EOSB
Practice 1/11, Day 7, Training Camp Observations
Injury Report:
TE Jeremy Shockey returned to practice for the first time since the second day of practice, participating fully after resting a sore right knee for seven consecutive sessions.
LB Scott Shanle (left knee), DL Jimmy Wilkerson (left knee), TE Tory Humphrey (hamstring), CB Tracy Porter (back) and CB Patrick Robinson (hamstring) all sat out practice.
Shanle missed his fifth-straight practice while Wilkerson sat to rest his surgically repaired knee as he has occasionally this far in training camp.
The PUP players – S Darren Sharper (left knee), WR Robert Meachem (toe) and LB Clint Ingram (left knee) – all continued to sit out practice.
Heat Index (calculated from NWS numbers at MSY):
Practice was indoors.
Officially speaking:
For the first time in training camp, the Saints worked out with officials in attendance. They’ll have them here through Saturday’s Black & Gold scrimmage (2:50-4:20 p.m., open to the public). It’s something Head Coach Sean Payton said is common since he has been at the helm of the franchise.
But just because the officials are there, Payton said he doesn’t change his practices to cater to them.
“We have enough team drills already in practice, it just becomes a chance for us to pay attention to the emphasis and the coaching points from this year to last year,” Payton said. “There have been some rule changes and our players have a chance to ask a lot of questions.”
Team 1:
First-and-10: DE Alex Brown stuffs RB Reggie Bush for a 2-yard loss
Second-and-10: Flag – false start RG Carl Nicks
First-and-10: Bush for 9 yards at left tackle; FB Heath Evans nice downfield block
Second-and-10: Flag – false start TE Jeremy Shockey
Second-and-10: RB Lynell Hamilton at right end for 5 yards, LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar puts big hit on Hamilton
Second-team standout play: DL Al Woods and DL Anthony Hargrove combined to stop the running back in the backfield up the center
Field goal:
K Garrett Hartley went 3 for 5, all three makes coming with P Thomas Morstead as holder. He hit a PAT and from 28 yards (left hash) before drilling a 60-yarder that was meant to fall short so the field goal team could practice covering a return.
Hartley then missed from 37 and 41 yards with QB Chase Daniel holding.
7-on-7 standout plays:
Brees hit H Evans in the flat and LB Jonathan Casillas knocked down Evans, who got off the ground and into the linebacker’s facemask. RB Pierre Thomas rushed over to back up his fellow running back, but that was as close as we’ve been all week to a fight breaking out. Practice finished without a problem.
QB Patrick Ramsey threw a pass intended for WR Rod Harper, but S Pierson Prioleau broke up the pass, batting it in the air. CB Leigh Torrence intercepted the pass.
Team 2:
Second-and-10: Bush right end for 18 yards
Second-and-10: Brees threw a pass for WR Courtney Roby, but CB Jabari Greer broke it up cleanly.
Second-and-10: Brees to Shockey for 5 yards
Second-and-10: Hamilton left tackle for 2 yards
Second-and-10: Brees to WR Marques Colston for 10 yards
Second-and-10: Flag – false start offensive line
Second-and-10: Brees pass intended for WR Lance Moore, but Greer makes a leaping one-handed tip to knock the ball away from Moore.
Second-and-10: Brees pass intended for Roby, but SS Roman Harper breaks up the pass. (If action were live, Harper would have knocked Roby out of the game)
Second-and-10: Brees hits WR Devery Henderson for 16 yards
Two-minute drill:
Here’s the setup – 1 minute, 58 seconds left on the clock and the offense down by 4 points. To the action…
First-and-10 @ 25: Brees completes to Moore for 6 yards
Second-and-4 @ 31: Brees scrambles, but is sacked by Casillas for minus-1 yard
Third-and-5 @ 30: Brees completes to Moore for 16 (Great block by Bush downfield to get Moore out of bounds)
First-and-10 @ 46 (1:23): Brees completes to Shockey for 23 yards
First-and-10@ Def 31: Brees throws to Shockey, who drops the pass
Second-and-10 @ Def 31 (1:00): Brees throws slightly behind Shockey, incomplete
Third-and-10 @ Def 31 (00:56): Brees completes to Moore for 9 yards
Fourth-and-1 @ Def 22 (00:45): Brees throws to Henderson, who can’t corral the pass as CB Randall Gay breaks up the pass. Brees yells at himself.
(Second Team)
First-and-10 @ 25: LB Stanley Arnoux goes around the outside to sack QB Patrick Ramsey for minus-6
Second-and-16 @ 19: Ramsey throws incomplete to TE David Thomas as LB Anthony Waters has good coverage
Third-and-16 @ 19: Ramsey throws incomplete to WR Rod Harper as CB Reggie Jones breaks up the pass
Fourth-and-16 @ 19 (1:39): Ramsey pump fakes and then throws to WR Courtney Roby, who is completely behind the secondary. But the pass is underthrown and Roby is down after a 45-yard completion
First-and-10 @ Def 36: Ramsey is intercepted by Jones, who slides to the turf to secure the victory.
What’s next:
The Saints practice twice on Friday. The first practice is from 8:50-11 a.m. and is open to the public, weather permitting. The afternoon session runs from 4:20-5:45 p.m. and is closed to the public because it’s in the indoor facility.
