METAIRIE, La. — New Orleans coach Sean Payton said tight end Jeremy Shockey (knee) and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins (hamstring) did not practice Thursday.
That pair also sat out Wednesday’s practice. Receiver Robert Meachem (ankle) returned to practice on a limited basis. Safety Darren Sharper (knee) also was limited in practice.
Center Jonathan Goodwin (knee) and defensive end Bobby McCray (back) also were on the injury report, but Payton said both fully participated in practice.
By Pat Yasinskas
I had a conversation this afternoon with high-ranking official from an NFC South team — I can’t reveal the source, and you’ll understand why in a minute, and we are not talking the New Orleans Saints here.
“You know, I get a little sick of hearing so much about the NFC East,’’ the official said. “Do me a favor and look up how many teams we’ve had in the NFC Championship Game. I bet it’s more than the NFC East.’’
I looked it up and he’s right. Since the NFL went to its current division format in 2002, the NFC South has sent six teams to the NFC Championship Game, including the Saints this season. The NFC East has sent five — and let’s include a shout-out to our friends in Dallas: The Cowboys represent zero in that equation — with four trips by Philadelphia and one by the Giants.
by Don Banks
• What exactly got into Reggie Bush? The Saints fourth-year running back finally had the kind of spectacular game that everyone was braced for the moment he stepped foot off the USC campus in 2006.
Maybe he got a motivational kick start from seeing Pete Carroll re-join the NFL? More likely, he realized it was now or never in regards to ever fulfilling his vast play-making potential. And what was up with that black bat he carried on the field in the pre-game? Bringing the wood? Really? At the NFL level, do motivational gimmicks like that actually work?
By Pat Yasinskas
I just received some more details from ESPN Stats & Information about Reggie Bush‘s dynamic performance in Saturday’s playoff victory.
On five carries, Bush averaged 16.8 yards. That’s a league postseason record. The previous record was 14.9 yards by Michael Vick in a 2004 divisional playoff game. Stephen Davis set the record one year before Vick in a divisional playoff game. Before that, the record was 12.8 by Bo Jackson in a 1990 divisional playoff.
Bush also became only the second player in history to score on a run and a punt return in the same postseason game. Charlie Trippi first did it in 1947.
Bush also became just the fifth player in history to score two touchdowns of 45 or more yards in a postseason game. Randy Moss (2000 season) Ricky Sanders (in Super Bowl XXII), Elmger Angsman (1947) and Wayne Millneer (1937 also did it).
Bush’s 83-yard punt return also was the third longest in NFL postseason history. Jermaine Lewis (88 yards) set the record in 2001. Anthony Carter had an 84-yarder in a 1987 playoff game.
By Pat Yasinskas
Three things to know about next Sunday’s NFC Championship Game between the Vikings and Saints.
1. This one will be a dream matchup of quarterbacks. Brett Favre is an official legend and icon around the world. Even at 40, he’s been playing great football. Drew Brees is a legend and an icon in New Orleans. But this game may be his chance to take that legend beyond New Orleans. Brees has been very good for quite some time now. But to truly get the recognition he deserves, he needs to go out and be the best quarterback on the field.
The setup: The Cardinals had the ball. It was 2nd-and-6 from their 32-yard line. They trailed 28-14 with 5:58 left in the second quarter.
The situation: After absorbing an early surge from the Saints, the Cardinals offense was heating up, and desperately trying to stay in the game.
The call: Warner’s short pass was intercepted by Saints defensive end Will Smith, who returned the ball 5 yards to the Arizona 27-yard line. On the return, Warner was sent flying on a crushing block from the Saints’ Bobby McCray. Warner suffered a chest injury and was temporarily knocked out of the game.
The impact: The Saints scored a touchdown on the ensuing possession, taking a 35-14 lead. And while Warner returned in the second half, the game was hopelessly out of reach.
The quote: “He hit me pretty good. Had the wind knocked out of me. Have some soreness really all around my ribcage area. X-rays were negative, so nothing was broke. But a lot of soreness there. Hurts when I breathe more than anything.” – Warner
Hollywood — The Arizona Cardinals had made it a runaway against the Green Bay Packers, so there was plenty of down time for chat on the Fox-lot studio set of “Fox NFL Sunday.”
The Jan. 10 wildcard game would ultimately turn into an overtime corker, so shouted exclamations at the unfolding action would gradually begin to punctuate the low-key jocularity that typically fills the minutes between on-air reports.
The afternoon would conclude with the long-running game running up against the East Coast air time for “The Simpsons” 20th anniversary block the network had been promoting since summer — and with David Hill, chairman of Fox Sports, shouting, “You’re killing me!” at the monitors in the executive control room — but as the one-sided blowout turned to a thriller of an Arizona Cardinals victory, the stars of Fox’s football pre- and post-game studio show had plenty of time to talk to a visiting reporter.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. –- Only time will tell if New Orleans coach Sean Payton made the right decision by turning the regular-season finale into a preseason game.
But, hey, maybe that’s just what the Saints needed to do –- go back to the preseason. That’s when they were paving the way for a 13-0 start and there’s no question it’s been at least three weeks since they were playing anything close to good football. Not exactly the way you want to go marching into the playoffs.
Payton could have decided to play all his starters and play them extensively in an effort to regain some momentum. But he sat a whole bunch of guys, including quarterback Drew Brees. Was it really important to get veteran backup Mark Brunell some work?
There was a record 89.87 million votes cast on NFL.com and on wireless phones. Fans cast 84.87 million votes on NFL.com and five million votes on their wireless phones.
The AFC and NFC All-Star squads are based on the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches. Each group’s vote counts one-third towards determining the 43-man rosters that represent the American Football Conference and National Football Conference in the Pro Bowl. NFL players and coaches will cast their votes on Dec. 22-23.
The teams will be announced on Tuesday, December 29 on a special NFL Total Access 2010 Pro Bowl Selection Show on NFL Network.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (1,485,397) ranks second overall, while Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre (1,466,687 votes), Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (1,393,688 votes) and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (888,002 votes) round out the top five on NFL.com.
The 2010 Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, January 31, 2010 and televised live on ESPN at 7:20 PM ET from Dolphin Stadium in South Florida, also the site of Super Bowl XLIV a week later on Sunday, February 7
By Pat Kirwan | NFL.com
With two weeks left to go in the regular season, six playoff spots have been clinched and another six remain to be earned.
With an eye toward the postseason, here’s a look at a few trends to keep in mind as the regular season winds down and teams earn those coveted playoff spots.
The ultimate goal of any team, of course, is to get to the Super Bowl and come out of it victorious. Does a No. 1 seed mean playoff success and a Super Bowl berth? The numbers don’t exactly suggest that.
Since the 2000 season there have been nine Super Bowls played, which means 18 teams advanced to the penultimate game. Teams have advanced to Super Sunday from all six playoff seeds. Here’s a breakdown of which seeds advanced, and then won, the Super Bowl:
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