Saints Notes & Quotes: Week 1
New Orleans Saints notes, quotes, transcripts, memes, and tidbits for Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
TRANSCRIPTS
Alvin Kamara on the possibility of a contract holdout
"I ain't never held out in my life. That's about it." Full Transcript
Demario Davis on if Leonard Fournette is sort of an "old school running back?"
"I don't know about that. You have generally had, for the length of the game, you have had guys that were more power backs, speed backs, more receiving backs, some all-around backs. Just because he's big, I think a lot of people would think that he's just a power back, but he's much more in line with an all-around back." Full Transcript
"IT'S SUPER BOWL OR BUST" for the 2020 New Orleans Saints
On Monday, the powerful figure at left tackle for the New Orleans Saints doubled-down on his comments at the start of Saints Camp. An inquisitive Saints reporter wanted to know about the phrasing "It's Super Bowl of Bust" when training camp began six-weeks ago. Terron replied, ""I said it. I'm standing on it for sure. What else are we playing for? That's it, that's the only goal. That's the only goal, especially for, you know, a team that really feel like we can do it. It's a real goal for us, and that's it. It's the ultimate goal. That's why we've been here for the past six weeks plus. It's why I'll be here tomorrow. I'll be here Wednesday (and) Thursday. That's the ultimate goal. That's what we're trying to get accomplished. For everyone involved, every player, family, city, we need this. That is what we are going for." Full Transcript
J.T Gray on his second All-Pro Season and his 2020 goals
"Just stack up off of that year right there. We're all trying to get better. And I appreciate my team for doing their job to help me get to that position." Full Transcript
*Transcripts courtesy of the New Orleans Saints PR department for media.
SAINTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Inspire Change Special will be hosted by Queen Latifah on Wednesday, September 9th at 8 PM CST on NBC. A snippet of the league's new Say Their Stories series and an interview with New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara about this season's efforts to honor victims of systemic racism and social justice heroes
BUCCANEERS vs SAINT GAME NOTES
SAINTS NOTES
• QB DREW BREES is NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards (77,416) & TD passes (547). Had 74.3 comp. pct. in 2019, 2nd highest in single-season mark in NFL history. Passed for 2,979 yards with 27 TDs vs. career-low 4 INTs for career-high 116.3 rating last season. Has 11 TDs vs. INT for 117.1 in his past 6 vs. TB.
• RB ALVIN KAMARA had 1,330 scrimmage yards (797 rush, 533 rec.) & 6 total TDs in 2019. Is 1 of 2 (JULIO JONES) with 1,300+ scrimmage yards in each of past 3 seasons. Has 81 receptions in each of his 1st 3 seasons & is 1 of 4 RBs in NFL history with 3+ seasons of 80+ catches.
• WR MICHAEL THOMAS led NFL with 149 receptions & 1,725 yards in 2019, most catches in single season in league annals. Has 470 receptions & 5,512 rec. yards, both most by player in 1st 4 seasons in NFL history. Has 66 receptions for 831 yards (118.7 per game) & 4 TDs in 7 career games vs. TB. WR EMMANUEL SANDERS makes NO debut. Had 66 receptions for 869 yards & 5 TDs with Den. & SF in 2019. TE JARED COOK ranked 2nd among TEs in 2019 with career-high 9 rec. TDs.
• DE CAMERON JORDAN led team with career-high 15.5 sacks. Since 2013, ranks 2nd in NFL with 78 sacks. Has sack in 6 of his past 7 vs. TB. LB DEMARIO DAVIS led team with 111 tackles, his 5th-career 100+ tackle season. CB MARSHON LATTIMORE led team with 14 PD. Ranks 4th in NFL with 44 PD since 2017. S MALCOLM JENKINS had 347 tackles & 37 PD with NO from 2009-13. Had 80 tackles, 8 PD & 4 FFs in 2019 with Phi.
BUCS NOTES
• QB TOM BRADY makes TB debut. Ranks 2nd all-time in passing yards (74,571) & TD passes (541). Passed for 4,057 yards & 24 TDs in 2019, his 17th season with 20+ TD passes, most in NFL history. Has 1,433 pass yards (286.6 per game) & 11 TDs vs. 3 INTs for 103.6 rating in 5 career starts vs. NO.
• RB LEONARD FOURNETTE makes TB debut. Set career highs in rush yards (1,152), scrimmage yards (1,674) & catches (76) last season with Jax. RB RONALD JONES had career-high 1,033 scrmimage yards (724 rush, 309 rec.) & 6 rush TDs in 2019. RB LESEAN MCCOY makes TB debut. Ranks 4th among active players in scrimmage yards (14,868) & scrimmage TDs (89).
• WR MIKE EVANS had 1,157 receiving yards in 2019, joining HOFer RANDY MOSS (1998-2003) as only players with 1,000+ rec. yards in each of 1st 6 seasons in NFL history. Has 462 career receptions, most in franchise history. WR CHRIS GODWIN ranked 3rd in NFL with career-high 1,333 rec. yards in 2019. Has 5 rec. TDs in his past 5 vs. NO. TE ROB GRONKOWSKI makes TB debut. Had 521 catches for 7,861 yards & 79 TDs in 9 seasons (2010-18) with NE.
• LB SHAQUIL BARRETT led NFL with franchise-record & career high 19.5 sacks & ranked 2nd with 19 TFL in 2019. LB LAVONTE DAVID led team with 122 tackles last season, his 7th-career 100+ tackle season. Since 2012, is only player with 1,000+ tackles (1,006), 20+ sacks (22.5) & 20+ FFs (21). LB JASON PIERRE-PAUL had 8.5 sacks in 2019, his 5th career season with 8+ sacks
*Saints and Bucs Note courtesy of NFL
OFFICIATING
Jerome Boger and his crew will officiate the Bucs-Saints game in Week 1
BROADCAST
The Buccaneers-Saints contest will be a Fox Sports Game of the Week broadcast with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman calling the game.
ODDS
The spread for the Bucs vs. Saints: The Saints must win by 4 points or more to cover the spread. New Orleans is favored at -3.5 points over the Bucs.
NFC SOUTH PREDICTIONS:
New Orleans Saints: 14–2
Atlanta Falcons: 10–6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 10–6
Carolina Panthers: 3–13
The NFC is (again) startlingly good. The NFC South and the NFC West are the two strongest divisions in football, followed by the AFC North. This season will be a dogfight and I imagine a very competitive playoff team coming from the No. 2 slot in this division. I am also projecting a Falcons resurgence, giving them the slight edge over Tampa Bay thanks to divisional records. This liking I’ve taken to the Falcons comes at a cost: a woefully underrated Carolina team that I just couldn’t give too many wins to over the course of this season.
