Silver and Black Report

The Oakland Raiders booted JaMarcus Russell off the club and now, the hefty passer will realize how hard it will be to get a new lease on life in the National Football League.

Russell cleared waivers; not surprising considering that any team claiming him would inherit his $9.45 million salary. Oakland had already paid him over $39 million over the course of three disappointing seasons, but the 24-year old will now have to work extremely hard to rehabilitate his image.

The Buffalo Bills could be a destination for the former LSU star. Buffalo is starving to get a starting caliber signal caller, featuring a mix on that unit that is uninspiring.

Brian Brohm, Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick are battling for the top spot. The offense has been horrific in seven years, finishing 25th or worst in the NFL in yards gained during that span. At least five quarterbacks have started eight games or more, including Drew Bledsoe, J.P. Losman and Kelly Holcomb.

Ironically, Buffalo was rumored to acquire Jason Campbell from the Washington Redskins prior to the Raiders landing his services.

The New Orleans Saints have already nixed the notion of bringing in Russell.

“I don’t think [we'd consider signing him] right now, with where we’re at,” Saints head coach Sean Payton said.  “I’m sure he’s going to look for that other opportunity and our league usually provides that. Certainly, any time the first pick of the draft after three years is released, it’s newsworthy, and that next opportunity for him is going to be important.

“Outside of that, I really haven’t had a chance to study him a lot.”

According to CBS Sports’ web site, the Indianapolis Colts could be a landing spot. The Colts have not commented on their interest and that speculation at this point could be far fetched considering the environment Russell would be stepping into.

Peyton Manning is the anti-Russell and the expectations of offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen and senior assistant Tom Moore could be insurmountable for a passer that has very poor work habits and what appears to be a limited football capacity as evidenced by his inability to handle simpler schemes while in Oakland.

Russell is in limbo right now. And if he wants any life in the NFL; he’ll have to work harder than he ever has to gain the confidence of an organization and earn a roster spot based on effort, production and accountability needed to be a solid contributor at any capacity.

But with a bank account that is healthier than when he was a prospect in high school or college, and perceptions around the league that are not to complimentary, Russell will have very few shots to polish that image and will have to locate a newfound desire to be a pro.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Drew Brees versus Peyton Manning. Two great offenses dueling for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. One quarterback looking for immortality, the other looking to bring joy to an organization that has seen some horrid days. Super Bowl XLIV is sure to provide a lot of excitement.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

On Offense:

Sean Payton has had enough time to conjure up a game plan to counter what the Colts have been able to do on defense in these playoffs.

Brees has to be on his game, spreading the ball out via the pass to his receivers, tight ends and running backs in order to sustain drives and ultimately, put up touchdowns.

Since the Colts are speedy along their front-seven, the Saints should go try establish their presence along the trenches with their rush attack. Pierre Thomas and a Reggie Bush – who has gained life running harder in the playoffs – could have success bolting pass Colts’ defenders if the offensive line can assert themselves.

What to Expect:

Ultimately, its about how Brees can dissect Indianapolis’ secondary and whether or not Marques Colston, Devery Henderson or Jeremy Shockey can keep Larry Coyer’s defense off-balance. The Saints are too good not to rack up yards, but can it lead to touchdowns?

On Defense:

Gregg Williams’ defense will be under the gun this Sunday. Their main objective will be to rattle Manning, get into the pocket consistently and derail any chances of the great passer to getting in any rhythm with his targets.

The Saints have not been good on this side of the ball for a while and surrendered nearly 500-yards of total offense to the Vikings in the NFC Championship game.

Will Smith, Charles Grant and the rest of the front four needs to put the heat on Manning. If they blitz ineffectively, they’ll be picked apart quickly by an offense that looks to take big chunks of the field when defenses send an extra defender.

What to Expect:

The Saints may be able to surprise Manning early in the contest. But will they be able to diversify their attack enough to stay ahead of the keen passer? Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter will be unsung heroes if they can ground the aerial attack and slow down the Colts passing game.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

On Offense:

The Colts have not had much of a ground game, but when Manning is leading your offense and Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie and Dallas Clark are playing at a high level, that’s enough to get you into a Super Bowl and win one against a defense that has not shown the ability to slow down opponents.

Joseph Addai could have an awakening on Sunday, especially out of the backfield where he is adept at making big plays as a pass catcher.

What to Expect:

Manning short, Manning deep. It’s either going to be a slow death, or an aerial display depending on how the Saints decide to attack. The Hall of Fame passer has enough patience and adaptability to manage his offense and then take advantage of any mistakes the Saints may make. If he’s beat up and made to move in the pocket, the Colts will struggle on offense.

On Defense:

Dwight Freeney’s status is vital. His ankle is ‘sore’ per the speedy defensive end, and if he can play and provide a little bit of a spark, that may be enough to give his defensive mates a boost.

Raheem Brock is a capable replacement if Freeney not able to get his full compliment of reps. “He’s very versatile,” Coyer said of the 6-4, 275-pound Brock. “He can stand up and play. He can get down [on the ground] and play. He’s got some traits.”

What to Expect:

The speedy front-seven of the Colts will be capable of corralling Bush’s ability to cutback and his prowess to get to the edges. But they could be susceptible to a power attack if the Saints just line up and run the ball up the gut with Thomas. If Freeney does not play, it will make Brees a happier passer and give him some more time to hit his receivers on longer routes.

GAME NOTES

• Both teams have split their 10 all-time meetings.
• Carrie Underwood will sign the National Anthem, while Queen Latifah will perform “America the Beautiful.”
• Brees was named Fed Ex Air NFL Player of the Year.
• Former Colts head coach Tony Dungy stated he, “would be absolutely shocked,” if the Colts lost.

KEY MATCH-UPS

Manning vs. Williams

Can the Saints defensive coordinator keep the quarterback guessing enough? If so, we’ll have an exciting Super Bowl.

Saints Marching?

The Saints need to control the game on the ground and keep the Colts offense on the sideline. If they can establish a ground attack and put up touchdowns at the end of drives, the upset will be accomplished.

PREDICTION

Colts 41 – Saints 27

MVP: Manning

GAME INFO

New Orleans Saints – NFC Champion – 13-3 regular season

Indianapolis Colts  - AFC Champion – 14-2 regular season

Site: Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida

When: February 7, 2010 Time: 6:25 pm ET

One more win – that’s all he needs.

An Indianapolis Colts victory march next weekend versus the New Orleans Saints will place Peyton Manning at the threshold of immortality.

There is no denying his excellence as a leader, a stellar passer and his jaw dropping efficiency during the regular season. But the post-season is where greatness is achieved.

Joe Montana catapulted atop of the list of the game’s elite signal callers on the strength of four Super Bowl victories. Johnny Unitas, the consensus standard in which all quarterbacks are judged by, orchestrated the Baltimore Colts offense from 1956-1972 and won two NFL World Championship and a Super Bowl crown in 1970.

Manning is one more step away from joining that group and in my opinion, putting a lot of distance between himself and the likes John Elway, Tom Brady, Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Brett Favre, Dan Marino or any other passer you want to throw into the mix.

As it stands right now, you can make the case that Manning is head and shoulders above many of those guys. But a win will undoubtedly cement that.

His resume is of historic proportions.

Manning is a four-time NFL Most Valuable Player, a 10-time Pro Bowl selection, 5-time first-team All-Pro, 3-time second team All-Pro and the Colts all-time leader in career wins, passing touchdowns, pass attempts and completions, and passing yards.

But more notable than all those iconic marks, is the consistency he has played with throughout his career.

Manning entered the league in 1998 and endured a 3-13 campaign as a rookie. Since, the Colts have won 128 games while he has been under center, with only one losing season (6-10 in 2001). Indianapolis has notched at least ten wins in 10 of his 12 campaigns since taking him with the first pick of the 1998 draft, recording 14 victories twice (2009 and 2005) and at least 12 wins in seven of those years.

He’s been in the playoffs on 10 occasions and in Super Bowl XLI against the Chicago Bears; Manning got his first ring and a Super Bowl MVP.

This Sunday, I believe he’ll get his second.

And for the passer that started since entering the league out of Tennessee, and every game since (192 in the regular season, 17 in the playoffs), aiming for Favre’s NFL marks for yards, touchdowns, completions and attempts is well within reach.

Manning has never had any major injuries, the Colts offensive line rarely allows him to get hit and his masterful way of playing quarterback and toying with defenses keeps his jersey clean year in and year out.

So no one is going to lose money predicting 5-to-6 more years of epic excellence. Especially when he averages almost 4,200 yards passing and 30 touchdowns a season.

Manning will have all the major statistical records if he plays long enough. I think he’ll have his second Super Bowl ring next Sunday night.

And when its all said and done, he’ll have his place as one of the three greatest quarterbacks in league history and be one the greatest players to ever don football pads.

That cheese is going down nicely this morning in Green Bay.

The New Orleans Saints ousted Brett Favre – who spent a year in New York Jet green before landing where he always wanted to go – when his Minnesota Vikings lost in overtime 31-28.

His last pass as a Packer, a crippling interception to Corey Webster in overtime, that propelled the New York Giants into the Super Bowl and a historic finish to their campaign.

His closing act as a Jet was a three-interception performance against the Dolphins.

“The hardest part is the finality of it,” Favre said after that game, “especially when you expect to go on.”

He didn’t go on to the playoffs after an 8-3 start in New York, but he did move on to Minnesota.

And with Packer fans dreading his arrival to the hated foe, and the Vikings making a push to a Super Bowl, Green Bay couldn’t have been happy to see Favre with the ball with two minutes left in New Orleans with a chance to fulfill his dream.

A Super Bowl was within reach. A chance at adding to his legacy was a few yards away. But Favre’s one-way destination was undone again by…

Well, Brett Favre.

His last pass as a Viking could be that interception he lofted into the hands of Tracy Porter.

The gunslinger that played recklessly throughout his career just crashed Minnesota’s dream of a Super Bowl into the ground.

Instead of just running toward the sidelines and picking up a few more yards for a game winning field goal attempt, the football God’s righted everything.

Favre’s offense never got to see the football field again.

A fitting sight for Packer fans that were left yearning another Super Bowl appearance a few years back when Favre tossed away their dreams and then held the organization hostage as he did many off-seasons.

He eventually got what he wanted. Favre got to the Vikings.

It took a short disingenuous stint in New York for it to happen, but he got his way.

Yesterday, Packer fans got their way.

“The year could not have gone any better, aside from us not going to Miami,” Favre said last night.

In Green Bay, even though their team team suffered a bitter playoff defeat, their year could not have gone any better after seeing Favre fizzle and being sent home with no shot at adding to his ring total.

QUARTERBACK: C -

Again, JaMarcus Russell’s statistics don’t tell the entire story of what occurred during the game. He ended 12-of-18 for 153 yards, but he did not lead the team to any points and the offense was stagnant the entire first half. In the first half, the offense tallied only 60-yards of offense and three first downs. On the game’s first play, Russell connected on a slant with his prized rookie and then he followed that with a composed play-fake and pass to his favorite target for 35-yards. On the second drive, his pass on 3^rd and 7 was floated down the sideline to Darrius Heyward-Bey and should have been intercepted. Russell was accurate today for the most part, as displayed on a 3^rd and 7 in the 2^nd quarter when he found Louis Murphy for first down yardage, but the target was not able to make the catch. Russell was a victim of his un-proven wide-outs. But ultimately, he has to put points on the scoreboard and help his teammates get better with his elevated play. On another 3^rd and 7, he had an open Johnnie Lee Higgins, but he put too many RPMs on the short toss that was not handled due to the lack of touch. Jeff Garcia ended 9-of15 for 111 yards and a touchdown. On his scoring pass, he had defenders coming at him, as he let go a strong throw towards the sideline.

RUNNING BACK: C -

Justin Fargas did not play and was out. Michael Bush got the start, but was non-factor with three touches total for 9-yards. Darren McFadden continues to prove that he is the most dynamic presence on the team. Upon entering the game, the speedy rusher jolted through the Saints defense for a big gain that was ultimately negated due to a flag. His three official carries were un-eventful, and he had a fumble that was recovered and returned deep into Raider territory. Oren O’Neal looks slow to holes and at times is a hindrance to the runners who are trying to get up the field. Gary Russell ran for 42-yards and contributed on special teams.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: D+

Zach Miller had a game of ups and downs. He recorded 5 receptions for 74 yards, but his blocking was not up to par today and his hold infraction negated a big gain by McFadden. Louis Murphy (3 rec. 84 yards) had a drop and was stripped on a big gainer after making a nice catch in the 3^rd quarter. The rookie out of Florida also had an up and down game, looking uneasy at times and very skillful other times. Darrius Heyward-Bey worked on his shorter routes today, hauling in a slant on the game’s first play for 12-yards. The CB defending him on another slant almost jumped the route for an interception. Jonathan Holland’s 43-yard touchdown reception and run was the best play of the night. Higgins dropped a possible big gainer in the 3rd quarter.

OFFENSIVE LINE: D -

Again, they were not able to pave lanes for the first team rushers and were slow at the point of attack. Oakland ran for 1-yard in the 1^st half. The pass blocking took a step back today, as Russell and Garcia had defenders around them and had to move in the pocket often. Robert Gallery was infracted for a hold at the end of the half; a few plays later, Russell was sacked. Cornell Green was up and down and Samson Satele does not appear to get any push in the interior. On Garcia’s touchdown pass, the pressure was coming.

DEFENSIVE LINE: F

William Joseph and Gerard Warren are one of the few players that can boast about having a solid play here and there at defensive tackle. The best player along the interior today was Desmond Bryant. He got penetration and was disruptive on a few plays; recording a sack and helping on a couple of runs that tallied little yardage. Trevor Scott brought the heat at the end of the 1^st half; forcing Mark Brunell to throw away a pass out of the end zone and then facilitating a turnover on the ensuing play with his closing speed toward the passer.

LINEBACKERS: C -

This unit struggled in space all day. Ricky Brown had a couple of stops that were note-worthy. But overall, Thomas Howard and Sam Williams were not effective. Jon Alston continues to cruise on easy street, not making any stellar plays and looking more and more like a back-up or one-dimensional special teamer. Brown and Howard are one of the few players on this side of the ball that play with fire.

SECONDARY: F

Toyed by Drew Brees all day, the defensive backs and safeties were horrendous today. Hiram Eugene missed various tackles that sprung New Orleans’ rushers for substantial gains. He also was victimized on deeper routes and useless in coverage. The interception he recorded was forced by the pass rush and right into his hands. Stanford Routt missed a tackle that sprung Robert Meachem for a 71-yard gain and his coverage was abysmal was flagged twice while trying to cover Lance Moore. Chris Johnson allowed free-releases all day and was soft against the Saints’ receivers. He showed hustle and used his world-class speed chasing down Meachem on Routt’s missed tackle. Overall, the secondary missed too many tackles and blew too many assignments against a team who is a machine on offense. Michael Hawkins delivered a nice hit in the 4^th quarter.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B

Gary Russell, Jon Condo and David Nixon had a few nice tackles on punt coverage. Nick Miller recorded 105 yards on punt and kickoff yards, but does not appear to be a threat to Justin Miller. Ricky Schmitt looks to be a solid punter, but with Shane Lechler on the roster, and the Raiders hoping to have the all-pro ready for the opener, the rookie from Sheperd could be attracting suitors elsewhere.

COACHING: D-

Tom Cable’s team looked over-matched all day. Just like they did in the regular season meeting last year in New Orleans. The defense took a step backward on all facets and the offense also regressed. At home, you expect the Raiders to give a better effort. John Marshall’s unit could be kept off-balance all season if they continue to have issues stopping the run. The back-end of the secondary is lacking talent and has young players that are inexperienced.

NOTES:

• TOTAL YARDS: New Orleans 536 Oakland 316
• PASSING YARDS: New Orleans 304 Oakland 264
• RUSHING YARDS: New Orleans 232 Oakland 52
• Time of Possession: New Orleans 39:27 Oakland 20:33
• 1st downs: New Orleans 31 Oakland 9
• 3^rd down Conversions: New Orleans 8-16 Oakland 1-10

On 2^nd and 3, the opening play of the 2^nd quarter was a run by Lynell Hamilton for 3 yards. Drew Brees then continued to dissect the Raiders’ secondary with a quick slant to Marques Colston for 15-yards. Brees then hits Lance Moore after a great ball fake for a 5-yard touchdown. The 11-play for 78 yards drive gave the Saints a dominating 21-0 lead. The Raider secondary is non-existent. There has been no pressure applied to Brees, as the Saints have changed the pace of the game going no-huddle and kept the Oakland defense off-balance with their mix of run and pass.

Nick Miller handles the ensuing kickoff to the 23-yard line. Up to this point, the Oakland offense has only ran six plays. Darren McFadden’s first carry of the game on the next play goes for 29-yards, but a holding penalty on Zach Miller negates the huge gainer. McFadden hauls in a dump off on the next play for 4-yards. Javon Walker enters the game for the first time, but Russell hits Miller on a 6-yard route towards the sideline. Russell on 3^rd and 7 hits Louis Murphy on a short crossing pattern, but the rookie could not handle the football as he juggled it attempting to secure it and making a move up the field.

Prior to the punt, Sam Williams was flagged on a false start. Ricky Schmitt punted and Gary Russell darted down the field for the nice tackle.

Mark Brunell enters the game and hands-off to Hamilton, as he gains three-yards running towards the right side. Brunell rolls out on the next play and throws incomplete to Robert Meachem. They tried to set-up a screen on the next, which fell incomplete, but Jay Richardson was there to stuff the play if it was completed.

Johnnie Lee Higgins fielded a 32-yard punt at the OAK 27-yard line.

McFadden on the draw runs hard for 3-yards right into linebacker Jonathan Vilma. Russell on the next play rolls away from the pressure on his backside and throws a wobbly pass to Louis Murphy, but the rookie had troubles securing the pass, as it was called an incomplete pass by the referees. On 3^rd and 7, Russell throws a bullet to Higgins on a quick out pattern that would have been a first down. Russell’s strong arm needed to be restrained on that short toss.

Linebacker David Nixon made a nice stop on punt coverage.

Brunell goes deep on the ensuing play to Meachem, but the pass errant and Stanford Routt was in coverage. The quarterback then steps into the pocket on the following play and hits Hamilton for 9-yards. Hamilton then darts across the gaping hole in the line of scrimmage and makes safety Hiram Eugene miss on the 19-yard run. Brunell then goes deep again, this time to Lance Moore, who almost makes the catch, but Stanford Routt was called for the pass interference (31-yards on the infraction). A few plays later, Routt gets flagged again giving the Saints an automatic 1^st down at the OAK 7-yard line. The run defense finally shows life near the goal line, as Ricky Brown and Desmond Bryant built a wall versus Hamilton. Jamar Nesbit was flagged for a hold on Gerard Warren on the next play, and the Saints faced a 3^rd and goal at the 16-yard line. Brunell connects on a touchdown pass, but for the second straight play a score was negated due to a flag. Now New Orleans faced a 3^rd and goal at the 22-yard line. Brunell hits Billy Miller, near the goal line, but the Saints shoot themselves in the foot again with another penalty. Now facing a 3^rd and goal from the 27-yard line, a hand-off to Hamilton goes for minimal yards, as Tommy Kelly and Ricky Brown were there for the stop.

John Carney nails a 35-yard field goal to extend the Saints’ lead to 24-0.

Russell from the shotgun dumps a short pass on the flat to McFadden, and the running back weaved for 11-yards. McFadden on the following play fumbles on the sweep and the Saints recovered the loose football and returned it near the Oakland goal line. Oren O’Neal was slow to get to the defenders and McFadden was mobbed behind the line of scrimmage as he ran towards the left side. Tom Cable challenges the fumble call on the field, but the play was not overruled.

The Saints took over at the 6-yard line with 4:22 remaining in the half. Trevor Scott applies pressure on the Saints’ first play after the turnover and forces Brunell to throw out of the end-zone. Scott again puts the heat on the Saints’ quarterback on the next play, and the forced throw lands right into the hands of Hiram Eugene. The safety gets the pick in the end zone and returns it 31-yards to the 30-yard line.

Russell was almost picked off on the ensuing play, on a slant intended for Heyward-Bey. On 3^rd and 5, Troy Evans blitzes and Russell has no shot to get away from the heat and gets sacked for a 12-yard loss.

David Nixon again plays the punt return very well; as he records his second tackle. (Play was negated due to a flag on the Saints)

Gary Russell and Jon Condo stuff the punt return on the next play.

PJ Hill is now carrying the football for the Saints. Warren on the tackle after a 4-yard gain. On the next play, Meachem gains 71-yards on the pass after Routt miss a tackle on the play. Chris Johnson runs down the WR before he hits paydirt. With the ball on the 2-yard line, Warren and Sam Williams keep Hill out of the end zone. Hill scores on the next play to give the Saints a 30-0 lead before the point after.

Up to this point, the Saints have 19 first downs; Oakland 3. Saints have racked up a total of 344 yards; Raiders 77. The Saints are 6-of-8 on 3^rd downs, the Raiders are 0-for-4.

After a Nick Miller 25-yard return, Russell rolls out, gets pressured and is not able to release the football cleanly on the toss, hit by a defender as he threw it. Robert Gallery was flagged on the play for holding. On 3^rd and 10 a few plays later, Russell gets sacked to end the Raiders horrid first half effort on offense.

Chris Johnson hauled in an interception as the half ended.

Score: Saints 31 – Raiders 0

NOTES

• TOTAL YARDS: New Orleans 351 Oakland 60
• PASSING YARDS: New Orleans 259 Oakland 59
• RUSHING YARDS: New Orleans 92 Oakland 1
• Time of Possession: New Orleans 20:27 Oakland 9:33
• 1st downs: New Orleans 19 Oakland 3

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

The New Orleans Saints won the opening coin toss and elected to field their high-powered offense first.

Sebastian Janikowski powers the football right thru the end zone.

The Saints first play from scrimmage was an end around to Devery Henderson for 5-yards. Drew Brees on the next play connects with Jeremy Shockey for 21-yards, with Nnamdi Asomugha in coverage. Lance Moore hauls in a 9-yard pass on the ensuing play. On the next play, Asomugha and DE Greg Ellis stuffed RB Mike Bell on a 1-yard gain. Bell slipped, and lost his footing before being tackled. Brees then hits Moore again, this time for 7 yards with Ricky Brown in coverage. Brown got victimized again, throwing a ball behind Shockey and completing the toss for 22-yards and a 1^st down at the OAK 14 yard line. Bell plows on consecutive plays for a total of 9 yards to set-up a 3^rd and 1 at the OAK 5 yard line. On 3^rd and short, Bell jumped across the line of scrimmage before being met by Brown, but he picked up a fresh set of downs for the Saints. Heath Evans caps the 10-play, 80-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run. On the play, both defensive tackles were shoved aside. The secondary was not in very good positions throughout the drive, with Brees easily finding his targets and no pressure from the Raiders front-seven. Brees went 4/4 for 60 yards on the drive.

With the Saints up 7-0, Justin Miller gets Oakland going with a return to the 25-yard line.

JaMarcus Russell opens the game with a quick slant to rookie Darrius Heyward-Bey for a gain of 12-yards. On the next play, Russell fakes a handoff to Michael Bush and then finds Zach Miller open in the middle of the field for a gain of 35-yards. Russell again fakes a hand-off on the net play, but on the blitz, Roman Harper attacked the quarterback’s backside and swatted the football out of his hands for the turnover. Russell did not feel the pressure as he floated outside of the pocket looking for his targets down the field. Jonathan Vilma recovered the football and the Saints were back on offense at their own 33-yard line.

Shockey again hauled in a 5-yard pass to start their next drive. Moore catches a quick slant in front of Chris Johnson for a first down on the second play. Brees then rolls out, hits Shockey, but for a minimal gain. Oakland is not applying any pressure on Brees. Out of the shotgun formation, Bell gets the hand-off, but Thomas Howard is there for the stop. On 3^rd and 6, Brees sets-up a screen for Bell and he gains 11 yards, as the Raiders are un-balanced on defense right now. Gerard Warren has a nice tackle around the line of scrimmage on a no gain. Asomugha blankets Moore on the next play, and the all-pro defensive back jars the ball loose for an incompletion. On 3^rd and 10, Brees has a lot of time and then finds a wide-open Henderson for a 40-yard score and a 14-0 lead. Hiram Eugene blew the coverage deep as he followed Brees, who then looked off the safety for the big play.

Brees so far is 9-of-10 for 123 yards and 1 TD pass.

Miller fields the kickoff at the goal line and returns out to the OAK 22-yard line.

Bush opens their second drive with a carry to the left side for a 1-yard gain. Russell then hits Bush on a screen to the right side for Bush that nets 2 yards. On 3^rd and 7, Russell out of the shot-gun, floats one down the sideline which was almost intercepted; pass was intended for Heyward-Bey (Cornell Green flagged on the play, which was declined).

Ricky Schmitt booms a nice 55-yard punt, and Trevor Scott was in on the tackle, along with Tony Stewart.

Desmond Bryant sacks Brees on the next play, as Oakland finally gets some pressure on the quarterback. Bryant worked along the interior and fought his way to the passer. Hamilton gains 15 yards on the next play. Then, they follow it up with an 11-yard run. Chris Johnson played the slant perfectly against Henderson for an incompletion. On 2^nd and 10, Moore beat Asomugha along the sideline, but Brees overthrew the pass. Michael Huff had a nice angle on the play. But on 3^rd and 10, Henderson smokes Huff for another conversion for 16 yards. Chris Johnson beat Henderson on the next play for a gain of 13-yards.

As the clock winds down, the Saints run another play, a short pass to Hamilton at the OAK 8-yard line.

SCORE: Saints 14 – Raiders 0

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

On Saturday, the Oakland Raiders (1-1) and the New Orleans Saints (2-0) will do battle in both clubs most important pre-season contest. In the third game for both teams, many of the participants that you will see once the regular season begins will be on display getting their last dress rehearsal before preparing themselves for the action of Sundays. The Raiders have made it clear who their starting quarterback will be, but a few other spots remain up in the air.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

Oakland’s running back trio is powerful. At any moment, they can play varying styles of football and each one has different attributes that Tom Cable loves. And he likes the fact that all three are close and have enjoyed the competition in camp this summer. “They have a good time with it because they are so close,” Cable said. “They all want to be the guy but they push each other and pull for each other in their own way.”

But there is one guy who should be getting the majority of the reps and that is Darren McFadden. His multi-dimensional skills greatly increase the versatility of this offense. McFadden is one of the only players on this roster that scares opponents. And in any given moment during a game, the speedster has the ability to hit paydirt from anywhere on the field.

“He’s a real key for us,” Cable stated in early August. “When you look at us when we used him many ways, not just as a runner, but many ways, we were much, much better offensively. So (the goal is) to expand on that role and make him a key part of what we’re trying to do.”

Michael Bush will get the start versus New Orleans. This after McFadden and the veteran Justin Fargas got their numbers called in prior weeks. Bush is not a bulldozer and he has nimble feet. Once he gets going though, he’s hard to stop. Some of his best plays are in screens, as he has very good hands.

What to Expect:

Bush will get the bulk of the load in the 1^st quarter, but its time for Cable to settle in on McFadden and take some of the carries from Fargas, especially when the season begins.

The debut of Javon Walker will be met with anticipation. He practiced this week, looked sharp and could be a player that warrants a lot of attention if he can max out his potential. “He’s a little rough with some of his assignments, but that’s normal,” Cable said. “He hasn’t had a lot of work, but he’s able to clear that because he’s had so much experience. He’s a really bright guy, and the net time you see him do it, he’s fixed the mistake from the time before. We’ll expect him to go after it Saturday.”

On Defense:

Well, nothing has changed on this defense, and the run stuffing issue is still very problematic.

Terdell Sands is on the hot seat, and after a horrible effort against the 49ers last week, all the potential starters and contributors will be assessed against a team that features talent at running back.

“I thought we had some guys not play very well,” Cable said about their effort last game. “We have to do a better job adjusting to it as coaches, and then, two, I think you have to at some point set your jaw and decide you’re not going to get your rear end kicked like that.”

John Marshall was looked at as a guy who could change the ugly trend on this defense. But how can he with the same group that has been struggling with this aspect of defense for some time now?

“We have a few things to shore up, but we have a good system in place,” Ricky Brown said. “Once everybody buys into it, the sky’s the limit for us, you’ll see.”

What to Expect:

Expect this team to get a real challenge on Saturday. The Saints toyed with the Raiders last year in their regular season meeting. And their ability to run and pass, mix it up with pro-bowl talents all over the field will be a good gauge to see where Oakland’s defense is at right now.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS:

On Offense:

Reggie Bush is expected to get a heavy workload this weekend after missing the Saints prior game with a strained calf. He rarely gets fed the ball often on running plays as you would to a rusher who can take and then dish out the pounding, but his teammate Mike Bell can and does.

Bell led the Saints in rushing yards last weekend and in total, New Orleans tallied 173 yards on 27 carries.

“Mike’s a guy, ever since he’s gotten here, who’s gotten better and better,” said starting quarterback Drew Brees . “He showed what he could do the other night. He ran extremely hard. He’s had a great training camp. He’s the guy who might be the MVP of training camp. I think he understands what we need from that third running back position. I see him playing a role in what we do if he continues to run like that.”

What to Expect:

Sean Payton will throw the playbook at the Raiders. The third year coach of the Saints wants his team to be more physical, which may not be a problem against the Silver & Black’s weak run defense. How often will they try to attack the Raiders’ secondary will be interesting to note. And if they can get a productive game out of the rushers, it may not be difficult to keep the Raiders unbalanced with screens to Bush or lengthy down field tosses against their suspect safeties.

On Defense:

It is imperative for the Saints to improve on defense if they want to make the playoffs in 2009.

One player that will be highlighted this season will be defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis. The second year pro had a good camp and is primed to surprise the league.

The run defense has had its moments during the summer. But for the most part, the offense is what gets all the notoriety in New Orleans. One player on offense who knows a thing or two about playing with confidence is Bush, and he stated that this defense needs to have more juice in order to make that turnaround.

“It’s all about swagger,” Bush said. “I think that’s going to help us and help our defense. Our defense has to have swagger and so does our offense. If we develop a swagger as a team, that’s just going to make us that more dangerous.”

What to Expect:

The Saints flirted with free-agent linebacker Derrick Brooks. But he doesn’t have much left in the tank and the defense really wanted to add an impact player to that group. Mark Simoneau is on injured reserve.

Jonathan Vilma, Scott Fuita and Scott Shanle have to play very well in order to ease some of the uneasiness around the team about that aspect of their defense.

NOTES:

• On offense, Chaz Schilens (foot), Khalif Barnes (ankle), John Wade (stinger), Justin Fargas (hamstring) all missed time during practice yesterday. Matt Shaughnessy (foot), Isaiah Ekejiuba (shoulder), Kirk Morrison (elbow) and Mike Mitchell (hamstring), along with linebacker Slade Norris (calf) were out for the defense.
• Some Saints that will not be seen in action versus the Raiders include: defensive end Charles Grant (hamstring), left tackle Jammal Brown (sports hernia), offensive lineman Anthony Davis (elbow), tight end Darnell Dinkins (ankle), wide receiver D’Juan Woods (neck) and safety Chip Vaughn (knee).

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

Greg Papa and Tom Flores, alongside Jim Plunkett, will simulcast the game on the Raiders Radio and Television Network. Raiders Legend George Atkinson will serve as the sideline analyst next to the host of the broadcast, popular radio personality JT the Brick.  This week’s game will be televised locally on tape-delay on KICU Action 36 Cable 6 on Saturday, August 29 at 5 p.m. There will be an encore showing of the game on Sunday August 30, at 1 p.m. on KICU Action 36 Cable 6. The game can be heard on Raiders Radio originating on KSFO 560 AM, the flagship for the Silver and Black’s multi-state Radio Network. Papa and Raiders two-time Super Bowl wining head coach Tom Flores will man the booth for the 12th straight year.  The radio pregame and postgame shows will feature Raider Legends Atkinson and David Humm along with KGO’s Rich Walcoff. (Information cited from the official Raiders Web Site)

New Orleans, LA – The New Orleans Saints added to their lead with a Taylor Mehlhaff 33 yard field goal at the onset of the final quarter. The 27-3 lead at that point was insurmountable; especially considering the inability of the Raiders offense to sustain any drives and the struggles JaMarcus Russell had all afternoon with his accuracy – the polar opposite of Drew Brees’ performance this afternoon.

It got worst for Russell when he fumbled on 3^rd and 8 in Oakland’s first drive of the fourth quarter as he attempted to make a move out of the pocket. The Saints took over at the Raiders 32-yard line when Kendrick Clancy recovered the loose ball, and two plays later, Brees hit Lance Moore for 27 yards to set their next score.

Brees got his third touchdown of the game when he lobbed a ball to tight end Mark Campbell 2 yards into the back of the end zone. The Saints had a 34-3 lead and Brees would end the game with a mesmerizing 26-of-30 for 320 yards.

In his worst game since entering the NFL, Russell was wild and unable to find his accuracy throughout the contest. If not for the Saints dropping certain interceptions, Russell’s final stats would have been far worse than the already poor box score showing.

The former LSU star, who was making his first appearance in the Superdome since his days as a collegiate, even overthrew a wide open Chaz Schilens on a 4^th and 6 late in the game that would’ve lead to a Oakland touchdown. 

New Orleans was in full control of this game and Brees’ ability to find open targets all over the field spoiled Tom Cable’s debut as head coach. 

New Orleans, LA – The Oakland Raiders opening drive of the second half was a dud, as JaMarcus Russell continued his woes tossing the football, again nearly picked off by a defender in the secondary on a pass intended for Javon Walker.

 They went three and out and punted to Reggie Bush, who returned the ball to the Saints 45-yard line.

 There, New Orleans went on an 11-play drive covering 55 yards that took up 5:46 of time. During the possession, Reggie Bush had a run of 5 yards on 3^rd and 2, and Drew Brees continued finding holes in the Raider secondary, hitting Lance Moore on pass plays of 9 and 7 yards before finding Aaron Stecker near the goal line for 8-yards and a score. The Saints took a 17-3 lead on Brees 22^nd completion of the game and Stecker’s first touch of the game.

 Oakland gave the ball right back to the Saints when Russell tossed his second interception of the season right into the hands of cornerback Jason David. The pick came on 3^rd and 5, and was returned 18 yards to the Raiders 16 yard line.

 Two plays later, Brees and Bush hooked up for the third time, and the speedster broke two tackles to burst 15 yards into the end zone to give the Saints a 24-3 lead.

 At that point, the Saints had amassed 311 total yards of offense along with 25:27 of time off the clock. They also had a racked up 18 first downs, as oppose to Oakland’s six.

 With Russell’s difficulties, Tom Cable went back to running the football to start the Raiders next drive. Rookie Darren McFadden carried the ball twice for 13 yards to begin the possession, and then Justin Fargas converted on a 3^rd and 2 with a 4 yard run. But the drive came to screeching halt at their own 45-yard line when Russell tossed three straight incompletions.

 Unlike Russell, Brees was in a zone and he continued his hot streak as the 3^rd quarter wound down, finding Devery Henderson on a 51 yard bomb, as he got behind free safety Michael Huff.

 Score: Saints 24 – Raiders 3