Fake Games Are Over

Impressions:

• Bush is good. Try not to break him.


• Drew Brees does all the little things that Aaron Brooks never bothered to learn. He makes good decisions. He avoids sacks by feeling his way in the pocket instead of freaking out and bailing. He doesn't drop the ball behind his own head while setting up to throw. On the other hand he is a bit short isn't he? And I still don't think that shoulder will make it through the season.


• Which brings us to the backup QBs. Jamie Martin seems to know what he's doing but he can't carry your team for an extended period if asked to do so. Didn't we know that Todd Bouman was erratic already? Wouldn't it have been more fun to watch Bruce "The Chunky QB" Eugene show us what he can do in the 4th quarter of these pre-season games? I hope they keep MacPherson. Damn you, T-rac!


• Menckles on new coach Sean Payton: "I don't like him. He's got soupy eyes."


• Deuce McAllister has lost some weight and it shows. He looks quicker. If I thought his knee were 100% I'd say this could be a big year for him.


• Of course.. he'll have trouble running behind that O-line. Outside of tonight's game, they haven't even approached competence.


• This year's defense will be known as "The Levee" because it proves spectacularly useless in slowing an opposing surge.


• Add my voice to the chorus of those lamenting the loss of Fred McAfee. Cutting Fast Freddie was a big mistake. I'd like to hope that the same thing won't happen to Michael Lewis but the writing is on the wall there.... which is bad because Jamal Jones looks shaky fielding kicks.


• Already looking at Marques Colston as the find of the draft. Unlike Donte Stallworth, who he replaced, he's a big physical receiver who adjusts well to the ball... oh and he also catches it... something else Donte had trouble with.


• Prediction: SI's Peter King says the absolute best case scenario the Saints can hope for this year is 8-8. I'll buy that. Saints fans know better than to expect best case scenarios. Put aside the emotional investment a city returning from the brink has in seeing the team return to the Dome this fall. There are enough football reasons to believe that this will be a fun team to watch this year. At the same time, that defense is just plain terrible. Look for the 2006 Saints to be remembered as the most beloved 5 win team in NFL history.