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Saints and Texans Take to Practice Fields
by Doug Miller, NewOrleansSaints.com
Wednesday, August 19, 2009 - 6:00 PM
Houston, Tex. --- The New Orleans Saints had their first of three practices against the Houston Texans this morning on the practice fields adjacent to the Texans’ home stadium, Reliant Stadium.
Saints Head Coach Sean Payton said following the first practice that he was generally pleased with the team’s poise and execution and that the practices would help the Saints’ coaching staff and personnel departments further evaluate the roster.
“The tempo was crisp and I was generally pleased with what I saw out there,” Payton said. "We will get right back to it this afternoon and concentrate on some other facets of our game, but I think it has been a very positive thing to go against another team and see how some of the things we are doing are translating against different looks and schemes."
In drills pitting the Saints’ offense, minus the services of Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Brees, several players checked in with some memorable plays during both team periods, as well as during the Saints’ offensive line versus Texans defensive line one-on-one blocking drills:
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Early on in the first team period, QB Mark Brunell hit WR Marques Colston on consecutive passes for gains in the 15-yard range against the Texans’ top defensive grouping.
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Brunell also connected with WR Devery Henderson on a deep sideline comeback route that Henderson made by leaping high and positioning his body so that the Texans cornerback could not make a play on the ball.
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Backup Anthony Hargrove/Joey Harrington.aspx">Joey Harrington zipped an underneath pass to FB Olaniyi Sobomehin for a gain of 20-yards after the big fullback got his shoulder pads turned and found room in the open field.
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Harrington to WR Jeremy Shockey/Paris Warren.aspx">Paris Warren for a gain of 8 yards.
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WR Courtney Roby made a diving reception on a pass from Harrington.
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During one-on-one blocking drills, the Saints’ offensive line performed admirably against the formidable Texans pass rush, with each member of the Saints’ offensive line at the bare minimum of splitting their won-loss reps with their counterparts on the Texans side of the ball.
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WR Lance Moore cruising into the teeth of the Texans' defense and made a leaping grab.
Some notable match-ups in one-on-one pass blocking drills included RT Jon Stinchcomb driving impressive rookie DE Connor Barwin to the ground … G Jahri Evans stoning DT Amobi Okoye on consecutive snaps … C Jonathan Goodwin battling massive DT Frank Okam to a pair of draws … G Carl Nicks battling DT Antonio Smith to a standstill and LT Jammal Brown redeeming himself on his second rep against Pro Bowl defensive end Mario Williams, who bested Brown on the first snap with a textbook pass rush maneuver.
- The second team period began with a long run from RB Reggie Bush, who darted through a hole over the left side of the Saints’ line and took off through the second level of Texans defenders and got into the open field.
- Brunell then hit TE Jeremy Shockey for long gains on consecutive plays, including on a 33-yard reception along the sideline.
- In an obvious display of the good tempo and professionalism exhibited from the two teams, Texans CB Fred Bennett had WR Marques Colston lined up for what would have been a big collision in a game. Instead, Bennett eased back and allowed Colston to turn his head and shoulders without absorbing the full effects of the blindside hit.
- Brunell hit rookie RB Garrett Hartley/P,-d-,J,-d-, Hill.aspx">P.J. Hill for a nice 20-yard gain on a screen.
Overheard: “This was a great morning of work,” Pierre Thomas said. “Our running game took a step forward today and we were able to improve on some things we have really been focusing on. It’s good to see and work against another team.”
Injury Report: Charles Grant (hamstring), Tracy Porter/Billy Miller.aspx">Billy Miller (knee), Darnell Dinkins (ankle) and Zach Strief were in attendance but did not practice. D'Juan Woods (neck), Malcolm Jenkins/Chip Vaughn.aspx">Chip Vaughn (knee) and Stanley Arnoux (Achilles tendon) did not make the trip with the team.
AFTERNOON REPORT: Both team worE shells and helmets in the afternoon and after stretching and warm-up periods, an air-horn sounded and both teams headed inside the Texans' indoor practice facility due to lightning in the area. Both teams worked on two-minute offensive and defensive sets and the Saints turned in two huge plays defensively against the Texans' starting offense. The first play came on a third down when rookie first round draft pick Malcolm Jenkins read a route and alertly broke on a pass thrown by starting QB Matt Schaub and raced 70 yards for a touchdown. In the situation, Jenkins was lined up as the nickel-back and certainly opened eyes with his speed on the interception return, racing along the hashmarks untouched. "It felt great to make that play and show that I'm capable of helping out," Jenkins said. "It feels good to have your teammates start to depend on you and coutn on you to be a guy that they can trust. Hopefully I can make plays like that in games, that would be something to get really excited about."
The next big play on defense came when LB Scott Fujita ran step for step on a first down seam route and reached in at the last second to get his hand in the way of a pass intended for TE Owen Daniels. The ball popped up in the air and the 6-5 linebacker from California snared the ball out of the air, quickly turned and ran 15 yards before being stopped.
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