 |
C Jeff Faine and CB Mike
McKenzie |
Notes: Practice Report Friday
Faine ruled out, Simmons could start for Shanle;
examining the matchups
posted November 2, 2007 - print
me!
neworleansprofootball.com
Injury Update: C Jeff Faine will miss his second
straight game with a pectoral injury. Jonathan Goodwin will start
his second game of the season. Starting left guard Jamar Nesbit
will be the backup center.
Weakside linebacker Scott Shanle is doubtful to play, and veteran
Brian Simmons is expected to fill in, along with Troy Evans.
Another linebacker that has been limited in practice is special
teamer Alfred Fincher. If both Shanle and Fincher are out, the
Saints could make a move to promote a free agent off the practice
squad so that they can compensate for the losses on special teams.
Rookie linebacker Marvin Mitchell is expected to be active.
DE Charles Grant returned to practice on Friday after working
through a minor ankle injury.
DT Brian Young did practice, though the Saints have been taking
it easy on the veteran defensive tackle after two minor knee surgeries
in the past two weeks.
Tough matchups: Charles Grant and Will Smith
have a tough task ahead of them. The Jaguars offensive line averages
listed weights of 320 pounds, but the offensive tackles are towers:
6'5, 325 pound Khalif Barnes and 6'6, 320 pound Tony Pashos. Both
are good run blockers, and the Jaguars are expected to bulldoze
the Saints with an inexperienced quarterback under center.
Both Smith and Grant play at under 300 pounds, though Grant is
one of the best run defender ends in the league and faces a tough
matchup against right guard and former Saints Chris Naeole and
right tackle Pashos.
Superb Jaguars CB Rashean Mathis was loved by the Saints before
the 2003 draft, and reportedly told by the Saints that he would
be heading to New Orleans with one of their first two draft picks.
But the Saints traded up to #6 to take Jonathan Sullivan, then
passed on Mathis again in the second round to take Jon Stinchcomb.
Two picks after the Saints drafted their starting right tackle,
the Jaguars took Mathis, the super athletic small-school gem from
Bethune-Cookman.
Now, Mathis is one of the best cornerbacks - if not the best
- in the NFL.
The Jags will use Mathis to counter the Saints' own recent small-school
gem, Marques Colston. If anyone in the NFL can match up against
the Saints' 6'4, 230 pound receiver it is the 6'1, 200 pound Mathis.
The Jags' other starter, 5'11, 198 pound Brian Williams, is slow
but very physical and also a decent matchup for the Jags against
Colston. Instead, the Saints will target Williams with Devery
Henderson, Lance Moore and David Patten, who can take advantage
of Williams with their speed and quickness.
The Saints may be willing to let Colston fight against Mathis
while their other receivers try to take advantage of Williams.
Using motion and typical unconventional formations, the Saints
would love to match Colston on pint-size nickelbacks Terry Cousin
(5'9, 185) and Scott Starks (5'9, 180).
Home
Back
|
