Sep 7th 2008 7:53PM by Tom Mantzouranis (author feed)
Filed under: Buccaneers, Saints, NFC South
Mike McKenzie, the Saints’ best corner and the best player on their defense last year, was inactive today. That’s not good. Jason David donned pads but as far as I could tell didn’t step foot on the field. That was good. The result — new corners Randall Gay (brought in through free agency) and Tracy Porter (a second-round draft choice) got the start and provided the Saints with something they haven’t had in years — competent corner play on both sides.
But they weren’t the only new Saints to make an impact. Jonathan Vilma, the team’s leading tackler, and Sedrick Ellis, a beast who constantly penetrated double teams, were just as advertised, and Jeremy Shockey took a while to get going but made some clutch catches for 54 yards. These players were the difference in the Saints’ win.Continue Reading


