CaPPiNg TiGeRz
09-06-2007, 07:07 AM
The two most prolific passing offenses of a year ago will kick off the NFL season Thursday night, as the defending Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts play host to the New Orleans Saints in the league's formal lid-lifter.
The visiting Saints led the NFL in passing yards under first-year head coach Sean Payton during 2006, with quarterback Drew Brees throwing for a league- high 4,418 yards en route to his first Pro Bowl citation with New Orleans. The Saints, who also led the NFL in total offense, finished 10-6, won the NFC South title, and reached the conference title game before losing to the Chicago Bears.
The Colts, long heralded for their offensive excellence, rode the right arm of future Hall-of-Famer Peyton Manning all the way to their first world title since arriving in Indianapolis in 1984. Manning was a close second to Brees in passing yards (4397) in 2006, but led the NFL in both touchdown passes (31) and passer rating (101.0) during Indy's championship campaign.
Indianapolis will be trying to maintain a positive streak by reigning Super Bowl champions, which have won the next year's regular season opener in each of the last seven seasons. The 1998 Denver Broncos, who followed up their Super Bowl XXXIII win over the Falcons with a 38-21 Week 1 loss to the Miami Dolphins in 1999, are the last defending champion to open their slate on a losing note.
SERIES HISTORY
The Saints have a 5-4 edge in their all-time series with the Colts, but were 55-21 home losers when the clubs last met, at the Superdome during the 2003 season. New Orleans won the previous meeting, a 34-20 affair in the Cresent City in 2001, and was a 19-13 overtime winner when it last visited Indianapolis in 1998.
The Colts are 0-2 against New Orleans in Indianapolis, with their only home wins in the series coming in 1967 and 1973, when the franchise was based in Baltimore.
Indianapolis head coach Tony Dungy is 4-1 in his career against the Saints, including 3-1 while with Tampa Bay between 1996 and 2001. New Orleans' Payton will be meeting both Dungy and the Colts for the first time as a head coach.
WHEN THE SAINTS HAVE THE BALL
Brees was the trigger-man for each of the Saints' 16 games a year ago, establishing all-time franchise-bests in yards (4,418), passer rating (96.2), completions (356), completion percentage (64.3) and 300-yard games (eight). The Saints' top two pass-catchers of a year ago - wideout Marques Colston (70 receptions, 8 TD in 2006) and running back Reggie Bush (88 receptions, 2 TD) - were both rookies, and both return to assist Brees. With longtime New Orleans receiving staple Joe Horn now with Atlanta, holdover wideouts Devery Henderson (32 receptions, 5 TD) and Terrance Copper (23 receptions, 3 TD) should play a more significant role in the offense, as should first-round draft choice Robert Meachem (Tennessee). New starting end Eric Johnson (34 receptions, 2 TD with the 49ers) once had 82 catches in a season with San Francisco, but has been hampered by injuries throughout his career. In the backfield, Deuce McAllister (1057 yards, 10 TD) once again joins Bush (565 yards, 6 TD) after booking the fourth 1,000-yard season of his career in '06.
The group attempting to defend Brees and company will bear a much different look than the one that suited up against the Bears in Super Bowl XLI. Gone from that lineup are cornerbacks Nick Harper (now with the Titans), Jason David (Saints), linebacker Cato June (Buccaneers) and tackle Anthony McFarland (injured/out for season), along with former starters Mike Doss (Vikings), Montae Reagor (Eagles) and Corey Simon (Titans). The Indy defense will once again begin with the pass rush, as ends Dwight Freeney (29 tackles, 6 sacks) and Robert Mathis (65 tackles, 10 sacks) continue to serve as one of the most feared duos in the league. That pair, along with safety Bob Sanders (27 tackles, 1 INT) and middle linebacker Gary Brackett (120 tackles), rank as the Colts' most well-regarded defenders. New starters among a group that finished last in the NFL against the run last season are linebacker Freddy Keiaho (19 tackles), rookie defensive tackle Ed Johnson, and cornerbacks Marlin Jackson (82 tackles, 1 INT) and Kelvin Hayden (36 tackles).
WHEN THE COLTS HAVE THE BALL
The changes to the Indianapolis offense are subtle, but could ultimately have a major impact on the identity of the attack moving forward. A pair of rookies, left tackle Tony Ugoh (Arkansas) and slot receiver Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio State), are going to be counted on for an immediate contribution at two very key positions on the Indianapolis offense. In the backfield, 2006 rookie phenom Joseph Addai (1081 rushing yards, 7 TD) now carries the entire load following the offseason defection of Dominic Rhodes (Raiders). The most familiar faces remain in the fold, however. Manning (4397 passing yards, 31 TD, 9 INT) and receivers Marvin Harrison (95 receptions, 12 TD) and Reggie Wayne (86 receptions, 9 TD) rank as arguably the most lethal offensive trio in the league, and will continue to be the focus of opposing defensive coordinators' attention. Tight end Dallas Clark (30 receptions, 4 TD) is an underrated talent who will be seeking to build on a strong 2006 postseason.
The Saints were 11th in the NFL in total defense a year ago, but ranked near the bottom of the league in takeaways with just 19. New starters looking to make an impact on that total are cornerback Jason David (55 tackles, 2 INT with Indianapolis), who will be facing an Indy team for which he started from 2004 through 2006, and defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy (37 tackles, 1 sack with Arizona), a one-time starter with the Steelers, Giants, and Cardinals. Key holdovers are defensive ends Will Smith (49 tackles, 10 sacks) and Charles Grant (64 tackles, 6 sacks), who led the club in sacks a year ago; linebackers Scott Shanle (97 tackles, 4 sacks) and Scott Fujita (96 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 INT), who were 1-2 in tackles; and free safety Josh Bullocks (71 tackles, 2 INT) and cornerback Mike McKenzie (33 tackles, 2 INT), the most reliable members of the secondary.
FANTASY FOCUS
There are more "must-start" offensive players in this game than perhaps any other on the Week 1 docket. For the Colts, every fantasy manager that owns Manning, Harrison, Wayne, Addai, and/or Clark will start them with very little hesitation. The rookie Gonzalez might be a "wait and see" fantasy player. For New Orleans, Brees and Colston should be no-brainers, and it will be tough to exclude Bush from most lineups as well. Saints players with a more uncertain role heading into the season, including McAllister, Henderson, and tight end Eric Johnson, are going to be risky players to start at this stage. Oh, and if you start either of these defenses, you must be a fantasy rookie.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
The NFL picked a real winner when it slotted this game as its season-opener, as both teams have major star power and are extremely fun to watch. Offense tends to develop more slowly than defense in the early part of the season, but that dictum will not apply to these two clubs, which should run up and down the field against one another all night. "Whoever has the ball last" is the cliche that applies here, and we have a feeling it will be Manning's Colts, who will get a lift from the home crowd and eke out an entertaining win.
The visiting Saints led the NFL in passing yards under first-year head coach Sean Payton during 2006, with quarterback Drew Brees throwing for a league- high 4,418 yards en route to his first Pro Bowl citation with New Orleans. The Saints, who also led the NFL in total offense, finished 10-6, won the NFC South title, and reached the conference title game before losing to the Chicago Bears.
The Colts, long heralded for their offensive excellence, rode the right arm of future Hall-of-Famer Peyton Manning all the way to their first world title since arriving in Indianapolis in 1984. Manning was a close second to Brees in passing yards (4397) in 2006, but led the NFL in both touchdown passes (31) and passer rating (101.0) during Indy's championship campaign.
Indianapolis will be trying to maintain a positive streak by reigning Super Bowl champions, which have won the next year's regular season opener in each of the last seven seasons. The 1998 Denver Broncos, who followed up their Super Bowl XXXIII win over the Falcons with a 38-21 Week 1 loss to the Miami Dolphins in 1999, are the last defending champion to open their slate on a losing note.
SERIES HISTORY
The Saints have a 5-4 edge in their all-time series with the Colts, but were 55-21 home losers when the clubs last met, at the Superdome during the 2003 season. New Orleans won the previous meeting, a 34-20 affair in the Cresent City in 2001, and was a 19-13 overtime winner when it last visited Indianapolis in 1998.
The Colts are 0-2 against New Orleans in Indianapolis, with their only home wins in the series coming in 1967 and 1973, when the franchise was based in Baltimore.
Indianapolis head coach Tony Dungy is 4-1 in his career against the Saints, including 3-1 while with Tampa Bay between 1996 and 2001. New Orleans' Payton will be meeting both Dungy and the Colts for the first time as a head coach.
WHEN THE SAINTS HAVE THE BALL
Brees was the trigger-man for each of the Saints' 16 games a year ago, establishing all-time franchise-bests in yards (4,418), passer rating (96.2), completions (356), completion percentage (64.3) and 300-yard games (eight). The Saints' top two pass-catchers of a year ago - wideout Marques Colston (70 receptions, 8 TD in 2006) and running back Reggie Bush (88 receptions, 2 TD) - were both rookies, and both return to assist Brees. With longtime New Orleans receiving staple Joe Horn now with Atlanta, holdover wideouts Devery Henderson (32 receptions, 5 TD) and Terrance Copper (23 receptions, 3 TD) should play a more significant role in the offense, as should first-round draft choice Robert Meachem (Tennessee). New starting end Eric Johnson (34 receptions, 2 TD with the 49ers) once had 82 catches in a season with San Francisco, but has been hampered by injuries throughout his career. In the backfield, Deuce McAllister (1057 yards, 10 TD) once again joins Bush (565 yards, 6 TD) after booking the fourth 1,000-yard season of his career in '06.
The group attempting to defend Brees and company will bear a much different look than the one that suited up against the Bears in Super Bowl XLI. Gone from that lineup are cornerbacks Nick Harper (now with the Titans), Jason David (Saints), linebacker Cato June (Buccaneers) and tackle Anthony McFarland (injured/out for season), along with former starters Mike Doss (Vikings), Montae Reagor (Eagles) and Corey Simon (Titans). The Indy defense will once again begin with the pass rush, as ends Dwight Freeney (29 tackles, 6 sacks) and Robert Mathis (65 tackles, 10 sacks) continue to serve as one of the most feared duos in the league. That pair, along with safety Bob Sanders (27 tackles, 1 INT) and middle linebacker Gary Brackett (120 tackles), rank as the Colts' most well-regarded defenders. New starters among a group that finished last in the NFL against the run last season are linebacker Freddy Keiaho (19 tackles), rookie defensive tackle Ed Johnson, and cornerbacks Marlin Jackson (82 tackles, 1 INT) and Kelvin Hayden (36 tackles).
WHEN THE COLTS HAVE THE BALL
The changes to the Indianapolis offense are subtle, but could ultimately have a major impact on the identity of the attack moving forward. A pair of rookies, left tackle Tony Ugoh (Arkansas) and slot receiver Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio State), are going to be counted on for an immediate contribution at two very key positions on the Indianapolis offense. In the backfield, 2006 rookie phenom Joseph Addai (1081 rushing yards, 7 TD) now carries the entire load following the offseason defection of Dominic Rhodes (Raiders). The most familiar faces remain in the fold, however. Manning (4397 passing yards, 31 TD, 9 INT) and receivers Marvin Harrison (95 receptions, 12 TD) and Reggie Wayne (86 receptions, 9 TD) rank as arguably the most lethal offensive trio in the league, and will continue to be the focus of opposing defensive coordinators' attention. Tight end Dallas Clark (30 receptions, 4 TD) is an underrated talent who will be seeking to build on a strong 2006 postseason.
The Saints were 11th in the NFL in total defense a year ago, but ranked near the bottom of the league in takeaways with just 19. New starters looking to make an impact on that total are cornerback Jason David (55 tackles, 2 INT with Indianapolis), who will be facing an Indy team for which he started from 2004 through 2006, and defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy (37 tackles, 1 sack with Arizona), a one-time starter with the Steelers, Giants, and Cardinals. Key holdovers are defensive ends Will Smith (49 tackles, 10 sacks) and Charles Grant (64 tackles, 6 sacks), who led the club in sacks a year ago; linebackers Scott Shanle (97 tackles, 4 sacks) and Scott Fujita (96 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 INT), who were 1-2 in tackles; and free safety Josh Bullocks (71 tackles, 2 INT) and cornerback Mike McKenzie (33 tackles, 2 INT), the most reliable members of the secondary.
FANTASY FOCUS
There are more "must-start" offensive players in this game than perhaps any other on the Week 1 docket. For the Colts, every fantasy manager that owns Manning, Harrison, Wayne, Addai, and/or Clark will start them with very little hesitation. The rookie Gonzalez might be a "wait and see" fantasy player. For New Orleans, Brees and Colston should be no-brainers, and it will be tough to exclude Bush from most lineups as well. Saints players with a more uncertain role heading into the season, including McAllister, Henderson, and tight end Eric Johnson, are going to be risky players to start at this stage. Oh, and if you start either of these defenses, you must be a fantasy rookie.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
The NFL picked a real winner when it slotted this game as its season-opener, as both teams have major star power and are extremely fun to watch. Offense tends to develop more slowly than defense in the early part of the season, but that dictum will not apply to these two clubs, which should run up and down the field against one another all night. "Whoever has the ball last" is the cliche that applies here, and we have a feeling it will be Manning's Colts, who will get a lift from the home crowd and eke out an entertaining win.