The Saints are being decimated by injuries this season and TE Jeremy Shockey is just the latest victim. He'll undergo surgery for a sports hernia this week that he suffered in yesterdays game. Another blow to this team who is already missing about 7 starters. You might want to include coach Shaun Payton to the injury list also with "Brain sprain" the way he's been managing the games as of late.

If the Saints lose either Brees or Bush anytime soon, the teeam might as well pack it in. They've not found a way to win without starters Marques Colston and Scott Fujita. The Saints are down to one TE on the roster and that's Billy Miller. Yep all these injury's and the Saints went ahead and signed a QB by the name of Joey Harrignton who hasn't cut it with the last 5 or so teams he's played for.

If they Saints have found it tough to convert on 3 and 1 the past two weeks, just wait to see how hard that'll be now! Such a promising season and it looks to be heading way South. Well let's see how many guys the S.F. forty-niners can knock out next week. I'm willing to bet atleast two more important players either on defense or offense...heck why not both.

Thank God for LSU and the Hornets because if not this city might become addicted to prozac or maybe we could all just take one of these lil bad boys.

I'm pretty disappointed in yesterdays loss for my New Orleans Saints, in fact I along with other Saints fans are not only baffled by some things but extremely pissed off! Anyways here are this weeks Saints and Sinners.

Saints:

Reggie Bush- Bush is really starting to turn things around in regards to what he can do on the field of play as compared to last season. He was one of the few bright spots for the Saints this week. Bush ran18 times for 73 yds rushing and a TD while catching 11 passes for 75 yds and another TD. Bush seems focused this season on playing winning football. The Saints will need that from him all season long.

Drew Brees- Brees had all day to throw and hit a number of different targets. Brees went 39/48 for 421 yds and a TD. He did everything right when asked to throw the ball and looked poised in the pocket. That's a lot of yards when you consider that Bree's main target Marques Colston is sidelined with a surgicaly repaired thumb that will keep him out atleast another three weeks.

Jeremy Shockey- Shockey turned in his best performance as a Saint yesterday. 8 catches for 75 yds with a long of 16. They'll need this to continue and try and get him more involved in the red-zone while Colston is out.

Robert Meachem- For whatever reason coach Shaun Payton keeps this kid on the sideline when everytime he's had a chance he produces. Saints fans are kind of perplexed as to why that is so. 2 catches for 86 yds and a long of 76 which was almost a TD if he could have kept his balance. He's starting to look like the deep threat the Saints drafted him for. He needs to get more touches and Shaun Paytons excuses are starting to fall on deaf ears.

Lance Moore- Moore has some of the best hands on this team with the only exception being Colston. Problem is he doesn't show up every week but he is pretty good when thrown to. 7 catches and 78 yds with a long of 18 is a pretty good day for someone who isn't a deep threat or the go to receiver.

Mike McKenzie- Here's one for you, McKenzie was hurt after Deuce was and is back to playing before Deuce is and they both had the same injury. In his first start of the regular season McKenzie looked pretty good and the knee looks fine. He totaled 4 tackles and an Int. for the game. Welcome back Mike we need you!

Sedrick Ellis- I have to give the rookie some props as he does cause some disruption in the middle and affords Grant and Smith to not get doubled every play. He even had a tacle for a loss which resulted in a safety. He blew the middle up big time on that down.

Sinners:

Offensive lines- The run blocking was a little better this week but not something that stood out. They continue to not open holes for Bush or Pierre Thomas. This is also the second week in a row they aren't able to block good enough on third and 1 that would have helped win the game. Something has to give with this poor showing each week or the Saints can pack it in because they'll beat nobody just relying on the passing game. Which was evidenced by a lackluster 2007 season when Deuce went out and Bush playing hobbled the whole year.

Coach Shaun Payton- Again it's the third and 1 for two weeks that has Saints fans wondering what happened to the genius coach of the 2006 season. Also fans are starting to wonder why he hasn't played Deuce McAllister as of yet. Deuce at 80% is better than Pierre Thomas or any other back at 100%. Fans are disgruntled and are reminded of what went on with Payton and Joe Horn in his final season here. When you run Deuce 8 times in the final preseason game and twice last week when he had 5 yds a carry, why not run him on those third and ones. The excuse of Deuce is almost ready isn't working anymore.

Defensive coordinator Garry Gibbs- Blitz!Blitz!Blitz! WTF happened to this? Just because you have 2 pro-Bowl caliber DE's and a very good rookie in Sedrick Ellis doesn't mean they'll always get the necessary pressure to force bad passes. The scheme isn't working and even though they are keeping LB's in coverage teams are still throwing all over the Saints. It's time to think about changing the philosophy are start thinking about what city you'd like to live in next!

 M.Gamatica- Gramatica missed two field goals yesterday but one was pretty damn long before the half. However the 41 yd one to win the game was very makeable and he just pushed it wide right. After drinking frosty beverages all day and looking at what was seemingly going to be a win, that miss had me wanting to puke!

That's this week Saints and Sinners. I'm proud of my team for hanging in there with the hottest team in the league that nobody thought they had a realistic shot at winning. we are 1-2 right now and I'm not ready to hit the panic button just yet. Although my finger is in place to press it at anytime now. Hopefully the Saints can get back most of it's 6 hurt Starters back for the home game against S.F. this week. I think I'll go back to bed now seeing as to how I'm still hungover, no not from drinking but from losing...again!

They say History has a way of repeating itself, well someone forgot to tell LSU that on their final drive which ended with QB Jarrett Lee finding WR Brandon Lafell for an 18 yd touchdown. Lee had a rough start when he came in during the second quarter. His first five passes were incompletions and another was ill advised which turned into an interception for an Auburn TD.

When starting QB Andrew Hatch was knocked silly on a QB run, Lee had to find it within himself to stay poised and do what was necessary for his team to win...he didn't fail. Lee would finish the game 11-21 for 182 2 TD's and an int.

RB Charles Scott continued to impress me with his powerful running. He wore down a very good Auburn defensive line as the game went on. Scotts had 132 yds on 21 carries with a long of 32 and avg. around 6.3 yds a carry.

Les "The Gambler" Miles caught Auburn off guard twice in the game. Once on a perfect onside kick after just scoring a TD and again with RB Keiland Williams throwing a halfback pass for A TD.

I have to give respect to the Auburn Tigers who wouldn't just go away easy. They scored the go ahead TD with just over 8 min. to play in the fourth. However LSU's defense played tough as they did all night and got the offense the ball back with not that much time to spare but it was enough for QB Lee to complete some huge passes and none bigger than the TD with just over a minute left.

I've seen some great games between these two teams but this was a classic SEC defensive battle as neither offense is that great with the exception of LSU's offensive line and RB Charles Scott. Scott just may be the best RB in the SEC and one of the top in the nation. His bruising style of runs went a long way in helping LSU pull off this victory.

Auburn players and fans should feel no shame as the team played tough throughout, it just wasn't to be. They'll definatley still be a team to be reckoned with for some years once offensive coordinator Tony Franklins and the team has time to figure out the whole spread offense.

Overall another great Saturday in CFB and I'm just happy that LSU was able to pull this one off. Hopefully next week against another tough defense from the SEC Miss.St., LSU will be able to get the passing game going. Until then I'll be sitting back and enjoying this win.

Geeeeeeeaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuxxxxxxxxxxxx Tigers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok so I know what your probably thinking, todays game between LSU and the Auburn Tigers will be another boring game like last weeks Auburn and Miss. st. game. Two teams with tremendous defense and well not so great offense. If your an LSU Tiger fan though there's just a little bit more reason to be optomistic about the offense.

Sure the QB's are very untested and unproven, they'll get their first test today of what it's like to play in a premier conference game. However the offense still has some tremendous playmakers. First name that comes to mind is Charles Scott, who'd have guessed he'd be the starter coming into the beggining of the season. He's shown why though in LSU first 2 games that he posseses serious strength and very good vision. With LSU having only played two games (Troy game resched. due to Hurricane Gustav) Scott is one of the nations leading rushers. Busting huge gains against Appalachian St. and North Texas. All that with limited carries because there are some other pretty darn good RB's on this team.

LSU RB Charles Scott runs through OSU's CB in last seasons BCS NC game

LSU's massive offensive line deserves most of the credit though, I mean geez If I wasn't 180 pounds and scared to take a lick from a big and fast LB I might be able to run through the holes they produce. OT Ciron Black is 6'5 327 pound Jr. and Herman Johnson was the largest baby ever born in Louisiana, look how he's grown...6'7 387 whopping pounds! He's now a Sr. and no doubt will be one of the top offensive linman drafted this coming April.

Speaking of the NFL draft, LSU lost Early Doucet last April but there's still some pretty darn good WR's on this team. Namely Demetrius Byrd who I'm sure remembers last seasons thrilling win over Auburn when he caught the winning TD with 1 sec. on the game clock. Then there's Brandon Lafell who's a 2 year starter and played in some pretty big games for the Tigers. Add into the mix WR/RB Trindon Holliday who has world class speed  and who's a threat everytime he touches the ball and you have a kid that makes defenses sometimes look silly.

LSU WR Demetrius Byrds TD catch last Season gave his team the winWith 1 sec. left to spare.

Now on the defensive side it all starts upfront and for the LSU Tigers this unit might be as good as last years. They are arguably the best in the nation with Ricky Jean-Francois anchoring the middle. You remember him right? He was last seasons BCS championship game MVP. Makes you almost forget that the most decorated player in LSU history Glenn Dorsey even left to play with the big boys.

The LB's and DE's are a stable group of guys as well. Tyson Jackson a Sr. leads the DE's and gives most offensive lines fits with his combonation of speed and strength. LSU will be without LB Darry Beckwith because of injury last week but LSU is loaded with talent so whoever Miles plugs in is sure to produce.

The DB's are the only weak spot for this team on that side of the ball. They are young but have some tremendous athletes. Safety's Chad Jones and Harry Coleman are good tacklers and hard hitters both always seem to be in the right place and let's just hope they are tonight as the real test of how far they have come starts. Jai Eugene who saw plenty of action last season is the best CB and is a pretty good one. He affords the Tigers to be able to blitz when needed because he has one on one coverage skills. That was a huge luxary for LSU last season and something I'm sure they appreciate having this season also. They are untested and young just like the QB's on the other side of the ball but I expect them to handle their own all season.

Will history keep repeating itself and we'll see a slugfest until the final whistle? Probably so, but I'm optomistic that LSU can run away in the 4th quarter and get their first win at Auburn in quite some years. There's also the history of whoever wins this game usually represents the West in the SEC championship game. If LSU wins that's the one I'm hoping truelly repeats itself.

note: LSU has won the games against Auburn in the odd numberd years, while Auburn has won in the even numberd ones. Ironicly those games always end up at each others homes, so there's a little history lesson for you.

All animations courtesy of Tom Sylvest Jr. and his website www.tigertoons.org

 Next week Miss. St.