Saints/Chargers to do Battle in London - McAllister and Smith Test Positive for Banned Substance

As the Saints look forward to Sunday’s pivotal matchup against the San Diego Chargers, more bad news seems to be on the horizon. According to a report by Josina Anderson of Fox 31 in Denver, running Back Deuce McAllister and Defensive End Will Smith have tested positive for a banned substance under the NFL’s steroid policy. If true, the likely result would be 4 game suspensions for each player. The Saints players are not alone on the list that supposedly includes 10-15 NFL players, however McAllister and Smith were the only two players named in the report so far. This news is absolutely devastating to the Saints, who are already decimated at running back. The loss of Will Smith would also be debilitating, as Smith is the team’s best pass rusher and a team leader. The players have reportedly retained an attorney for the appeals that are certain to follow. This story is still developing and there is a good chance that the Saints will be able to dress the two players this Sunday in London, England.

The big storyline in this contest is Drew Brees facing off against the team that cut him loose a mere two seasons ago. Brees has been a man on fire this season and would love to continue the momentum against his former team, The San Diego Chargers. It just so happens that the Chargers rank dead last in the NFL in pass defense, giving up 254.6 yards a game. Hopefully another week of practice for Marques Colston and Drew Brees to get on the same page will help the Saints’ aerial attack that looked quite stale in week 7. It also appears that Jeremy Shockey will play despite complaining of soreness during, and after last week’s game. Shockey did look rather slow against the Panthers and might only see limited snaps this week.

The Chargers have very opportunistic cornerbacks in Antonio Cromartie and Quentin Jammer. Brees won’t be able to force balls into double coverage because Jammer and Cromartie have great hands and are a threat to score on any interception. The running duties will be split by Pierre Thomas, Deuce McAllister, and Aaron Stecker. The Chargers are normally a very tough team to run on but the absence of Shawn Merriman has hurt this unit tremendously. The Saint’s backs should have some success in this game, especially if the reports are true and McAllister is juiced up and ready to go.

What the Chargers lack on defense, they make up for on offense. Philip Rivers has become a pro-bowl quarterback and his presence has helped mend the wounds of Charger fans after the departure of fan favorite Drew Brees. Rivers is very confident in the pocket and has a swagger about him that rubs many players and fans the wrong way. I’m personally a fan of Philip Rivers, and think that his passion for the game is undeniable. The Saints will have to pressure Rivers because the Chargers’ receivers are enormous, and are capable of beating most cornerbacks for jump balls. Vincent Jackson especially, has come on this year and in the past 2 games has 176 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns. Jason David and his 5’8” stature may get exploited going against the Chargers’ bigger receivers. The Saints’ defense is fortunate that Ladainian Tomlinson has been hobbled by a turf toe injury because LT has not been himself lately. This game will most likely be decided through the air anyways, and the Saints will have to do all they can to slow down Rivers, and punish Tomlinson every chance they get. This game should be a good show for the Fans in London, as it has the makings of a very high scoring game.

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Last post (s) by Jeff Lalonde

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