New Orleans Saints Strategy and Personnel
by Sports Xchange
Some of the seven players who worked on a limited basis Wednesday did so because the team had an extra practice scheduled since they play on Monday night this week.
PLAYER NOTES
--TE Jeremy Shockey, who underwent surgery on Sept. 23 to repair a sports hernia, will be sidelined Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings and will be out another one-to-three weeks.
--WR Marques Colston will miss his fourth straight game this week because of a torn ligament in his left thumb.
--CB Aaron Glenn did not practice again Thursday because of a strained ligament in his right ankle and has been ruled out for Monday night.
--WR David Patten did not participate in Thursday's practice and was ruled out of Monday night's game by coach Sean Payton.
--FS Chris Reis, an important special teams contributor, did not practice again Thursday because of a hamstring problem.
--DT Sedrick Ellis went through individual drills Thursday, but was sent to the locker room after he heard a click in his right knee and was listed as did not participate.
--CB Randall Gay, who has a strained right hamstring, worked on a limited basis again Thursday and could be ready for Monday night's game.
--C Jonathan Goodwin was limited again in Thursday's practice after playing last week with a hamstring injury.
--FB Mike Karney worked limited on Thursday despite a sprained right ankle that sidelined him last Sunday.
--TE Mark Campbell was limited in practice Thursday as he tries to come back from a hamstring injury.
--LB Troy Evans, who continues to play with a sprained ankle, worked limited Thursday.
--RB Aaron Stecker has missed the first four games with a hamstring injury, but he worked on a limited basis for the second straight day Thursday.
--WR Terrance Copper was limited in practice Thursday with a hamstring injury.
--FB Olaniyi Sobomehin has a shoulder injury, but worked Thursday on a limited basis.
GAME PLAN: Even though the Vikings rank third in the NFL in allowing just 71.8 rushing yards per game, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Saints take a few early shots with Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush in the hopes of loosening things up a little bit. If they can do that, it makes Drew Brees and the NFL's No. 1-ranked passing team even more dangerous. On defense, the key will be in containing powerful running back Adrian Peterson after they had some success in keeping the 49ers' Frank Gore under control in their win over the 49ers last week. That would allow a newfound pass rush, which had six sacks against the Niners, to get after 37-year-old quarterback Gus Frerotte.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Saints' front seven vs. Vikings RB Adrian Peterson -- Peterson has rushed for 420 yards, which ranks second in the NFL so far, and is averaging 5.1 yards a carry. The Saints simply can't afford to let Peterson, who is effective as an inside and outside runner, get loose or else they'll be in for a long night. The key will be to getting enough tacklers to the ball and making sure they wrap him up to limit his yards after contact.
Saints QB Drew Brees vs. Vikings secondary: Brees plays no favorites when it comes to torching secondaries and should be up to the challenge against a defense that's given up 207.5 yards a game and ranks 17th in the league. Brees' receivers have averaged 12.6 yards a catch this season with six receptions of 40 yards or more -- including 81- and 84-yarders by speedster Devery Henderson and a 74-yarder by Robert Meachem. All Brees has done the last two weeks is hit on 62 of 83 passes for 784 yards with four TDs and one interception and a passer rating of 114.7.
INJURY IMPACT: TE Mark Campbell will likely get the starting nod with Jeremy Shockey missing a second straight game after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia.
--WR Devery Henderson, who is averaging 35.5 yards a catch on six receptions this season, will once again move over and start in place of Marques Colston.
--WR Lance Moore, who has caught 14 passes for 179 yards and two TDs the last two games, will likely slide into Henderson's normal starting wide receiver spot with David Patten nursing a groin injury.
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