The Saints had many positives in their 40-20 preseason win over the Oakland Raiders, but for me the biggest had to be the play of tight end Jimmy Graham who led the team in receiving with 5 catches for 73 yards. Graham, is quickly developing into one of the league's premiere young talents, and is providing strong justification for the trading of Jeremy Shockey. The former Miami Hurricane Basketball player did not play football until his senior year catching a modest 17 passes and 5 touchdown receptions.
Just like other tight ends who come from basketball backgrounds (ie; Antonio Gates), Graham is proving how much of an effective receiver he can be, and is fitting into the Saints' offensive scheme very well. Graham actually reminds me alot of Kellen Winslow, Jr., another tight end from "The U" that preceeded him. Especially in the way that both Graham and Winslow spread the field. Graham even seems more like the college version of Winslow, than the actual Winslow does now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
If Graham keeps progressing like he has been and continues to have an All Pro Quarterback throwing to him, he could even reach the level of achievement of Winslow Jr's father, former San Diego Charger Hall of Fame Tight End, Kellen Winslow Sr. Of course, the elder Winslow also benefitted from having Dan Fouts as his Quarterback. Which brings up a question as I consider what Graham could mean to the Saints long term. Is the Saints offense the NFL's modern version of Air Coryell? With Sean Payton as Don Coryell, Drew Brees as Dan Fouts, Robert Meacham as John Jefferson, Marques Colston as James Lofton, and back to Graham as Kellen Winslow, Sr.?
Considering Brees' previous tenure in San Diego and it also being the hometown of Reggie Bush, the
pass-happy comparisons between today's Saints and the Chargers of the late 70's and early 80's can go on for awhile. Yes, I know including Reggie is a stretch since he is in Miami now, but he is still a part of the Saints' modern era and is so closely associated with the Southern California lifetstyle. And since Reggie worked out so much better as a receiver than a "true running back", that also fits in with the Air Coryell passing attack.
Comparing the Saints to yesterday's Chargers also connects to me on a personal level . In 1979, the Saints had their first non-losing season in franchise history finishing at 8-8 and the excitement was felt all the way to Jackson. Towards the end of that season with things going pretty well, my dad took me to my first ever Saints game so that we could also Be in that Number (even if by wins and losses it was only around 500). The opponent was Air Coryell and the San Diego Chargers. After walking up the long ramps inside the Dome which seemed like it took forever, we finally reached our section entrance. As I saw the field and stands of the Superdome in person for the first time, I was in complete awe with wide opened eyes.
I was not prepared for though what happened next. A murder was about to take place. The perpetrator, however, was easy to spot and there were no shortage of witnesses He had a lightening bolt alongside his helmet and a laser-cannon for an arm. Dan Fouts simply annihilated the Saints. The Hall of Fame Quarterback waisted no time going for the kill, throwing 5 touchdown passes in the first half giving the Chargers a 35-0 halftime lead.
Dad had already given up by the second Fouts' touchdown pass, but we hung on untill halftime, then left and went to a watering hole to wait until the end of the game for his friends that we had rode down with from Jackson. I don't remember much after that, except that my dad was drinking from a tall, thin glass unlike any I had ever seen at home, and that the final score was 35-0. The Saints were obviously able to stop the pain when we were not in their presence.
Of course there is one major difference between the modern Saints and the San Diego Chargers of the Air Coryell era: We have a Lombardi Trophy.
Yes, Defense does win championships, something the Charges back then lacked. Thank you, Gregg Williams and Jonathan Vilma. Now, let's get these missed tackles corrected before September, 8th. They are bringing back too many Marshawn Lynch flashbacks.
- Win
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