Jonathan Vilma

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell showed no mercy to the New Orleans Saints coaches and management and he is showing no mercy to the Saints players. He has finally come to a decision on the fate of Saints players who were involved in a cash-for-hits bounty system and these are some of the heaviest penalties in NFL history. Here are the penalties and the players who received them:

LB Jonathan Vilma: Suspended for all of 2012 without pay. This is effective immediately and runs through the playoffs and the Super Bowl. It is reported that Vilma placed $10,000 cash on the table in the team’s meeting room and said he would pay anyone who knocked Brett Favre out of the NFC Championship Game in January of 2010.

DL Anthony Hargrove: Eight-game suspension without pay. The NFL said that he targeted Favre in the NFC Championship Game. The NFL says, “Hargrove also actively obstructed the league’s 2010 investigation into the program by being untruthful to investigators.” Hargrove later confessed to his role in the bounty program. Hargrove is now with the Packers.

DE Will Smith: Four-game suspension without pay. Smith helped to create the bounty program with former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

LB Scott Fujita: Three-game suspension without pay. He participated in the bounty program when he played for the team. Fujita is now with the Browns.

In the statement from the NFL Roger Goodell stated, “It is the obligation of everyone, including the players on the field, to ensure that rules designed to promote player safety, fair play, and the integrity of the game are adhered to and effectively and consistently enforced. Respect for the men that play the game starts with the way players conduct themselves with each other on the field.”

Goodell also stated, “In assessing player discipline, I focused on players who were in leadership positions at the Saints; contributed a particularly large sum of money toward the program; specifically contributed to a bounty on an opposing player; demonstrated a clear intent to participate in a program that potentially injured opposing players; sought rewards for doing so; and/or obstructed the 2010 investigation.”

We had a rough week last week going 9-7 thanks to some unexpected injuries, and some other strange happenings.  We stand at 130-63 for the season including Thursday nights win in Pittsburgh.  Here we go:

New England at Washington: The Redskin defense is pretty good, but still no match in the long run for the Patriots

PICK: NEW ENGLAND

Kansas City at New York Jets: The Jet offense will have it’s struggles again this week against a very strong K.C. defense.  However Tyler Palko won’t mature much against the Jet defense. PICK: JETS

Houston at Cincinnati: Cincy’s defense might be a little much for the beat up Texans.  I’m going with the home team with Cincy making it’s last stand at a playoff spot.  PICK: CINCINNATI

Indianapolis at Baltimore:  Even though Baltimore lost to Jacksonville earlier this year, I don’t think lightning strike twice, besdie The Ravens need to keep pace with the Steelers: PICK BALTIMORE

Minnesota at Detroit: Keep an eye on who is playing Qb for Minny this week.  Christian Ponder wasn’t practicing during the week and might be out for this game.  Joe Webb won’t scare the Lions and the Minnesota secondary allowed Tim Tebow to go 15-20!  PICK: DETROIT

Atlanta at Carolina: I have been a big fan of Cam Newton this year, but the rest of the team needs some help, as he noted this week in the media.  Atlanta needs to sew up the top Wild Card spot soon. PICK: ATLANTA

Philadelphia at Miami: Vick, Maclin, Matthews, all back….I’m guessing they need some time to get used to seeing each other again.  Miami playing very well especially at home.  PICK: MIAMI

Tampa Bay at Jacksonville: If Raheem Morris wants to have any sense of success this year, he needs to start winning again.  Jacksonville didn’t look much better last Monday with a new coach.  PICK: TAMPA BAY

New Orleans at Tennessee: New Orleans is on a roll. Tennessee coming off a good road win in Buffalo.  I don’t see N.O. missing a step here.  PICK: NEW ORLEANS

San Francisco at Arizona: Fantastic effort by Arizona last week beating the Cowboys in Overtime, and a nice pick by us.  I think they spent a lot on that game.  PICK: SAN FRANCISCO

Chicago at Denver: Chicago with no Qb and no RB…I’m not turing on Tebow now.  PICK: DENVER

Oakland at Green Bay: This one is actually a tough one.  The Green Bay defense could be susceptible to the Oakland running game and if Carson Palmer gets going with the Raider speed, there could be a lot of points scored here.  Still think Rodgers is too much for anyone to handle.  PICK: GREEN BAY

Buffalo at San Diego: San Diego needs this one, and all the rest. Buffalo blew their chances last week at home, this one across the country ends badly for them. PICK: SAN DIEGO

New York GIANTS AT DALLAS: I think the running game is back for the Giants and will help Eli exploit the Cowboy secondary.  Dallas offensive line still a work in progress. PICK: GIANTS

Just for the record…here is where I register my picks every Thursday. http://poolhost.com

1. How has the addition of Darren Sproles and Mark Ingram impacted your offense this year?

When Reggie Bush was traded to the Miami Dolphins the immediate question was how would the Saints replace his versatility in the offense?  The answer came just hours later — Darren Sproles — and the common consensus is that he is a better inside runner than Bush, a better return man, and in general a better fit for the New Orleans potent offense. He has become an outlet for quarterback Drew Brees on third down and their chemistry has helped not just Sproles, who leads the league in yards after catch, but Brees who is so far having one of his best statiscal passing seasons of his career. Rookie Mark Ingram hasn’t been a let down, but at the same time he hasn’t had the breakout game we all expected. He is however a tough, physical inside runner who displays a knack at getting those tough yards that the Saints have struggled with in seasons past.

2. Why is it that your team and in particular your QB plays so well at home?

Historically the Saints have been among one of the NFL’s winningest teams at home in the Sean Payton era. Reasons are numerous — faster artificial turf, raucous Superdome crowd — but in the simplest terms, the New Orleans players love to play for their Who Dat Nation, and equally Who Dat Nation loves cheering for Brees and company. Put it all together, and it seems that the players perform just a little better, while opposing teams play just a little worse.

3. The Giants have developed a good passing offense.  Victor Cruz in particular seems to have a knack for beating the best CB’s in the league.  How do the Saints plan on stopping the Giants aerial assault?

It’s a pertinent question, and Cruz has been enjoying great success as of late, but it seems as if he is benefiting from the attention Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham usually command.  Anyone that watches the Saints knows that defensive coordinator Gregg Williams likes to blitz. He is not afraid to lock up his corners in one-on-one coverage with opposing receivers so that he can bring the house. Philosophy dictates that the Saints will use the blitz to slow Manning, to slow Cruz, and the other Giants receivers. It wouldn’t surprise me either if Williams matches Jabari Greer, the Saints best cover, exclusively on Cruz. Greer is a top cover corner in the league, top five in fact, and he just doesn’t get beat for big gains down the field.

4. If Jonathan Vilma does not play Monday night, how does that impact your defensive game plan and pressure on Eli?

Vilma is a huge asset to the Saints defense without question. But, in New Orleans they deploy a “next man up” mentatlity, meaning of course that regardless if your a backup or not you leave it all on the field. Linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar has taken this to heart as Vilma’s backup. He has played very well, in fact some would say he has played as well as Vilma himself. so the defense shouldn’t miss a beat.

5. Does the modern Saints fan still have the respect and love for Archie and the Manning family?

That’s a trick question really as you would likely get a different answer from most Saints fans you asked. Archie helped the Saints achieve moderate success after so many terrible seasons. However, he was never able to deliver what fans really wanted — a Superbowl championship. While fans thank him for his accomplishments, current quarterback Drew Brees has erased most, if not all, of Manning’s legacy as a Saint — including all of his franchise records too.

National Football Post has dropped them five points to number 11. Let’s see how they fared across the board. (more…)

The Saints:  The Giants(6-4) play the New Orleans Saints(7-3) next Monday night in the Superdome.  The Saints lead the NFC South by one game over Atlanta, but have a 3-1 division record compared to The Falcons 1-2.  Coming off a bye this week, the Saints play the opposite Prime Time schedule from what the Giants will be experiencing.  They play Monday against New York and the following Sunday night versus Detroit in New Orleans as that game has been flexed by NBC.  The Saints have the same high flying offense they have always had with Drew Brees at the controls.  They rank First in Yards, 2nd in passing yards and First in points.  It will be interesting to see how healthy the Saints return from their bye week. Their defense has been inconsistent this year and  they will for sure be without LB Jonathan Vilma after he had surgery on his knee last week.  The Saints are always a tough opponent, especially at home.

Green Bay:  The Giants will host the Green Bay Packers on December 4th.  Aaron Rodgers and the seemingly unstoppable Packer offense will be a major challenge for the Giants.  The Packers currently at 10-0 are obviously leading both their division and the NFC.  They play this Thursday versus Detroit and then get all that extra time off before they meet the Giants.  The good news here is that the Packers are 21st in rushing and their defense has given up plenty of yards (31st in passing) and points.  They take many chances knowing that Rodgers and the offense can make up for many mistakes if necessary.

Dallas:  The Giants will play the division rival Cowboys twice down the stretch, first on December 11th, another Sunday Night Football affair in Arlington, and then on New Years Day in New Giants Stadium to finish out the regular season.  The Cowboys had basically the opposite schedule form the Giants, with tough opponents early, and the supposed softer schedule late. The Cowboys also have made themselves better by finding a running game.  DeMarco Murray has proven to be the missing piece to the offense and Jason Garrett’s Cowboys.  Tony Romo still runs this team, and it will ultimately either succeed or fail because of him, but it gives him another weapon he did not have earlier in the year.  These two divisional battles will no doubt decide the NFC EAST tittle.

Washington:  The Redskins are a tough defensive team.  Their offense however has fallen on hard times.  They have lost starting running backs, tight ends, and receivers.  And as the old saying goes, if you have two quarterbacks, then really you have none.  Another important division contest here that needs to be won not only for overall record, but for tie-breaking purposes.

The Jets:  The Giants get to visit the Jets in their own building.  On Christmas Eve the scrooge inspired Jets will try and save their season, and ruin the Giants all in one night.  The Giants usually handle the Jets by doing what the Steelers did to them last year in the playoffs….run the ball.  However, this years Giants team has had trouble getting any sort of running attack started, and if the offensive line continues to struggle, the Jets defense will make them look silly.  This should be a low scoring affair, with all the struggles the Jet offense is currently experiencing.  But this game is a long way off, and the implications of the contest are yet to be decided.  We will keep our eye on this one as the weeks progress.

So….There you have it…..The Giants play two of the top teams in the NFC, both coming off extra rest in the next two weeks…one of those games needs to be won, or we leave our fate in the hands of others once again.