Shockey gives Saints boost with passionate effort

MIAMI -- Who dat sayin' dey gonna beat dem Saints?

Apparently no one.

In a crazy, Technicolor performance, New Orleans stayed undefeated by rallying to beat Miami 46-34 on Sunday. And no one had more style during the comeback than their throwback tight end. Standing at his locker after the game in a dark plaid shirt, light blue tie and red-striped seersucker jacket, Jeremy Shockey tried to explain the unlikely victory.

"We didn't quit," he said of the 21-point deficit the Saints had to overcome. "I've been on teams that gave up, but this one didn't."

Shockey had his best day in his 18 games as a Saint, catching four passes for 105 yards, more than half of them on one play. It was an impressive sight: On a 66-yard catch, Shockey powered by rookie cornerback Vontae Davis, who had replaced the injured Will Allen, then fought off free safety Gibril Wilson, pushing him away for more than 20 yards.

"I feel a little bad about how that looked," said Shockey, who gained 45 of his 66 yards after the catch. "Gibril's my man. We were on the Giants together."

On the next series, Shockey beat Yeremiah Bell on gains of 16 and 14 yards, setting up a touchdown. For Shockey, who played at the University of Miami and lives in South Beach in the offseason, the win was meaningful.

"I love it here," Shockey said. "I saw some fans wearing my Hurricanes jersey."

It was another statement game by Shockey and the Saints, following their 48-27 thrashing of the New York Giants the week before. In that game, Shockey was targeted five times and caught four passes. It was also a field day for Drew Brees, who has four quality receivers to choose from. Lance Moore caught six passes, Marques Colston eight and Robert Meachem had two, including a touchdown. Seven different players scored against the Giants.

In Miami, the fresh legs of Mike Bell (80 yards on only 12 carries, a 6.7 average) opened up the passing game.
Brees said he noticed the Dolphins had been rolling the coverage to Colston, who still averaged 14.4 yards a catch, including a touchdown. Someone else noticed the coverage, too.

"Jeremy is not shy about pointing things out," Brees said with an easy laugh. "He might have mentioned he was open."

Shockey acknowledged his not-so-subtle hint.

"I knew I was isolated and could do some damage," he said. "They like to bracket receivers and that left me in single coverage."

New Orleans finished with 414 yards of offense, 276 through the air and 138 on the ground. Often accused of being a finesse team, the Saints again made the argument that they can control the line of scrimmage for the run as well as the pass.

"We want to be, we try to be, a balanced offense," coach Sean Payton said. "This game was important -- we'd never trailed all year. At halftime, I told the players that if they wanted to be great, this was a time to show it."

It was personal game for Payton, too. Both he and Miami coach Tony Sparano were on Bill Parcells' staff in Dallas, and Payton said no one taught him more than Parcells.

"I'll never forget how I got the job," said Payton. "I was home on Christmas Day and I heard my wife pick up the phone and say, 'Bill Parcells?' I'd never met him before. I went to the phone and said, 'Coach?' I had no idea what it would be about. But that's Bill, he thinks nothing of calling you on Christmas Day to offer you a job."

One of three undefeated teams, with the Broncos and Colts, there's no reason the Saints can't march to the Super Bowl. These are not your father's Saints, when New Orleans quarterbacks often had more interceptions than touchdowns.

This team has Brees, who nearly broke Dan Marino's single-season yardage record last season and is an obvious MVP candidate this year.

This team has a running game. Isn't it ironic that New Orleans cut the franchise's all-time leading rusher, Deuce McAllister, and still improved the rushing attack? Bell, Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush will do that to a defense.
This team has a much-improved defense. The key offseason acquisition might have been Gregg Williams, the feisty coordinator who has a plan, a passion and Darren Sharper in the secondary.

And then there is Shockey. The oft-injured tight end did not catch a touchdown all last year. But this year he is to be reckoned with.

"It gives us another option," offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. said. "He has tremendous skills."

The first-round pick of the Giants in 2002, Shockey had to watch from the sideline when an injury kept him out of Super Bowl XLII. This year, he's trying to keep his emotions under control. This season's Super Bowl is still four months away, but it is being played here in his adopted hometown.

"I know I'm excitable," said Shockey, smiling, "but Coach Payton constantly reminds us not to get ahead of ourselves. He has a great expression. He says keep playing, keep winning, and at the end, we'll count up all our chips."



(cbssports.com)