There is no question that the Saints have one of the most dangerous Os in the league. Their win/loss record will depend most on how well they can stop the other team from doing the same thing.

Drew Brees is the #2 QB in most Fantasy Drafts this year for good reason. In the last 3 seasons he has thrown 26, 28 and 34 TDs. The only comment that some QB gurus make is that he is too short at a little under 6 feet to see over the O linemen. Let’s be honest. When you have 5 guys that are between 6-8 and 6-5 in front of you, you have to be 8 feet tall to see over them. Every QB needs to look in between his linemen to find his target. Brees has it all—leadership, arm, accuracy, ability to read coverage, ability to move in the pocket and rush awareness. His backup is Mark Brunell. Mark has to use Grecian Formula 88 to keep his hair brown because Grecian Formula 44 wasn’t strong enough. He is 39 but is a reasonable backup. Joey Harrington joins Brunell on the bench.

The Saints running game is a little up in the air. If you look at all the preseason books, they show Reggie Bush as the starter. He may but his has never in his college or professional career been “the” guy. Even sharing the position with a number of other Saints, he has not been healthy for an entire season over the last 2 years. He is a talent and has speed and elusiveness. But he is not built to handle 25 carries a game for 16 games plus playoffs.

My Fantasy tip of the year—get Pierre Thomas as your 2^nd or 3^rd RB. He averages 4.8 yards per carry and scored 12 TDs last year (9 rushing). The duo is solid and should make it difficult for defenses trying to defend the pass. The FB is Heath Evans, an excellent blocker and receiver out of the backfield.

The receiver corps is a 3 headed monster. Marques Colston, Devery Henderson and Lance Moore are as good as any 3 in the NFC. Colston was out for 5 games but the O never seemed to slow down. There may be another head added to the group because Robert Meachem is getting better and is a solid threat. The TE are Jeremy Shockey, Billy Miller, and Darnell Dinkins all of whom have been starters. Shockey was a disappoint primarily due to injuries. He still caught 50 balls.

One of the goals on the O line last year was to get bigger and tougher. Ts Jammal Brown and Jon Stinchcomb were the only guys to survive the change. The team added 2 rookie guards Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans and both were OK. Jonathan Goodwin stepped in at C. The entire group is back with Brown as the best of the line. G/C Jamar Nesbit, T Zach Strief and C Nick Leckey provide veteran depth.

If the O is the good and the D is the bad then the D line is the ugly. Both DEs Charles Grant and Will Smith had injuries last season and have been suspended for the first 4 games for substance violations. Bobby McCray, Paul Spicer and E Anthony Hargrove will battle to start in their place. Spicer and Hargrove were UFA additions and have look very good in camp and in the first preseason game. DTs Sedrick Ellis and Kendrick Clancy were OK. Ellis started as a rookie.

The team traded for MLB Jonathan Vilma and he solidified the middle of the D. It’s a good thing because backup MLB Mark Simoneau was put on the IR with a torn tricep. SLB Scott Fujita and WLB Scott Shanle are projected to start but may be challenged. UFA and former all pro Derick Brooks was signed to bolster the LBs. He provides leadership and is particularly good at pass coverage.

The D backfield last year was a major problem. The team brought in vet CB Jabari Greer and drafted rookie Malcolm Jenkins from Ohio State. They will challenge expected starters Randall Gay and Tracy Porter. UFA FS Darren Sharper brings leadership and joins SS Roman Harper to solidify the last line of defense. The group should be better with the additions. Vet S Pierson Prioleau was signed as a solid backup and former starter Jason David is expected to be the 5^th DB or be cut due to his salary.

OVERALL: The Saints are great on O but improving on D. They will challenge the Falcons for the NFC South title. The winner will be whichever D plays the best. Bet on the Falcons with the Saints a possible wild card team.

That’s what I think. Tell me what you think.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He is a senior writer for http://NFLDraftDog.com and edits http://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels on http://www.eBooks-Library/Contemporary/Author.cfm?AuthorID=1003 and edits http://fryingpanpolitics.blog.com.

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Cambell will start but his feelings have been hurt—again. Campbell has struggled in the second halfs of seasons. The Redskins were 6-2 at the half pole but fell off the cliff and out of the playoffs in the second half. Part of Cambell’s problems were due to the injury to RB Clinton Portis and the failure of the running game to keep up the pace. Injuries in the O line caused more pressure and fewer accurate passes. Coach Jim Zorn tried to get several QBs via trade but failed. Unlike the Denver situation, Cambell took it like a man and settles in again under center.

Campbell has talent and a great arm but has had very inconsistent mechanics. Under pressure he tends to forget his mechanics and fall back to old habits. It is impossible to be a consistent passer with bad mechanics. But until they find someone else, he’s the guy. As insurance the team has vet Todd Collins in reserve. Collins is 36 and is past the point where he can be a full time starter. Run and shoot QBs Colt Brennan and URFA Chase Daniel are also in the mix.

Portis had more injuries than the Republican Guard in 08. He was leading the league at the 8 game mark with over 900 yards and then suffered hip, knee, neck and back. He struggled to a little over 500 yards in the second half of the season. He is not 100 percent yet and will be used very sparingly in preseason. Ladell Betts backs up Portis and is very solid. FB Mike Sellers didn’t have his usually solid season last year despite being elected to the pro bowl.

As Campbell lost accuracy, the WRs lost catches. Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El are one of the better combos in the league. Both started out hot and cooled as more throws hit the ground. Moss has lost a half step and is 30 this year. Randle El is the underneath guy and one of the most physical receivers in the league. He an excellent down field blocker. There are no long runs without the WRs and TEs making blocks down field. The team wants youngsters Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly to develop to provide another deep threat. They will compete for the 3^rd WR spot left open by free agency. The TE is 2 time pro bowl Chris Cooley. He is consistent and Campbell’s relief valve.

The O line that has gotten so much praise got old all of a sudden. Long time RT Jon Jansen and G Pete Kendall are gone. Derrick Dockery replaces the latter and Stephon Heyer or vet Mike Williams will play RT. Chris Samuels started strong but wore down. He is nearing the end of the road. C Casey Rabach and RG Randy Thomas have to play the way they did in the first few games before they too were nicked up. Overall the O line has to improve to get the O back on track.

The Redskins D quietly ranked in the top 10 overall last year. The D is a fantasy football favorite. Now they have added the $100 million dollar man in DT Albert Haynesworth from the Titans. He joins a very deep and talented but aging group in starters E Phillip Daniels, DT Cornelius Griffin and E Andre Carter. The bench includes former starters T Kedric Golston, T Anthony Montgomery, DE Renaldo Wynn and the versatile T/E Lorenzo Alexander. IF this group stays healthy the D line is outstanding. But Haynesworth came in limping and Daniels is coming off a knee injury that kept him out almost all of 08.

1^st round pick Brian Orakpo was handed the SLB spot day 1. He is converting from DE at Texas. He joins the undersized and overachieving MB London Fletcher and WLB Rocky McIntosh. Fletcher was snubbed last year but played at an all pro level. McIntosh is solid. The bench includes SLB insurance H.B. Blades, Alfred Fincher, Chris Wilson, and former 1^st round bust Robert Thomas. Blades is fine but the rest are suspect.

LCB Carlos Rogers, RCB DeAngelo Hall and FS LaRon Landry are young and talented. Landry is coming on strong but needs to finish more plays by improving his ball skills. Hall has to overcome inconsistency. SS Chris Horton has to avoid a sophomore slump. The 7^th round pick was a standout in training camp last year and played well. CB Fred Smoot, S Reed Doughty, S Kareem Moore, CB Justin Tryon and CB Kevin Barnes are the backups now but Smoot is in danger of being cut.

OVERALL: The Redskins were great in the first half of last year. Despite getting Haynesworth, they are not Super Bowl threats. They don’t have enough passing to prevent teams putting 47 guys in the box to stop Portis. The team will go as far as Campbell takes them. That may be to the playoffs but won’t be much farther.

That’s what I think. Tell me what you think.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He is a senior writer for http://NFLDraftDog.com and edits http://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels on http://www.eBooks-Library/Contemporary/Author.cfm?AuthorID=1003 and edits http://fryingpanpolitics.blog.com.

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