New Orleans Saints Review

Saints Pro Bowl center Jonathan Goodwin was a key part of the best offensive line in football, and in the first Super Bowl in team history.  He was kind enough to chat with me about that Super Bowl victory and the season as a whole:

1. First, I have to ask, how would you describe the atmosphere in the Superdome after you won the NFC Championship?
Electric!! As soon as the kick got over the line of scrimmage the fans in the end zone started to celebrate, so at that point I knew it had to be on track to be good. After that it was a man hug session (haha). We all were so excited! Everything that we said we wanted to accomplish had been done. We still had one goal left, but to get to that point was a great feeling for us also. Four years ago we got to that point and came up short and that was one of the worst feelings you can ever experience as a professional athlete.

2. The week before the Super Bowl seems like it would be full of distractions. How were you guys able to focus on practicing and film study with so much going on around you?
Well coach Payton did a great job of preparing us for the distractions. We took care of all out tickets and things like that during the bye week, so we could focus on just football the week we spent in Miami. Another thing that coach did that was smart was he didn’t give us the whole gameplan until we got to Miami. This was key because we spent the week in Miami learning the game plan instead of just trying to remember it from the bye week.

3. You guys had a little bit of a slow start against the Colts, but from the second quarter on it was all Saints. Was there anything said in the huddle or on the sidelines that helped get you going?
Honestly we played well in the first half we just missed a couple plays. On the first series Drew missed Meach, on the second series we had a drop, and then we had the goal line stand. The whole game we had confidence we just started taking advantage of our opportunities in the second half. We believe we are the only people that can stop our offense.

4. Did you have any idea during halftime that Sean Payton called for the onside kick to begin the second half? I’ve heard that Thomas Morstead was terrified when he was told, but did the rest of the team know what was going to happen?
Coach told us all week he was going to call it. He just didn’t know when he would. At half time he told us we would start the half with the ball because he was calling the ambush.

5. During the game, when did it sink in that you guys were actually going to win and become champions?
When we took the 24-17 lead Jon Stinchcomb said to me that we were just over three minutes from winning the Super Bowl. A few plays later Tracy got the interception and then I asked Stinch to tell me that again. So I would say at that point.

6. When the game ended, was there anyone or anything that you thought of right away?
Just my wife, I was trying to see if she was making her way down to the field. It was the greatest feeling you can ever experience as an athlete so I wanted to share it with my family.

7. Looking back on the season as a whole, one thing that struck me was how many things have to go just right for a team to win the Super Bowl. Have you had a chance to sit back and reflect on what it took to win it all?
You are right. Just think if we don’t come back in the Dolphins game or the Carolina game at home then we don’t have home field advantage. That alone could have made it tougher to get to Miami.

8. Personally, you had a great season, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl for the first time. Would you attribute your success to a different approach to the game or is it more about gaining experience and being out there every Sunday?
I had a dream season to go to your first Pro Bowl and win the Super Bowl in the same season is a dream come true. I prepared the same way as I have always done. I think more people just noticed me and some of the other guys more this year.

9. You guys sure seemed to have a great time at the big parade in NOLA. What was it like to be in the middle of that scene?
It was great! It was an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. The city of New Orleans made us all feel like kings. The fans love us and we love our fans back.

10. Finally, do you have plans to do anything exciting during the offseason?
No just relax and take some vacations.

When you’re talking about the greatest player to ever wear a Saints uniform, Willie Roaf has got to be at the top of your list.  #77 was perhaps the most dominant offensive lineman of his generation.  But with his humble manner, you’d never know it.

After a great college career at Louisiana Tech (during which he was nominated for the prestigious Outland Trophy), Roaf was the Saints’ 1st round pick  (8th overall) back in 1993 under coach Jim Mora.  He was an immediate star and made an incredible 7 Pro Bowls in 9 seasons with the Saints.  He was named to the NFL’s All Decade team for the 1990s.  After the 2001 season, he was traded to Kansas City and made the Pro Bowl in each of his 4 seasons as a Chief.  He retired from after the 2005 season.  He may very well become the first player ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a Saint.

I had the great honor of speaking to Willie Roaf and, as you’ll hear, he is a genuine man who truly enjoys the game of football.  He shared some wonderful stories from his career and also praised the 2009 edition of the Saints.  I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed speaking to Willie!

Click Here to Download the Interview (MP3)

You can also listen via the streaming player below:

D. Orlando Ledbetter is the Falcons beat writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  He was kind enough to answer a few questions about the Dirty Birds, their struggles this season and the NFC playoff picture.  You can check out his Atlanta Falcons blog right here.

1. The 2009 Falcons remind me a little bit of the 2007 Saints.  Both teams were coming off of surprising playoff runs and have had letdowns afterwards. In your opinion, what has caused the Falcons to struggle this season?
They got off to a 4-1 start, but teams seem to catch up to what they were doing. Also, they’ve played a brutal schedule, facing four teams that were coming off of bye weeks. The tough schedule coupled with a maturing young quarterback has hurt their efforts up to this points. Also, a rash of injuries lately has not been helpful to their efforts.

2. What areas do the Falcons need to improve upon?
The defensive secondary has struggled for most of the year in allowing big players. They have not played well in man to man coverage and John Abraham has not been the same player who registered 16.5 sacks last season.

3. I imagine that people in Atlanta are probably tired of hearing about him, but did the crowd reaction to Michael Vick on Sunday surprise you?
No, I was not surprised. He was very popular here and a lot of people believe he paid his debt to society.

4. There is talk of Matt Ryan coming back to play this week against New Orleans.  Just how bad is his toe injury, and how effective can he be?
I know that he going to try to play, but the turf toe isn’t an injury to mess around with. If he comes back too soon he could further damage his foot and possibly lead to surgery. We suspect that it’s a second degree sprain based on the analysis of the symptom and that they are treating it aggressively.

5. What do you think the keys to Sunday’s game are from a Falcons  perspective?
Getting healthy. Without Ryan and Turner they don’t’ have a chance. Both had strong games in the previous meeting on Nov. 2. Turner ran for 151 yards and Ryan passed for 289, including a 68-yard touchdown pass to Roddy White. If they are not healthy, the game will take on the tone of a scrimmage.

6. Looking at the big picture in the NFC, do you think the Falcons have a realistic chance of getting a Wild Card berth?
They are still in the race and the NFC East teams will knock each other off. It would help them if Green Bay collapses down the stretch. If they can get healthy and stun the Saints they will likely be on their way back to the playoffs. They finish with the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

7. What are your impressions of the Saints this year?
Very enjoyable to watch. The emergence of the running game has been the key to their success along with the improvements on defense, a healthy Will Smith and the play of Darren Sharper.

8. Besides the Saints and Vikings, are there any other teams who have a shot to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl?
The defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals should not be overlooked. They trounced the Vikings last Sunday night have a potent offense that could keep up with the Saints.

Not many people know more about the Saints vs. Redskins match-up this weekend than former star punt returner/current analyst Brian Mitchell.  Brian hails from Louisiana and, as you’ll hear, knows his Saints football.  But he made his name in the NFL as a prolific punt returner/running back for the Washington Redskins.  Widely known for telling it like it is, he chatted with me on the phone to discuss the state of his beloved Redskins, the success of the Saints and what he thinks will happen at FedEx Field on Sunday.

Click Here to Download the Interview (MP3)

You can also listen via the streaming player below:

One of the players who has benefited most from defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ aggressive scheme is strong safety Roman Harper.  Through 5 games (they’re 5-0, you know!) Harper is leading the defense with 34 tackles.  On Sunday against the previously-undefeated Giants, he sacked Eli Manning and forced a fumble.  It led to a key touchdown and helped the Saints stay undefeated.

Taken out of Alabama in the 2nd round of the 2006 NFL draft, Roman has been a fixture in the secondary as a starter since the 2007 season.  His hard-hitting and aggressive style has made him a fan favorite in New Orleans and has led to a new level of success on the field in 2009.  He, along with veteran Darren Sharper are playing at a very high level so far this year and have helped the Saints become one of the most opportunistic defenses in the NFL.

Roman took time out of his very busy schedule to chat with me about his role in the new-look defense and his career:

1. A lot of fans and media have predicted that you will thrive in Gregg Williams’ defensive scheme.  How would you describe your role in this year’s defense compared to the past?

I think he put a lot more on our shoulders and I think overall it’s a totally diff type of scheme you can’t really compare it to last year’s – it’s like comparing apples to oranges.  I like it because it’s more aggressive, it’s a little more of my style, sometimes it cuts you loose.  It’s a scheme to where after a game you’re not going to have the feeling that you didn’t get cut loose.

2. One thing I’ve noticed about Gregg Williams is that he likes to blitz the safeties more often.  How do you like getting after the quarterback?

I enjoy it, it’s good, it’s a good part of my game.  It’s all about timing – with good timing you can be pretty decent at it.  As far as the game, anytime a DB gets to blitz we get really excited b/c we don’t get to do it that much.

3. Safety seems like one of those positions where you have to get fired up to go out and hit somebody!  Do you do anything special to prepare yourself for contact on game days?

Wear a mouth piece, that’s it.

4. How valuable has it been to have a veteran like Darren Sharper join the team?

It’s been valuable, being around him as a true pro and vet of the game, he’s been doing this at a high level for very long.  Playing and training beside him has taught me a lot on and off the field.  It’s been great.

5. There are a lot of big receivers out there – who is the toughest to bring down after a catch?

Probably Brandon Marshall, he’s a younger TO, and TO is prolific after he catches the ball in his hand.  He’s big and strong.

6. Does practicing against Drew Brees every day help make the defense better?

Of course, in my opinion he’s the best QB in the league with Peyton Manning of course.  We go up against each other every day, really compete with each other and we work hard.   There’s great competition every day when we go out there.

7. You guys are off to a great start this season, but I’ve heard coach Payton discuss the need to get better.  Defensively, what do you need to improve on?

We just need to improve on communication don’t give up so many leaky yards. Be better tacklers and improve on our fits.

8. Since you’ve been in New Orleans a few years now, I have to ask – do you have a favorite restaurant or meal?

Emerils is a really nice time, nice set-up, and sitting by the cook is the best place to sit!

9. Finally, I think you’re the perfect guy to ask about this.  How does it feel put a big hit on Steve Smith (of the Panthers)?  That guy drives me nuts, I can only imagine what it’s like to play against him!

I think Steve Smith is one of the best receivers in the league, there’s nothing bad you can ever say about that guy.