Saints quarterback Drew Brees, once a leading candidate for the NFL's MVP this season before the Cardinals Kurt Warner replaced him that spot, is highly motivated and now will take you our questions about the Saints' motivation or lack of"
Q: Has complacency set in with the Saints? Do the players need to be challenged?
A: I know what you're getting at and we have the right type of guys on this team. We don't have the type of guys that are that need To be motivated necessarily. We have a lot of self motivated guys on this team that are always looking for the next challenge. We have a huge challenge ahead of us which is to win this game on the road at Kansas City and find a way to get on a roll. We've proven that we can win a number of games in a row in he past. We rattled off four in a row after starting 0-4 last year. The year before we had a couple of runs. We need to get back to feeling that way.
Q: Do you feel there is sense of urgency on the practice field?
A" Absolutely. We're tired of sitting here talking about getting over the hump. We're not that team. We're not a .500 team. That's the way we've played for the last year and a half. That's not the type of team we are. We've gone back to the drawing board and identified the things that win games and and the things we're good at, so that's what we're going to do.
Q: Is there a certain formula?
A: Yes there absolutely is a formula. A lot of times the formula is if you do things the right way things work out for you. Sometimes you don't get the breaks in this league. The teams that end up making the runs at the end kind of have things go their way. I think in order to put yourself in that position yo have to do things the right way, have a lot of confidence and if you do that long enough things will happen.
Q: Is that confidence more difficult to come by after two difficult losses to divisional opponents than earlier in the season after close losses?
Q: Yes, we're well beyond saying we could be or should be 6-3 or whatever, because you look at these two games against divisional opponents on he road where we have very lackluster showings and just felt like we were outplayed. It seemed like they played with more intensity and more emotion, which is not us at all. We're going to have to fix that.
Q: What is he answer?
A: The same thing that got us out of that 0-4 hole last year, just getting back to what we do extremely well, the things we are very confident in, because when you step on the field on Sunday, you want to be prepared, you want to feel confident as you can about the game plan, which means you feel good about what you're doing and that you're comfortable with what's going to happen. Obviously, do what you you're going to do during the week and get your body ready to play as well. We've been pretty beat up like everybody else. As long as we can get to that point and play physically on game day, we'll be fine.
Q: Do you have a better read days later after the last game as to what you guys did wrong and how to get better?
A: When you look at it, certainly the turnovers and I put that on myself, especially the ones in the fourth quarter. We could have cut it close enough to have a chance to win at the end.\m but unfortunately we can't go three quarters with only six points. I thought there were some opportunities there.
Q: What kind of problems does Kansas City pose to you?
A: Looking statistically, they have taken the ball away more than almost any other team. They have 18 takeaways. They've done a phenomenal job of getting turnovers and creating opportunities for their offense. The emphasis for us is to take care of the football.
Q: How do they do that successfully?
A: They're great at striping the ball, 11 fumbles maybe. You look at the film and a ton of balls have come out whether they recover the ball or not. Balls are on the ground quite a bit. I think it's something that they teach and they're obviously quite good at it.
Q: Are they a deceiving 1-8?
A: They well could have won the last three games and when you flip on the film they don't look like a 1-8 team. We know we have our work cut out for us playing at Arrowhead. When I played for the Chargers, they were an AFC opponent and we'd go there once a year and it was always an extremely difficult place to play.
Prediction: Saints cover 5 1/2 points.
Tigers Cotton bound?
Out of the national championship and SEC West races already, LSU is projected to go to the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Jan. 2. How the season plays out will determine that.
Per the SEC's bowl arrangements, after BCS bowls, the Sugar Bowl and Capital One bowls land their teams, the Cotton Bowl has first choice of Western Division teams, while the Outback Bowl has first choice on Eastern Division trams. The SE C's top three teams are No. 1 Alabama, Np. 3 Florida and No. 13 Georgia. Two of those teams should land in BCS bowls, which includes the Sugar Bowl. The third would presumably go to the Capital One Bowl.
That leaves the Cotton Bowl, which puts an SEC teams against a BIg 12 team,. as the top bowl for which the Tigers can aspire.
"We have certain standards around here," said LSU running star Charles Scott. "A few things didn't fall our way, but it's important we go to a decent bowl now. We have a lot of pride around here. We're not used to losing. It's not something we want to do a on a regular basis."
Oklahoma is a likely choice to meet LSU in the Cotton Bowl.
The Tigers play Troy on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium in a postponed game, LSU won 24-20 the last time they played.
Prediction: Troy and 19 over LSU.
NFL PICKS (to be read to a slow drum roll): Broncos +5 1/2 over Falcons (best bet), Dolphins -10 1/2 over Raiders, Ravens +3 over Giants, Colts -8 over Texans, Jaguars3 over Titans (upset special), Bears +4 over Packers, Eagles -9 over Bengals, Lions +14 over Panthers, Vikings +3 1/2 over Bucs, 49ers -6 over Rams, Seahawks +3 over Cardinals, Steelers =4 1/2 over Chargers, Cowboys -2 over Redskins, Browns +5 1/2 over Bills.
COLLEGE PICKS: Tulane -5 over UAB, East Carolina +2 1/2 over USM (best bet), Indiana +38 over Penn State, Miss. State + 20 1/2 over Alabama, Kentucky -4 over Bandy, Texas -13 over Kansas, Utah State +13 over La. Tech, LL-Lafayette -2 1/2 over Fla. Int., Boise State -36 1/2 over Idaho, Georgia -8 over Auburn, and South Carolina -21 over Florida.
SOME HITHER, OTHERS YON: The best between the SEC and the Big 12? The two conferences seem to be on a national collision course for Jan. 8 in Miami. But until things are settled on the field, the 2008 regular season edge has to go to...Well, stay tuned.Computer ratings say he Big 12 is superior. The Big 12 has a slight better won=lost record record against non-conference foes and against teams from other BCS leagues. So, the winner is..."The more I study film and watch things, the Big 12 quarterbacks are great," said ABC analyst Craig James. But there's not a quarterback in the world who doesn't play as well without a good offensive line. The reason why I think Texas Tech is the best team in the country is because they have the best offensive line in the country." Still, CBS analyst Gary Danielson has a counter argument. "Oklahoma and Texas are really good teams," said the former NFL quarterback, who is not sold on second-ranked Texas Tech. :But that conference is not on the level with the SEC. I think those Big 12 teams are entertaining to watch on television. Any teams is capable of winning one big.I'm picking Texas Tech to lose one before the season is over. You could a Big 12 quarterback with LSU and they would be challenging for he national championship this year."
ScoutInc. ranks LSU offensive tackle Ciron Black at the 38th best college football player in the country as far as NFL draft prospects go. Tigers defensive end Tyson Jackson and wide receiver Brandon LaFell ranks 57th...Dylan, the nephew of Brett, just set the Mississippi state high school record for most touchdown passes for a single season. He says opponents target him because on the connection. He's an undersized junior quarterback with a sizable pedigree and set the state record for touchdown passes with 45 with at least one playoff game remaining. His name is Dylan Favre. His uncle plays for the Jets. Dylan broke the old record with five touchdown passes in St. Stanislaus's game last week against Poplarville. Listed anywhere from5-10 to 6 feet, Dylan has not received much interest from colleges, though he has received standard=issue letters from UCLA. Notre Dame, ole Miss and USM. where Brett played. Dylan said said "expectations for me are high and opponents are usually eager to knock me out." Triva time: Where did Brett play high school football?...
Ryan Perrilloux's transfer to JacksonsonvilleState has alreadypaid for for the school. JSU's 7-3 record heded into Saturday's finale agaisnt Tennessee Stte means coach Jack Crowe's team has snapped a thre-year span of 6-5. Wjat, beside attention from the New York Times and The Washington Post has the 21-year-o;d quarterbdk meant to JSU? "Plenty,: said he coch. :It's first ime I've ever bene involved wuth a team whose passing yards are condistently higher than it's running yards." Perrilloux, who has been the Ohio Valley Conference's offensive player or newcomer of the week seven times thus far, has completed 63 per cent of his passes.Trivia answer: Hancock North Central Highnear Kiln, Miss....Hollywood South: Oscar-winnerForest Whitaker will direct and star as Louis Armstrong in the movie "What a Wonderful World," which will be filmed here. Oscar Cohen, Armstrong's manger and executor of his estate, will co-produce and make personal account, letters and achival materials available. The script begins with Satchmo's impoverished years in New Orleans at a time when segragation and racial tension caused an agitated . different America. Shoting begins summer. Whitaker's moive :"Hurricane Season," featuring Ehret basketball coach Al Collins opens here Christams Day, the same day :the Curious Vase of Benjamin Buttons," starring Brad Pitt, opens. Pitt's movie is the Las Vegas favorite to win the best picture this season.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees, once a leading candidate for the NFL's MVP this season before the Cardinals Kurt Warner replaced him that spot, is highly motivated and now will take you our questions about the Saints' motivation or lack of"
