Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune
GLENDALE, ARIZ. — Everyone knows the No. 1 player on the New Orleans Saints wears No. 9.
But who’s the second-best player on the team?
It’s an interesting question, one my colleagues and I have debated often while watching workouts at the team’s Metairie training complex.
Is it Jahri Evans, universally considered the best young offensive guard in the league?
Or Jabari Greer, an underrated shutdown corner who’s revered by scouts.
Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune
As expected, the New Orleans Saints officially placed safety Chris Reis on injured reserve with a season-ending shoulder injury Wednesday. They re-signed cornerback Leigh Torrence to fill his spot.
Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune
New Orleans Saints safety Chris Reis will be placed on injured reserve and miss the remainder of the season with the shoulder injury he suffered in Sunday’s victory over the Carolina Panthers, a league source confirmed.
The exact injury was not specified, but it will require surgery. Coach Sean Payton indicated earlier Monday that Reis’ injury was serious, confirming that he would be out for this week’s game at the Arizona Cardinals, at the very least.
Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune
New Orleans Saints cornerback Tracy Porter is expected to miss about two to four weeks after suffering an apparent medial collateral injury in his left knee, a league source confirmed.
Porter came back into Sunday’s game briefly after suffering the injury during the Carolina Panthers’ final offensive drive. But tests revealed a slight tear on Monday, according to a source. Porter tweeted the cryptic words, “Why me?”
| Sedrick Ellis says the defense did a better job against Carolina |
Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune
It was another nailbiter for the New Orleans Saints, and they hold on to beat winless Carolina 16-14 at the Superdome on Sunday.
Something isn’t quite right with the Saints offense, even though they completely dominated the Panthers — 28 first downs to 17, 383 yards to 251 — but they had two critical turnovers that cost them points.
James Varney, The Times-Picayune
For the first time in a long time, the New Orleans Saints will play today on the heels of a loss.
Such is the enviable recent history for most defending Super Bowl champions.
However, history, recent or otherwise, has been less kind to the Saints when it involves the Carolina Panthers, their opponent in the Superdome. Since the Panthers entered the NFL in 1995, they hold a 17-13 all-time edge in the divisional rivalry.
And that’s not a record the Saints have made less lopsided in recent years, as they went to two NFC Championship games and Carolina fell from among the league’s perennial postseason contenders. Since Coach Sean Payton arrived in New Orleans in 2006, he has gone just 2-6 against his friend and counterpart, Panthers Coach John Fox.
ESPN.com news services
The New Orleans Saints are planning for newly signed John Carney to serve as the team’s kicker Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
The 46-year-old Carney signed with the Saints this week after starting kicker Garrett Hartley missed a 29-yard field goal in overtime Sunday that would have given the Saints a 27-24 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
Hartley remains on the Saints’ roster.
By Pat Yasinskas
The NFL just announced its Players of the Month for September and the NFC South avoided a shutout.
That’s because New Orleans’ Courtney Roby saved the day. Roby has been named the NFC’s Special Teams Player of the Month for September. It’s a good choice, because Roby is a guy who really doesn’t get the attention he deserves. He’s the first New Orleans non-kicker to earn the award since Tyrone Hughes in October 1994.
Roby is an all-around special-teams player. His primary role is as a kickoff return man. He averaged 25.8 yards per return in the first three games, but that’s not all Roby did. He also plays on the coverage units.
Roby’s made five special-teams tackles, including at least one in every game. He also recovered a fumble on a muffed punt in San Francisco that set up a field goal in a New Orleans victory.
Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune
A lot of armchair quarterbacks have second-guessed New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton’s decision to attempt the field goal in overtime against the Atlanta Falcons on first down.
But Payton’s decision was based on the laws of probability.
Since the beginning of the 2001 season, NFL kickers are 231 for 255 on 29-yard field goal attempts in the both regular season and postseason, according to ESPN’s NFL Stats & Information. That’s 90.6 percent.
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