The Countdown (4 Viewers)

[AARPSaint]

Those Jacksonville color rush uniforms are simply atrocious.

Especially if you particularly care for baby diarrhea.

 

[Saint Tex]

3 Will Lutz 5’ 11” 184 K Georgia State

Man, I remember for a couple or more years before Lutz got here, every field goal was an adventure in kicking. Got so bad that every extra point try felt like an adventure as well. It was pretty awful for a while. What should have been gimmes were nail biters. Lutz joined us in 2016, and things started settling down. Now there is a lot of confidence in the kicking game. Last year Lutz missed only one extra point and two field goals. That’s golden. He just got a 5 year extension on his contract. Love that he is in New Orleans.

 

[SaintLuke]

 

[insidejob]

Will Lutz is money. And the only reason we were even able to get him is because Baltimore's kicking situation is also so solid.

It's also a huge bonus that he handles kickoffs and we don't have to use Morstead for them. I remember him saying that he kept hurting himself from the different kicking motion. Now we just have to make sure Lutz has learned the magic of spinning an onside kick so hard that the spin makes the kick bounce off the hands team guy's helmet when he dives for the ball.

 

[JustaSharkie]

 

[Saint Tex]

Just 2 more days, y'all. No one is wearing that number right now, but we added a player to the practice squad that I'm going to cover today.

73 John Leglue 6' 7" 310 OL Tulane

Leglue went through camp with the Broncs before he was cut, but he's a Louisiana guy from Alexandria, and he played at Tulane. Got more than one call to join a practice squad, but there wasn't any doubt when the Saints called. Even gets to be with John Curtis, his coach at Tulane. He's a swing tackle on the o-line with experience at all five spots, and he has even been practicing some long snaps in practice.

Just wanted to welcome him home, just before the season starts. Congrats, John. Nice job landing in New Orleans. Glad you found your way back.

 

[SaintLuke]

 

[Saint Tex]

1. Just one day until we start the season with a very, very strong roster. None of the them wear number 1, but I'm going to use the day to honor the architect of the New Orleans Saints' rise, not just from chronic mediocrity, but from the destruction and tragedy of Katrina to civic pride, and Super Bowl, and yearly national relevance in the league.

Sean Payton. Number one in our hearts.

Payton had wanted the Green Bay job. Nobody even knew at the time whether we would have a stadium or keep the team. But we (and Coach Payton) can all thank the intuitions that led him to New Orleans. Here he teamed up with Drew. Nobody knew whether he would be able to throw a ball again. I remember in Drew's book, he talks about the first time after surgery that he was allowed to throw. He couldn't get the ball even the few yards he was aiming for. Coach Payton was watching. Did Payton roll his eyes and say, Oh, Lord, I've got nothing? Nope. He said, "Move your feet." Drew had not thrown in so long, he was not setting up his body to get behind the throw. Payton, who is a master of understanding the QB position, saw immediately what was needed. That's how one of the greatest coach-qb combos in history got started.

He's also an offensive genius, and Payton takes what his players can do and maximizes it. For a long time, that was throw the ball. Last year, with a strong defense, we could run more, and we had the personnel to do it. So we shifted to more running.

And it's always exciting and electric.

We owe such a big thanks to Sean Payton and to the Providence that brought him here. Love you, Coach. Now let's go put another great Saints team on the field.

 

[SaintLuke]

 

[Scorpius the Allfather]

Just yesterday this thread was started or so it seems! Thanks again @SaintLuke and @Saint Tex for what you've done.

 

[Saint Tex]

Nice job, Luke.

You are such a great partner. So grateful to have you.

 

[SaintLuke]

Nice job, Luke.

You are such a great partner. So grateful to have you.

Thank you. It's a good way to get through the long wait...BUT IT"S HERE....WHO DAT!

 

[CajunSaint08]

Just yesterday this thread was started or so it seems! Thanks again @SaintLuke and @Saint Tex for what you've done.

Ditto!!!

 

[tinman]

Certainly thrilled to have seen Payton's "progression". I was in NYS when he was OC for the Giants. He kinda stunk up the joint & had his play calling duties pulled. The only thing I can positively recall, is his affect on Tiki Barber's fumbling issues.
GB definitely got the short end on that hiring cycle. We had seen WAY TO MUCH poor offense from McCarthy over the years.

THANKS FOR THE OUTSTANDING THREAD!
Best reason to get back here every year.

 

[Saint Tex]

IT'S GAMEDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ha! Seems so far away when we start with 99, but one day at a time sure helps it go faster. And we enter the season with a good sense of our roster. Just a few hours til we see them on the field.

Thanks to all our readers, and to all who contributed through the last 3 plus months.

And biggest thanks to StLuke. He has made this task so much easier for me, and he's got such a great eye for the photo part of it. Love to see what he comes up with, and love to have him on the Countdown.

New Orleans will be rocking all day. Such a great atmosphere. Everyone be safe and have a blast.

Geaux Saints!! Who Dat!!