I can't really say this is what we've been waiting for, that's the season opener, but we will get to see the team in a live scrimmage setting this afternoon. The format is schedule to be the first teams vs. the second teams for 12 plays each and then the three's against each other for 12 plays. Then we'll see the one's vs. the one's, two's vs. the two's and three's vs. the three's again for 12 plays each.
2:09 p.m. As the team finishes stretching we've got a couple of updates on who will participate in the scrimmage. As expected, Jeremy Shockey will not be on the field. Coach Payton said yesterday Marques Colston would get some work but he's only out here in shorts and no pads. Payton also said Deuce McAllister would sit out but he is in pads and we'll see how much playing time he gets. Oh yeah, it's flaming hot outside and still a huge crowd is filling the stands at Memorial Stadium.
2:25 p.m. Apparently the start time is going to be 2:30 p.m instead of 2. The team just went through some light drills and now Gramatica and Mehlhaff are kicking field goals. Gramatica goes 3 for 4, Mehlhaff 4 for 4.
2:30 p.m. Now they're live. First play, Reggie Bush gets the handoff and tries the right side for no gain.
2:31 p.m. Brees' pass to Terrance Copper is incomplete. On 3rd and 10 Brees finds a wide open Lance Moore for 17 yards and a first down.
2:32 p.m. Brees throws one right through the hands of David Patten. On 2nd and 10 from their own 47, Brees a quick comeback pass to Patten, another drop. 3rd down Brees does complete a pass to Patten for 12 yards and first down.
2:34 p.m. Handoff to Bush for no gain. Finally, Reggie bursts through the middle for 8 yards. Another 3rd down, Bush goes for about a yard but it's good enough to move the chains.
2:35 p.m. Nice little pass to Aaron Stecker in the flat, first down. Then a give to Stecker for 3 yards, ball sits on the 17 yard line. Brees tries to find Mark Campbell, incomplete. 3rd down Brees lays a beautiful ball up to Lance Moore, leaping grab for a touchdown.
2:37 p.m. The first offense goes 70 yards in 13 plays for a TD, capped off by a 17 yard scoring strike from Brees to Moore.
2: 39 p.m. Now the second team offense will get a chance against the first team offense, ball starts on their own 30. First play Mark Brunell throws incomplete to Robert Meahem. On play action Brunell finds Adrian Arrington on the sideline, catch is made but the feet aren't in. 3rd and 10, draw play to Pierre thomas for a gain of 4.
2:42 p.m. Since they didn't get the first down, the chains are reset and the ball placed back at the 30. First down Pierre Thomas runs up the middle for 2. Brunell then throws incomplete to Stecker. 3rd down Brunell connects with tight end Buck Ortega for a short gain, no first down
2:45 p.m. Another reset of the chains, Brunell pressured and throws incomplete. Pierre Thomas runs through the right side for 5. Brunell completes one to Thomas for only 3 yards, again no first down.
2:47 p.m. Back to the 30-yard line. Adrian Arrington catches a pass for 7 yards. Delayed handoff to Thomas for 2. Thomas then gets the 2nd team their first first down on a short gain.
2:49 p.m. After the first down, Brunell throws incomplete. Next play another incompletion and a holding penalty on the offense, it's declined. 3rd down Brunell is sacked and that will do it for the 2nd team offense vs. the 1st team defense. Not much success for Brunell and company.
2:52 p.m. In between series this is kickoff work and Skyler Green just did what he had to in order to make the team. Green took the ball and find a hole along the right side, made one move back to the middle of the field and was gone for the score.
2:55 p.m. Time for the 3rd team offense. First play Tyler Palko completes a pass to Buck Orega, there is defensive holding, automatic first down. Handoff to Lynell Hamilton for 2 yards. Again to Hamilton for no gain. 3rd down, incomplete pass, reset the chains.
2:58 p.m. Palko dumps one off to Olaniyi Sobomehin for 5 yards. Hamilton for 6 and first down. Palko then goes deep for Skyler Green for 46 yards.
2:59 p.m Ball on the 14 yard line, run by Jermaine Allen for a yard. Palko then has a pass batted down. 3rd down Palko to Buck Ortega for a short gain, no first down. The 3rd team offense can't score and that wraps up the first segment of the scrimmage.
3:07 p.m. Here comes the first team offense vs. the first team defense. The ball placed on the 40 yard line of the defense. First play is play action and Mark Campbell drops the pass from Brees. Reggie Bush up the middle for 1. Brees avoids the pressure and throws to Lance Moore, he drops it. Reset the chains back at the 40.
3:10 p.m. On first down Bush goes for 3 yards up the middle. Brees steps up and throws deep down the middle for Moore, too deep. Great catch by Patten, had to adjust to a ball underthrown, first down.
3:12 p.m. First down Bush almost breaks one but is grabbed by the jersey after a 3 yard gain. Brees throws a floating screen pass to Bush for 6 yards. 3rd and 1 Bush leaps the pile for a gain of 3 and a first down.
3:14 p.m. First down Brees finds Bush right past the line of scrimmage, the middle of the field is open and he scurries in for the 8-yard touchdown.
3:15 p.m. The first team offense was stopped on their first 3 plays. When they reset the chains they go 40 yards in 7 plays, capped off the by 8-yard Bush TD catch.
3:18 p.m. Second team offense is out vs. the second team defense. Brunell throws incomplete on first down to Billy Miller. Same result on 2nd down as he looks to Robert Meachem. Brunell this time completes on to Billy Miller for 9 yards. 4th and 1 they're going for it, play action to Kevin Dudley, just enough for the first.
3:21 p.m. First down Brunell is sacked for a loss of 5. 2nd down he throws complete to Stecker for just a 2 yard gain. 3rd and long, draw play to Stecker for just a yard, reset the chains.
3:23 p.m. First down, Brunell hits Skyler Green, but he's bobbling the ball as he goes out of bounds, no catch. Brunell then throws into the line. 3rd and 10, Brunell throws into double-coverage but Robert Meachem bails him out with a great catch for 22 yards.
3:26 p.m. False start makes it 1st and 15. Brunell throws incomplete. Brunell to Stecker, he drops it. Brunell to Stecker for 3 yards, and again the 2nd team offense is held scoreless. It looks like that will do it for the sccrimmage, pads are off and the team is running.
Scrimmage Notes:
-The scrimmage was cut a little short and it was due to the overbearing heat. Coach Payton said for the most part he was happy with the effort but there are a lot of things he needs study on the film to get a better assesment. He did say the offense hurt themselves by getting in a lot of 3rd and long situations. The only guy he really mentioned as having a good scrimmage was Drew Brees, saying his QB was sharp.
-Skyler Green made a statement with his kick return and long catch, and says he did everything he could do today to show the coaches he's ready to play football.
-Other notes: Deuce McAllister, although dressed in full pads, did not play at all in the scrimmage. Rookie Carl Nicks, who's been impressive all camp, saw some snaps at left guard with the first team. As a whole the receivers and backs did not have a good afternoon. There were a lot of dropped passes and very little running room for Reggie Bush and company.
