The Saints File

[Paladin]

http://www.neworleanssaints.com/newsroomarticle.cfm?articleid=839

Black & Gold in the books
By Chris Pika, August 7, 2004; 10:08 pm
NewOrleansSaints.com

HAMMOND, La.--The Saints went in live game conditions for the first time as the first portion of training camp came to close with the Black & Gold Scrimmage in Strawberry Stadium.

QB Todd Bouman, who ran the first team offense in place of the injured Aaron Brooks, completed five passes for 44 yards with the first team and then worked eight plays with the second team.

RB Deuce McAllister worked only the first series so the coaching staff could evaluate the remainder of the running backs. Aaron Stecker, who was signed by the Saints as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason from Tampa Bay, got the bulk of the carries with the first team. He rushed seven times for 19 yards and also caught a pass from Bouman for 16 yards and a first down.

The first-team defensive line was strong in their portion as they got to Bouman twice. CB Fred Thomas also had an interception for the first group.

Bouman continued with the second team in their section and worked eight plays, completing two passes for 13 yards. J.T. OSullivan then took over for the remaining eight plays. The Saints split the second group running work between Ki-Jana Carter, who had a 13-yard run during his portion, and Lamar Smith, who got open for a 12-yard gain.

The third team offense had the most exciting play of the night as O'Sullivan threw a long pass down the left sideline, which WR Devery Henderson ran down for a 65-yard gain before going out of bounds at the defense's 5-yard line. FB Nate Schurman bulled over from one-yard away for a touchdown three plays later. K Rob Hart, a veteran NFL Europe kicker, nailed a field goal attempt late in the scrimmage.

"The scrimmage is a great evaluation process, especially for some of these young guys who stood out tonight," Haslett said. "I thought (linebackers) Courtney Watson and Cie Grant had a lot of tackles, I thought Devery Henderson, for what little time he's been in camp, has a chance to be a pretty good player. Will Smith had a sack and overall the young guys stood out. It's a good way for coaches to separate players."

Bouman said that his work with the first team keeps him in ready condition.

"Being the backup, you never know when that time's going to come and you have to be ready to go," he said. "That's the hard part about the position, but it's also exciting. You have to prepare because you never know when that time is going to come."

The defense, and the line in particular, had a good night as they had five sacks overall in the scrimmage.

"We didn't see a lot of missed tackles like you see in a scrimmage like this," Haslett said. "There's some pretty good players on the defensive line. Will Smith had one sack, Charles Grant had one sack and Darren Howard had one sack, so if the sacks are going to come, they're the good ones to have them."

Haslett said the work exhibited by the line is part of what he is looking for overall from the defense.

"Our number one goal going into the opener on defense is to stop the run," he said. "It's important that guys like Brian Young, Darren and the upfront guys do that in the preseason games."

As for injuries, Henderson hurt his heel, LB Roger Knight sprained his knee, WR Nathan Black had a heat-related illness and LB James Allen had a contusion of the ribs, according to Haslett, who added that none of the injuries are major.

Now that the Saints have reached their first milepost of camp, Haslett evaluated the work put in so far.

"A total of 11 of the first 13 practices have been in pads, it's been hot and these guys have been fighting through it and been mentally tough and I commend them for that," he said. "We've got a long way to go, but this is a good start."

The crowd of 4,251 at Strawberry Stadium were treated to a full day of events as the Saints returned to their former training camp home from 1986-87. Prior to the sets of drives, the team worked on individual drills, punt and kickoff returns and 7-on-7 team drills. Brooks, who did not participate in the live scrimmage, worked in the 7-on-7 part of the practice. After the scrimmage, players and coaches signed autographs and the evening was concluded with a fireworks show.

The team is off on Sunday and will return to work on Monday morning from 9-11 am at the Metairie facility. The practice is open to the public. Monday night, from 7:30-9:30 pm, the Saints will have their second off-site practice of camp at Hahnville HS. The workout is also open to the public.

 

[Paladin]

http://www.neworleanssaints.com/newsroomarticle.cfm?articleid=819

5 Questions With: Mike McCarthy
By Chris Pika, August 1, 2004; 10:00 am
NewOrleansSaints.com

Mike McCarthy is in his fifth season with the Saints as offensive coordinator. His offensive unit put 340 points on the board in 2003 (eighth-highest in club history) and all four of his group's previous scoring outputs are in the franchise's top 10.

This will be his 12th season as an NFL coach as he has previously worked with Kansas City (1993-98), Green Bay (1999), before coming to New Orleans in 2000.

1. What do you think of the offensive unit?

"We have some continuity and guys have been playing together. Joe (Horn) and Aaron (Brooks) have played together for five years now, Deuce (McAllister) is going on his third year and we have some offensive linemen who have been here a couple of years.. You don't have a bunch of first-year guys that you have to get acclimated to what you are trying to do, so I think continuity is the key."

2. With the changes of the makeup of the line in terms of starters, how much of an adjustment is that for the offense?

"That is going to be an adjustment on any football team. When I refer to continuity, I am talking about continuity of people who have been here. We are asking different guys to do different things, so there is going to be an adjustment period there, but are we fully confident that we will make the transition there."

3. What do you look for out of Aaron Brooks this season?


"I look for Aaron to take his game up one more level. He's improved every year and we look for him to keep improving. The bottom line and the measuring stick always for the quarterback is wins and losses and that directly equates to him running the offense. He has to run the offense at the highest rate of efficiency possible and everything else will take care of itself."

4. What would you like to see improve from last year's offense?

"Score more points."

5. What will people see different on offense?

"We're going to ask some people to do some different things. We are going to expand responsibilities of certain individuals. We have always been multiple formations with shift and motion according to what the game plan dictates. We are going to put our players in the best position to be successful."

 

[Paladin]

http://www.neworleanssaints.com/newsroomarticle.cfm?sectionbanner=img_header_news.jpg&articleid=798

5 Questions With: Mike Sheppard
By Chris Pika, July 26, 2004; 4:22 pm
NewOrleansSaints.com

Mike Sheppard will begin his third season with the Saints quarterbacks coach in 2004. He will enter training camp with three experienced quarterbacks, led by fourth-year starter Aaron Brooks.

This will be his 12th season as an NFL coach as he has previously worked with Cleveland (1993-95), Baltimore (1996), San Diego (1997-98), Seattle (1999-2000) and Buffalo (2001) before coming to New Orleans in 2002.

1. Entering training camp, how do you see your group of quarterbacks?

"Number one, they're all healthy and that's good. We're not fighting Aaron Brooks coming off shoulder surgery. Todd Bouman is in good shape and J.T. O'Sullivan has had the experience in NFL Europe and he gets a chance to come back and compete. He's better because he's had more experience. I think you are always better when you are pushing from the bottom. As the guys get better, they improve and they start to compete and that's healthy for everyone. Number two, I think everyone is plenty refreshed. Everybody should be ready to roll."

2. How has Aaron Brooks come along during the offseason and what do you like about him?

"The best improvement he's had is that the ball hasn't slipped out when he's gone to throw it. It's a mystery. You look at all of the reasons and break it down - not only on film, but on the TV copies - trying to see what the issues are. We've tried to make some corrections and work on ball protection every day. That's the best thing he's done and he's real conscientious about that. Even though he was the number one guy in the NFL last year for the fewest interceptions (eight), he is convinced he needs to do a better job hanging onto the ball. There are two things I like about him as coach. First, it's a shame that everyone doesn't know how good a person he is. Sometimes, people are from different backgrounds and have different personalities and they are in a situation where they don't really get a chance to be themselves and be seen as themselves. Aaron is a great person and it doesn't seem that everyone knows that. Skill-wise, the thing I like about him is that he is the most-coachable player I've ever worked with. If you ask him to do something on the field, he will try to do it on the very next play, all practice and all week long. After he does it, he will look back at me and ask, 'Is that what you are looking for?' He's remarkable that way."

3. What do you think about Todd Bouman and his skills?

"He is an outstanding athlete. When you can combine that with the demands of this position in this offense, you really have a chance to achieve some things. Todd just needs to play in it. What he lacks in experience, he gains a little more each day he's here and we're happy with his progress. The biggest thing for him is that he has a quite a bit of arm talent and there are times when he'll probably feel he can get throws in there like Brett (Favre), when sometimes he should have taken the easier answer and yet, we like that part of him, too. It's a fine line and it's one of those things that you don't want to keep a guy too confined either. Todd's done a nice job of doing things our way and taking advantage of his skills."


4. What did you see in J.T. O'Sullivan's season in NFL Europe with the Frankfurt Galaxy?

"What we did get a chance to see is that he played well. The best thing he does is making something positive out of a negative. He'll drop back, and if the thing isn't there, he'll move around a little bit which starts a whole new play for the defense. So, he's able to take one bad play that didn't turn out quite right and turn it into a positive. He didn't turn the ball over much and was a leader - which we knew. He also developed more by having a chance to play. We think he's better."

5. How is the cohesiveness of this group of quarterbacks?

"The quarterback meeting room has a premium placed on it by (offensive coordinator) Mike McCarthy. He does a great job with that and gives us the freedom to spend time down there and talk through any issue that comes up. It's an extremely comfortable group. We all have the ability to say anything in that environment and it's heard the right way and we have some great exchanges. Several times, we come back up to Mike with some thoughts about what we do and he listens. The number one thing about Mike McCarthy is that he listens well and he not only hears you but he tries to understand what you are saying. If you have a better way to do something or an idea on how to do something, he'll do it. He won't just say, 'All right, we'll try it' and never get to it. He'll try it and he'll do it and that gives importance and credence to the thoughts that come out of the quarterback room."

 

[Paladin]

http://www.nola.com/saints/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-11/1091956450106450.xml

Bouman unimpressive in Saints scrimmage
Performance belies QB's play in camp
Sunday, August 08, 2004
By Jeff Duncan
Staff writer

HAMMOND -- It might not have looked like it Saturday night, but backup quarterback Todd Bouman has been one of the most impressive Saints in the first week of training camp.

Bouman, who started in place of injured starter Aaron Brooks, struggled in the Black and Gold scrimmage. There's no other way to put it.

A crowd of 4,251 at SLU's Strawberry Stadium watched Bouman complete seven of 13 passes for 58 yards. Those were the positives. On the negative side, he was sacked three times and one of his passes was intercepted by Jay Bellamy, who returned the ball 45 yards. The play highlighted a strong performance by the defense in the 45-play scrimmage.

"It was average, just average," Bouman said of his performance. "Our defensive line has gotten a lot better. They played well."

Saints coach Jim Haslett was less diplomatic. "He didn't play very good," Haslett said.

Bouman could be forgiven. It was his first extended work with the first-team offense since a cameo appearance against the Indianapolis Colts early last season. Bouman flashed his potential on that day, completing five of eight passes for 62 yards, a touchdown and a 126 passer efficiency rating.

While filling in for Brooks in practice this week, Bouman impressed coaches and teammates with his athletic skills, powerful right arm and improved accuracy.

"The more reps you get, the more comfortable you get," Bouman said. "Being able to be out there with those guys (on the first team), everybody knows exactly what's going on. They've been in the offense for a long time. It makes your job that much easier."

With Brooks sidelined for six consecutive practices because of a thigh injury, Bouman has used the time to enhance his position and bolster the confidence of the coaching staff.

"Todd's is the complete package as an athlete," Saints offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy said. "His arm's big-time. He's just got to become more consistent."

Bouman said he is more comfortable in McCarthy's system. After a second offseason of work in the team's intensive quarterback school, Bouman has a solid grasp of the offense and can rely on his athletic ability and instincts to make plays. Last season he was thinking more than reacting.

"It's like night and day," he said. "I know where everybody's going to be. I get up to the line and I can just relax and play, as opposed to thinking about where everybody's going to go or where everybody's going to be."

Bouman's performance this offseason and in camp has justified the club's decision to award him a three-year, $3.8 million contract extension last November. If Brooks were to get injured, the team is confident Bouman can step in with little dropoff.

"He's done fine," Haslett said. "Todd has a great arm. He's a great athlete. He's in his second year with the offense, which helps."

Haslett raised eyebrows before training camp when he said the quarterback position was among the open competitions on the team. Asked this week if Bouman was pushing Brooks, Haslett did not deny it.

"Aaron's on the sideline right now," Haslett said. "I think that will be determined by what we see (in the scrimmage) and the first three or four preseason games."

For his part, Bouman said he's comfortable in his backup role. But he also relishes the chance to lead an offense on a full-time basis.

"That's what everybody wants," Bouman said. "As an athlete and a competitor, you want to play, no matter what. But I'm a team guy. Whatever they ask me to do, I just want to win games. I want to get into the playoffs and I want to win a Super Bowl -- period. That's what this game's about. You've just got to do what you can do to help the team win, no matter what that might be. A lot of times in this game there's not enough guys like that."

. . . . . . .


Jeff Duncan can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3405.

 

[Paladin]

skip halfway down and read about the new D-line coach...may give the Panthers some problems

http://www.nola.com/saints/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1091868922196870.xml

Coaching philosophies are praised
Assistants Pease, Robinson both have receptive audiences
Saturday, August 07, 2004
By Brian Allee-Walsh
Staff writer
Which offseason moves by Saints coach Jim Haslett are projected to have the most impact on his 2004 team?

-- A. The free-agent acquisitions of defensive tackle Brian Young and running back Aaron Stecker.

-- B. The hiring of defensive line coach John Pease and wide receivers coach Jimmy Robinson.

-- C. The drafting of defensive end Will Smith and middle linebacker Courtney Watson in the first and second round.

If you selected B, go to the head of the class.

"Nothing against the coaches that were here before (Sam Clancy and Hubbard Alexander) but getting Jimmy and John are the two best things we did in the offseason," Haslett said.

"Jimmy's an ex-player; that alone demands respect. He can give it from the heart. When he speaks these guys listen because they know he's been out there. John didn't play, but he's one of the best that I've seen. He works the players hard, but he loves them up, too. He loves being around them, on the field and in the classroom. He loves football. He's non-stop, 100 miles an hour all day. And I think that attitude rubs off on the players."

Arguably, the Saints' defensive line and wide receiver positions underachieved last season, prompting the firings of Clancy and Alexander and the hiring of Pease and Robinson.

Robinson inherits a receiving corps that features a mix of veterans and younger players who collectively came under fire after the team finished 8-8 in 2003.

"I think there's a lot of talent here," Robinson said. "We got to find a way to make the talent help us win because talent alone doesn't get it done. You can have all the talent in the world but if you don't have dedication, the work ethic and the right team chemistry then talent's not going to get you very far."

After a full offseason and one week into training camp, the players have welcomed Pease and Robinson with open arms and seem receptive to their no-nonsense approach and hands-on coaching style.

"Coach Rob is tidying up everything," wide receiver Donté Stallworth said. "He's a perfectionist. He strives for perfection every play. Nobody's perfect, but if you strive for perfection, that helps limit the things you're doing wrong."

Wide receiver Joe Horn, who publicly expressed support for Alexander and questioned his dismissal, seems to have accepted the change.

"Jimmy's brought a certain attitude here," Horn said. "He's bringing a new demeanor and discipline to the receivers. He's getting on us when it's needed. He's making sure things are getting done the way Jim Haslett wants them done. We all feel a sense of urgency around here.

"Haz wanted a change, so Jimmy's here. He has a family to feed, and I respect that. I have to listen to him as my coach. I don't want to rock the boat. I want to get back to the Pro Bowl status that I once had."

Second-year wide receiver Talman Gardner said he connected immediately with Robinson, whose coaching résumé includes stints with the New York Giants (1998 to 2003), Indianapolis Colts ('94 to '97) and Atlanta Falcons ('90 to '93).

"I've never had a hands-on coach like him in my whole sports career," Gardner said. "He gets into great detail. He's real demanding. He critiques everything we do. That's good for someone like me. I'm just 24, and I'm still learning the game. He has given me a greater appreciation for the game."

Pease, 60, is making his second stop in New Orleans. He served nine years ('86 to '94) under Saints coach Jim Mora and six more seasons ('95 to '01) with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

He inherits a run defense that finished 29th a year ago. The improvement begins up front.

"It's all about discipline and toughness," Pease said. "We need to be physical and tough against the run. We can change the technique a little bit. Instead of avoiding or running around blocks, we're stopping people at the line of scrimmage. And that's a real fight. It takes mean SOB's to stop the run.

"That's what Jim wants to do. Maybe that's another reason he brought me in because that's what I believe in. Stop the front guys, get off the blocks and tackle those running backs."

Players appear to be buying into Pease's energetic style and demand for detail.

"I think he runs on batteries because every time I see him he's moving fast somewhere," defensive lineman Willie Whitehead said. "I don't ever see him walking slow. He moves faster than some of the younger guys. His energy is really good for us."

"There's a lot more accountability now," defensive end Darren Howard said. "He coaches, teaches and disciplines all at the same time, so you can never tell one from the other. He's had a great impact on us. It's only been a short time but you can tell the difference."

Defensive end Charles Grant said Pease brings an "old school" approach to the job and plans to put the best players on the field, regardless where they were drafted or how much money they make.

"He's a fair guy," Grant said. "One of his rules is my time is my time and your time is your time. He doesn't want to cheat you out of your time because your time is valuable just like his time is valuable. You got to respect that.

"So far, he's doing an outstanding job as far as preparing us for the season and situations that we'll be put in. He's trying to make us the best d-line in the league. If we're not the hardest working d-line in the NFL, we got to be in the top two. Seriously. We're working twice as hard as we did last year. It should pay off."

. . . . . . .


Brian Allee-Walsh can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3805.

 

[Paladin]

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/7553398

Under-radar Saints have talent to surprise if they grow up
Aug. 5, 2004
By Pete Prisco
SportsLine.com Senior Writer


METAIRIE, La. -- As New Orleans Saints running back Dulymus McAllister -- yeah, you know him as Deuce -- sat at his locker, stripping away his pads after a hot, trying practice Tuesday, he fought to find the right words to describe the reason for the team's inconsistency the past few years.

He threw out a variety of reasons for the Saints seemingly schizophrenic ways, but the one he kept coming back to, the one many pundits say is the thing that has held this team back, is a maturity issue.

Youth in the NFL can be both good and bad. Young players are athletic and spry, but they also have a tendency to break down at key points, which is what McAllister said has happened to his team the past couple of seasons. They haven't yet learned how to win.

"It's time that this group puts that all behind us," said McAllister. "The core group has matured together. We've been here for three or four years. The only excuse we have now is if we have major, major injuries. Other than that, it's our time."

Since making the playoffs in 2000, the Saints have been a big tease. They've looked great one week, but awful the next. They've started well, but folded late, leading to talk they didn't have what it takes to be a playoff team.

They went 7-9 in 2001, 9-7 in 2002 and 8-8 last season. In those first two years, they folded up in the final four games, going a combined 1-7. Last season they opened 1-5 and then scrambled to get to .500.

It's that up-and-down ride that has many saying they have underachieved. The reality is that youth has kept this team down, and it's made it tough to get a read on the Saints, even heading into the 2004 season.

"It's because we've been so young," said Saints coach Jim Haslett. "That's not the case anymore. You're going to have growing pains when you have so many young players."

The offense appears ready to be one of the best in the league, and if some key defensive players step up, the Saints will make a strong push in the NFC South, perhaps even to the point where they can become the third consecutive team from that division to get to the Super Bowl. If Carolina can go from worst to first, why not consider the Saints this year?

Keep an eye on this team.

"As talented as we are this year, it's going to be hard for us not to get credit," said quarterback Aaron Brooks. "We have plenty of talent, especially on offense. This is our best group on offense."

It starts with McAllister.

Entering his fourth season, McAllister is a big, bruising runner at 230 pounds, but he also has the big-play speed. In an era when most consider Kansas City's Priest Holmes, Baltimore's Jamal Lewis, San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson or Washington's Clinton Portis the best backs in the league, McAllister quietly has put up some huge numbers.

McAllister rushed for 1,641 yards and had nine consecutive 100-yard games to earn his second consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl. He also became the first Saints player to get 2,000 yards from scrimmage when he totaled 2,157, putting to rest any reservations the Saints had about trading Ricky Williams -- if they had even a smidge of any.

Despite those impressive numbers, McAllister doesn't get his due. He is a rare breed, a load to tackle who can also rip off the long runs, tying for the league lead last year with 16 carries of 20 yards or longer.

Asked if he's the new breed of back, those powerful guys who still have the speed to take it 70 yards, McAllister laughed. "I hope not," he said. "If I am, there's going to be a lot of trouble for defensive teams."

Meaning: One of me is enough for them to handle.

McAllister was fourth in the league in rushing last season, and also caught 69 passes. He has three consecutive games where he had 190 yards or more of total offense, tying a league record.

So why is it that he isn't considered among the three or four best runners?

"It's playing in New Orleans," said Brooks. "There's no way a guy his caliber shouldn't be getting the props he deserves. He is driven. He wants to be great. There's something inside of him. I can't exactly say what it is, though. But it's there. Deuce is the quietest, humblest, most productive back I've seen."

It takes a lot to rile up McAllister, who is easy-going and quiet. But Brooks remembers a game against Baltimore two years ago that told him a lot about his running back.

The Ravens, with the fierce, hard-hitting Ray Lewis-led defense, got after McAllister a bit too much after one of his runs.

"Deuce came back and told me they had just woke up a sleeping giant," said Brooks. "That got him going."

McAllister finished with 127 yards and three touchdowns that day.

"I may not get the respect until after I'm retired," said McAllister. "They look at it and say, 'Deuce made the Hall of Fame, he made the Pro Bowl for eight years. He must have been a heck of a player.' But it really doesn't matter. I want to win a Super Bowl. That's my ultimate goal.

"I may not be known as the best back now, but in five or six years, people will know Deuce in that regard. I want to be a top five player every year. My goal is to get 15-20 MVP votes one or two years and then be able to win it."

To do that, the Saints have to win. Now. They know it. Haslett knows it. And their fans know it.

This is a big year for this team. If they don't make the playoffs, there's talk Haslett could be in trouble, although owner Tom Benson is firmly in his corner.

The players are well aware of what people are saying about their staff.

"I think the pressure is on the coaches," said Brooks. "As players we don't feel that. You can't put that type of pressure on yourself. We just have to go out and play."

Haslett isn't fazed about that pressure talk.

"I have too many other things to worry about," he said.

Offense shouldn't be one of them. This unit should be explosive with McAllister running and Brooks playing behind a deep, talented line throwing to an outstanding group of skill people. Receivers Joe Horn and Donte' Stallworth along with tight ends Boo Williams and Ernie Conwell give Brooks plenty of weapons.

Conwell, who played for the dynamic Rams' offenses when they went to two Super Bowls and won one, said this group has a chance to be that type of an offense. That's saying something.

Which means it's all on the defense. As a former NFL linebacker, Haslett has focused a lot of attention the past two years on improving that side of the ball. The front seven, led by a deep line, should be among the better groups in the league.

The main concern is in the secondary, especially on the corner. Fred Thomas is a quality player, but the other side is a question mark. The Saints have made strong overtures to trade for Green Bay corner Mike McKenzie, but the Packers have balked at their offer of a second-round pick. If the Saints toss in a player or two, the deal still might get done.

The Saints finished 18th in the league in defense last year, giving up 5.2 yards per play. If they can move into the top 10, and cut the yardage per play down to about 4.5, they have a chance to be a deep playoff team.

For now, they are flying under the radar. Most preseason prognosticators have them down near the bottom of the division. Haslett likes it that way. He doesn't want any unwanted attention -- for now.

"I know what we can do if we're hitting on all cylinders," he said. "But I like the fact that nobody is talking us up."

The players don't.

"It's hard to overcome the bad history of this team," said Brooks. "That's why we don't get any credit. People want to pick us apart just because we're the New Orleans Saints. As talented as we are, people still can't get past that we're the Saints, even though we've taken this franchise up a notch."

They aren't the Aints anymore, but until they make noise in the playoffs, they will always be viewed in a negative light.

McAllister is hell bent on changing that.

"We know to get the attention we have to win," said McAllister. "And now is the time. We have the talent, but not just talent wins games. We have to become a team. That's where we're at right now, growing together. We've all matured and we know what it takes. Now it's time to go out and do it."

 

[stratocatter]

Talk about your one stop shopping experience :applause:

I am as scared of them as TB or the Vicks. One of these days they're gonna put a DL together.
________
marijuana vaporizers

 

[Paladin]

http://www.nola.com/saints/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1092312094145830.xml

Lewis seeks return to long gains
N.O. plans to counter opponents, spring former Pro Bowler loose
Thursday, August 12, 2004
By Brian Allee-Walsh
Staff writer

Saints wide receiver Michael Lewis became one of the most feared NFL return specialists in 2002, establishing a league record for combined kick- and punt-return yardage.

Last season, opponents appeared to catch up with Lewis by playing their version of keep-away, kicking and punting the ball away from him.

Now, after an offseason of reflection and tweaking the playbook by Saints special teams coach Al Everest, Lewis said he plans to deliver again.

"Our opponents' game plan last season was to keep the ball out of my hands," Lewis said. "They did whatever they had to do to stop our return game. They kicked the ball away from us. They kicked it high, they squibbed it, they kicked it into the corner or to the sidelines, and they kicked it out of bounds.

"Their game plan was to stop us from having a great return. Their coaches get paid to keep the ball out my hands, and that's what they did last year."

By NFL standards, Lewis, 32, had solid statistics last season. He finished fifth in the NFC in kickoff returns (23.7 yards) and seventh in the NFC in punt returns (9.2 yards).

But those numbers didn't measure up to the 2002 season, when he went to the Pro Bowl after averaging 25.8 yards per kick return and 14.2 yards per punt return and setting an NFL record with 2,432 return yards.

Lewis returned two kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns in 2002.

"We had a bunch of changes in our coverages and protections last year, and that was big because it wasn't as clean as it was the year before," Saints coach Jim Haslett said. "Plus we made some personnel changes, and I don't think some of our new guys were as good as some of the guys they replaced.

"But teams just avoided kicking to us. Nobody would kick to him. They'd kick to a side, or angle the ball or squib it. Actually, it was smart by them."

Ankle and groin injuries hampered Lewis last season, but the opposition played a bigger role in stopping him. He returned 25 fewer kicks and 14 fewer punts. He also made 10 fair catches in 2003, compared to six in 2002.

"One of those first practices last year, Michael and Mel (Mitchell) ran head-on into each other and Michael hurt his neck," Everest said. "That set him back a little bit and it kind of made him realize that he's vulnerable just like anybody else.

"But we've adjusted our schemes to compensate for our opponents' speed, so we can get Michael the ball and get him started. We're going to challenge teams in all three areas of the field, inside and outside to both sidelines. That should help."

Haslett bolstered the return game with the signing of free-agent running back/kickoff returner Aaron Stecker from Tampa Bay and the drafting of former LSU wide receiver Devery Henderson.

Haslett plans to use Stecker and Lewis deep on kick returns. Henderson will get some work returning punts during the preseason, along with wide receiver Jerome Pathon.

Cornerback Keyuo Craver, who's sidelined with a sprained ankle, also can return punts and kicks.

"If they want to squib kick, that's fine, because we'll have two kick-return guys back there now," Haslett said. "We took Boo Williams off the front and put Mel Mitchell in. Plus we put two big linemen inside and put two tight ends outside. So if they squib it, we'll have guys out there now who can catch the ball. We'll take the ball at our 40 every time."

Said Lewis: "Having (Stecker) back there will help out because we've got two persons now. But I still think they're going to kick it high and real short and let their guys get downfield. I've just got to go out there and make it happen when I get the opportunity."

. . . . . . .


Brian Allee-Walsh can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3805.

 

[Paladin]

By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com

Barring a successful appeal, New Orleans Saints cornerback Keyuo Craver faces a season-long suspension for a repeat violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy.

It marks the second time in less than a week that a Saints player has been subject to league sanctions, with linebacker Sedrick Hodge suspended late last week for the first four games of this season because of a repeat substance abuse violation.

The third-year veteran was suspended four games in 2003 for a similar violation. This violation is believed to be his third. Craver cleaned out his locker at the Saints complex on Monday.

Craver, 24, will forfeit his entire $380,000 base salary for 2004 and must apply for reinstatement after meeting the NFL's conditions for his return. Craver has not appealed the season-long suspension and Tuesday is the deadline for doing so.

Citing the confidentiality element of the substance abuse program, league and Saints officials declined to comment specifically on Craver's latest misstep. But coach Jim Haslett stopped just short of confirming the suspension.

"I'm more disappointed in the person himself than for our football team," Haslett told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "We put a lot of trust as a football team in a guy like that, and it didn't work out."

Craver was the No. 5 cornerback on the depth chart but did not play in last Saturday's preseason game at Green Bay; Haslett conceded that the pending suspension was a factor in keeping Craver on the bench. Even though he was far down the depth chart, Craver still had a chance to make the team, given his potential and versatility.

The Saints still have four veteran corners -- starters Fred Thomas and Ashley Ambrose and backups Jason Craft and Fahkir Brown -- but don't really have one standout cover defender. New Orleans had discussed the availability of holdout Packers cornerback Mike McKenzie, but a trade is not imminent.

A fourth-round pick in the 2002 draft out of Nebraska, Craver appeared in 22 games with one start over his first two seasons. He had 19 tackles, three passes defensed and a fumble recovery. Craver also returned five kickoffs for a 25.6-yard average and averaged 11.1 yards on three punt returns.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.