Week8 Picks

Week8 Picks Against the Spread
(Suggested Winner with Vegas line attached)

Saints -13.5 @ Rams
Cardinals @ Ravens -12.5
Dolphins @ Giants -10
Redskins @ Bills -6
Patriots @ Steelers +3
Browns @ 49ers -8.5
Cowboys + 3.5 @ Eagles

Jeff Nixon vs. Archie Manning, 1980

In 1980, Jeff Nixon played safety for the Buffalo Bills. By the goodness of youtube, Nixon recently posted his highlights from when the Bills played the New Orleans Saints in the Superdome in week3 of a monumentally awful 1-15 season for the "Aint's". Archie Manning does manage to wing a nice touchdown pass to Ike Harris, which is what I'd say makes the video footage a gem. But then there I see Saints kicker Benny Ricardo, who I once got a chance to talk to along the sideline of a game that very season. My question was as simple as his answer. Why do you where two different kinds of shoes? Well, one is for kicking, and one is for walking. It's no wonder that Ricardo went on to become a stand-up comedian.

Week7 Picks

Week7 Picks Against the Spread
(Suggested Winner with Vegas line attached)

Seahawks +3 @ Browns
Chiefs @ Raiders -4
Steelers -3.5 @ Cardinals
Packers -9 @ Vikings
Ravens -7.5 @ Jaguars

Saints vs. Vikings, 1978

Sunday, September 3rd, 1978...that was the very day I became a New Orleans Saints fan. It was the first time my father took me to see the Saints play in the Superdome. They were pitted against the mighty Minnesota Vikings for the opening week of the 1978 season. I had just turned 7 years old, just started playing on my first organized football team, and somehow entered the Superdome that day as a fan of Fran Tarkenton and the Minnesota Vikings. Being an impressionable kid, the home crowd quickly had me doubting my allegience to the Vikings. And the very play that turned me into a Saints fan for the rest of my life was Tommy Myers' 97 yard interception return for a touchdown that sealed a 31-24 victory for the Saints...

Week6 Recap

Week6 Recap:

Rams @ Packers -15 W 3-24
Eagles @ Redskins +1.5 L 2-13
Colts @ Bengals -7 W 17-27
Bills +3.5 at Giants W 24-27
Vikings @ Bears -3 W 10-39
Dolphins @ Jets -7 W 6-24

Finally put together 2 strong weeks in a row, going 4-1 in week5 and 5-1 in week6. Here's a recap of the season to date:

Week1: 0-3-1
Week2: 1-3-2
Week3: 1-5
Week4: 2-2
Week5: 4-1
Week6: 5-1

That makes me 13-15-3 through week6, meaning that hopefully the tide has turned on assuming that my picks need to be faded. We'll see if week7 continues the upward trend.

Saints-wise, that was a brutal road loass against the Bucs on Sunday, including the injuries to head coach Sean Payton. Drew Brees can certainly carry the team on his back, but maybe not every single week. Our porous defense, lacking in skills related to coverage, tackling, and pressure on the edges, made Tampa's Josh Freeman look like an all-pro quarterback. While safety Malcolm Jenkins made 4 exceptional plays breaking up passes, he looked awful trying to stop Tampa's Preston Parker on a 19 yard touchdown reception. Offensively, Marques Colston and Jimmy Graham shined with 7 catches a piece, but the Mark Ingram experiment continues to lag in quantifiable production. Luckily, the Saints return home after 3 consecutive road games to play the lowly Colts Sunday evening.

Saints' 1st Ever Win in the Superdome, 1975

On October 12th, 1975, Archie Manning led the New Orleans Saints from 16 points down to the Green Packers, allowing Rich Szaro to kick a game-winning field goal as time expired in a 20-19 victory, marking the first time the Saints had won a game in their newly christened Superdome...

Guido Merkens

After graduating from San Houston State University and spending two seasons as a special teams player for the Houston Oilers, Guido Merkens joined the New Orleans Saints in 1980. If starting 11 games at wide receiver for the Saints in 1981 wasn't enough, Merkens also spent time during his 5-year stint as a Saint playing quarterback, defensive back, punter, and kick returner. He also held kicks for Morten Anderson. A fan favorite in New Orleans, #19 was apt to electrify the Superdome each time he stepped on the field.

Week6 Picks

Week6 Picks Against the Spread
(Suggested Winner with Vegas line attached)

Rams @ Packers -15
Eagles @ Redskins +1.5
Colts @ Bengals -7
Bills +3.5 at Giants
Vikings @ Bears -3
Dolphins @ Jets -7

Week5 Picks

Week5 Picks Against the Spread
(Suggested Winner with Vegas line attached)

Eagles @ Bills +3
Raiders +5.5 @ Texans
Saints -6.5 @ Panthers
Bengals +2 @ Jaguars
Chargers -4 @ Broncos