Saints march to 2-0 in preseason

Well the the Texans may have won the battle during the mid week practice sessions in Houston but the Saints clearly won the war in an impressive 38-14 victory Saturday in reliant stadium pushing the teams record to 2-0 in the preseason. So is this a sign of things to come or maybe false hopes for when the real bullets start flying? I for one wouldn’t mind the Saints dropping a game in the preseason, call me superstitious but the Lions went 4-0 last season and well, we all know what happened after that. As long as the starters win when they are in the game that’s all the matters. Here are some observations through 2 preseason games.
Positives:
The Saints have an embarrassment of riches on the offensive side of the football. Mike Bell who was in a battle to make the roster clearly solidified himself as the #3 back with his performance on Saturday night. 10 100 yards on 10 carries is not to shabby and he proved that he could move the pile on third and short. I also like how the Saints put an emphasis on running on the short down and distances.
The Saints are loaded at the wide receiver position. The Saints put on a show with out their leading receiver in Lance Moore in the lineup. Colston, Henderson, and the emerging Robert Meachem did their thing and Arrington, Rod Harper and Courtney Roby also made nice plays. Its going to be an intense battle to see who gets that final spot on the roster.

How good is Drew Brees?
The defense continues to create turnovers

Negatives:
The starting defense failing to get a sack in two preseason games. I realize that they had one called back because of a penalty but it still doesn’t count in the stats.

Drew Brees getting knocked to the ground. Always scary when you see Drew Brees legs collapse, especially in a meaningless pre-season game.
Hartley misses another chip shot. I believe that he has had a mental breakdown and might not have a job when he comes back from suspension.
So far so good for the black and gold but lets remember that these games don’t count.

LSU in 09

LSU at 8-5 is unacceptable. Even head Coach Les Miles would agree as he said at LSU fan/media day two weeks ago. The bar is raised extremely high for the tigers, anything less than an SEC championship game appearance sets the fan base into a frenzy and two straight years without being in at least a new years day bowl is enough for tiger fans to put for sale signs in the coaches yard. Most pre-season rags have the tigers anywhere from 9-15, which I think is somewhat fair considering the amount of blue chip talent that is on the roster. With that in mind lets take a game-by-game look at the Tigers in 09.

Sept 5 @ Washington: Ask most tiger fans and they think this trip to Seattle is nothing more than a walk in the park, I’m not one of them, and I fear the unknown. Tigers win but closer than most people would like. LSU 1-0

Sept 12 Vanderbilt: The Dores were a great story last year and will be a threat to get to a bowl game again this year, however the tigers do them no favors and when by 14. LSU 2-0

Sept 19 ULL: The rajun Cajuns make the short trip to Baton Rouge to take on the tigers. There will be a battle in the parking lot for best tailgating food between the fan bases; unfortunately for the Cajuns the game will not be competitive. Tigers by 30. LSU 3-0

Sept 26 @ Mississippi State: Dan Mullen brings the Florida offense to Stark Vegas in hopes of jumpstarting the Dawgs. Yikes no Tim Tebow, no Percy Harvin, means MSU once again falls to the Tigers. LSU 4-0

Oct 3@ Georgia: I’m not high at all on the bulldogs from Athens this season but LSU continually struggles between the hedges. This is a toss up game for me but I see Georgia winning a low scoring game against the Tigers. LSU 4-1

Oct 10 Florida: The game losses just a little luster with the Tigers dropping last weeks game against Georgia, but the fact that it’s a night game on CBS against the number 1 team and defending national champions has the fan base in a frenzy. Much like 2 years ago LSU pulls off the upset when Patrick Peterson intercepts Tim Tebow late in the 4th quarter. Tim Tebow vows after the game that the gators wont lose again all year, and say he is glad he never has to visit Baton Rouge again. LSU 5-1

Oct 24 Auburn: LSU comes off a much-needed open week ready for the guys on the plains. It doesn’t matter if AU is in transition or not the war eagles always play a thriller against LSU, this year no different but LSU wins. LSU 6-1

OCT 31 Tulane: Wow this game used to matter. Doesn’t anymore the only thing scary about this game is the score. LSU rolls! LSU 7-1

Nov 7 @ Alabama: Tough pick. The Saban bowl is all tied up at 1-1 apiece with each team winning on the road. I see LSU squeaking this one out in a good one. LSU 8-1

Nov 14 LA Tech: Derek Dooley has the bulldogs and their fans believing that they can do big things. Tech comes in on a nice winning streak but they come back to earth when the LSU d throws a second half shut out. Tigers win but closer than in recent memory. LSU 9-1

Nov 21@ Ole Miss: Once again this game is being called the biggest since Archie was throwing the pigskin for Col. Reb. Ole Miss has already dropped 2 games at this point and can’t afford another one. Snead has a big day and Houston Nutt still somehow has the Tigers number. LSU 9-2

Nov 28 Arkansas: The hogs have given Les Miles fits lately. The tigers need this one to gain a berth in the SEC title game. LSU up by 3 at the half but cause 4 turnovers in the second half to pull of a 10-point victory. LSU in the Georgia dome. LSU 10-2

SEC Championship Game: LSU vs. Florida part 2. Remember that whole Florida won’t lose again thing? It applies here. LSU 10-3

Postseason: Sugar or Capital One????????

Pre fall camp season predictions

Coming off an 8-5 season that finished with an independence bowl victory Louisiana Tech fans are chomping at the bit to see that the 09 dawgs can do for an encore. Here is my pre fall camp practice prediction for tech in 09. Subject to change after I see a practice haha.

Sept 5 @Auburn: My friends at BBB are a lot more confident about tech in this game than I’ am. I think tech keeps it close at the half but Auburn scores first out of the locker room to put it away. Auburn by 17. Tech 0-1

Sept 12@ Navy: Tech tries to erase the memory of a blown game against army last year. My heart tells me they do but my head says they don’t. I’ll go with the heart on this one and say that they win a northern Illinois like game. This is really a toss up. Tech 1-1

Sept 19 Nicholls state: The launch of gatavision sees the bulldogs get on track in a big victory over the colonels. Tech 2-1

Sept 30 (Wed) Hawaii: A rare midweek game sees a nice church crowd enter the Joe at the end of the first quarter, by then they have missed tech race to a 14-3 lead. Tech never looks back and puts it on the warriors. Tech 3-1

Oct 9@ Nevada: The wolfpack owns tech and I don’t see it ending this year. Tech 3-2

Oct 17 NMSU: A nice homecoming crowd sees the bulldogs struggle with the aggies but tech pulls it out in the end. Tech 4-2

Oct 24@ Utah State: The aggies are actually a pleasant surprise this year and give the dawgs fits but Dooley’s Dawgs block what would be a game tying field goal. Tech 5-2

Oct 31 @Idaho: Halloween in the kibbie dome, not exactly a house of horrors. The bulldogs avoid the rusty nail that holds down the turf in the kibbie dome turf and are on a bit of a roll. Tech 6-2

Nov 6(fri) Boise: One of the biggest games in recent tech but unfortunately its Friday night in north Louisiana, you know what kind of crowd that means. Regardless Tech shocks Boise with a late Td run by Porter. Tech 7-2

Nov 14 @LSU : Tech vs LSU usually means LSU is good that year. More competitive than in the past but Tigers still win by a comfortable margin. Tech 7-3

Nov 21@ Fresno state: Bulldogs still feeling the after affects of LSU plus a west coast road trip run out of gas in 4th. Tech 7-4

Dec 5 SJSU: Tech finishes the regular season undefeated at home with win over sjsu to sow up a trip to new mexico. Tech 8-4

New Mexico Bowl:
Tech vs. Utah ?

Tough time with that navy game, I went with heart on predictions but think Navy takes it, we will see after fall camp.