Sep 7th 2008 7:53PM by Tom Mantzouranis (author feed)
Filed under: Buccaneers, Saints, NFC SouthMike McKenzie, the Saints’ best corner and the best player on their defense last year, was inactive today. That’s not good. Jason David donned pads but as far as I could tell didn’t step foot on the field. That was good. The result — new corners Randall Gay (brought in through free agency) and Tracy Porter (a second-round draft choice) got the start and provided the Saints with something they haven’t had in years — competent corner play on both sides.

But they weren’t the only new Saints to make an impact. Jonathan Vilma, the team’s leading tackler, and Sedrick Ellis, a beast who constantly penetrated double teams, were just as advertised, and Jeremy Shockey took a while to get going but made some clutch catches for 54 yards. These players were the difference in the Saints’ win.Continue Reading