By Luke Johnson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
The chosen euphemism for the New Orleans Saints defense this preseason: Build the house brick-by-brick.
The name of this game is not victory, but progress. Each successive week is a chance to construct a unit that will be ready when the games start to count against the Buccaneers in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sept. 9.
Not many bricks were laid in the preseason opener Aug. 9, when the Saints' first-team defense could not find a way off the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Consider that the inspection. Problems were identified and corrected, and the unit that took the field against Arizona last Saturday (Aug. 17) built upon a rough opening performance.
"I thought we played better as a group," linebacker Manti Te'o said. "That should happen. Being in training camp every day, grinding it every day, practicing every day, getting familiar with playbook, but more importantly getting familiar with your teammates. ...
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