The New Orleans Saints typically don’t fare well in games following a bye week. The extra preparation time tends to give both coaches and players just enough rope to hang themselves. Sunday against the visiting Baltimore Ravens, the Saints did everything they could in an all-out attempt to shed their newfound reputation as a surging division leader. Running back Reggie Bush not only coughed up an early fumble, but also threw an interception on a halfback pass play that fooled not a single Ravens defensive player. Quarterback Drew Brees suffered through what Saints fans can only hope was his worst game of the season, throwing not just one, but two interceptions that were returned for 12-yard touchdowns by Ravens defensive backs. Why head coach Sean Payton decided it would be wise to underutilize running back Deuce McAllister in favor of trick plays and ill-advised passes up field only shows that the Saints went into the game with a lack of confidence.
For more on the Saints, UT football, and high school football …
But it’s the Saints defense that should ultimately take the blame for Sunday’s 35-22 defeat. Not only was running back Jamal Lewis allowed to hammer his way to a 109-yard rushing performance, but quarterback Steve McNair was given just enough leeway to convert third-and-long scenarios at will. When Saints safety Jason Craft tipped a McNair pass that would have surely been intercepted by linebacker Scott Fujita, it was an all-too-familiar feeling for Saints fans to watch said pass deflect into the hand of Raven tight end Todd Heap for a six-yard touchdown to close the first half. Adding insult to injury, the one big play that the Saints defense did make, when defensive end Charles Grant knocked the ball out of McNair’s hand for a sack and a crucial fumble recovery by defensive tackle Howard Green, was overturned by the replay official on a citation of the tuck rule. It’s been more than four years since that idiotic precedent in Foxboro, when New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s all-too-obvious fumble against the Oakland Raiders was overturned, and it makes one wonder how far the NFL will go to go against decades of football common sense in order to rationalize their monumental mistake from January 22, 2002.
The Texas Longhorns have certainly turned into a generous bunch these past couple of weeks, spotting their opponents up to 21 first-quarter points before actually engaging in the sort of smashmouth football everyone expects from them. Quarterback Colt McCoy continues to impress with a determined poise that belies his status as a redshirt freshman. Tight end Jermichael Finley, another redshirt freshman, needs to start squeezing the ball a little tighter when it reaches him for it’s getting really old watching him almost make a couple of amazing catches each week. As much as we all love running backs Selvin Young and Jamaal Charles, their recent fumbles indicate that it may be fine time to bring in bruiser Henry Melton to grind out those midfield yards when the Horns are trying to burn the clock. With each of Oklahoma, Nebraska, and now Texas Tech behind us, the challenge becomes having a severely banged-up defensive unit carry its full weight as the Horns attempt to win out and make a run for the BCS championship game. Unfortunately the BCS computers are royally screwing us with little reason for our current position as the seventh-ranked team in their stupid poll.
On the high school front, it’s McCallum’s Marcus Mann who has once again made running the football successfully look like a leisurely stroll through the park as he racked up 247 yards and two touchdowns in an important 28-20 district win against Elgin Friday night at House Park. Over at Nelson Field on Thursday night, Nathan Marshall of Travis staked his own claim as an all-district 17-4A running back with yet another stellar performance. Marshall gained 148 yards as the Rebels defeated the Reagan Raiders 23-14 to set up a huge matchup against McCallum this Friday at Berger Center. As for the Raiders, it was nice to see their defensive unit holding Travis to field goals on three separate trips into the red zone. Long second-half scores by running back Andre Jones and wide receiver Rodney Payton also made the homecoming game that much more interesting.
This article appears in Chris Bell.