ESPN.com - NFC South Blog ESPN.com presents NFC South Pat Yasinskas http://espn.go.comnull 60 en-us Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:34:37 webmaster@espn.go.com http://assets.espn.go.com/i/espn/teamlogos/lrg/trans/espn_dotcom_black.gif 110 110 <![CDATA[A few quick numbers' tell Saints' story]]>
As they do every afternoon, the fine folks at ESPN’s Stats & Information, send out a massive numbers package about all sports. We’ve been using words to say how different the Saints have been. They boiled it down to numbers -- quite concisely:

Saints through first 10 games, 2008 and 2009

2008 2009
W-L 5-5 10-0
Points differential +17 +165
Yards differential +653 +899
Turnovers -5 +10

]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/5539/a-few-quick-numbers-tell-saints-story Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EDT 5539 <![CDATA[NFC South's quietest team makes a little noise]]> New Orleans Saints were busy being undefeated, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were ousting defensive coordinator Jim Bates and continuing their endless roster turnover and the Atlanta Falcons were working out kickers, the NFC South’s quietest team made a little bit of noise.

No, this move isn’t going to suddenly right all that’s been wrong with the Carolina Panthers. But they signed linebacker Jordan Senn and placed linebacker Landon Johnson on injured reserve. Senn’s probably going to be a backup and special teams player the rest of the way.

The Panthers likely will go with James Anderson as the replacement for Johnson, who replaced the injured Thomas Davis in the starting lineup. But, unlike some of the other moves in the NFC South today, this one at least comes with some logic.

Senn spent last season with the Indianapolis Colts. Carolina defensive coordinator Ron Meeks was in that role with Indianapolis last year.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/5543/nfc-souths-quietest-team-makes-a-little-noise Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:27:35 EDT 5543 <![CDATA[It's all on Morris now]]>
You can read the whole transcript here, courtesy of the guys at Pewter Report. Although there’s been speculation that ownership might have demanded this move or players requested it, Morris said several times the shakeup was his decision. Then again, can he really say anything else?

"It's my call,’’ Morris said. “It's my call and my job to make sure we progress. I'm doing everything I can to make that happen."

“There is no turncoat in this building,’’ Morris said in response to another question. “There is nobody coming to me complaining about what Jim Bates has to do, or wants to do.’’

Morris will take on the role of defensive coordinator. Bates may or may not stay with the team in a consulting role through the end of the season. Morris was asked if linebackers coach Joe Barry was considered as a possible coordinator, a role he’s previously held in the NFL.

“Why throw Joe Barry out there to try and fix it the last six weeks when you feel like you can?’’ Morris said. “I feel like it is my responsibility. I feel like I have to do it. I feel like it is what I'm supposed to do as a head coach, and as a man for this football team. I feel like it is what I owe this organization. What I owe this town. What I owe (general manager) Mark Dominik. What I owe this ownership. It is my job to fix it, and that is what I have to go out there and do."

Bottom line here? Morris just canned the most experienced and respected man on his staff. People in very high places are painfully aware things are a mess. Morris is right in saying his job is to fix the defense (and the offense and everything else). He’s got six weeks to do it.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/5536/its-all-on-morris-now Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:07:20 EDT 5536 <![CDATA[Power rankings: Saints No. 1 for fourth week]]> weekly power rankings are out and the Saints are holding steady at No. 1 while the rest of the NFC South tumbled.

The Falcons, Panthers and Buccaneers all dropped after losses. Atlanta’s down to No. 16 and Carolina’s at No. 21. The Bucs are No. 30 and they’re very lucky the Rams and Browns are so bad because the Bucs are doing their best to look like a No. 32 team.

The Saints hold the top ranking for the fourth straight week. Pretty impressive for a team that was ranked No. 19 as training camps started.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/5513/power-rankings-saints-on-top-for-fourth-straight-time Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:10:22 EDT 5513 <![CDATA[Falcons working out kickers]]> Atlanta Falcons worked out four kickers on Tuesday.

They had Brandon Coutu, Sam Swank, Shane Andrus and Steve Hauschka in for workouts. This is highly interesting because the Falcons have veteran (and Georgia native) Jason Elam as their kicker.

The league source said no moves are imminent and the Falcons plan to stick with Elam this week. But the team apparently is assembling a list of possible replacements.

That’s not a bad idea because the normally-reliable Elam hasn’t been very accurate on field goals this season and has been listed on the injury report much of this year.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/5531/falcons-working-out-kickers Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:56:31 EDT 5531 <![CDATA[More movement by Tampa Bay]]>
Back then, you could only go as far as speculating that the Bucs were a franchise out of control and adrift on Tampa Bay.

These days, all that’s official.

You already know Jim Bates has been demoted from his job as defensive coordinator. But now we’ve got more brewing out of One Buccaneer Place.

The Bucs just announced that they’ve signed quarterback Rudy Carpenter off Dallas’ practice squad and receiver Terrence Nunn from New England’s practice squad. To borrow a cleaned-up quote from the classic movie “Major League’’, “Who are these guys?’’

I have no argument with the Bucs placing veteran quarterback Byron Leftwich on injured reserve or releasing cornerback Mike Mickens. But, seriously, we’re into late November and the Bucs are trying to solve their problems by signing guys who were on the practice squads of other teams?]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/5521/more-movement-by-tampa-bay Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:34:00 EDT 5521 <![CDATA[How I See It: NFC South Stock Watch]]> Falling

Peppers
Peppers
1. Julius Peppers, Panthers defensive end: Although John Fox, who is extremely guarded about injuries, won’t say it, it sure looks and sounds like Peppers is playing with a broken hand. He’s gone through the last two games with his hand heavily wrapped.

He’s been used only in pass-rush situations and he hasn’t been able to get near the quarterback.

2. Antonio Bryant, Buccaneers receiver He finally got back on the field Sunday, but he didn’t do very much. Then, he said in the post-game interview that the Bucs are too conservative with their game plan because they’re playing rookie quarterback Josh Freeman. Of course they are, but the game plan looks more wide open than it did when Byron Leftwich or Josh Johnson were starting.

If you truly want to be a No. 1 receiver and get a long-term contract, this is not how you play or act.

3. Falcons, the entire secondary: This has been a problem spot all season and it only seems to be getting worse. Corners Chris Houston, Tye Hill, Brent Grimes and Chevis Jackson are getting beat on a regular basis. Safeties Erik Coleman and Thomas DeCoud were able to cover for some of the early mistakes, but they haven’t been able to do that lately.

If the Falcons are going to have any shot at the playoffs, they’ve got to find a way to start covering some receivers.

Rising

Meachem
Meachem
1. Robert Meachem, Saints receiver: The third-year receiver suddenly has become a touchdown machine. He had two Sunday against Tampa Bay. Meachem definitely has turned the corner this season and has become a dependable part of the offense after two years of struggling.

Sure, it helps that he’s working with Drew Brees. But Meachem has made his increased role possible with a lot of hard work.

2. Malcolm Jenkins, Saints cornerback: The rookie was pushed into a start Sunday because of injuries to starters Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter. He responded with an interception and made several nice tackles.

The Saints had brought Jenkins along slowly early in the year, but he has shown he can handle some playing time.

3. Matt Ryan, quarterback, Falcons. After struggling for several games, Ryan rallied in the second half of Sunday’s overtime loss to the Giants. He looked like the Ryan of last year -- decisive and accurate.

Although the Falcons ended up losing the game, it was no fault of Ryan’s. If he can keep playing the way he did in the second half, he could help the Falcons end their slump.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/5504/page/stock-watch/how-i-see-it-nfc-south-stock-watch-10 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:00:27 EDT 5504 <![CDATA[More thoughts on Bucs' shakeup]]>
I’ve always thought of coordinators as insulation or convenient scapegoats for head coaches. When things don’t go well for a head coach, he’s usually not going to be fired right away. Pressure from ownership and, sometimes even fans, is going to force him to sacrifice someone to protect himself and a coordinator almost always going to be the first place to turn.

I’ve seen it with John Fox and Dan Henning, Tony Dungy and Mike Shula or, more recently and more successfully, Sean Payton dumping Gary Gibbs for Gregg Williams. Moves like this usually come a few years into a regime when it becomes clear there’s a particular problem area.

But the Bucs have made two moves like this less than three months into Raheem Morris’ first season as a head coach. He shed offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski just before the start of the season. The word was Jagodzinski’s playbook was too simple and he wasn’t very organized.

Fine, we all gave him a pass on that one. But, now, Morris has turned around and taken the defense out of Bates’ hands and that raises major questions. Bates is the most experienced coach on this staff and he’s been a successful coordinator at several other places.

All this reflects poorly on Morris because Jagodzinski and Bates were his two hand-picked coordinators and he was supposed to lean heavily on them because Bates has been a head coach in the NFL and Jagodzinski had been a head coach at Boston College. If they had such major flaws, he never should have hired them. If the Bucs didn’t have the personnel to run their systems, Morris should have made sure they had the personnel or encouraged them to alter their systems.

With six weeks left in his first season, Morris has shed all of his insulation and winter is coming fast. I’ve always thought Tampa Bay’s intent was to build slowly with Morris and that he’d get at least a few years to work through the process. Now, I'm not so sure that's going to happen.

This situation has become a mess. There’s no one left to take the blame except for Morris.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/5515/more-thoughts-on-bucs-shakeup Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:44:16 EDT 5515 <![CDATA[Saints running away from NFL in takeaways]]>
The Saints have 29 takeaways (20 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries) after forcing five turnovers against Tampa Bay on Sunday. Green Bay, New England and Philadelphia are tied for second with 22 takeaways.

Atlanta ranks seventh with 19 takeaways and Carolina is tied for ninth with 18. Tampa Bay is tied for 17th with 16 takeaways.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/5509/saints-running-away-from-league-in-takeaways Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:05:03 EDT 5509 <![CDATA[What is the plan for the Bucs?]]> Tampa Bay Buccaneers were at least starting to follow a plan by turning to rookie quarterback Josh Freeman, they’ve blown things up again.

Adam Schefter reports the Bucs demoted defensive coordinator Jim Bates on Monday night and head coach Raheem Morris will take over the defense.

Yes, the defense has struggled, but Bates is the best and most experienced coach on this staff. It’s now a pretty safe assumption he’ll be gone after the season. Morris fired offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski before the season started.

Bates’ defense has struggled largely because Tampa Bay doesn’t have the personnel to fit his system.

This move opens even more questions about Morris and the direction in which the Bucs are going. In fact, they don’t seem to have much direction at all. They’re making it up on the fly and not sticking to a plan and that approach isn’t going to get them anywhere.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/5506/what-is-the-plan-for-the-bucs Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:55:14 EDT 5506