New Orleans Saints Blogs

I have to say, I was skeptical that these four games could live up to the hype, especially after last weekend. But I’m happy to say I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. I even gave myself a cushy lead for later poor postseason predictions. But I’ll tell you about that later. Right now it’s time for The Final Drive of the Divisional Round!

Continue reading "The Final Drive: 2012 Divisional Round"

You have future Hall of Famer QB Drew Brees practically giving you the game scoring TD after TD late in the game.  However, the 49'ers answered back.  They won 36-32 thanks to a Saints defense that played terrible in the last 3:00 of the game.  Despite 5 to's the Saints were in this thing, ready to face the winner of Giants/Green Bay game.  But hold it, Alex Smith throws a couple of passes, and the offense burst a couple of long plays, a stout defense wouldn't have allowed. 

Continue reading "Saints Defense Cakes It"

After six long days of waiting, the NFL playoffs are back today with a great match-up in the NFC and a highly publicized showdown between Jesus and Satan in the AFC. It’s a great day for some football. That means it’s a great day for The Opening Drive!

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: 2012 Divisional Saturday"

Are you exhausted yet? There was TOO MUCH DRAMA! (That’s a lie. There’s never too much.) Both nights of Wildcard weekend ended in tremendous excitement, wrapping up with a dramatic overtime ending that didn’t even warrant explanation of the new rules. I’m still appalled. Let’s just get The Final Drive started.

Continue reading "The Final Drive: 2012 Wildcard Weekend"

It’s time. Time for the select few to battle out for the most coveted prize in the NFL: the Lombardi Trophy. The playoffs begin today with the Wildcard round. I’m so excited I can’t even finish this introduction! Let’s just get right to these games, shall we?

Continue reading "Joe's 2012 Gameday Preview: Wildcard Saturday"

It was a Christmas Eve of meaningful NFL action as all the remaining playoff spots were nearly filled and draft orders are beginning to finalize. Miss any of the action? No need to worry, because the Final Drive starts right now!

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 16, 2011"

Christmas Eve or not, there’s no way I’d let a schedule of great NFL action slip past my nets! The playoff positioning is settling in, but there’s some unresolved business in the NFC East with two pivotal games on Saturday. There’s plenty to talk about in week 16, so let’s get right to it!

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: Week 16, 2011"

Heart attacks were felt across the nation on Sunday (especially by me), leading to plenty of hospitalizations. While you’re incapacitated, why not get the full scoop on week 14’s heart-stopping action?

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 14, 2011"

After the Big Ben-flavored drama on Thursday night, week 14 in the NFL season keeps on trucking in Sunday’s slate of games. While some will take a first glance at most of the games and shrug them off as meaningless, there are some hidden contests that could be much better than fans may expect. Plenty of options for “Trap of the Week.”

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: Week 14, 2011"

Week 13 in the NFL saw a variety of last second comebacks, including more “Jebus and Teebs” magic and a scare for the undefeated champs. Need to know more? Welcome to The Final Drive.

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 13, 2011"

The weeks are rushing by in the NFL with the playoff picture beginning to take shape. Two 11-game streaks could push their way to 12 and an NFC contender tries to get by without one of their biggest stars.

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: Week 13, 2011"

Another Monday night means another edition of The Final Drive! I’m going to skip right past the Thanksgiving Day games as we all saw what happened. (Right?) Lots going on in week 12, including another QB injury in Houston and more magic from Jebus and Teebs.

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 12, 2011"

I hope you got your fill of exciting and meaningful football on Thanksgiving, because there is a slew of pure crap on the early NFL schedule for week 12. I’ll still be entertained no matter what I’m watching, but you might want to sleep in a bit if you just want to watch good teams. It’s time to kick-off the Opening Drive!

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: Week 12, 2011"

With no teams on a bye this week, we saw a whopping fourteen games on Sunday, with first place on the line in several divisions. So I can’t waste any time in starting The Final Drive!

(7-3) New Orleans Saints 26

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 10, 2011"

Week ten in this still-evolving NFL season gives us several division contests that will give the winner a hold on first place and several games pitting garbage on garbage. Let’s run through what to expect from the weekend’s slew of games!

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: Week 10, 2011"

Week nine in the NFL season is chock-full of significant division match-ups that could go a long way in deciding seeding come playoff time. Let’s waste no time with introductory witticisms, The Opening Drive starts now!

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: Week 9, 2011"

Week eight in the NFL had close-calls galore, including one major upset from a previously winless team. What are you waiting for? The Final Drive starts right now!

(4-3) Tennessee Titans 27

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 8, 2011"

Yeah week seven! We saw one incredible comeback (and man-on-man action), several first time-starters and more than a few clunkers in this latest weekend of NFL action. I still loved every minute of it. Let’s start The Final Drive!

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 7, 2011"

Week six in this still-young NFL season will feature some key division match-ups as well as a contest between two of the best in the NFC… in Detroit? That’s right, Detroit. Here are the games you need to watch for amidst Sunday’s schedule.

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: Week 6, 2011"

Week three was as crazy as possible, with two surprising 3-0 teams, another injury for Michael Vick and “facial reconstruction” for Mark Sanchez. Let’s get right into The Final Drive!

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 3, 2011"

We’ve got some week three action on tap in the NFL! Division rivalries, rookie quarterbacks, and a crapper of a Sunday-nighter are on deck. Let’s start The Opening Drive!

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: Week 3, 2011"

Oh what a let-down that was. In their second game, the Chicago Bears managed to flat-line against the Saints, getting their quarterback Jay-Roughed in the process. Chicago’s offense held serve with the high-powered offense for about a half, and then Sean Payton let loose the entire playbook, taking the Bear defense to school like a game of Madden.

Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Recap: Saints 30, Bears 13"

Following the much-heralded destruction of the Atlanta Falcons in week one, the Chicago Bears fly down to Louisiana to take on the New Orleans Saints. Many analysts have mentioned the Bears’ recent success against the Saints, but all of those contests have been in Chicago and typically in less than stellar conditions. This Sunday the Bears will be in the Superdome, where the Saints will clearly have the advantage. But do they have the advantage on the field? Let the dissection begin!

Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Preview: Bears at Saints"

The Bears play a certain power team on Sunday in the swaggering New Orleans Saints.  This game is played in front ot ardent Saints fans at the Superdome.  Should be LOUD.  The Bears will need to make their own noise.  They can play ugly and lose or play a tough, error free game and squeek by the Saints. 

Continue reading "It's Up to the Bears On Sunday"

Now THAT was a crazy week one in the NFL! We saw upsets a’plenty, including the Steelers getting slapped around in Baltimore, the Bills putting up a 40-burger and Tom Brady going postal. The Final Drive gets started right now.

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 1, 2011"

We can all finally breathe a sigh of relief as the lockout is over and the season is going to start normally (well sort of).  I'm going to talk today about what the Skins should do with their own free agents.

Continue reading "Lockout Over!! Now the work begins, ..."

With the Draft a few days away, I wanted to get my claims to idiocy behind me. After my AFC grades, I knew I was in for a bit of let-down with the opposing conference. All the surprises (both good and bad) were clustered in the NFC. So let’s get to the self-degradation!

Continue reading "How Much I Effed Up: The NFC Edition"

Hm. That’s my general reaction to Wildcard Weekend in the NFL. The playoffs got started with what is unquestionably one of the biggest upsets in recent memory, which was followed up by a drama-filled finish in Indianapolis. Sunday saw a drilling in Kansas City and a comeback story ended early in Philly. Here’s the story behind the first round of the NFL playoffs.

Continue reading "Joe's 2011 NFL Final Drive: Wild Card Weekend"

The Chicago Bears will face off against the Seattle Seahawks in their Dvisional playoff game next Sunday in Chicago.  The Bears could have faced either New Orleans or the Eagles, but both teams lost.  Seattle beating the Saints, in a thrilling upset yesterday advances to face the Bears.  The Packers defeating Philadelphia in their wild-card game.

Continue reading "Bears Get Seahawks in NFC Playoff Game"

The 2010 NFL Playoffs are upon us! Wildcard Saturday kicks off the action with the reigning NFL champs on the road in Seattle and a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship. Here’s my breakdown of each game, along with my official picks. Last year I went 5-6 against the spread, let’s see if I can improve that mark this season!

Continue reading "Joe's 2011 NFL Opening Drive: Wildcard Saturday"

After last week’s glut of possible playoff previews, week 14’s weekend of action is… less than tremendous. Still, that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of stories to examine! Let’s get into our stances for the Opening Drive!

Continue reading "Joe's 2010 NFL Opening Drive: Week 14"

There was almost TOO much drama and surprises to cover from week 13 of the NFL season. One primetime match-up lived up to the billing while the other was over in the first quarter. A Hall of Fame QB continues a horrendous streak while another gets knocked out of the game after one throw. It's time for the Final Drive!

Continue reading "Joe's 2010 Final Drive: Week 13"

     Coach Sean Payton Drew Brees seemed to find more offensive rhythm during the bye week, even though Reggie Bush was a late scratch. Big Daddy saw nothing but smiles out of his co-workers at the rock pile Monday morning singing the praises of Drew Brees’ 4 touchdown passes, while gloating over the Saints third consecutive time surpassing the 30 point barrier. After three convincing wins in row, National sportscasters continue to express their firm belief that the Falcons will win the NFC South, keeping the Black ’n’ Gold effectively flying under the radar as the calendar approaches December. Does that sit well with the Who Dat Nation? Big Daddy loves being the underdog, let the Dirty Birds enjoy limelight. Come December 27 Falcons fans high expectations crash due to broken wings inflicted by the Saints. In this edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Feels Great About Three Straight"

     Monday morning water cooler chatter at the rock pile was rather subdued compared previous weeks due to the Saints having a much needed week off in this year’s unpredictable NFL season. Co-workers most frequently asked questions were: What did you do in lieu of Saints football? Can the Saints “Repeat Dat?” Are you ready for a second half run? Big Daddy informed colleagues that he lightened his hectic schedule by teeing it up, and dropping a line in water in an effort to properly prepare his body and mind to produce the unimaginable intensity levels Big Daddy must create to help the Saints overtake Atlanta moving toward January’s NFL playoffs and Super Bowl XLV. Two convincing wins prior to the open date afforded Big Daddy and his posse way more wiggle room to let their hair down while the Black ’n’ Gold’s injured players continue to heal. Facing four tough road contests in a five week span after hosting Seattle this coming Sunday will require all hands on deck to come out of that stretch unscathed. In this edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Gets Some R & R"

     Big Daddy can’t Carolina off his mind, can you? The Saints pummeled the Panthers so hard Sunday afternoon, Bank of America Stadium looked more like a church service instead of a football game. Carolina’s ineptness gives disgruntled fans in Western New York hope, because John Fox’s squad has wrestled the stigma of being the NFL’s worst team from Buffalo. Coach Sean Payton showed mercy on the lowly bunch by running up the score on the under-skilled bunch. Kansas City Head Coach Todd Haley must have appreciated the gesture, noticing how he reacted when Denver coach Josh McDaniels hung 49 points on the Chiefs. Is there a better way to enter the bye week than rolling into it with a 30-point blowout win? Big Daddy doesn’t think so, unless Remy Ayodele and the defense decide to party too hard during the break. In this edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Cranks Up James Taylor"

Are the Patriots the best team in the league?

 

Depends on who you ask. Some shout out yes from the highest mountaintop. Others say no, it’s the Atlanta Falcons. Power rankings might suggest. Bottom line is these opinions and polls are subjective.

Continue reading "Best In the League?"

     How many Pittsburgh fans did you encounter this weekend? no matter Big Daddy where went, Steeler fans were representing, believing they could gather in the Big Easy for a Halloween extravaganza courtesy of the Saints. wasn’t it great to see all that money pumped into the Crescent City’s economy? The tricks handed out by the Saints on Sunday night gave Steel City visitors memories they’ll never forget. Witnessing their physically imposing heroes get manhandled turned “Terrible Towel” waving around the Superdome into a tool to hide the tears of complete humiliation. Big Daddy’s boss was so happy Monday morning, he bought lunch for the entire office, an occurrence that happens less often than British Petroleum officials adhering to safety measures. In this edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy’s Section 645 Halloween Party"

     What emotion described your mood after Sunday’s Superdome debacle? Did you feel disappointed, humiliated, angry, or betrayed? Big Daddy felt so humiliated by the Saints half-hearted effort. Only Brett Farve understood Saints fans embarrassment after his wood-stroking photos surfaced on the internet. Several of Big Daddy’s co-workers revisited the Madden Curse theory, citing Drew Brees’ God-awful performance in which 2 of his 4 interceptions resulted in pick-sixes. Others wondered if Cleveland Head Coach Eric Mangini instructed former Saints Scott Fujita and Mike Bell (two integral pieces to last year’s Super Bowl Championship team) to hire a Voodoo priestess to cast an Early Halloween spell on Drew. One thing is certain, the Browns’ coach unleashed his bag of tricks on the Crescent City, soundly out coaching Sean Payton all afternoon. Saints fans can only pray that the Black ’n’ Gold will collect tons of treats come Halloween night when Pittsburgh comes to town. In this edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Rides Brees’ Avalanche to the Bottom"

Week seven in the NFL has passed us by. Controversial endings and interceptions galore riddled the weekend's action. Here are my highlights (and low-lights) of week seven!

(5-2) Atlanta Falcons 39

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 7"

     Are Big Daddy’s readers loving road-trips to Florida yet? The Saints continued their Sunshine State dominance Sunday afternoon, turning Big Daddy’s memorable birthday weekend into an unforgettable one by pummeling Tampa Bay. Big Daddy’s co-workers were all smiles at the rock on Monday after the Black ’n’ Gold served notice to the pro football world that they are ready to defend last February’s Lombardi trophy. The resounding win ignited the spirit of the Who Dat Nation as they celebrated Big Easy style deep into the night, reveling in the fact that the Saints appeared to get their swagger back and are now well-positioned in the wacky NFC standings. In this edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Welcomes Chris Ivory to the Party"

Maybe it started as an inside joke. A title to mock San Diego Chargers GM A.J. Smith that takes the name of a successful trilogy and puts an insulting twist on it. Maybe it was said among the owners and GMs and it was overheard by a player. But like many inside jokes, they don’t stay inside for long.

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 7"

     Somber was the way to describe Big Daddy’s workplace Monday morning. The Saints’ disheartening display in the desert produced a lot of frowns and slumped heads in the break room, all pondering what’s wrong with their Black ’n’ Gold idols. Job duties were pushed to the back burner as co-workers threw out theories trying to decipher how New Orleans went from a “We’re gonna kick your ass!” mentality last season to the “It’s hard to win in this league,” excuse we keep hearing this year. Supersticious colleagues believe the Madden Curse is affecting the Saints because of Drew Brees is on the cover of Madden 11. In recent years Dante Culpepper, Michael Vick, Troy Palomalo, and Shaun Alexander dealt with a myriad of problems after having the honor bestowed on them. Big Daddy hopes that won’t be the case for Drew. In this edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Yearns For Balance"

The last unbeaten team in the NFL falls from the ranks, another top QB goes down with a concussion and a former division favorite drops a heart-breaker at home. Here are the top stories from week five in the NFL!

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 5"

     Does anyone have fingernails after last weekend? If there are any Saints fans who haven’t been contending with chest pains watching these close-to-the-vest games, they don’t have a pulse. The 2010 Saints remind Big Daddy of the Jim Mora era. Unlike now, those Saints owned the league’s best defense and Morten Andersen drilling clutch 3-pointers. Even though the battles usually came down to the wire, the “Dome Patrol” and the “Great Dane” gave Saints fans a sense of security. Injuries in both the offensive and defensive backfields have the Saints fans hoping Capts. Benjamin “Hawkeye” Pierce and John “Trapper John” McIntyre would bring their M*A*S*H* unit down to Saints Headquarters to patch up our beloved Black ’n’ Gold troops. Since Hawkeye and Trapper John aren’t coming, Big Daddy will just need to find that magical Leprechaun with a pot full of Valium until the Saints get back to full strength. In this edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Prefers Touchdowns"

     Fats Domino’s “Blue Monday” set the mood on the morning after Garrett Hartley’s horrid overtime duck hook. Big Daddy’s co-workers spent hours around the water cooler displaying fantastic armchair quarterbacking skills, and the brain-trust second guessed miscues that contributed to the Saints demise Sunday. Evidently, domination in the trenches disguises any ill-effects of “Dirty Birds” with broken wings. At least Saints fans have no problem questioning their team’s mistakes, unlike gullible LSU fans who praise Head Coach Les Miles Wednesday call-in show. Have you ever listened to that WWL radio show? If you’ve never heard sunshine being blown up someone’s ass, prepare to be awed by tuning in on hump day. Considering LSU’s pathetic offense, the positive feedback Les Miles receives either comes from paid actors, or the radio station only allows Miles’ closest friends and relatives to call the show. Incessantly patting him on the back and saying, “ you’re doing a great job— don’t change a thing,” seems like more BS than BP’s current ad campaign telling us how concerned they are about Gulf Coast recovery. In this week’s edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Says Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad"

As week four in the NFL season ends, turmoil exists across both conferences as no team has established itself as a dominant force. Here are my takes on the stories of week four.

(3-1) Atlanta Falcons 16

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 4"

Week three is in the books, and there was plenty of drama to go around. Teams that we thought were playof bound still haven't gotten it together and some teams are surprisingly still unbeaten. Here are the scores and stories that caught my eye from Sunday's action.

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 3"

     How many folks recall 49er dominance back in the NFC West days? From 1980-1998 San Francisco compiled a 28-9 record against the Saints. Countless times throughout that era either Joe Montana or Steve Young ripped out the hearts of Saints fans with their poised 11th hour heroics, winning those crucial division battles when the Saints seemingly outplayed them every time. Even though the Saints played less than their best Monday night, Garrett Hartley’s buzzer-beating, partially blocked flutter-ball kick sailed through the uprights aided by strong Candlestick Park winds, as the reigning World Champs crushed Bay Area residents’ hopes of a much needed National TV win. Isn’t payback a bitch? Big Daddy will never forget how bitter losses to the hated 49ers made work the next day impossible to deal with; however, Tuesday morning at the rock pile felt like a picnic in the Garden of Eden. The only thing missing was Eve serving chilled apples for desert. In this week’s edition of the Section 645 Saints Beat, Big Daddy celebrates 175 years of the St. Charles streetcar, reports live from the Kingpin, recaps the San Francisco game, makes his Super bowl prediction, and releases his

Continue reading "Big Daddy Loves Payback"

Week two is in the books and that means it's time for a Final Drive! What teams surprisingly fell to 0-2 and which ones made the 2-0 leap! Let's get it on!

(2-0) Pittsburgh Steelers 19

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 2"

     The Big Easy gene pools bestowed our workforce with the remarkable ability to trudge through any Friday morning, coping with late night transgressions. Due to this wonderful evolutional abnormality, revelers rocked the French Quarter deep into Friday morning after the Saints defeated Brett Farve for the second straight time in the Louisiana Superdome. New Orleanians know that when their lunch hour arrives Friday, the weekend begins, because working Friday afternoons will never be a Crescent City option. Sadly, misguided saps around the country still believe working those extra four hours will reward them down the road. In this edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Praises Championship Banner"

     Poor execution by the Saints Thursday night hampered any chances to steal a Music City victory long before Chase Daniel’s bad decision that ended the game. Saints players committed too many undisciplined penalties. Over-pursuit by Saints defenders created cut back lanes bigger than our national debt, and backup middle linebacker Marvin Mitchell’s pass coverage was softer than a S.O.L. old dude who’ s health insurance refuses to cover Viagra. In this week’s edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Says Let’s Geaux!"

Follow this blog

     Saints reserves flexed their muscles down the stretch Friday night, obvious bench-strength improvements on defense and running back certainly complement the NFL’s most prolific offense looking toward the upcoming 2010 campaign. Leigh Torrence’s and Chris Ivory’s fourth quarter fireworks shattered the Chargers’ dreams of a happy Big Easy ending. That won’t be the case for the thousands of black leather clad visitors (accented by purple and powder blue feathers) prancing through the Vieux Carre this Labor Day weekend. Enterprising Marigny and Bywater lads who took advantage shake-weight TV offers will see the Fruits of Labor come to fruition during the annual Southern Decadence extravaganza. In this week’s edition the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Appreciates Roster Depth"

     Big Daddy noticed that Superdome seats were filled nearly to capacity Saturday night for the preseason home opener against our closest NFL neighbor, Houston. If you have been following the 2010 NFL preseason like Big Daddy, you have observed half-empty stadiums all around the league, demonstrating how football fans in other NFL cities believe glorified practices are not worth their time. Do you know why Big Daddy loves the Big Easy so much? Besides the music, food, culture, and laid back lifestyle, evidently, we’ re the only Americans who understand that football at half-speed,

Continue reading "Big Daddy Measures Saints’ Fans Preparedness"

 

You almost never know what you're going to get in the NFC South. With a "worst to first" story each year, are things finally settling in the South? Can the Saints repeat or are the Falcons ready to fly high? Here's my NFC South preview! 

Continue reading "Joe's 2010 NFL Season Preview: NFC South"

Follow this blog

     Big Daddy has been training rigorously over the past two weeks, getting ready for opening day, which is now only 20 days away. After a grueling off-season enduring the NBA Playoffs, World Cup Soccer, Major League Baseball, and the Chocolate City’ s unbearably hot, sticky Summer, lifting frosty cold longnecks gets easier every August. Both of Big Daddy’ s arms were in mid-season form before halftime of the New England preseason opener. In this week’s edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Prepares For 2010, Doin 12oz. Curls"

Before the first preseason game, the Patriots held a ceremony to induct RB Sam “Bam” Cunningham into the Patriots Hall of Fame. He was joined on stage by owner Bob Kraft and fellow HoFers LB Andre Tippett, QB Steve Grogan, CB Michael Haynes, K-WR Gino Cappelletti, LB Steve Nelson, and G John Hannah. Not only was I there, but I was fortunate enough to shake Cunningham’s hand and say congratulations to the newest member while wearing his throwback jersey (thanks to Bob Hyldburg for making that opportunity happen).

Continue reading "Pick Six: Preseason Game 1"

     Hey Saints fans: Leap onboard Big Daddy’s Section 645 Saints Beat, the season-long thrill ride will take loyal readers to higher levels than they ever imagined following the Saints. Big Daddy’s weekly column provides unique critiques of each game, noteworthy current (political) events, interesting trivia, and cool historical facts filtered through a native New Orleanian’s unabridged analysis.

Continue reading "Big Daddy Revisits Super Bowl Week"

I thought Logan Mankins was going to be different. I believed he could conduct his contract negotiations privately. Because he kept a low profile after the season and through the draft, I figured Mankins would continue to keep his distance from the Patriots and let his agent and New England hammer out a new deal.

Continue reading "No Audience for Mankins' Moans"

A day after the NFL Network revealed San Diego shopped OLB Shawn Merriman during the NFL Draft to New Orleans and two other teams, the Patriots re-signed DE Derrick Burgess. Knowing what is out there, Burgess’ return doesn’t excite the fan base much.

Continue reading "A "Lights Out" Alternative"

If your jaw dropped five feet from the amount of Jahri Evans’ new contract, understand a smile of equal distance stretched across the face of Logan Mankins’ agent Frank Bauer.

 

Continue reading "Market Value Set for Mankins"

Because I’ve been immersed in my mock draft and inspired to write a few articles, I haven’t posted for a while. During this time, a lot of news regarding the Patriots crossed the news wire. I should had said a little something about every bit of news, but I was distracted.

Continue reading "Steps Behind"

Shopping for free agents in the NFL is not much different from shopping for groceries at the grocery store.  You must make your grocery list based on what you need, while keeping an eye out for great deals.  You want to avoid overpaying for something that you either don’t need or won’t be satisfied with.  You need to keep you eye out for dropping prices.  It is also essential that you stay away from flawed products that have disappointed in the past.  These are all keys to being a smart shopper in the NFL free agent market. 

Continue reading "Let's Go (Free Agent) Shopping!"

It has been a while and I don’t really have an excuse for not posting anything the last couple weeks.  I guess since the Cowboys got trounced by the Minnesota Vikings I just haven’t had much inspiration.  But I’ve come out of my temporary depression and have officially transitioned to the off-season.  In between cartons of Ben & Jerry’s and episodes of Cash Cab I have thought long and hard about what the Cowboys need to do over the  next 6-7 months in order to take the next step from playoff team to Super Bowl contender.

Continue reading "Back to the Drawing Board"

Superstar quarterback Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts were defeated by the New Orleans Saints 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV Sunday at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida.

The game was ultimately decided by a crucial Manning miscue when his pass was intercepted and returned 74 yards for a touchdown by Saints cornerback Tracy Porter with only three minutes remaining in the decisive fourth quarter.

Continue reading "Sunday Proved That Tom Brady Is Better ..."

If you're reading this, it means you're not among the thralls of New Orleans Saints fans in Louisiana or with the team in Miami that are just beginning what is sure to be a month-long party because their team just won their first ever Super Bowl. On a night thought by many to be Peyton Manning's coronation, Drew Brees ended up at the post-game podium as the MVP of the night after a 31-17 victory. Sunday's championship contest didn't get off to the most exciting of starts, but it sure finished with one.

Continue reading "Saints take advantage of Manning's ..."

Can't bet against the point spread? Feel too much pressure when deciding between your heart and your head? Vegas has you covered with these completely ridiculous prop bets, covered by Esquire. Here's a few choice selections and my useless advice.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Super Bowl 44 Prop Bets"

The wait is over. Super Bowl 44 is nigh. Manning versus Brees starts in mere hours. After prepping you for the game yesterday with separate previews of the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints, it's time to bring the two together for my Super Bowl predictions. 

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Super Bowl 44"

     Did everyone recover from a wild weekend without Saints football? Big Daddy barely felt the Saints’ third bye week blow by thanks to Bobby Hebert honoring the Buddy “D” promise: to wear a dress if the Saints ever made it to the Super Bowl. Big Daddy wonders if seeing all those guys in dresses compelled the U.S. military to ponder abolishing their “don’t ask— don’t tell policy.”

Continue reading "Big Daddy Gets You Ready For the ..."

We are now a little more than a day away from the culmination of the 2009 NFL season. As we all have that inevitable Super Bowl party where no one else knows about football, I'm here to help you impress your friends with your gridiron knowledge. In this special edition of the Opening Drive I take a look at the NFC representative in SB XLIV, the New Orleans Saints.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive of Super Bowl ..."

     Who crunked it up deep into Monday morning? Big Daddy and the Who Dats showed tireless endurance to commemorate the Saints’ monumental achievement. Bourbon Street became ground zero as Saints fans taught national TV media outlets that they can no longer treat the Saints like they’re in Kansas. The all-night celebration has South Beach feeling pretty nervous. Over the Saints 43-year lifespan, traversing the yellow brick road brought some good times, and even though the Black ’ n’ Gold always fought hard, staying a loyal Saints through years of painful heartache was a true challenge. Forget wearing bags or being called Aints ever again! Now it’s our time to watch broadcasters get a little brown on their beaks complimenting Saints football. In this week’s edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Finally Meets the Wizard"

Are you ready for two weeks of hype for a Brett Favre versus Peyton Manning Super Bowl?

Well TOO FREAKING BAD! The Saints were having none of it today. And what a coincidence that in a year marred by missed field goals, it was on the leg of lesser-known Saints kicker Garrett Hartley that the Saints earned a spot in their first ever Super Bowl with a 31-28 win over the Vikings.

Continue reading "Saints in the Super Bowl after 31-28 ..."

Here it is: the last weekend of real football. Conference Championship Sunday is here and isn't lacking for drama. From Brett Favre and Peyton Manning's legacy to the Jets' dominating defense or the surge in New Orleans, every team is a great story. Who do I think will make it to the Super Bowl in Miami? Read on in this edition of the Opening Drive!

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Conference Championship ..."

     Thank goodness The Times-Picayune finally jumped on the Big Daddy bandwagon by printing the “Big Daddy’s Suggestions to Promote Intensity” excerpt in the Living section article “ A playoff pep talk from your fellow Who Dats” last Saturday. Saints fans heeded Big Daddy’ s advice.

Continue reading "Big Daddy Celebrates a Playoff Pummel"

     Last Saturday and Sunday, America watched eight teams battle through Round 1 of the NFL playoffs. The four wildcard winners earned the right to travel to the hostile environments of the teams who garnered the best records throughout pro football’ s regular season. Wow, enjoying the playoffs stress-free, while the Saints got rested and ready made Big Daddy feel more relaxed than Tiger Woods when he travels the world. Hey local golf fans, are you pissed? Tiger’ s doing a sex clinic in Mississippi, but he won’t support the Zurich Classic. The Reverend Al Sharpton hopes there’s no white chicks on staff, otherwise Nike’s golf division will forced to break out the Salt Peter to keep Tiger’s Driver in the bag. In this week’s edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Uses Second Bye to Prepare"

     Sunday’s pathetic showing in North Carolina ignited harsh Saints criticism on all the national networks. Broadcasters told America that no NFL team has ever made it to the Super Bowl after loosing their final 3 games. Lambasting the Black ’ n’ Gold has become more trendy than misguided saps adding the latest, greatest apps to their wireless devices to improve their lives. If the Who Dat Nation’s psyche got discouraged that easily, Saints ownership would have moved the team to another city a long time ago. Sadly, the only way to silence those critics is to win the trophy on February 7, 2010. In this week’s edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Takes Third Straight Loss in Stride"

After Tim Hightower took the opening hand-off 70 yards for a touchdown, all I could think of was how awful the Saints fans would feel if their team lost in their playoff opener. Luckily for them Reggie Bush showed up with his bird-killing cleats on, leading the Saints to a 45-14 thrashing of the Arizona Cardinals to kick-off the Divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

Continue reading "Reggie Bush goes off as Saints crush ..."

Here we are at the second week of the NFL playoffs again, which brings up the same question every year.  Is it better for teams that have clinched first-round byes and playoff seeds to rest their players at the end of the regular season, or play them to keep on a roll going into the playoffs?  Lets look at both sides of the issue.

Continue reading "Rest vs Rust in the NFL"

In case you haven't heard, we're knee-deep in the NFL playoffs. Today kicks-off the best weekend of football all year. Eight teams remain in the Super Bowl hunt, with the top seeds in each conference joining in on the action. Let's not waste any time, here's the Opening Drive for Divisional Saturday in the NFL!

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Divisional Saturday"

     Back-to-back Saints’ losses has Big Daddy incensed. Even though the Saints clinched home field advantage for the first time in franchise history. The Saints reached this unprecedented milestone thanks to their recent nemesis, the Chicago Bears, who knocked off Minnesota in 2009’s final Monday Night Football game. The improbable overtime victory allowed the Black ’n’ Gold to back into the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Imagining this day in past years, Big Daddy envisioned popping champagne (like Tim Whitmer must have each time he landed a lucrative insurance deal as the Jefferson Parish CAO) to commemorate such a monumental achievement. In this week’s edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Exhales a Painful AARGH!"

The Cowboys have a huge match-up this week against the #2 seed Minnesota Vikings.  But, I don’t think that will keep any Cowboys fan from relishing in what has transpired over the last month.  Over these last 4 weeks the Cowboys have exercised all of their “demons” and now simply have to go into the Metrodome and take on the 12-4 Minnesota Vikings led by Brett Favre to advance to the NFC championsip.  Piece of cake, right?  Well before we stuff ourselves, let’s digest the last month of the season and see what the Cowboys were able to stomach (pun intended). 

Continue reading "Exercising the Demons"

     Saturday night football in the Superdome had every member of the Who Dat Nation dreaming of an undefeated season with the Saints sporting a 13-0 record. Big Daddy’ s experiences have taught him how great expectations in sports can quickly crash and burn. Guiding the team through the emotional rollercoaster of an NFL campaign requires Coach Payton to juggle more than Tiger Woods managing his harem. Perhaps Tiger should make a guest appearance on HBO’ s series about Mormons,

Continue reading "Big Daddy Blames Lack of Balance ..."

After another dramatic Colts win, the still-undefeated Saints try their luck against the Cowboys on Saturday night while the second seed in the AFC is on the line on Sunday. Let's start the Opening Drive of week 15 in the NFL!

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 15"

     Sunday’ s lackluster Saints performance encouraged devoted Saints onlookers to do their best Fred Sanford impersonations (grabbing their chest, sensing “ The Big One” ), while the Saints struggled, but held off those rotten “ Dirty Birds” . The Saints surpassed another milestone in this magical 2009 season. Previously, 12 wins stood as the team record for the most wins in any season, which they achieved under Jim Mora in 1987 and 1992, led by Bobby Hebert and the awesome “ Dome Patrol” . As the pressure mounts on the ’ 09 players to stay perfect, Big Daddy believes the double-time formula will reduce Saints fans’ unbearable stress to a manageable level. If you normally drink one beer a quarter, make it two and everything will be all right. For those fans who don’ t drink, you better find Dr. Feelgood before the playoffs start. In this week’s edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Embraces Lucky 13"

The Dallas Cowboys have entered their December swoon, and yet I'm not worried.  The defense couldn't contain the pass.  The offense couldn't punch it in from the one yard line.  And off we go to New Orleans, a team that will pass all over you, that will stuff you at the line.

Continue reading "Big Test Coming for Big D"

     How many Saints’ fans wrote off the Saints when Washington lined up their game-clinching 23-yard field goal? This year’ s “ Finish” mentality has produced the franchise’s best season start ever, not to mention the team’s most unbelievable victory in 43 years Sunday. Previous season mottos never produced the results that the ’ 09 slogan has. Big Daddy wonders if the Saints brought in Tiger Woods to demonstrate how awesome happy endings feel? Tiger always benefits from coming hard at the end both on and off the course. If it works for Saints fans for the next 13 years, the Superdome staff will have lots of new banners to hang. Seriously, Big Daddy wants Saints fans to understand the significance of a team that wins games they should lose. Haven’ t we suffered the downside of that equation for far too long? Hell yeah! But now its our time! In this edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Believes In Miracles"

     Forget stressing out about the threat of Swine Flu, Black ’ n’ Gold Fever is spreading across the country faster than U.S. Attorney Jim Letten opens new corruption investigations at City Hall. Prior to the game, the biased Northeastern-controlled television sports media told national TV viewers that the team of the decade (New England) would expose those fraudulent Saints. After the Saints pummeled New England Monday night, the Fever’s infection rate reached epidemic proportions. Worried Americans started seeking a cure to this peculiar new virus. Well don’t be frightened, Big Daddy knows the only remedy: Jump on the “Who Dat Bandwagon” rolling through your city and start enjoying life. In this week’s edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Cranks the Volume to Eleven"

Wow, the weeks after the Patriots lose are certainly depressing. This is the 4th time in 2009 that I've found myself entering a football-free bubble. When the Patriots win I pretty much watch every bit of football news I can get my eyes on. Everyone loves to hear all the commentators glow over their team.

Continue reading "Patriots Turn the Page to the Miami Dolphins"

To this point of the season the Cowboys have taken care of business, for the most part.  The Cowboys could very easily be 9-1 had they just maintained their composure against the likes of the New York Giants and Denver Broncos.  But instead of dwelling on what could have been, the ‘Boys did a good job of moving on as they went on to win 6 of their next 7 games and claim 1st place in the NFC east.  Unfortunately, none of that matters now.  The Cowboys are 8-3 with the Philadelphia Eagles in a close trail at 7-4, and the Giants still kicking at 6-5.  And being that the final five games of this season are in the dreaded month of December, the phrase “anything can happen” is an understatement. 

Continue reading "Going Forward: Can the Dallas Cowboys ..."

Seems to me like many Patriots fans out there aren't quite as depressed by last night's debacle as they were after the loss to the Colts. Around this time every year you start to really know how good your team is, or isn't. The Saints are good. Really good. The Patriots are not.

Continue reading "Picking Up the Patriots Pieces"

     Sunday’ s flawless Saints performance had Big Daddy sifting through his old VHS library to determine whether the ’ 09 Saints unseated Bo Derek’ s smoking hot yellow one-piece as the real perfect “

Continue reading "Big Daddy Enjoys Bountiful Pirate Raids"

As I watched the Patriots get beat down by the Saints, I couldn’t stop thinking about an article I wrote earlier this season called “ Love Letters.” The idea was I wrote two letters from the fans perspective to DL Richard Seymour and WR Jabar Gaffney. The letters pointed out how the team missed their contributions on the field.

Continue reading "Pick Six: Week 12"

Who dares taunt the Football Gods? Thy name is Reggie Bush.

 

Back in October, the New Orleans running back was asked if the Saints could go undefeated. He answered with, “"Can we go undefeated? Yes.  I do think we have the players, the chemistry, we have the heart and dedication, the coaching staff, we have the players."

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 12"

With three utterly craptacular contests on Thanksgiving, I’m looking forward to a little competitive football this Sunday. However, it’s not until Monday that the real showdown of week 12 takes place. Let’s get some Opening Drive in your diet!

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: week 12"

The Patriots are already deep into preparations for the undefeated New Orleans Saints, possibly the toughest opponent of the year. Any news outside of their scope of focus is a distraction.

 

Continue reading "Bill Belichick's Nemesis"

     New Orleanians began their work week all smiles again Monday morning courtesy of the Saints’ record-setting 9-0 start. Even though our wallets were decimated for the ninth straight game, Saints fans ain’t complainin’. As the Saints aim to complete their second of three triumphant visits to the Sunshine State Sunday, Big Daddy mentally prepares to go where Who Dat has gone before. In this week’s edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Feels Turbulence on Cloud 9"

     The Saints have gotten unprecedented rewards out of this season’s motto, “Finish!” Sunday the Who Dat Nation watched the Saints turn in another dominant second-half performance after trailing early to post a new franchise record 8-0 start. Saints fans remember last year’s painful gut-wrenching losses, when the team displayed innovative ways to snatch defeat from the hands of victory in the fourth quarter. In this week’s edition of

Continue reading "Big Daddy Navigates Uncharted Waters:"

Just like the Patriots addressed the secondary with defending tall receivers in mind, the Miami Dolphins did the same in the off-season. The difference was the source of the remedy.

 

New England signed free agent veteran cornerbacks Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden. Miami went the younger route and drafted Vonta Davis and Sean Smith.

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 9"

     Big Daddy's spectacular Halloween weekend could not have ended any better than with a Darren Sharper pick to clinch the victory against the hated Dirty Birds on Monday night. Don’ t you feel sorry for people around the country living in cultureless gated communities whose neighbors are from anywhere USA, half of which will move within a year chasing a more lucrative job to fulfill the false illusion of sprawling malls, 401(k)s, mortgages, car payments, and college funds which define success in today’ s misguided America? In this edition on the

Continue reading "Big Daddy’s Unforgettable Halloween:"

     The Saints unbelievably exciting come-from-behind victory forces Big Daddy to start working on his Super Bowl Shuffle, preparing for the Black ’n’ Gold’ s next visit to South Beach— in early February. Boy, things looked bleak until Drew Brees’ touchdown just before halftime sparked an amazing turn of events. Having a record of 5-0 following our destruction of the vaunted Giants felt great, but the Saints late afternoon fish fry had Little Havana muttering all sorts of Cuban expletives. In this week’ s edition of

Continue reading "Big Daddy Handles The South Beach Dress Rehearsal:"

 

This weekend Denver faces yet another stiff challenge, and four division match-ups make the Opening Drive! Oh yeah, and some guy named Favre returns to the second team he played for. No big whoop. Let’s analyze! 

Continue reading "Joe’s NFL Opening Drive: Week 8"