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After watching the Saints work for a weekend here's some random thoughts:

1) First round draft pick Malcolm Jenkins, when he arrives, will have a hard time being anything more than the Saints fourth cornerback. Starters Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter are very solid, and Randall Gay is a decent third corner. I never thought I'd say this but here goes: the Saints deepest position on defense is corner. Moving Jenkins to safety might not be such a bad idea.

2) Of the runners auditioning for jobs I like free agent Herb Donaldson from Western Illinois. He has some nice wiggle. Lynell Hamilton has also performed solidly. In a run in Saturday's practice, Hamilton looked inside, then took it around the corner. It was a veteran NFL run. Good stuff.

3) The battle for the Saints punting job will be decided in the exhibition games, I guess. Draft choice Thomas Morstead gets off some big boots, veteran Glenn Pakulak appears to be a little more consistent and a better directional punter.

4) Here's how Gregg Williams' defense can get better: with some run pass balance from the Saints offense. In the past two years, Drew Brees has thrown 35 interceptions. In 2006, Brees tossed only 11 picks. Brees has the longest streak of 200 yards plus passing games, 20. In those 20 games, the Saints have won 10, lost 10.

5) Wide receiver Marques Colston is a stud duck. In practice, Colston walks around like he owns the place (in a good way). He is a big target who catches everything. Colston had 4 touchdowns receptions in the Saints last 3 games of 2008. Expect a huge season from Colston.

Ed Daniels

Twice this decade, LSU has been the best team in college football.

How have the Tigers done it? By running the football and playing great defense. So, while their is so much attention given to true freshman quarterback Russell Shepard and true frosh wide out Rueben Randle, remember this: LSU's season will be decided by key issues up front.

They are: can the Tigers generate consistent pass rush? Rahim Alem was able to do it last year. Alem had 8 quarterback sacks. Tyson Jackson contributed 4.5 but after that LSU's heat on the passer was somewhat non existent. At media day, new defensive coordinator John Chavis said he would like to rotate 5 or 6 defensive tackles, and as many defensive ends.

I don't know, frankly, if Chavis has the depth, right now, to do that.

On offense, LSU can ill afford an injury to left tackle Ciron Black. Black could be a first round pick in next spring's NFL draft. Guard Lyle Hitt returns. At center PJ Lonergan and T-Bob Hebert are battling for the starting spot. Joseph Barksdale is the starter at right tackle.

Think about it. When LSU beat Ohio State for the title in January of 2008, the Tigers did it with a crushing running game, and heat on Ohio State quarterback Joe Germaine.

Four years earlier, Oklahoma's Jason White didn't have time to look downfield. Meantime, LSU was running the ball effectively on the way to a 21-14 win.

When LSU wins, the Tigers do it up front. And against this year's schedule: at Georgia, Alabama, and Ole Miss, winning up front is a must.

So, speculate all you want about Shepard. I will watch the battle in the trenches. It is there that LSU became one of the dominant teams in this decade of college football.

Yes, it was only training camp, so take it with a grain of salt, but:

The Saints run game in Tuesday morning's workout left a lot to be desired. in 17 plays, the scored 3 times on snaps from the three yard line, in. One was a on pass to tight end Jeremy Shockey, the other on a run when Reggie Bush was stopped left, and reversed field to score.

Only once, on a touchdown run up the middle by Mike Bell, were the Saints able to move the pile.

Here's the facts: even without a great red zone run game, the Saints were still the 5th best in the league last season in scoring touchdowns when reaching the opposition's 20 yard line.

Imagine how much better that percentage could be if the Saints could run the football effectively? Maybe it will happen, but it didn't Tuesday morning.

Preseason games can be such a lie.

However, this is the truth. The Saints do not look like a good running team. In the first quarter, the Saints were given the ball at the Cincinnati 6, but couldn't score. Reggie Bush was stopped cold on a first down run to the Bengals 5 yard line. The Saints ran the ball 30 times, and gained only 86 yards. Not good. Again, you ask, do the Saints have the power ball that is so vital in the red zone? It appears not.

The Saints lacked pass rush early in the game when the starters played for both teams. Not good.

However, the Saints appeared to finally have a quality free safety. Darren Sharper was terrific. He forced Cedric Benson to fumble on the game's first series. And, later Sharper sent wide receiver Laverneus Coles to the sideline with a vicious hit.

Saints quarterback Mark Brunell continued his sterling preseason. Brunell has looked sharp in practice and followed it up with a 9 for 13 night, including a long TD strike to Robert Meachem.

After tonight's unever performance and dull game, wouldn't it be great if the NFL shortened the preseason to two games?

Wishful thinking.

When we first heard the news this morning about Brett Favre's return (again) to pro football, the only thing I could do is laugh.

A few weeks ago, we heard Favre was done (never believed it for a minute), retired. But, it appears the only thing Favre wanted to miss was training camp (which he did by coming to work Tuesday).

So, the Vikings will pay $25 million over 2 years for a 39 year old quarterback who slumped badly down the stretch last year with the Jets, and underwent off season surgery on his shoulder.

I would be surprised if Favre can finish the season either healthy or effective. In his last 5 games with the Jets, Favre tossed 9 interceptions. And, what happens if two weeks from now, Favre's shoulder suddenly falters? Do you suddenly turn to Sage Rosenfels or Tavaris Jackson and say , "hey, we believe in you. Go get em!" Hardly.

If Minnesota earns a Super Bowl berth, head coach Brad Childress' gamble has paid off. If the Vikings miss the playoffs, this off season circus in Minnesota should cost Childress his job.

The Saints are rolling, in the preseason.

In Saturday's win at Houston, the Saints performed at a high level on defense, offense, and special teams. Big play abounded. The Texans looked overmatched.

But, fullback Heath Evans, a former New England Patriot, says this about the preseason: "These (games) are stepping stones. I think if you get in a pattern of doing things well it is easier to stay in that pattern when the regular season comes. Like you said I have been here long enough to know that the preseason doesn't count for anything and just because you have one great game it doesn't really mean too much in this league."

Amen.

The over/under win total for the Saints in Vegas has stayed steady at 8.5 wins. Before you get unnerved, please note that only three teams: New England, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh have "totals" of 10 wins or more.

The Saints are in the next batch: if things break well, they could be a 10 win team. If injuries, and a tougher schedule catch up, the Saints could be a 7 win team. Such is life in the NFL.

It may be October before we know what kind of club the 2009 New Orleans Saints really are.

Two of the best offensive clubs in metro area prep football won Thursday night in the Ed Reed River Parish Jamboree.

Hahnville bested St James 21-6. Observations from that game: quarterback Brian Ensminger throws a pretty pass and ran his team's offense well. Ensminger, only a junior, could very well be a major college recruit. Hahnville has three solid runners, including tailback Alfred Blue who has great speed.

The Tigers also like to throw it wide out James Butler in the red zone. My questions about Hahnville are this: how quickly can the offensive line gell? And, how good are the Tigers on defense?

The same is true for Lutcher. How good are the Bulldogs defensively? They looked solid in a shutout of Destrehan, 25-0. Remember this is a Destrehan team that has won back to back state titles and 29 consecutive games.

Lutcher's pass catch combo of Gavin Webster to Jarvis Landry is super. If Lutcher plays good defense, the Bulldogs are definitely a threat to win the class 4A championship. Lutcher has won 3 of the last 6 3A titles.

Destrehan will have to win with defense and the running game, at least early. Junior quarterback Taylor Dunn will have to grow into the position. Destrehan's top runner, Henry Lennox, was out of Thursday night's game with a shoulder injury.

You can watch hilights of this game right now on ABC 26 dot com.

Ed Daniels

You try to take the results of preseason games with a grain of salt. But, Saturday in Oakland, we saw just how good the Saints offense can be. And, just how bad the Raiders really are.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees carved up the Raiders defense. Brees has more competition in practices against his own defense on Airline Drive.

The Raiders are just plain awful. How a team this bad up front on both sides of the ball can use high picks on skills players is beyond me. In 2008, the Raiders chose running back Darren McFadden. This yea, it is wide receiver Darius Heyward-Bey. Meantime, the Raiders have no impact players on either front.

In the Raiders glory years, their offensive line had Jim Otto at center, Gene Upshaw at guard, and Art Shell at tackle. For years, they were anchors of a great Oakland offense.

The Raiders had Phil Villapiano and Ted Hendricks at linebacker. Their secondary was anchored by Willie Brown and Jack Tatum.

Sadly those days are long over. Saturday, the Saints were very good against what is now the worst franchise in the NFL.