should have been learned a long time ago. You do not want to get into a shootout with Peyton. I understand you may have to abandon the run when you are down by 17 going into the 4th quarter, but barring that you need to keep Peyton off the field for as long as possible and you do that by running. That's how they took their losses last year and that's about the only way they'll take them this year. My guess is that the Texans will play them much tighter than this when they meet in 3 weeks and my guess is it will be because the Texans will run a 60/40 rush/pass mix.
Posted by: Michael Kuske | September 7, 2007 12:25 PM
How do you have a division foe before week 1?
Posted by: Kurt | September 7, 2007 01:53 PM
Hey Gregg,
As I stated before, the Saints and their offense will be exposed.....I see no more than a 7-9 season....8-8 maybe.
Hope all is well
Posted by: Nabate | September 7, 2007 02:49 PM