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Saints Notebook Game 1
by Doug Miller, NewOrleansSaints.com
Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 3:50 PM
New Orleans Saints Notebook:
A Look Inside the Statistics:
1-0: The Saints’ record following the opening game. Last year the Saints started 0-4 and were behind the eight ball early. This year the Saints took advantage of their home crowd and fed off the emotion en route to a 24-20 win.
1 Each: Number of receptions by WR Devery Henderson and WR David Patten. Henderson’s reception went for 84 yards and a score, while Patten’s reception was good for 39 yards and a score, as well.
2: Number of third downs the Saints allowed the Bucs to convert today. Tampa was 2-of-12 for a 17% third down conversion rate. Tampa’s first third down conversion wasn’t converted until the second half.
6: Receptions by newcomer Jeremy Shockey. Making his Saints debut Shockey’s six receptions went for 54 yards, with a long gain of 26 yards.
7: Number of penalties both teams were guilty of committing.
9: Total tackle, a team-high, by MLB Jonathan Vilma.
124.9: Quarterback Drew Brees’ passer rating.
163: Totals yards from scrimmage by Reggie Bush (112 receiving and 51 rushing).
438: Total yards the Saints’ offense racked up, compared to 352 for Tampa.
Notes: The Saints deactivated the following players before the game to get to the NFL Gameday roster allotment of 45 active players: WR Robert Meachem, RB Aaron Stecker, CB Usama Young, CB Mike McKenzie, LB Mark Simoneau, LB Troy Evans, T Jermon Bushrod and DT Hollis Thomas. The Saints did not declare a third quarterback as inactive for the game as they are only carrying two quarterbacks on the active roster (Drew Brees and Mark Brunell) … the Tampa Bay Buccaneers deactivated the following players: QB Luke McCown (3rd QB), QB Josh Johnson, RB Michael Bennett, LB Geno Hayes, G Davin Joseph, T James Lee, WR Michael Clayton, DE Greg Peterson. The Bucs had one starting lineup change, as WR Antonio Bryant started at one of the WR positions in place of Ike Hilliard.
Roster Moves: On Saturday afternoon the Saints terminated the contract of vested veteran C/G Matt Lehr and signed rookie LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar from the practice squad. Lehr, a 6-2, 290 pound eight-year veteran from Virginia Tech, has played for Tampa, St. Louis, Atlanta and Dallas during his career. He joined the Saints on March 24 as an unrestricted free agent and spent training camp and the preseason as the primary backup to starting C Jonathan Goodwin. Dunbar, a 6-0, 226 pound rookie out of Boston College, was a two-year starter and a team captain for the Boston College Eagles. Dunbar opened eyes with his versatility and special teams ability throughout the Saints’ preseason and throughout training camp. The native of Syracuse, N.Y. had 16 tackles during the Saints’ preseason and added three special teams stops.
New Look Secondary: The Saints started rookie CB Tracy Porter at RCB, while Randall Gay lined up as the starter at LCB. Gay, a product of LSU, played his first four seasons in the NFL as a key member of the Patriots’ defensive backfield. The native of Brusly, La. is perhaps the most versatile of all of the Saints’ cornerbacks, having seen action as a starter, a nickel and a dime during his career. Porter, meanwhile, hails from the opposite side of the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge (Port Allen). After a standout career at Indiana, the Saints tabbed Porter with the 40th pick overall (second round) in the 2008 NFL Draft. Porter overcame a hamstring injury suffered early in training camp to rebound and quickly earn a prominent role in the Saints’ secondary, starting the team’s final two preseason contests. Additionally, CB Aaron Glenn, now in his 15th season in the NFL and his first as a member of the Saints, brings to the Saints’ secondary one of the most prolific resumes amongst active defenders in the NFL, with 41 career interceptions. The speedster from Texas A&M was a first round draft choice of the New York Jets in 1994, the 12th player selected overall that season. FS Kevin Kaesviharn also has moved into the starting spot opposite of Roman Harper. Kaesviharn joined the Saints in 2007 as an unrestricted free agent after six seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Rookie Ellis Grabs Starting Spot: Saints’ first round draft pick in 2008, DT Sedrick Ellis, turned an impressive preseason into a pivotal role in the Saints’ starting lineup. The 6-1, 307-pounder out of Southern California was drafted by the Saints with the seventh choice overall in the 2008 Draft with a draft the choice the Saints obtained from the New England Patriots in exchange for the Saints’ first round pick (#10 overall) and the Saints’ third round pick, started opposite of NT Kendrick Clancy along the interior of the Saints’ defensive front, flanked on the outsides by incumbent starters Charles Grant at LDE and Will Smith at RDE.
Newcomers Bolster Saints’ Squad: 12 players that were not on the Saints’ final active roster in 2007 were on the Saints’ active 45 for today’s game, a percentage rate of 27%. The newcomers include: QB Mark Brunell, CB Randall Gay, CB Tracy Porter, CB Aaron Glenn, RB Deuce McAllister (who finished the 2007 season on IR), MLB Jonathan Vilma, LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar, G/T Carl Nicks, TE Jeremy Shockey, DE Bobby McCray, TE Mark Campbell (also was on IR to end the season) and DT Sedrick Ellis.
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