Imperfect611
Starter
Saints over the Jets, 35 - 21, in a very comfortable win for New Orleans. Bryce Petty led the offense on many steady drives down the field and kept the scoring consistent. Petty sported a 144.7 QB rating with 303 yards and 3 TDs. Below are the major notes from the game.
Bryce Petty:
Well everyone knew about this kids arm, but nobody expected him to play like this. He made great decisions all day and put his team in positions to win the game. There really isn't too much to say about Petty this game except for the worry of his ability to preform under pressure. 3rd down was not a friend to NO and he can't have 137 rushing yards from the backfield to help him every game. For now Petty has done well, but lets wait for a verdict on this man until the game is in his hands.
The Running Game:
The Jets were unable to predict which direction the running game was coming from this week. Not only was Marky Mark impossible to bring down, the Turbinator showed great skill as a change of pace back. Cooks also picked up a nice End Around play for 10 yards forcing the Jets to respect the edge even more and letting Ingram free to pound the middle. If the offensive line can handle the Jets line this well the NFC South should be worried when divisional play starts.
Receivers:
Eight different people caught passes today which is a good sign for the Saints, but Cooks stood out as the major threat this week. For now we are assuming that Floyd was showing the standard symptoms of being stuck on Revis Island, but Cooks will be someone to keep and eye on. Coach Fisher said "If he could just fix his release of the line, he would be an elite receiver." Well it may only be week one, but 101 yard 2 TD game seems pretty elite. Flying under the radar with the most receptions this week was Scott Bennett. Mark Ingram described him as "quiet, but a true workhorse." Who wouldn't want a TE who was willing to block, catch, or run the ball (he has been getting reps at FB).
Byrd is the Word:
Second in total tackles, a forced fumble, an interception, and defensive captain what else can you ask for from this man. Nobody is safe around the Byrd. The Saints have said they want they players to be a part of every play possible on defense and that nobody takes a day off. Well if they needed anyone to lead by example Byrd is proving he is still the man.
A Fallen Ally:
Nobody likes to see injuries, but after locking down his man for a whole quarter and diving to swat a first down out of the air, Mathieu landed badly on his shoulder and suffered a broken collarbone. Eight weeks is the current expectation for return and after all the pre season stories about his transition to CB, it is sad to see him out for half a season. Alford stepped in during the game to fill his place.
New Blood:
Dak Ward led the team in total tackles. He is looking more and more like he is the real deal and seems to want to make a run at DROY. It seems like it is going to be hard to run against the Saints all year with this guy behind the big men. Short of a 30 yard run the Jets running game was dead in the water. Robert Alford showed that he is not just a threat in coverage, but he racked up 2 sacks. Now the Saints need him to fill the shoes of the Honey Badger for a while, but he seems up to the challenge. We will have to see if they decide he is the man for the job or not in the upcoming weeks.
Other Notables:
Hau'oli Kikaha held the edge all day and funneled every outside run play right into the waiting arms of Kavell Conner and Dak Ward. He also clocked in a sack this week. Joseph picked up an interception and showed he still has some gas left in his tank.
Bryce Petty:
Well everyone knew about this kids arm, but nobody expected him to play like this. He made great decisions all day and put his team in positions to win the game. There really isn't too much to say about Petty this game except for the worry of his ability to preform under pressure. 3rd down was not a friend to NO and he can't have 137 rushing yards from the backfield to help him every game. For now Petty has done well, but lets wait for a verdict on this man until the game is in his hands.
The Running Game:
The Jets were unable to predict which direction the running game was coming from this week. Not only was Marky Mark impossible to bring down, the Turbinator showed great skill as a change of pace back. Cooks also picked up a nice End Around play for 10 yards forcing the Jets to respect the edge even more and letting Ingram free to pound the middle. If the offensive line can handle the Jets line this well the NFC South should be worried when divisional play starts.
Receivers:
Eight different people caught passes today which is a good sign for the Saints, but Cooks stood out as the major threat this week. For now we are assuming that Floyd was showing the standard symptoms of being stuck on Revis Island, but Cooks will be someone to keep and eye on. Coach Fisher said "If he could just fix his release of the line, he would be an elite receiver." Well it may only be week one, but 101 yard 2 TD game seems pretty elite. Flying under the radar with the most receptions this week was Scott Bennett. Mark Ingram described him as "quiet, but a true workhorse." Who wouldn't want a TE who was willing to block, catch, or run the ball (he has been getting reps at FB).
Byrd is the Word:
Second in total tackles, a forced fumble, an interception, and defensive captain what else can you ask for from this man. Nobody is safe around the Byrd. The Saints have said they want they players to be a part of every play possible on defense and that nobody takes a day off. Well if they needed anyone to lead by example Byrd is proving he is still the man.
A Fallen Ally:
Nobody likes to see injuries, but after locking down his man for a whole quarter and diving to swat a first down out of the air, Mathieu landed badly on his shoulder and suffered a broken collarbone. Eight weeks is the current expectation for return and after all the pre season stories about his transition to CB, it is sad to see him out for half a season. Alford stepped in during the game to fill his place.
New Blood:
Dak Ward led the team in total tackles. He is looking more and more like he is the real deal and seems to want to make a run at DROY. It seems like it is going to be hard to run against the Saints all year with this guy behind the big men. Short of a 30 yard run the Jets running game was dead in the water. Robert Alford showed that he is not just a threat in coverage, but he racked up 2 sacks. Now the Saints need him to fill the shoes of the Honey Badger for a while, but he seems up to the challenge. We will have to see if they decide he is the man for the job or not in the upcoming weeks.
Other Notables:
Hau'oli Kikaha held the edge all day and funneled every outside run play right into the waiting arms of Kavell Conner and Dak Ward. He also clocked in a sack this week. Joseph picked up an interception and showed he still has some gas left in his tank.
