Posted by Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune December 11, 2008 10:16PM

Michael DeMocker/The Times-Picayune

Roman Harper is called for pass interference in overtime that gives the Chicago Bears a first down at the 15-yard line. Two plays later, the Bears hit a field goal to win.

Saints at Bears in-game blog

CHICAGO — In a game that had been pretty hard fought throughout, in the end, it came down to a penalty.

New Orleans Saints safety Roman Harper was hit with a 38-yard pass interference penalty on third-and-7 to give the Chicago Bears the ball at the 15-yard line. Two plays later, Bears placekicker Robbie Gould hit a 35-yard field goal with 12:19 in overtime and Chicago won 27-24.

The Saints (7-7) aren’t mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but it’s all but over. The Bears (8-6) are still alive to win the NFC North division.
Reggie Bush was asked about why he played only sparingly in the second half. Bush played only on one punt return in the third quarter and did not see any action on offense.

• A look at the Saints’ top five offensive players.
• What Brees has to do to break Marino’s 1984 record of most passing yards in a season.

“That’s how it goes,” said Bush, who said he sprained his knee on a run in the second quarter. “I just work here. I’m just an employee. I don’t call the shots. I definitely don’t call the plays.”

Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who again didn’t have a great game, finished 24-of-43 for 232 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. His counterpart, Kyle Orton was 24-of-40 for 172 yards and two interceptions.

Orton’s numbers were terrible, except for the last drive in regulation (see below).

Pierre Thomas continues to look good for the Saints. He rushed for 87 yards on 22 carries and scored a touchdown and caught seven passes for 59 more yards and a touchdown. He was better at being Reggie Bush than Reggie Bush. Bush had six carries for 30 yards and two catches for 16 yards. But it was clear Bush wasn’t 100 percent.

Marques Colston had a decent game as well, catching six passes for 84 yards and a touchdown.

Devin Hester had four catches for 46 yards, but it was a big pass interference call against Roman Harper in overtime, who was trying to cover Hester, that proved to be the key play of the game.

The Saints have now lost the past three games they’ve played at Soldier Field.

Here is the compilation of the game updates

Orton, a great one? (0:00 4Q)

With the game on the line, Kyle Orton started to look like Joe Montana. He was 8-of-10 then threw an incomplete pass to tight end Greg Olsen in the end zone that could have been pass interference on Jason David, then was sacked on the next play and the Bears got an immediate time out.

Robbie Gould then hit the tying field goal as time ran out in regulation. Game goes to overtime tied at 24.

Still some life (3:10, 4Q)

The Saints have taken the lead. Drew Brees hit Marques Colston for an 11-yard touchdown and the Saints go up 24-21 in a game that New Orleans desperately needs to keep alive any hopes of making the playoffs.

After not playing that well this season — when he wasn’t hurt, that is — Colston now has six catches for 84 yards.

Ahem, this is where the game turns? (5:17, 4Q)

The Bears followed the Saints gift with one of their own. Kyle Orton threw a bad pass that was intercepted by Scott Fujita and returned to the 36.

After an incomplete pass and a Pierrre Thomas loss of five yards, Drew Brees his Marques Colston for a first down. It was one of the rare times in this game that Brees and his former favorite receiver seemed to be on the same page.

OK, this is where the game turns … (5:35, 4Q)

Is it stubborness or just that the guy never learns? Another Saints short yardage play, another offensive play call that was doomed from the start.

On fourth and inches, the Saints try a pitch wide to Pierre Thomas, who was swallowed up by the Bears defense. The Saints continue to attempt run outside on short yardage situations, and continue to not get the first down.
As the game turns (7:31, 4Q)

This could be where the game turns. A gutsy call by the Bears to run a fake punt and punter Brad Maynard hit Adrian Peterson with the pass that was clearly a first down. But the ruling was that Peterson didn’t have complete control of the ball when he was hit by Lance Moore, the would-be punt returner.

So the Saints get a huge break.

Michael DeMocker/The Times-Picayune

Pierre Thomas scored the Saints only touchdown of the first half.

Saints pull within, 21-17 (9:07, 4Q)

Garrett Hartley’s 30-yard field goal brought the Saints within four points and capped a time-consuming 63-yard drive. Since the Josh Bullocks interception, it’s been all Saints. They have dominated time of possession in the second half, controlling the ball for 14:54 of the first 21 minutes of the second half.

Bears take 21-14 lead to the fourth quarter (15:00, 4Q)

The Saints have maintained the momentum they got after the Bullocks’ interception. They’ve put a couple of first downs together and are at midfield early in the fourth quarter. The Bears have blown fourth-quarter leads against Atlanta, Carolina and Tampa Bay this season. Could the Saints be next?

Saints strike quick, move within 21-14 (3:44, 3Q)

That didn’t take long. Two plays after Bullocks’ interception, Pierre Thomas rambled 42 yards for a touchdown. It’s 21-14 Bears but the Saints have some major momentum.

Saints get another turnover (4:26, 3Q)

Josh Bullocks’ interception on a deflected pass ended a promising Bears drive and has given the Saints new life at the Chicago 45-yard line. Not sure when Bullocks last picked off a pass but it’s been a while. The pass was intended for receiver Rashied Davis but bounced off his shoulder pads and into the arms of Bullocks who ran it back 23 yards into Chicago territory.
Saints waste scoring opportunity (8:31, 3Q)
The Saints squandered a chance to pull within a touchdown when Adewale Ogunleye intercepted a short pass by Drew Brees at the Bears 16-yard line. Before the play, the Saints appered to have momentum, marching from their own 29 to the Bears 9. They had just converted a fourth-and-1 at the 10 and looked to be in prime position to score a touchdown when Ogunleye made a leaping interception in the backfield against Brees as he tried to scramble from pressure.

Halftime stats, leaning in favor of the team trailing

Can it be? Kyle Orton has better numbers than Drew Brees? It’s true, at least in accuracy. Orton is 11-of-17 for 76 yards and Brees is 10-of-23 for 93 yards with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Pierre Thomas, and one interception. There were almost a couple other interceptions, but the Bears couldn’t hold on.

Before Reggie Bush went out, and we’re still trying to find out how severely he’s hurt, he had five carries for 30 yards. He looked pretty solid, was hitting the holes and showing good leg drive, with the exception of his final carry, when it appeared something happened to his knee and he turned and just went out of bounds. Thomas has eight carries for 24 yards and has caught four passes for another 32.

Chicago’s Matt Forte, he of Slidell and Tulane, has four carries for eight yards, but hurt his toe on his first carry. He has toughed it out coming back, and could become a force in the second half.

As a team, the Saints have 140 yards to Chicago’s 103.

Bears extend lead (0:49, 2Q)
The Bears added another touchdown just before halftime. Kyle Orton scrambled in from 6 yards out to make it 21-7 Chicago. It’s not looking good for the Saints. Their only score was the result of a gift. Otherwise, they’ve been dominated. The score means the Saints have allowed at least 20 points in eight consecutive games. The Bears made the 21-7 lead hold up until halftime. They’re going to need to make some major adjustments in the second half to pull this one out.

Bush out? (4:39, 2Q)

It looks like Reggie Bush is injured. He missed the last series on offense and did not go back to return a punt. Lance Moore returned instead. Saints trainers were looking at his left knee, as Bush limped off the field. That’s the same knee Bush injured in October and had arthroscopic surgery on to repair cartilage damage. We’re trying to get a report on his condition but there’s been no official work yet. Bush watched the last series while standing on the sideline so at least they didn’t have to take him to the locker room.

Another big return sets up Bears’ score (7:42, 2Q)
Danieal Manning is killing the Saints. He returned the ensuing kickoff after the Thomas touchdown 52 yards to give the Bears great field position, at the Saints 41. Jason David then was whistled for a 39-yard pass interference call, setting up a 1-yard touchdown run by former Tulane standout and Slidell native Matt Forte. It’s 14-7 Bears. Forte left the game for awhile with a toe injury, which occurred on the Bear’s first series. He”s back and looks good now.

Michael DeMocker/The Times-Picayune

The one good moment for the Saints was when the Bears fumbled near their goalline.

Saints tie it (9:52, 2Q)

The Saints took advantage of a gift from the Bears to tie the score, 7-7. Jon Vilma recovered a fumbled snap by quarterback Kyle Orton at the Bears’ 1-yard line. Two plays later, Pierre Thomas ccaught a swing pass by Brees and rambled in for the tying score. The play was set up by a tremendous punt by Glenn Pakulak and an even better cover by Usama Young, who tight-roped the goal line to down it at the 1-foot line.

Saints off to cold start (Kickoff)

No sooner had they anounced the wind-chill temperature of 18 degrees then Danieal Manning took the opening kickoff and raced 83 yards for a touchdown. Manning was untouched. As he dodged kicker Garrett Hartley near midfield he thrust his hand over his head and raced the final 45 yards virtually by himself. Twelve seconds into the game and the Saints trail 7-0. Not the way they wanted to start. The crowd at Soldier Field is rockin’, dancing in their seats to “Shout” on the Soldier Field p.a. system.

David Grunfeld/The Times-Picayune

Reggie Bush warms up on the field before the Saints game at Chicago tonight.

Weather update (6:48 p.m.)

They just announced a weather report in the press box. It’s 29 degrees with winds out of northwest at 15 miles per hour. Gusts are up to 26 miles per hour. That’s pretty stiff. The forecast is for temperatures to drop into the mid-20s. The wind is also expected to drop to about 11 miles per hour. No word on the wind-chill temperature. Will update when we get it.

Setting the scene (6:15 p.m.)

Well, I just completed the half-mile trek from Michigan Avenue to Soldier Field and the weather wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Sure, it’s cold but I really don’t think it’s bad enough to have an effect on the game.

Now the wind is another matter. The flags on the top of Solider Field are whipped horizontal by the winds, but surprisingly the winds are blowing from the northwest, toward Lake Michigan, not from it.

Nevertheless, it’s not going to be easy to pass or catch in the conditions.

If you’re watching on TV, the wind is swirling inside the stadium. It appears to be blowing much stronger from north to south. That means from right to left if you’re viewpoint is from behind the Saints sideline. Kicker Garrett Hartley just went through pre-game warm-ups and was well short on both of his attempts from 48 yards going into the northerly wind. With the wind behind him, he was able to convert from 54 yards. His attempt from 57 yards was well short.

Punter Glenn Pakulak doesn’t seem to be having any problem so far. He’s booming 50 yarders consistently with decent hangtime.

When I first arrived at the stadium, several Saints were on the field going through warm-ups. A few were even in shorts, among them, Reggie Bush and Marques Colston. Bush seemed particularly intent on making a statement. He wore a sleeveless T-shirt and no socks.
Drew Brees just went through his little pre-game hype chant with the team around him in the end zone. The Saints looked fired-up for this one. Their body language looks good.

Posted by Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune December 10, 2008 11:18PM

Michael DeMocker / The Times-Picayune

Pierre Thomas, who played collegiately at Illinois and had a standout performance last season against the Bears, likely will be a key for the Saints today. Temperatures are expected to be in the 20s, with the wind coming off the lake at Soldier Field.

CHICAGO – Revenge, it has been said, is a dish best served cold.

That’s a good thing for the Saints, because if they hope to exact some revenge on the Chicago Bears tonight, they’ll have to do so in frigid wintry conditions in Soldier Field, with temperatures expected to dip into the 20s while the wind whips off Lake Michigan.

The Saints’ past two seasons ended here under similar conditions — a 39-14 loss to the Bears in the NFC championship game after the 2006 season, then a 33-25 loss at Chicago in Week 17 last December, when the Saints went into the game with a slim mathematical shot at the playoffs.
Several players said this week that a little revenge would be nice, but mostly they just want to win this critical NFC showdown to avoid the same fate for the third year in a row.

The Saints (7-6) almost certainly need to win their final three games to have any chance at the playoffs.

“I think it really starts with staying alive in postseason contention,” Saints Coach Sean Payton said. “If you said, ‘What’s the motivation?’ or ‘What’s the sense of urgency?’ It’s knowing that the way the NFC is shaping up, these are all must-win games. I think that is most significant, rather than, ‘Well, we haven’t beaten this team the last two years.’

“I think it’s playing to win so you can continue to play when the regular season is over.”

Although the Bears might have earned some level of confidence and bragging rights the past two years, they are in the same boat as the Saints this season. Also 7-6, they are just as desperate to win tonight to keep alive their own flickering playoff hopes.

Although Chicago has a better chance to win its division, trailing NFC North leader Minnesota by one game, the Bears also are behind the Vikings in the tie-breakers.

“I definitely think (the intensity has increased) when you know there’s no room for error,” Chicago Coach Lovie Smith said. “Guys seem to be a little more focused. … Guys seem to watch a little bit more video, ask a few more questions.

“It’s the same thing that happens when a team gets in the playoffs. And that’s how we’re looking at this. We’re looking at it like we’re in the playoffs, and to keep playing, we have to win.”

The Saints and Bears could have made things a lot easier on themselves — and on each other — if they hadn’t blown golden opportunities earlier in the season.

New Orleans had a seven-point lead against the Vikings in the fourth quarter in Week 5 and had a chance to take a three-point lead in the final minutes, but kicker Martin Gramatica missed a 46-yard field-goal attempt.

Chicago, meanwhile, coughed up fourth-quarter leads against all three of the Saints’ rivals in the NFC South.

The Bears led Carolina 17-3 in the third quarter in Week 2 before losing 20-17. They led Tampa Bay 24-14 with 3:11 remaining in Week 3 but wound up losing 27-24 in overtime. And their Week 6 loss to Atlanta was the worst of the bunch.

The Bears took a 20-19 lead with 11 seconds remaining, but after a short squib kickoff and a 26-yard pass from Matt Ryan to Michael Jenkins, the Falcons won on a last-second 48-yard field goal by Jason Elam as time expired.

Were it not for those three losses, Chicago would have started the season 8-0.

“But you can’t really live in the past,” said Smith, whose Bears have been radically inconsistent the past month, mixing in solid wins against Jacksonville and St. Louis with blowout losses to Minnesota and Green Bay. “What we’re excited about now is we’re still in the playoff push. And we still feel like we control what happens to us.”

The Saints have played their best football of the season the past four games, winning three games, including a solid overall performance in last week’s 29-25 victory over Atlanta.

Like Smith, Payton said he believes the team’s sense of urgency has helped to elicit its best performance. And the players agree.

“This is really a trying time right now, and we’re seeing what guys are made of, their character,” Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma said. “When you’re 10-2 or 10-3, everybody has a great time, but you don’t really know the character of your team. And I mean, it’s been great.

“Coach challenged us last week to see who was going to step up, to see who was going to help the team or let the team down. And everybody did their part to help the team and win a game.”

The challenge becomes even greater this week, considering all of the elements — the short week of rest, the weather conditions and an opponent the Saints have struggled to match up with in recent years.

Chicago is a physical team that runs and stops the run effectively. Saints defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy said the Bears are the best in the league “from guard to guard.” Conventional wisdom suggests that’s what it takes to win in these conditions.

The Saints, meanwhile, are a terrific passing team built more on speed than power — although they proved they can run the ball effectively, with tailbacks Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush combining for 182 yards rushing last week.

No doubt, Payton will be battling his inner play-calling demons throughout the game against a Bears defense that is much more vulnerable against the pass, ranking 28th in the NFL (234.2 yards passing per game).

“It’s going to be a tough game, a hard-nosed tough game,” Thomas said. “A short, quick week. Both teams are going to have guys banged up, but you have to fight through that.”

“There’s a lot on the line,” Thomas said, but he added, “That gives you a big rush.”

BROWN OUT: Left tackle Jammal Brown won’t play tonight because of a sprained left ankle. Brown and Payton said they hope he’ll be back in the lineup next week. Brown said he thinks he would’ve been able to go if the game were Sunday instead of Thursday.

Zach Strief, who is in his third year, will replace Brown in the lineup. Strief has started two games in his career at left tackle — one each in 2006 and 2007 — and he has filled in this year at left and right tackle.

Strief is also familiar with the Chicago weather. He was a four-year starter at Northwestern, although Payton joked that he was used to playing in front of 28,000 fans then instead of 61,000.

“Just like it’s always been, I’m going to try to step up and do my best to replace Jammal and keep our offense moving,” Strief said.

Tailback Deuce McAllister missed practice Wednesday because of his grandfather’s death. It wasn’t clear if McAllister made the trip to Chicago with the team Wednesday evening or if he will join them today.

Defensive end Will Smith was back Wednesday after missing Tuesday’s practice for the birth of his son, Wynter. Smith and McAllister are both eligible to play tonight while their suspensions remain on hold.

Posted by The Times-Picayune December 11, 2008 5:13PM

David Grunfeld/The Times-Picayune

A judge extended the preliminary injuction that allows Will Smith and teammate Deuce McAllister to conintue to play.

Saints stars Deuce McAllister and Will Smith, both facing four-game suspensions for failing an NFL drug test, will be able to play indefinitely after a U.S. District Court judge in Minnesota on Thursday extended his preliminary injunction against the NFL.

U.S. District Court Judge Paul A. Magnuson ruled Thursday that the preliminary injunction has been extended until he can hold a full evidentiary hearing.
The ruling also allows Minnesota Vikings defensive linemen Pat Williams and Kevin Williams to play while under suspension. Saints defensive lineman Charles Grant is also involved in the suit, but he is on season-ending injured reserve.

Magnuson’s ruling Thursday said the NFL Players Association, which sought the injunction, and the NFL shall provide the court with a joint proposed scheduling order on or before Monday, Dec. 22.

by Doug Miller, NewOrleansSaints.com
Monday, December 08, 2008 – 3:30 PM

New Orleans – The New Orleans Saints announced today that wide receiver/kick returner Courtney Roby has been placed on the reserve/injured list and the team also announced that CB David Pittman has been waived. The announcements were made by Saints’ Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.

Roby, 6-0, 189 pounds, is a four-year NFL veteran that has served as the team’s primary kickoff returner the past five weeks. The product of the University of Indiana had 19 kickoff returns for the Saints for 472 yards for a 24.8 average with a long return of 62 yards. The Saints signed Roby earlier this season as a free agent. He injured his ankle on Sunday afternoon against the Atlanta Falcons and becomes the 16th player on the team’s reserve/injured list this season.

Pittman, 5-11, 185 pounds, is a third year pro from Northwestern State. He signed as a free agent with the Saints on November 12 and has been inactive for the past four games of the season.

The Saints’ roster currently stands at the NFL’s maximum allotment of 53 players on the active roster. The Saints return to the field on Thursday night, December 11, in a 7:15 p.m. contest against the Chicago Bears on the NFL Network and in the New Orleans market by WGNO (AB), Ch. 26.

Posted by Teddy Kider, The Times-Picayune December 07, 2008 10:15PM

Scott Threlkeld / The Times-Picayune

Running back Pierre Thomas, who had 102 of the Saints’ season-high 184 rushing yards, extends the ball over teammate Carl Nicks and the goal line on a 5-yard run with 5:47 to go that turned out to be the winning touchdown in Sunday’s 29-25 victory over Atlanta at the Super´dome. Thomas set up the score with an 88-yard kickoff return.

After a lackluster rushing performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that came with an enormously disappointing loss, Saints Coach Sean Payton was emphatic in committing to better offensive balance.

His team was mostly mum on the game plan leading up to Sunday’s contest against the Atlanta Falcons, but Payton, behind the scenes, was apparently stirring up a plan for a running game.
It showed Sunday at the Superdome from the very first drive — three consecutive carries for Saints running back Pierre Thomas — and by the end of the day, it paid off. The Saints (7-6) finished with the most rushing yards they have had in a game this season, and their 29-25 win against the Falcons kept alive hopes for a playoff berth.

“Coach Payton told us during the week we needed to run the ball,” Saints center Jonathan Goodwin said. “We didn’t know we were going to start with that many runs, but thankfully we did, and thankfully we delivered.”

The Saints finished with a season-high 184 rushing yards, and Thomas had 102 of them on 16 carries, making him the first player on the team with a 100-yard rushing performance since he did it in Chicago last season. Thomas’ 5-yard run for a touchdown with 5:47 remaining in the game put the Saints ahead to stay. He also had a 7-yard catch for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

His most explosive play of the day, however, came in an area where he was not expected to be a factor. Courtney Roby, the Saints’ usual kickoff return man, was off the field with an ankle injury about midway through the fourth quarter, so Thomas stepped in and returned a kickoff 88 yards to the Falcons’ 16-yard line.

That came just after the Falcons (8-5) had taken a 25-22 lead with a touchdown and a two-point conversion.

“If Roby was in there, it would have been a touchdown,” Thomas joked. “I’m a little too slow.”

But Roby was no longer needed. Thomas capped the drive he set up with the 5-yard touchdown run, and the Falcons’ next drive — which turned out to be their last — ended in a punt with a little more than three minutes to go.

“It’s one of the more complete team wins we’ve had around here in a while,” Payton said.

The Saints had no turnovers, and quarterback Drew Brees completed 18 of 32 passes for 230 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, good for a 99.7 passer rating.

Thomas had help in the running game from Reggie Bush, who had 10 carries for 80 yards, including a career-long 43-yard burst in the first quarter.

After struggling last week against the Buccaneers in his return from knee surgery, Bush looked faster and more effective on the Superdome turf. Two plays after the 43-yard burst, Bush had a 5-yard touchdown catch — part of his three catches for 26 yards — and the Saints led 7-0.

“Our main focus was trying to run the ball on them,” Thomas said. “We wanted to make that a point, that we could run the ball on these guys. And we did a great job. Reggie and myself and the offensive line did a heck of a job of doing that for us.”

The Saints held the Falcons to 99 rushing yards, including 61 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries by running back Michael Turner. But while the Saints’ offense managed 414 total yards on 62 plays, the Falcons had 414 yards on 63 plays.

Falcons rookie quarterback Matt Ryan completed 24 of 33 passes for 315 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and receiver Roddy White had 164 yards on 10 catches.

The big mistake for Ryan on an otherwise impressive day was a poor throw that Saints cornerback Jason David intercepted early in the first quarter to set up the Saints’ first touchdown. After a three-and-out on the Saints’ first possession, Bush caught his touchdown pass on the next, aided by David.

“Jason David, he kind of set the tempo coming in with the big interception in the first quarter,” Saints defensive end Will Smith said. “So I just think, overall, we played together as a team, and like you said, it was probably the most complete game that we’ve had since we’ve been all together.”

Smith, together with running back Deuce McAllister, returned to the team late last week after a federal court judge blocked four-game suspensions that the NFL had handed down for positive drug tests. Both had quiet games, but Smith’s presence was apparent on the Falcons’ final drive.

The Falcons got the ball back with almost six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, and Smith set the tone on the first play of the Falcons’ drive by tackling Turner for a 5-yard loss. With about 3 1/2 minutes to go, Ryan threw an incomplete pass on third-and-5 from his own 35-yard-line, and Falcons Coach Mike Smith decided to punt.

Atlanta did not get the ball back.

“We’re one of the better third-down teams in the league, but today, for the most part, we didn’t do really well,” Saints linebacker Scott Fujita said, referencing the Falcons’ 7-for-12 third-down efficiency. “They completed some third-and-real-longs, and that’s unfortunate. But again, when it mattered most, guys stepped up.”

Payton and Brees got their first win together when trailing after three quarters, and the Saints made sure that every NFC South team has still won all of its home games against division opponents.

New Orleans stayed alive in the playoff race, and the Saints then quickly shifted focus to the fastest transition they will have all season — a short week of preparation followed by a Thursday night game at the Chicago Bears.

“We don’t have a whole lot of control over a lot of things right now,” Fujita said. “It’s just a matter of getting ready to play Thursday.”

Posted by Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune December 04, 2008 2:22PM

Michael DeMocker/The Times-Picayune

Will Smith was one of the Saints who tested positive for a banned substance.

A hearing has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Friday in a U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minn., to review the NFL Players Association’s lawsuit on behalf of suspended Saints players Deuce McAllister, Will Smith and Charles Grant, as well as suspended Minnesota Vikings players Pat Williams and Kevin Williams.

Lawyers for both the NFLPA and the NFL are expected to argue the merits of the lawsuit before Judge Paul Magnuson, who has been assigned the case. He could choose to offer a quick ruling or schedule further proceedings. If that’s the case, the NFLPA will ask him to grant an injunction to allow the players to resume playing until the matter is settled.

If Magnuson grants an injunction, McAllister and Smith would be eligible to play Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. Grant is unable to play because he is on the injured reserve list for the remainder of the season with a triceps injury.

“I believe you will (see us back on the field Sunday),” said McAllister, who said he believes the players have a strong case, even if the NFL didn’t agree when it denied their appeal on Tuesday. “I think if we felt like we were wrong, we wouldn’t have even appealed it up to this point. But after not getting the appeal by the league looking at it, you still have other avenues you can take.”
Apparently, the Saints players have not filed any lawsuits on the local level. The Vikings players chose to file a lawsuit in Minnesota on the state level Wednesday, and they were granted a temporary injunction by the judge in that case, which allowed them to practice with the Vikings on Thursday.

The state case has since been reassigned to the federal court, but the injunction still stands pending Friday’s hearing.

Saints Coach Sean Payton said he’s aware of the possible change in McAllister’s and Smith’s status, but at this point, the only thing he can do is keep game-planning and practicing with the guys on the current roster.

“Really, after two days of practice (this week), that’s what it has to be now,” said Payton, though he added that McAllister and Smith “certainly understand and know the offense and defense” well enough that they could be inserted back into the lineup without great difficulty.

“If those guys are restored and allowed to play, then we’ll have a plan for that. And if not, then we already have a plan for that,” said Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis, who said he is disappointed for the players, but he also supports the league’s ruling on their suspensions.

“Listen, we support the league and the policies that we have. And the league ruled on the matter, so we support that,” Loomis said. “You know, I’m disappointed for our players, we’re all disappointed for our players, and we thought they made a strong argument. But the league made its decision, so as a member club, we have to abide by that.

“But I can tell you this, Deuce McAllister and Will Smith mean a lot to our team. They’re really good players. They’ve meant a lot to our franchise. They’ve been exemplary representatives of the NFL and our franchise, and I certainly wouldn’t be upset if they were able to play.”

Posted by Teddy Kider, The Times-Picayune December 04, 2008 2:05PM

The Saints placed starting safety Kevin Kaesviharn on the injured reserve list Thursday, ending his season after he suffered his second stinger in four weeks.

With defensive end Charles Grant’s move this week from the injured reserve to the suspended reserve list, there are now 14 players on the Saints’ injured reserve list.
The Saint signed defensive end Tearrius George from the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad to take Kaesviharn’s active roster spot.

Fullback Mike Karney and linebacker Troy Evans both were on the injury report Thursday but had full practices.

Posted by Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune December 02, 2008 7:23PM

Saints tailback Deuce McAllister said he was obviously disappointed by the NFL’s decision to suspend him for the final four games of the regular season, but he said he had prepared himself for the worst.

McAllister, who was hosting his annual holiday shopping spree “DeuceGiving” for children in Jackson, Miss., on Tuesday said, “This was the toughest thing, hearing the news today. But I wasn’t gonna put a damper on the event we had for these kids tonight. They had a blast, we were having fun. I had to keep my head up high for them.”

He said it’s still possible that his attorney David Cornwell will file for an injunction to halt the league’s suspensions, but both he and Cornwell said they have not yet decided if they will follow that course of action.

As for what this means for him in the long-term, McAllister isn’t ready to go down that road just yet.

“I don’t feel like I’m through playing. I don’t feel like I’ve played my last game in the Dome,” said McAllister, who turns 30 this month. “I mean, whatever happens happens, but there’s no reason to try and speculate at this point.”

McAllister has four years remaining on his contract, but his salary-cap figure for next year is $7.3 million, which would likely need to be significantly restructured to keep him in a Saints uniform.

“We all know something will occur. What will occur we don’t know,” said McAllister, who said it would be premature to start talking about changing his contract. “Right now I have a contract.”

McAllister and Saints defensive ends Charles Grant and Will Smith were all suspended for four games without pay on Tuesday for violating the league’s policy on steroids and related substances. They all tested positive for the banned diuretic, bumetanide, which they say came from an over-the-counter weight-loss product called StarCaps, which advertises itself as all natural and does not list any diuretics or other banned substances among its ingredients.

McAllister said he has been taking the product for four years, and that he had a team trainer inquire about the product through the league’s hotline before he started taking it. Although the league didn’t officially approve the product, McAllister said he was informed that there was nothing bad in the product.

“Probably the saddest part about it is that I went about it the right way,” McAllister said. “My only question now is, ‘What is a player supposed to do if it’s not calling the league hotline?’ Obviously that’s not working, because that’s what I did and that’s not working. Something needs to be revamped.

“Now we find out that the league doesn’t test it. They just read the label. I can read the label.”

The NFL reiterated its policy Tuesday, both through a lengthy statement and a conference call with the league’s Vice President of Law & Labor Policy, Adolpho Birch. Birch said the league does not test products for players or teams, but that the hotline is there for informational and educational purposes. The league has long advised players to avoid weight-loss supplements, because they are unregulated and often contain diuretics that are both prohibited by the league and harmful to the body.

McAllister said the StarCaps product has been used for years by several players around the league, including one unnamed player he described as a future Hall of Famer, and he said Grant estimated during the appeals process that at least 25 players on the Saints had used it at one point or another over the past seven years.

Saints guard Jamar Nesbit also was suspended this season under the same circumstances, but he elected to waive his right to appeal and served his suspension. He later filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of StarCaps.

Neither Smith nor Grant were reached for comment.

Posted by Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune December 02, 2008 9:01AM

Michael DeMocker/The Times-Picayune

Deuce McAllister insists that the supplement he took was for weight loss.

The NFL officially announced that six players, including Saints Deuce McAllister, Will Smith and Charles Grant will be suspended four games for violating the league’s policy on steroids and related substances.

Grant, who is already on injured reserve for the remainder of the season, will be able serve his suspension while on the injured list, but he will have to forfeit his pay. McAllister and Smith will miss the final four games of this regular season.

The players all appealed their suspensions two weeks ago at the league office in New York, but their appeals were denied Tuesday. Their attorney, David Cornwell, said he has not yet decided if he will pursue an injunction to halt the suspensions or pursue legal action against the manufacturers of the weight-loss product, StarCaps, which allegedly caused the Players’ positive test for a banned diuretic.
“We are disappointed,” Cornwell said in a statement. “Based on the unique circumstances presented in this case, the NFL’s decision is inconsistent with the objectives of the steroid policy, Dr. Lombardo’s (Dr. John Lombardo, the independent admindistrator of the league’s testing program) closure obligations under the law, and the best interests of NFL players.

“Deuce, Will, and Charles did not try to enhance their performance with steroids, nor did they knowingly expose themselves to the adverse health risks of a diuretic. They took a weight loss supplement that they had every reason to believe was safe. Against the backdrop of the federal government’s refusal to require accurate labeling for nutritional supplements and Dr. Lombardo’s specific, but undisclosed knowledge that StarCaps contained bumetanide, it is grossly unfair that Deuce, Will, and Charles are the only ones that must bear a burden.

“We will take further action as is appropriate.”

Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis said, “We are disappointed for Deuce, Will and Charles.” The Saints have not yet announced any corresponding roster moves.

Following is the league’s official statement on the decision:

Michael DeMocker/The Times-Picayune

Will Smith was one of the Saints who tested positive for a banned substance.

The NFL announced today the suspension without pay for four games of six players that violated the NFL Policy on Anabolic Steroids and Related Substances.

The players specifically violated a longstanding provision of the policy relating to the use of diuretics and water pills, which serve as masking agents for steroids and are potentially dangerous to the health of players.

The policy states that the use of so-called “blocking” or “masking” agents, including diuretics and water pills, is prohibited and that a positive test will not be excused because it results from the use of a dietary supplement that unknowingly contained a banned substance. Supplements are not regulated or monitored by the government and players have been warned about the risks of supplement use.

“You and you alone are responsible for what goes into your body,” the policy has always stated. “Claiming that you used only legally available nutritional supplements will not help you in an appeal…Even if they are bought over-the-counter from a known establishment, there is currently no way to be sure that they contain the ingredients listed on the packaging or have not been tainted with prohibited substances…If you take these products, you do so AT YOUR OWN RISK! For your own health and success in the league, we strongly encourage you to avoid the use of supplements altogether, or at the very least to be extremely careful about what you choose to take.”

The six players are each suspended for the final four games of the regular-season. If the player’s team qualifies for the playoffs, he is eligible to return to the active roster on Monday, December 29. The suspended players are:

Charles Grant, New Orleans
Deuce McAllister, New Orleans
Bryan Pittman, Houston
Will Smith, New Orleans
Kevin Williams, Minnesota
Pat Williams, Minnesota

The appeals process in this matter included close to 30 hours of hearings. NFL Executive Vice President of Labor and League Counsel Jeff Pash heard and decided all of the appeals except for Bryan Pittman’s. The appeals officer for Pittman was former NFL Executive Vice President and League Counsel Jay Moyer. Following are key excerpts from Jeff Pash’s decision upholding the suspensions:

• Bumetanide, a potent diuretic, has long been a prohibited substance under the policy and is similarly banned by other drug-testing programs. Diuretics are banned for two reasons – first, because they can be used to mask the use of performance-enhancing drugs; and second, because they can pose a threat to player health and safety.

• The policy contains numerous specific warnings about dietary supplements. NFL players received separate advisories regarding supplements (attached). These included two memos from Dr. John Lombardo (the program’s independent administrator) entitled “Weight Reduction Products,” which were sent to players in July of 2007, and again in July of 2008.

• In addition, two notifications specifically mentioning Star Caps were sent on December 19, 2006. One was sent to the presidents, general managers, and head athletic trainers of all NFL clubs. The second was sent to Stacy Robinson, the NFLPA executive who oversees the Steroid Policy on behalf of the union. The letter to Robinson states that “Balanced Health Products, which distributes Star Caps, has been added to the list of prohibited dietary supplement companies. Please distribute this information to the agents and players through your normal channels.” In response, Robinson had Balanced Health Products added to the list of banned companies that is maintained on the NFLPA’s website.

• (For those players with weight clause bonus provisions in their contracts,) the player specifically agreed not to engage in any “last-minute weight reduction techniques,” which included “use of diuretics.”

• There is no question that the policy embodies a collectively bargained rule of strict liability – a rule that players alone are responsible for what is in their bodies; that inadvertent or unknowing use of a prohibited substance will not excuse a positive test; and that supplements are used at a player’s own risk.

• With respect to the question of whether a specific warning should have been given regarding Star Caps, the policy does not set forth an obligation to issue specific warnings about specific products and no testimony suggests that the NFL and NFLPA have ever contemplated imposing such a requirement on Dr. Lombardo, who oversees the development of education materials on steroids. In keeping with that responsibility, the NFL, NFLPA, and Dr. Lombardo have emphasized the need for extreme caution in the use of any supplement, including weight reduction products, have established a Hotline for players to call for information regarding supplements, have established a Supplement Certification program with EAS to provide players with supplements that are free of banned substances, and have, in conjunction with reinforcing the strict liability rule, repeatedly warned players about the dangers of unregulated and inaccurately labeled dietary supplements. In the past, players have been suspended for using dietary supplements that contained a banned substance.

• The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) does not issue specific warnings about specific supplements, nor are such warnings issued in other drug testing programs.

Posted by Brian Allee-Walsh, The Times-Picayune December 01, 2008 4:20PM

Michael DeMocker/The Times-Picayune

New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton is stating the obvious, that the team needs to play better.

A night of reflection did nothing to change the plight of the New Orleans Saints as they head into the final month of the NFL season.

The way the NFC playoff picture is shaping up, it’s likely the Saints will have to run the table and finish the regular season at 10-6 just to stay in playoff contention. And they’ll have to do it without safety Kevin Kaesviharn who is expected to miss one, perhaps two games after suffering a shoulder injury in Sunday’s 23-20 divisional loss at Tampa Bay.
The Saints (6-6) are last in the NFC South and will play host to the Atlanta Falcons (8-4) at noon Sunday in the Superdome. The Falcons are currently holding down the No. 6 playoff seed in the NFC after beating San Diego 22-16 at Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday.

“I think this is a year where I don’t think in the NFC you’re going to see any 9-win teams, aside from a division winner, in the postseason,” Saints Coach Sean Payton said Monday at his weekly press conference. “You could very well see a 10-win team left home.

“We have four weeks left, and (we) certainly understand how everyone else is playing ahead of us and that makes it much more challenging. Nonetheless, we have a home game here against Atlanta in the division. We’re going to have to play better. I think that’s where it’s at.”