Tag: New Orleans

Projecting the Lions defensive scheme now that Aaron Glenn is officially the DC

Projecting the Detroit Lions defensive scheme not that they have officially announced Aaron Glenn as their next defensive coordinator.

The Detroit Lions have officially hired Aaron Glenn as their defensive coordinator and fans should feel excited by the hire as his background suggests a new style of defense in Detroit.

Like Lions coach Dan Campbell — who coached with Glenn in New Orleans the last five seasons — Glenn stems from the Bill Parcells coaching tree. He has extensive experience playing in 34 defensive schemes, but his time as a coach with the Saints was in a base 43 scheme.

With the Lions personnel leaning towards players with more 34 traits, it’s possible he leans on some of his past concepts to work with the players the Lions have on their current roster.

Where things get interesting, is when you examine the fact that the Lions almost hired former Los Angeles Chargers defensive line coach Griff Smith. Smith coached a hybrid front with the Chargers, using mainly a 34 Over scheme, which basically operates with 43 Under concepts.

In the clip below, Melvin Ingram (box highlighted) is the JACK LB, but notice how this front attacks the gaps:

Basically, if the Lions were after Smith because of his ability to develop players in this area, while also factoring in Glenn’s experiences and the Lions personnel, it’s possible the Lions will be looking to run a front that focuses on 1-gap penetration rather than 2-gap integrity (like the former staff).

In the secondary, Glenn will likely lean on his recent experience and that means reflecting on his time in New Orleans. They relied heavily on Cover-1 and 2-Man concepts — the most 2-man in the NFL per ESPN’s Matt Bowen — with some Cover-2, Cover-3, and Quarters zone concepts worked in as well.

Again, this lines up with the Lions personnel as well, as they were built for man coverage — the big difference this time is, they will have two safeties for help, rather than just one single high like in the previous scheme.

We’re still a long way from truly knowing exactly how this defense will shake out, but if you read the tea leaves, it sure looks like the Lions could be sticking with a 3-3-5, but adding a one-gapping approach upfront, as well as a 2-man coverage scheme in the secondary.

Coach de New Orleans Saints quería poner a 50 mil fans en cuarentena para ir al juego

Bajo cirunstancias normales, los Saints de Nueva Orleans tienen uno de los mejores ambientes de la NFL en su estadio, especialmente en la etapa de playoffs. Pero esta no es una circunstancia normal y asistir a una reunión masiva en interiores es …

Bajo cirunstancias normales, los Saints de Nueva Orleans tienen uno de los mejores ambientes de la NFL en su estadio, especialmente en la etapa de playoffs.

Pero esta no es una circunstancia normal y asistir a una reunión masiva en interiores es prácticamente la peor idea durante el resurgimiento de la pandemia de coronavirus. Esto no detuvo al coach de Saints de intentarlo.

Los Saints recibirán a los Chicago Bears el Domingo en el Superdome. Debido al aumento de casos de COVID los Saints esperan tener a 3’000 fans en el juego (de 6’000 inicialmente). Pero Payton estaba intentando tener a 50’000 fans en el juego.

El New Orleans Times-Picayune reportó que se habló de una cuarentena masiva:

“Propuse la idea de poner en cuarentena a 50’000 personas en un hotel para tener el Superdome más seguro que el hombre haya visto jamás, científicamente. Juntarlos, hacerles pruebas todos los días y tener instalaciones libres de COVID.”

De acuerdo con Mike Florio de ProFootballTalk, Payton no estaba bromeando. Los Saints sí exploraron la posibilidad de poner en cuarentena a 50’000 personas en un hotel. Incluso fue opción jugar en el estadio de los LSU Tigers en Baton Rouge, una ciudad con menos restricciones debido al COVID.

Pero suponemos que los Saints rápido se dieron cuenta de que la idea de poner en cuarentena a 50’000 personas es ridícula porque, más allá de los retos logísticos y legales de una empresa privada poniento en cuarentena a 50’000 personas, ¿ya vieron la cantidad de estadounidenses que enfrentan la pandemia?

No había forma de que su idea funcionara.

Foto de portada Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports 

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Report: NFL owners to vote on moving Super Bowl in 2024 out of New Orleans

The Mardi Gras and Super Bowl in one place at the same time? Too much for even New Orleans.

There is a report Wednesday the NFL owners will vote to move the Super Bowl in 2024 out of New Orleans and award it to the Big Easy the following year.

The problem is the Super Bowl in 2024 would conflict with Mardi Gras once the NFL moves to a 17-game schedule. This issue has been a concern since the lead decided to expand the regular-season slate.

And there is only partying an area can handle, even New Orleans.

 

 

New Orleans Saints Week 4 injury designations: 6 starters ruled OUT, including WR Michael Thomas

The Detroit Lions Week 4 opponent, the New Orleans Saints, have declared their injury designations ahead of this weekend’s matchup.

The Detroit Lions Week 4 opponent, the New Orleans Saints, have declared their injury designations ahead of this weekend’s matchup and they will be without six (!) starters, including five Pro Bowlers.

Here’s a look at the Saints’ full injury designations list.

Ruled OUT

Player Position Injury Designation
Michael Thomas WR Ankle OUT
Jared Cook TE Groin OUT
Andrus Peat Left Guard Ankle OUT
Marcus Davenport EDGE Elbow/Toe OUT
Marshon Lattimore CB Hamstring OUT
Janoris Jenkins CB Shoulder OUT

Thomas has missed the previous two weeks and the Saints offense has suffered because of it. They still have talent, by being down their top wide receiver — and top tight end in Cook — is a big break for the Lions. Thomas was able to get in limited practices all week, but it appears the Saints are still concerned and playing the long game with his injury.

“The fact that (Thomas) is trending well does not necessarily mean he’s gonna play on Sunday,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Friday morning. “The Saints have been cautious. They know it’s a long season. Obviously, they’d like a win, but they’re gonna make sure that there is not a risk of reinjury before they put him back on the field.”

Peat will be replaced in the starting lineup by Nick Easton — who will be shifting from right to left guard — and first-round pick Cesar Ruiz will likely get the start at right guard.

Lattimore and Jenkins are the Saints’ top two cornerbacks, and despite them both having a rough start to 2020, their presence will be massive losses. Patrick Robinson and PJ Williams are next in line on the depth chart but expect to see a lot of three-safety sets with Chauncey Gardner-Johnson manning the slot.

Davenport — yet another first-round pick on defense that won’t be playing on Sunday — has not played this season. The Saints were optimistic he could make his return this week, but after a limited practice on Wednesday, he was shutdown the rest of the week and will not be available.

Questionable

Player Position Injury Designation
Chase Hansen LB Hip Questionable

No injury designation

Player Position Injury Designation
David Onyemata DT Calf No Designation

Onyemata saw a limited practice on Wednesday but worked in full the rest of the week and will start at defensive tackle on Sunday.

Former Alabama S Roman Harper to be inducted into Saints HoF, join “SEC Nation” crew

It’s been a busy week for former Alabama S Roman Harper. He was announced as a new member of the SEC Nation crew and is to be inducted…

After it was reported that Paul Finebaum and Marcus Spears would no longer be members of SEC Network’s “SEC Nation” pregame show on Saturdays, their replacements have been named.

Jordan Rodgers, brother to Aaron Rodgers and former star of “The Bachelorette,” will be filling one spot. The other will belong to former Alabama safety Roman Harper, as made public by Sports Business Daily.

Harper will specifically fill Spears’ spot as an analyst.

The former Alabama safety was drafted in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints, where he’d spend most of his 10-season career.

Harper will also be inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame.

Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on all things Alabama football, including those in, and beyond, the NFL!

 

Tyrann Mathieu teamed up with Bleacher Report to surprise people with rent money

“The Landlord” is helping the people of New Orleans with rent money amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Tyrann Mathieu has teamed up with Bleacher Report to do some good in his hometown amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mathieu grew up in the Fifth Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana and played college football at LSU. Even though he’s playing football in Kansas City, he still considers Louisiana home and maintains a strong connection to his roots. Now he’s joined forces with Bleacher Report to help those who’ve been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, providing two months rent to families in need.

This season with the Chiefs, Mathieu picked up the nickname “The Landlord.” Bleacher Report and Mathieu are using that moniker as the name of their new web series.

“What’s up guys, I’m Tyrann Mathieu, also known as The Landlord,” Mathieu said in the preview trailer. “They call me The Landlord because I own the field, and I take care of Chiefs Kingdom. But right now, my social responsibility goes much beyond that.”

Mathieu’s foundation already hosted a COVID-19 relief radiothon alongside 610 Sports in Kansas City. It was massively successful and also showed just how much Mathieu’s teammates, colleagues and friends respect him and his efforts within his communities.

Episodes begin to premiere for “The Landlord” starting tomorrow. This will surely be a fun way for Mathieu to continue giving back to the hometown that helped shape him into the player and person he is today.

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Sean Payton confronts Shooter McGavin parody account (?) about Brees ’emergency meeting’

It’s likely Payton was kidding, but man this is a really bad time for the head coach of the Saints to be making a joke.

In one of the strangest sentences I’ll ever have the misfortune to write: Sean Payton took to Twitter on Wednesday night to correct a Shooter McGavin parody account about an “emergency meeting” between Saints players and Brees … “on the 9th green at 9 tonight.”

Payton responded on Twitter, calling it “complete B.S.”

Let me just say right up front, right off the bat, bolded: It’s likely that Payton is joking around here. 

But to that I say: A joke might honestly be worse?

Quickly, here’s the backstory. Yesterday it broke that Drew Brees gave an interview in which he doubled down on his stance that NFL players who had protested by taking a knee during the national anthem were being offensive to veterans.

While Brees probably thought he was being consistent in his messaging, the note came off as totally tone deaf as players who knelt were trying to raise awareness about police violence in this country, which has become horrifyingly relevant over the last few weeks.

Some of Brees’ teammates and players around the league called him out.  Which led to … a tweet from a Shooter McGavin parody account in which they recycled a 24-year-old joke from an Adam Sandler movie.

Them, stunningly, the head coach of the New Orleans Saints responded. Twice.

The second tweet seemed to try and reinforce that the first was a joke.

So yes, I’m inclined to believe that Payton was joking. However, this is a really bizarre time to be making a joke.

Many of Brees’ teammates are furious at him for not recognizing the moment we’re in and re-affirming his (incorrect) stance equating the peaceful protest by NFL players as some sort of denigration of the military.

So Payton either:

A) Got duped by a Shooter McGavin parody account which he took as an actual NFL insider reporting something or, worse —

B) Thought it was funny to make a joke about a possible team meeting between an enraged Saints group and its quarterback leader.

So yeah, now you know all this information. I’m glad I’m not alone in it anymore.

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Texas offers 2022 defensive tackle from Louisiana

Texas has offered 2022 DT Shone Washington from New Orleans. Currently unranked, Washington has already picked up six SEC offers.

Texas has offered 2022 defensive tackle Shone Washington from New Orleans, Louisiana. While he not currently rated by the top recruiting sites, Washington has already picked up six SEC offers.

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ESPN predicts the Saints will beat the Vikings on Christmas Day

ESPN’s Mike Triplett recently predicted the Saints 2020 regular season. He thinks New Orleans will go 12-4 including a win over the Vikings.

Minnesota’s schedule came out Thursday, and one of the more enticing matchups on it was the Vikings’ game with the Saints.

Minnesota will go on the road and play New Orleans on Christmas Day, a game that the Saints will be eager to win after getting knocked out of the playoffs by the Vikings.

ESPN predicted that the Saints would get revenge in 2020. Mike Triplett, a staff writer for the outlet, projected the Saints to go 12-4 and beat the Vikings.

Here’s what he said about the game:

“This particular matchup should be a late-season doozy for both teams. This will be their fifth meeting in four years, including the Vikings’ two playoff wins over New Orleans in that span — and it will give the Saints a chance to avenge their January wild-card loss to Minnesota in the Superdome.”

Triplett also wrote that there will “be plenty of red circles on the Saints’ calendar to mark those games with extra significance.”

Longhorns offer 2022 four-star cornerback from New Orleans

Texas has offered 2022 CB Jyaire Brown from New Orleans. Currently rated a four-star by 247Sports, UT is the second Big 12 team to offer him.

Texas has offered 2022 cornerback Jyaire “Hollywood” Brown from New Orleans, LA. Currently rated a four-star by 247Sports, the Longhorns are the second Big 12 team to offer Brown.

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