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 Billy Miller Weekly Blog//  |
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NewOrleansSaints.com is proud to welcome a new addition to our staff in the form of veteran tight end Billy Miller. The 6-3, 252-pound Miller suffered an Achilles injury in the team’s final preseason game of the 2009 season against the Miami Dolphins and needed season-ending surgery to repair the injury. Miller, however, has offered to lend his unique perspective of news surrounding the Saints in his weekly column entitled “Billy’s Blog,” which will run each Tuesday during the season. As one of the most well-liked and popular players in the Saints’ locker room, Miller’s presence on NewOrleansSaints.com will lend fans of the team a truly unique insider’s perspective for a player’s point of view.
 WEEK ONE: “BRING THE RING!"
THUMBS UP! So, looking back I feel my guys did a good job on Sunday against the Detroit Lions. This year, 2009, we set our goals really high. That being said, we all have been challenged to take our game to a higher level to do something we’ve never done before: Win an NFL championship. Although we did do a lot of good things on offense, defense and special teams, we still have a long way to go to reach our goal. For starters, let’s talk about the good things: · The running game looked great. Mike Bell ran for 143 yards due mostly to the offensive line and fullback Heath Evans. Although Mike will get most of the credit, players like Jahri Evans had many dominating blocks to open the holes for Mike to run through. This was one of the major emphasis this off season that this team needed to improve on. · Drew Brees: Need I say more? Ok, I’ll elaborate. My man threw for 358 yards and 6 touchdowns! These yards came from eight different receivers, which means everybody’s getting involved. In watching film on Monday, Drew had great pocket presence stepping up to avoid rushers and making huge throws down field. The entire offense did a great job of controlling the tempo of the game. · A healthy Jeremy Shockey: Last year Jeremy struggling with injuries, but he was able to step up and contribute in a major way at the tight end position. I hope the questions of “if” Sean Payton should’ve traded for him is over. Jeremy showed the kind of weapon he is and is a player defenses have to account for one every snap. And even when they do think they have him, he can and will make plays. Although we undoubtedly lost our best looking tight end, I was glad to see the success he had on Sunday. · New Look Defense: In 2009 our defense needs to create more turnovers, and they did just that. Darren Sharper had two interceptions, and the most underrated linebacker in the league, Scott Shanle, had the first pick of his career. The secondary did a great job shutting down a premier wide receiver due largely to the efforts of Jabari Greer. We really stopped their run game all day and I would like to thank Minnesota for some weird law that allowed Charles Grant and Will Smith to play! · Young Punter/Kick Off Man Thomas Morstead: So we drafted the kid as a punter but he handled the kickoff duties for us on Sunday and he did a great job while also punting the crap out of the ball. Throw in “Old Reliable” and I do mean OLD, John Carney and Thomas Morstead had a great day! IMPROVEMENTS · TURNOVERS! To win the Championship, we can’t turn the ball over. · Giving up special team big plays: Coach Mac (Greg McMahon) is a great coach who spends a lot of time helping the special teams players be successful. We have to continue to take that coaching and implement it onto the field. · The last thing I saw that we need to improve on is our celebrations! The ever-creative Lance Moore looked rusty. The defense needs to improve their celebrations, as well. And Jeremy Shockey was very indecisive, even with two opportunities. We’ve got to get our swagger better in our celebration game to win a ring! Every week something new: Next week I will tell you about a funny play that happened in the game that you can only get from me! WEEK TWO: ROAD TRIP WITH THE SAINTS
This week I was asked by the “Who Dat Nation!” to do my next blog on explaining a typical road trip for the New Orleans Saints.
It’s a very creative request, so let's do it!
A typical road trip for us begins on Saturday morning with fresh Krispy Kreme donuts brought to the facility by a rookie. Typically this is a kicker, thus filling the bill right now is Thomas Morstead.
Then we hit meetings for a couple of hours to review Friday's practice and any last minute adjustments. After meetings we go out for a quick walk-through (which is a review of all the weeks installments, without running, hence the term walk-through). Once practice is over we shower up and put on our suits and ties. It's a requirement from Coach Payton that we travel in suits and ties, as a reminder that we never lose sight that the purpose of our travel is for a business trip!
Next we head to the airport and upon boarding the veterans are greeted with some Popeye's chicken supplied to us by ALL of the rookies. We’re seated in assigned seating by years played in the league. So, of course, an old man like me is in first class, baby! Right before we take off, we pick the week’s movie to watch on the trip. Somehow this has evolved into “the movie Drew (Brees) picks,” although he's asleep before the plane even takes off! In essence, we’re stuck watching a movie that the sleeping guy wanted to watch.
Once we land, we hop on the buses and head to our hotel with a police escort. When we get to the hotel Saints fans in that city always greet us, which is great.
However, what I would like to know is how in the world fans get the location of our hotel if I just found out where we're staying?
Anyway, must of the players then have a couple hours before our next meeting so we decide on where to go eat dinner. Position groups usually make these decisions. Now on offense, the offensive line, quarterbacks, and tight ends usually eat together. And, once again this decision somehow is made by you know who, Drew a.k.a. "The Best Quarterback in the League.”
The best thing about going out together is the end of the meal. We play a little game called “Credit Card Roulette.” Have you ever heard of it? The game is played as follows: Everyone that ate dinner takes out one credit card and puts it in one of our hats. Our waiter or waitress now is asked to pull credit cards out of the hat. The last card remaining in the hat pays for the entire meal! Simply put, you love this game when you win, but good luck explaining how fun it is to your wife when you lose! That, putting it lightly, is not so fun.
We head back to the hotel for Chapel and Mass and to be fed spiritually.
After the services are our team meeting and probably the best meeting of the week. It’s when Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers Coach Joe Vitt breaks down the opponent. He then, in a very emotionally charged ending, explains why this family, The New Orleans Saints, is made for greatness!
Now we break up into offensive and defensive position meetings, where Coach Payton goes over the top 15 plays he would like to run. Following an evening of meetings there is a snack, where a variety of foods are available before bed check at 11:00 p.m. I know I should eat the fruit then, but the cookies and ice cream get me every time. This is a good time to call home and say goodnight to family. Then it’s off to bed.
The next morning we wake up early, eat breakfast, then get on the caravan of buses to head to the stadium.
Unlike the rest of the trip, this is a very quiet bus ride where most guys reflect on what they've learned this week and visualize what they’ll need to do in a few hours.
Once in the locker room we get dressed and this is the time that you can start to feel the anticipation and excitement of the nearing game in which it's 53 guys and coaches against an entire stadium! Some guys listen to their favorite music on headphones, while others go over their playbook.
As for myself, I’m a guy who can’t stop pacing up and down the locker room. Head Strength Coach Dan Dalrymple tells us when it's two-minutes to go. Then we says the Lord's Prayer as a team and hear Coach Payton's last words of encouragement before giving every last drop of energy we can find for the 53 guys around you.
It’s game time for the WHO DATS!
SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO NOW?
Once players are put on injured reserve in the NFL and whatever corrective measure is taken to repair the injury is completed and rehabilitation schedules have been put in place, they have the option to either stay with the team, or as most elect to do, return to their hometowns and complete their rehab there.
You might think that the decision to stay in New Orleans after being put on IR is a no-brainer. But this decision for many guys is a tough one. IR means injured reserve, which also means I cannot play football the entire season. So on one hand I have a home, family, and my business (Elite Athletics) all in California that could really use my attention.
But, on the other hand, my biggest family is he New Orleans Saints. So the decision comes through the question, "Who needs me more and who do I need more?"
The next question that needs to be answered, and it’s a very important question for a lot of guys, is where can I get the best treatment to get back on the field. Some guys feel by leaving they can get one-on-one attention to help rehabilitate their injury much faster somewhere else. Because staying here with the Saints means battling for treatment attention amongst the guys that really matter now. It is more important to get Lance Moore and Pierre Thomas ready to play than me, a guy who can't physically help us win the Super Bowl this season.
So why am I still here? I'm here because, right now, my Saints family is all that matters to me. I have made my decision based on my personality and the way I play ball. I'm loyal and would never leave my teammates for any reason. I'm not a quitter. I'm determined to finish out this journey that I started with my guys. Lastly, I have never been given anything. I've had to work extra hard for everything I have. So after I tore my Achilles tendon, I still knew that this was a very special group of guys who could do very special things.
How could I receive my ring without putting in some work myself?
So I go to all the meetings and watch more film now then I ever did to help Jeremy Shockey, Dave Thomas and Darnell Dinkins with any insight that I might pick up on their opponents.
To be honest, the decision was also very selfish because I need them now way more than they need me. I have built great friendships on this team, almost to the point of brothers. And, in my lowest points of doubt, these friendships help me get through.
Also, let's face it, without me around in the locker room, it's just that much quieter, jokes are just not that funny, and no one represents USC quite like me! (Devery Henderson and Randall Gay could do without that part).
So when we do complete this special season, I will be the guy getting a piggy back ride from Drew on stage and the only guy not in pads holding the Lombardi Trophy!
I thought you might enjoy this interesting story from this past weekend:
The night before and day of the Buffalo game, if you would've seen Pierre Thomas face-to-face, you would've thought he was on his deathbed. The guy couldn't even come out for pre-game warm-ups because he was so sick. Instead he was laid out in the training room underneath the stadium with 2 bags of IV and was tossing and turning with some weird moaning sounds. That being said, the man came out the second half and played an inspiring half of the game. And in my opinion sealed the game for the Saints! What an inspirational performance.
HOW WE GOT HERE
Hey guys, I'm sorry there was no blog last week, but even an esteemed journalist like me needs a bye week.
What I'd like to do this week is touch on the Saints’ journey thus far and recap the things that have gotten us to this point.
Five weeks into the NFL season and the Saints are sitting at 4-0! We have seen great plays by old faithfuls like Drew Brees and Pierre Thomas. But we've also seen the emergence of a great defense and players like Mike Bell, Darren Sharper, and Robert Meachem.
At the beginning of the season I remember sitting with Scott Fujita, Jonathan Vilma, and Will Smith and I said, ‘If we can hold teams under 17 points, I don't think we'll lose one game.’ Well, you can just call me “Prophet Miller,” because both have come true.
The first two games we saw Drew Brees play out of his mind throwing 9 touchdowns and proving once again why he's the best quarterback in the league and we are the number one offense in the NFL!
By game 3 if you would've told me Drew Brees would not throw a touchdown the next two games, I would've guessed we lost pretty bad. But surprise-surprise, the pass happy Saints have a run game.
This four-headed monster of Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, and Lynell Hamilton have given us the ability to control games and finish them out strong. The five guys you never hear about is our offensive line, led by John Stinchcomb, who have continued to protect Brees and dominate the line of scrimmage to open up gaping holes for the running backs. (Don't worry Saints Fans, we still sling it around the yard with the best of them.)
A healthy Marques Colston is once again playing like a future Pro Bowler and players like Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson, and Lance Moore continue to produce highlights on ESPN.
Now for the biggest change from the past three years and the real reason we are 4-0 is our Defense. Now the obvious would be to talk about Darren Sharper and how he has picked off five balls in 4 games, two that he returned for touchdowns! But the fact is everyone on the field is playing incredible. Our corners Tracy Porter, Jabari Greer, and Randall Gay have shut down every big time receiver we've played. Even holding Terrell Owens to 0 catches. Up front the D-line and linebackers are holding opponents under 100 yards rushing per game. And, we all know if you can't run, you can't win.
So now where are we really? Sorry to say Saints fans, it's too early to buy your tickets to Miami just yet. There's a lot of football still to be played, with games like the undefeated Giants this Sunday, Cowboys, and Patriots, there's still a long road ahead.
Oh, by the way, we haven't even got into the NFC South yet.
Our bye week came at a perfect time. Giving the players an opportunity to heal, rest, and refocus. Some guys even got a chance back to check out their alma maters play.
So what does all this mean? We've had a great start and now we are focused on continuing the type of play that has gotten us here. No turnovers, no sacks, run the ball, and dominate on defense.
If we can continue to do all those things, this just might be the season that New Orleans has been waiting for and deserves!
My challenge is to all the Saints fans with tickets to the game this week. Let’s make this the loudest and most passionate game of the season. The atmosphere was great against the Jets, but we can do better than that. The crowd started off strong, but the noise sort of toned down in the second quarter and third quarter. We need four strong quarters of the Who Dats! Be Loud! Be Proud!
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