Archives for October 2013

Drew Brees’ durability all the more impressive as NFL teams struggle at quarterback (New Orleans Times Picayune)

New Orleans Saints benefitting greatly from safety Malcolm Jenkins’ increased role on defense (New Orleans Times Picayune)

New Orleans Saints’ Mark Ingram says he’s getting healthy (New Orleans Times Picayune)

New Orleans Saints vs. Buffalo Bills: What To Watch For (New Orleans Times Picayune)

Saints’ Charles Brown has faced little grief so far (Baton Rouge Advocate)

Colston remains quiet as he approaches another Saints record (Baton Rouge Advocate)

Jimmy Graham limited in Saints’ practice Friday (Baton Rouge Advocate)

Turf toe has sidelined Saints RB Mark Ingram (Biloxi Sun Herald)

Saints’ Graham questionable vs. Bills (The Sports Network)

Saints’ Graham, Ingram return to practice (The Sports Xchange)

Bills coach appreciates what he learned from Sean Payton (WWL-TV)

Graham, Jordan, Ingram listed as questionable for Bills game (WWL-TV)

Saints RB Ingram says he has practiced, feels good about toe injury (WWL-TV)

Saints ready to roll with – or without – key players (NewOrleansSaints.com)

Sean Payton quotes from final press conference before Buffalo Bills (NewOrleansSaints.com)

Doug Marrone, Kyle Williams quotes from Wednesday conference calls (NewOrleansSaints.com)

‘”I’m playing angry-but not at the critics,” he said. “It just helps me to play that way. What people on the outside say really doesn’t bother me. I know you hear that a lot, but with me, the only thing that matters is what my coaches and the guys in the [defensive meeting] room think.”’

‘”In my experience there, we felt when we were at home, we had everything going for us,” Marrone said. “It was an exciting thing, and I’m sure they feel the same way.”‘

‘Spiller has attempted to play through his ankle injury in recent weeks but has been limited on the field. In the past three games, Spiller has 24 carries for 132 yards and one touchdown. He suffered the injury in Week 4 against Baltimore.’

‘Spiller hasn’t yet missed a game but has been slowed recently by the ankle issue. He has started four of the team’s seven games this season and has run for 362 yards with a touchdown on 90 carries while adding 14 catches for 36 yards.’

‘Spiller said earlier this week that he feels “10 times better” but coach Doug Marrone countered that he may sit Spiller. Thursday, Marrone said Spiller would be a game-time decision, according to ESPN.com.’

‘”It was, from what y’all seen, that was the least that I had done. I didn’t have my helmet on or nothing like that,” Spiller said after practice. “Today is pretty much what we call a ‘fast Friday,’ so obviously I can’t go super fast so they just let me do minimal.”

‘Due to a high number of injuries at the position, Burton appeared in the first five games of the season for the Bills, mostly in a special teams role. The past two weeks, however, Burton has been among the team’s inactives on game day.’

‘Wingo (6’3″ 231) is a big back with good athleticism. The Arkansas product was an undrafted rookie signing of the Atlanta Falcons this past spring, but was released during final cuts on Aug. 31st.’

‘”I’m excited to go against him because I want to show him that I’ve gotten better,” Johnson said. “That’ll be a little of the motivation for myself to see Jabari out there, but at the end of the day I’m pretty sure I’ll be seeing most of their other cornerbacks also working in the slot and being on each side. And I don’t believe they follow receivers so I’ll be getting a dose of (Keenan) Lewis and Jabari.”‘

‘Buffalo’s backs are still nicked up, but against a Saints defense that’s giving up 5.1 yards per rush, the Bills should be able to get enough yards on the ground to set up manageable third down situations.’

‘Burton’s release gives Buffalo an open roster spot should they need to call up a running back from the practice squad.’

‘ “Doug was someone I had met before, and he was still under contract with the Jets, (but) finally was able to get out of it (when Edwards was fired). I had a chance to interview him and felt really, really comfortable with his expertise and his ability to teach. That initial staff was pretty special and he’s someone that I’ve stayed in close touch with throughout the years … when he went to Syracuse and now to Buffalo. He’s doing a good job there.”‘

‘Williams is tied for second in the NFL in sacks along with Kansas City’s Justin Houston, behind Indianapolis’ Robert Mathis. They are on pace to break the NFL record of 22.5 in a single season, which was set in 2001 by Michael Strahan of the New York Giants (sacks became an official NFL statistic in 1982).’

‘”I mean, there’s some things that I’m doing this week that I wasn’t able to do last week, so that’s always an encouraging sign. To me, I think that’s an improvement,” he said. “But I’m not the trainer. I can only tell them how my body is responding. From the way it’s responding, I think it has improved.”‘