training camp and a High School crush A comparison is only as good as the creativity behind it. From
players and coaches to specific personnel groups
http://www.saintsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-ryan-ramczyk-jersey , we’ll try to compare it all! Every reference will be included from former Saints
alumni, as well as other well-known entities throughout the spectrum. You’ll
even see common life occurrences or perspectives that most of us can all relate
to. We hope you enjoy the first installment of “You Remind Me”.Rejection is
quite the element to deal with throughout life. Like most character building
opportunities, it is a part of life that we must experience — whether we’re
ready for it or not. Rejection can either break a person or be the fuel that
ignites them going forward — easily explained as a lesson learned. When the
spotlight returns for redemption, one is either prepared for it or fearful of a
past outcome. And as the beginning of training camp for the New Orleans Saints
is finally present and rolling along, their moment of truth is slowly following
in pursuit. To put things in perspective, think about what rejection means to
some, something easily relatable like an old high school crush, but more
importantly from the perspective of the underdog. Most people growing up
eventually run into a crush at some point in life. Someone they admire deeply
beyond the means of realization. And underdogs usually aren’t as physically
blessed or gifted as say you the reader are. So, instead of maybe having a
believed legitimate shot at the person they secretly admire, this crush becomes
more of a dream, a longshot. The crush soon reaches “out of my league” status
before a simple greeting is even mustered.Imagine that, before anything is truly
settled, this person is basically counted out. Sound familiar? Last season, the
New Orleans Saints were “out of their league” to most. Not many predicted
success from the young group of unproven and unheralded cast of players New
Orleans put forth as the season began. Drew Brees in his prime couldn’t carry
the roster (see defense) in front of him, and an even rejuvenated Adrian
Peterson wouldn’t be enough to save him. The rejection was early and pessimism
was quickly soon once again in the air. Both of what has now become annual
stories, rumors of a Sean Payton departure and the declining arm strength of
Drew Brees had found its way into our eyes again by the end of Week 2. Any
maintained success once again felt like a pipe dream.Chuck Cook-USA TODAY
SportsThe Saints had two routes they could go at this point. It’s the same exact
obstacle for someone feeling rejected chasing a love interest. They can either
gear up a plan to approach their crush against the odds or succumb to the fear
of failure. Maybe they’ve failed before and it’s not a feeling they want to
encounter for a while. Or they could simply not believe in themselves and feed
into a negative narrative. This underdog, however, is built differently. They
gather all the confidence they can collect and finally approach the person. And
they get turned down slightly, but not emphatically. There’s room for an
opportunity, the presentation just wasn’t polished yet. In the meantime,
confidence is building, and this underdog isn’t feeling much like one anymore.
And that leads us back to the Saints.New Orleans started their season 0-2 and
the “8-8” jokes were in full force (or 7-9 since it had become the norm for a
bit). Then, a surprising shift quickly manufactured. Fear turned into a
strength, which turned into confidence, and by the time the season ended, the
Saints were downright cocky. The main shift for New Orleans started defensively,
as they no longer were doormats for opposing offenses. Cam Jordan’s elite
individual status was joined by a plethora of teammates. Standouts including
Defensive Rookie of the Year Marshon Lattimore, Ken Crawley, Marcus Williams,
Sheldon Rankins and many others. This group became known as the “Boonk Gang”.
And they had no problem showing you.The offense produced a balanced attack led
by a dancing machine in Mark Ingram and an airhead consuming Offensive Rookie of
the Year Alvin Kamara. Michael Thomas became elite right in front of our eyes,
Ted Ginn had a career year, and Drew Brees finally had a team that could carry
him when needed. “When needed” being the keywords involved.Now that is what we
call redemption. The job, however, wasn’t done.New Orleans finished the regular
season battered with numerous talents on injured reserve, but were overall
battle-tested as they marched into the playoffs at 11-5. After a tight win
against the division rival Carolina Panthers, the Saints faced a tough and very
talented Minnesota Vikings in a Week One regular season rematch. Both teams were
different this time around, and so was the game. The Saints overcame adversity
and a huge deficit with a huge chance at advancing. The rest is history, as the
Saints were rejected in embarrassing fashion. It’s what any person chasing
something or someone is afraid of the most. Not just the rejection, but public
and internal embarrassment in the process.Imagine getting your confidence to an
all-time high, having your crush look at you and give you signs throughout the
year that you have a shot. You feel close, the school year is ending, and you
have one last shot for an opportunity at securing a date. And you whiff — and in
return, nothing but corny jokes and humiliation come back in your direction.
Just like the Saints, you have a whole summer to think about it. If indications
are clear, New Orleans is ready for their opportunity when that first bell
rings. And while training camp is an orientation of sorts, it brings back
feelings both good and bad from last year. Who knows if and when the Saints
approach their crush again this year, and if they will even say yes. The
expectations aren’t what they were at this time last year. Others will stake
their claim, and they could have an even tougher road. Or, the lessons learned
and hardship endured could propel them to paradise. The first week of training
camp just reminds us of the path traveled, and the next journey that is hoped to
be conquered.Saints vs. Buccaneers matchups: New Orleans offense vs. Tampa Bay
defense The New Orleans Saints begin their 52nd NFL season by opening with a
divisional foe, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Alex Anzalone Jersey , this Sunday at the Mercedes Benz Superdome. The Saints are coming off an 11-5 NFC South championship season a year ago, but one
that ended in heartbreak with a last second loss to Minnesota in the playoffs.
The Buccaneers came into 2017 as a playoff hopeful, but came crashing down to
earth with a 5-11 record. The Buccaneers went 2-2 during the preseason, and
struggled on the defensive side of the ball, where many predict their downfall
to be in 2018, and will also be without starting quarterback Jameis Winston at
the beginning of the season. The Saints on the other hand, went 3-1 this
preseason, and are considered to be one of the favorites in the NFC, but they
will be without top running back Mark Ingram to begin the year. Today we have a
look at some of the things to expect from the Saints offense when they open the
year against one of their division foes. SAINTS RUSH OFFENSE vs BUCCANEERS RUSH
DEFENSE Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty ImagesNew Orleans powered their way to a
division championship in part due to a dynamic running game. The Saints finished
5th in the league in rushing last season, 2nd in yards per carry (4.4), and
their 23 rushing touchdowns led the NFL. Gone of course, is leading rusher Mark
Ingram, who is suspended for the first four games for violating the league's
substance abuse policy. Taking over duties as the top back is Alvin Kamara, last
year's offensive rookie of the year. Kamara rushed for 728 yards and 8
touchdowns last season on an eye-popping 6.1 yards per carry. He is electric in
the open field, but showed the ability to pick up the tough yards between the
tackles as well. Hoping that Kamara will not have to carry the full rushing load
in Ingram's absence, the team expects that rookie sixth round pick Boston Scott
or newly signed veteran Mike Gillislee will be able to provide a change of pace.
The Saints offensive line, along with fullback Zach Line, dominated opposing
fronts last year in the running game, winning both at the point of attack and
providing cutback lanes for their rushers. Left guard Andrus Peat's status for
this contest is somewhat in question, as he continues to recover from a broken
leg suffered during the playoffs. If Peat can't go, his spot will be taken by
the recently re-signed Josh LeRibeus, rookie Will Clapp, or Cameron Tom. Tampa
Bay ranked 23rd in the league at defending the run a year ago, surrendering 4.3
yards per rush, and their 17 scores on the ground against them were 30th in the
league. They drafted University of Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea with the
12th overall pick of the first round, hoping that he could provide a
run-stuffing presence and disruption to couple with Gerald McCoy, one of the
league's better interior linemen. Unfortunately, Vea struggled throughout the
preseason, missing the last month with a calf injury and putting his
availability in doubt. The Bucs also added Beau Allen from the Eagles via free
agency this offseason, a solid inside defender. The McCoy/Allen combination will
be a handful for opposing offensive linemen, but a question remains if they can
hold up during late in games with little depth, especially until Vea returns to
form. Tampa also added defensive ends Vinny Curry (Eagles) and Jason Pierre-Paul
(Giants) this offseason, but each have functioned more as pass rushers than
stout run defenders during their careers. The Buccaneers linebacking corps is
among the fastest in the NFC, but can be quickly nullified if the defensive line
cannot tie up blockers to free them up to make plays. The Saints offensive line
is athletic, and gets to the second level of the defense quickly and can
overwhelm opposing linebackers and defensive backs. Kamara is a dangerous open
field runner, and becomes an immediate gamebreaking threat when given his choice
of cutback lanes. New Orleans rushed for 151 yards in a 30-10 week 9 home win
against the Buccaneers last year, but were held to 92 yards on the ground in the
regular season finale, a 31-24 loss in Tampa. In the two games against the
Buccaneers defense last season, Kamara averaged nearly six yards per carry as he
rushed for 112 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns.Chuck Cook-USA TODAY
Sports~Matchup to Watch: New Orleans interior line against Tampa's defensive
tackles~All eyes will be on whether Kamara can handle the bulk of the carries as
the team's number one back, but the key to this battle will be whether the
Saints dominant guards of Peat and Larry Warford, along with center Max Unger,
can wear down Buccaneers tackles McCoy and Allen. Peat's health could be a major
factor, and also whether Clapp, Leribeus, or Tom can handle the responsibility
if he can't go. If New Orleans can win this battle, it should give them a
blocking advantage at the second level against Tampa's linebackers, and spring
the Saints running backs into the secondary quickly. SAINTS PASSING ATTACK vs.
BUCCANEERS PASS DEFENSE Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty ImagesThe Saints finished
with the league's 5th best passing attack a year ago, but the New Orleans
offensive attack was not as reliant on the pass as it had been in past years.
Quarterback Drew Brees' 4,334 passing yards and 23 touchdowns were the fewest of
his 12-yr tenure in New Orleans, and his 536 attempts and 386 completions were
the second fewest. The passing game was certainly still productive, Brees' 72%
completion percentage was a league record
Authentic Josh LeRibeus Jersey , and he threw only 8 interceptions, the lowest of his New Orleans career. The Saints offensive line did a spectacular
job protecting their veteran quarterback, allowing only 20 sacks. Wide receiver
Michael Thomas established himself as one of the top wideouts in the NFL,
recording his second straight 1,000-yd season (1,245), and setting a team record
with 104 receptions. Kamara was one of the league's most versatile weapons. He
was second on the team with 81 catches for 826 yards, and his five touchdown
receptions tied Thomas for the team lead. Veteran Ted Ginn Jr. was solid in his
first year as a Saint, finishing third on the team in receiving yards. Unlike in
years past, the New Orleans receiving corps wasn't deep. No player outside of
Thomas, Kamara, Ginn, and Mark Ingram had as many as 25 receptions, and the
Saints got no receiving production from the tight end position. Veteran tight
end Benjamin Watson and wideout Cameron Meredith were added this offseason to
bolster depth, and the Saints also drafted receiver Tre'quan Smith in the 3rd
round. Smith looked like a potential star during the preseason, and could be a
lethal compliment to Thomas and Kamara in the passing game. Despite the presence
of McCoy and talented pass rushers Noah Spence and William Gholston, the
Buccaneers managed a paltry 22 sacks in 2017. Their pass defense ranked 32nd in
the league, as did their overall defensive ranking, and they surrendered 260
yards per game through the air. The lack of pass rush put an already suspect
Bucs secondary at an even larger disadvantage. Cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, the
16th overall pick in 2016, has struggled with outside coverage, but seems to
have stabilized his career by playing well in the slot. Twelve year veteran
Brent Grimes is still a fine player, but Tampa will need either Ryan Smith or
rookie Carlton Davis to give the team another solid coverage option. Safety
Justin Evans showed impressive range as a rookie, but veteran Chris Conte has
struggled in coverage down the field. Linebackers Lavonte David and Kwon
Alexander are stars, and must be accounted for in both the run and the pass, but
the Bucs will be missing Kendell Beckwith to begin the year, as he recovers from
injuries suffered in an offseason car accident. In two games against Tampa Bay
last season, Brees completed over 77% of his passes, averaging 254 yards in
those games while throwing three touchdowns and no interceptions. Michael Thomas
carved up Tampa's intermediate coverage, with 14 total receptions for 159 yards.
Kamara tortured Buccaneer defenders, catching six passes for 84 yards in each
game, including a 33-yd. touchdown strike from Brees. Photo by Chris
Graythen/Getty Images~Matchup to Watch: Saints tackles Terron Armstead and Ryan
Ramczyk vs. Buccaneer pass rushers Jason Pierre-Paul, Gholston, Spence, and
Vinny Curry~ Tampa Bay added Pierre-Paul and Curry in hopes that they could
attract double teams away from the talented McCoy, disrupt opposing passers, and
reduce pressure on their secondary. Armstead and Ramczyk are among the best
offensive tackle duos in the game. If they are able to handle pass protection
duties one on one, then the Saints interior line will be able to focus squarely
on McCoy, allowing Brees the time to carve up the Tampa Bay coverage. Photo by
Wesley Hitt/Getty ImagesWHAT TO LOOK FORThere is no doubt that New Orleans will
miss the talented Ingram during his suspension, but the Saints are still an
extremely dangerous offensive team. Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara are next to
impossible for any defense to contain. Kamara in particular was too much for the
Buccaneers defense a year ago, accounting for 280 yards from scrimmage and 4 of
the Saints 7 touchdowns in the two games against Tampa a year ago. Don't be
surprised if New Orleans attacks their division rivals through the air early on,
spreading out their secondary with quick passes to Thomas, Kamara, Ginn,
Tre'quan Smith, and Cameron Meredith. The Saints must be able to also show that
they can still effectively run the ball even without Ingram, and will look to
improve on last season's 37.6% 3rd down conversion rate. The New Orleans Saints
cannot afford to get off to a slow start to the 2018 season, and division games
are usually the biggest key to success. The Saints are considered a Super Bowl
contender, but face a daunting schedule in a powerful conference. Coach Sean
Payton realizes that his squad must come out strong, and typically relies on his
prolific offense and future Hall of Fame quarterback to set the tone.
