Henderson,Duncan,Triplett and more.

Henderson: Saints to face bungling Bengals

One year ago at this time the Cincinnati Bengals were 8-3 and on their way to the AFC North division championship. Marvin Lewis was on his way to winning NFL coach of the year honors.

Now they are 2-9, tied for the second worst record in the NFL, losers of eight in a row, and Lewis -- in the last year of his contract -- could very well be on his way out the door.

The Bengals thought they were poised for a Super Bowl run and did little in the offseason to change anything apart from bringing in Terrell Owens, who has become their leading receiver, and getting help from a draft that looks like it's going to be very productive.

Injuries have hurt. Eight Bengals have gone on injured reserve the last four weeks. Their pass rush has largely vanished and quarterback Carson Palmer continues to get beaten up. He has foot, ankle and hip problems this year and knee and elbow problems previously. He's due a base salary of $11.5 million dollars next season, and with what would right now be the third pick in this spring's draft, many wonder if it isn't time to select the Bengals' next savior at the position.
http://www.wwltv.com/sports/Henderson-Saints-to-face-bungling-Bengals-111242099.html

Saints beginning to hit stride, 2009 finally behind them

Four weeks ago, those inside the Saints’ Airline Drive facility sat scratching their heads, trying to figure out how the reigning Super Bowl champions had fallen to 4-3 after a head-scratching loss to Cleveland.

Five weeks later, the Saints are suddenly 8-3 and a team few likely want to face right now.

New Orleans travels to Cincinnati (2-9) on Sunday for a chance at a fifth-straight victory, the first such streak since the Saints won this season’s Week 2 game when counting last season’s playoffs and Super Bowl.

As much as anything, quarterback Drew Brees said the change had to do with a mindset.
http://www.wwltv.com/sports/Saints-say-finally-focused-on-details-not-2009-111219359.html

Snow could be moving into Cincinnati, just in time for the New Orleans Saints: First and 10

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, especially in the American Midwest.

A huge winter storm is anticipated across Big Ten Country and into the Northeast. That, of course, includes Cincinnati, Ohio, where the New Orleans Saints will play the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at noon.


The Saints haven't played a game in the actual snow since the NFC Championship Game against Chicago in January of 2007.
http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2010/12/post_181.html

New Orleans Saints defensive end Alex Brown says hard work is the key

New Orleans Saints defensive end Alex Brown still has the scar on his hand from his most unforgettable battle in the trenches.

It took place on his family farm when he was a senior in high school. He came home after practice to find that two hogs had gotten loose. Though he admitted that all he wanted to do was lay down and get some rest, his mom told him that he had to go out and help her corral them back into their pen.

"The first one runs in, boom, open the gate, corner him off, he runs right in. The next one, he doesn't want to do that," Brown recalled. "He tries to run by me, so I dive at him, and my finger goes across his tooth. It tore my nerve, everything. So I'm so ****** off now. So I grab the hog and just kind of push him in, and I'm thinking, 'You've got to be kidding me.'"

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2010/12/hard_work_has_been_cornerstone.html


Saints Linkage: Thomas to need one more week?

http://www.wwltv.com/sports/Saints-Linkage-Thomas-to-need-one-more-week-111269479.html