NFL week 1

[Neal Clayton]

Well, we're finally back to football season, and we have some horses in the first game around here.

Zach Strief (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/member.php?46170-Zach-Strief) is a member here at SMC, he plays for the Saints, and is a starter this year (off season woodworking hobbyist ;)).

He earned a starting spot after some off season changes on the Saints O line. That's the good news...

Bad news is he has to deal with Clay Matthews in his first full game as a starter on the Saints O line. That's not really an easy task.

I suspect we are not short of GB fans around here either, so I guess we can let the smack talk begin.

The talk back home in NOLA versus GB is whether or not the Saints having practices organized by Drew Brees during the lockout will make a difference or not. GB said they didn't get together at all during the lockout.

I suppose we shall see.

Otherwise with the Saints in the offseason I was questioning the rationale of trading up in the draft to get a running back. We haven't really had good luck with keeping running backs healthy over the years. But I must admit after going to the first pre-season game, Mark Ingram is the real deal. He's leaps and bounds ahead of where most rookie NFL running backs are. He makes blocks, he isn't tentative, he doesn't fumble, he looks like a veteran player to this point, so I guess they were right about him after all.

And it looks like we have a new local blue collar favorite to replace Jeremy Shockey. A guy named Mitch King was on the Saints practice squad last year and got a shot this year in preseason. He played well (6 tackles and a sack) in the first pre-season game so looks like he made the roster this year. And the clincher? After the sack he got in pre-season week 1 he flexes his arms for the camera to reveal the words "Mama's Boy" tattoo'd on his biceps. That got him local a bit of local celebrity status. Pretty sure he's an Iowa product, so some of you midwesterners are probably more familiar with him than we are but he's making his share of newspaper comments and stories lately.

[Paul McGaha]

Looking forward to a great season opener with 2 very good teams. The Saints have a chance of course but I see this is a very difficult game for them to pick up a win on the road. The Packers are very good and the defending champs.

NFL.com seems to think the Packers and the Saints are the best teams from the NFC. I think so too but thats just me. I'm sure others will have their point of view.

Still, They have to play the game, Who Dat?

PHM

[Bob Rufener]

I have a chance to go to the game on Thursday. A friend has company seats on about the 40 yard line. Looking forward to a great season. So much of a season is predicated on injuries. Players now days are so big, fast, and strong. I hate to see anyone get injured-regardless of the team. May the best team win!

[Greg Peterson]

I am ready. Looking forward to many interesting matchups. The pats seem to be able to find a place in their locker room for a misfit or malcontent. Have to respect their ability to impose their culture on these types of guys. If they can stay healthy they are scary good.

Looks like Manning is going to miss some games with the Colts. The streak ends.

NFC North will be a true black and blue division again. I think the Bears and Lions will be fighting for last place. Vikings have the personnel to compete. Lions are finally on the upswing. And the Bears are going to be tough but fragile. I just don't get the impression that Cutler is gridiron general.

Let's hope the NFC west can field a playoff team with a winning record this season.

[Paul McGaha]

Greg,

I agree with you about the Patriots. Must say I'm surprised Albert Haynesworth put the work in to make the team. Not that I'm a Redskin fan but he did absolutely nothing for them the last 2 years. All the while receiving a tremendous salary.

PHM

[Greg Peterson]

I would not be surprised if the bloom falls of the rose soon for Haynesworth. For now he appears to be behaving himself and producing.

[Kent A Bathurst]

The season starts. Which means the Lions are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

I lived there for nearly 3 decades of the horror....they had Billy and Barry in the backfield, no less....plus about 7 dozen first-round-draft-pick-QB-busts, and one coach that actually said "What does a guy have to do to get fired around here?".....argue with me AFTER [if] they actually do something. :(

Its like a scary movie as a kid - you go to the film, but you can't bear to watch, so you hold your hands over your eyes..................but you open your fingers just a bit and peek......................

Hey - at least my Tigers are kicking some tail................:D

[Paul McGaha]

Kent,

Love that sense of humor of yours as always.

I think the Lions are getting better. I think they'll go at least 8-8 this year and have a good, young, winning team starting about next year.

I think they have a decent GM and a good head coach and that guy Suh is no joke.

PHM

[Neal Clayton]

Kent, I have been in the superdome with a Schwegmann's "aints" paper bag. I know how it is. But there's always hope, if the Saints can do it anyone can.

It takes more than drafting well in today's NFL. To have consistent success you have to win first, to attract free agent players like the Pats/Saints do. It's sort of a catch 22, no one wants to play for you until you win but you can't win until you get the players. But the right coach and the right GM are a good start, and the Lions seem to be doing better in that regard.

I agree that with Suh, Fairley, and Van Den Bosch the Detriot D line is beastly, arguably the best in the NFL. Plus, barring injury, I think Stafford is a viable long term QB.

They are beginning to get the pieces together, they need O line, and they need a consistent couple of running backs, and then they can easily compete with GB for that division.

[Greg Peterson]

Neal, the Packers have done a very good job of building their roster through the draft. Building through free agency is an expensive shortcut. Draft your players, bring them up in the organization, groom them and reap the rewards.

Boston/NOLA/NY/Miami/Chicago... are destination cities. Green Bay, while a nice town, is not a destination city for some guy in his twenties. Especially in November-December.

Just saying.

Go Pack Go!

[Neal Clayton]

you have a point there greg. we have benefited from players coming in from other places (darren sharper, jeremy shockey, jonathan vilma, drew brees, etc.). the problem with a less desirable city, as you saw in the bad green bay years in the late 80s/early 90s, was what happens when you make a few mistakes and wind up in a bad situation? it takes years to draft your way out of bad decisions from the past. whereas the saints were able to turn a bad team around in about 4-5 years this time.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Kent, I have been in the superdome with a Schwegmann's "aints" paper bag.

> Can't compete with that, Neal. You win!! [err....lose?]

It takes more than drafting well in today's NFL. To have consistent success you have to win first, to attract free agent players like the Pats/Saints do. It's sort of a catch 22, no one wants to play for you until you win but you can't win until you get the players. But the right coach and the right GM are a good start, and the Lions seem to be doing better in that regard.

I agree that with Suh, Fairley, and Van Den Bosch the Detriot D line is beastly, arguably the best in the NFL.

> The D-line had better be very good at the pass rush.............because it's looking like another year where the cornerbacks play like their ankles are tied together with a 3-foot rope.

................and then they can easily compete with GB for that division.

> be careful about going into the office, if your employer has random drug tests..........you won't pass it today :D





1010101010

[Greg Peterson]

Whew. Great game. Not so much for the defense, but the offenses were on fire.

While I am glad the Packers won, I feel for NOLA fans. It's a heart breaker. Hope we don't cross the Saints path again this season.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I think that might be the best 1st game of the season I can remember. There were some mistakes but both quarterbacks found individual defensive players to pick on and took advantage. I believe both those quarterbacks showed some real mental talent last night.

[Paul McGaha]

It was a good game.

Best team won. The Packers are a super good team.

PHM

[Neal Clayton]

Whew. Great game. Not so much for the defense, but the offenses were on fire.

While I am glad the Packers won, I feel for NOLA fans. It's a heart breaker. Hope we don't cross the Saints path again this season.

i don't think everyone down here is really heart broken. it's more a feeling of mistakes cost the saints the game, and the teams were very evenly matched. if not for the saints turnover and if they get at least one field goal out of those two red zone trips, the score is probably even.

everyone is pretty much penciling in the saints and packers for the nfc championship at this point, barring any other factor.

brees and rodgers are the two best QBs in this league, that was made apparent last night.

[Greg Peterson]

everyone is pretty much penciling in the saints and packers for the nfc championship at this point, barring any other factor.

brees and rodgers are the two best QBs in this league, that was made apparent last night.

All I can say is I hope the Packers have home field.

Have respected Brees since before his SB. Character guy. Rodgers is equally quiet and unassuming.

I don't know if I can handle too many games like that one. Geesh. Heck of a game to open the season with.

[Neal Clayton]

your home field is more of an advantage than ours by a mile ;).

new orleans is a warm and sunny 55-60 degrees for the NFC title game, so you don't even have to suffer much on your way to the indoor stadium.

the saints don't do well in snow and ice, per se. ask the bears fans from a few years back.