RB duo lives up to the hype for N’Awlins

By Connor Byrne  |   Monday, September 11, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

New Orleans Saints
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If this is what the New Orleans Saints' rushing attack is going to look like this year, they could be in for some great things. In Sunday's 19-14 victory over the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans' well-publicized running back duo of Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush stole the show, combining for 151 ground yards on 36 attempts.

The 27-year-old McAllister, who hasn't played since midway through last season because of a torn ACL, showed that he's certainly back to form. On the day McAllister gained 90 yards on 22 carries, bruising the Browns' defensive front with his 6-foot-1, 232-pound frame. Considering the sixth-year man has become somewhat of an afterthought in the league, it was nice, for Saints fans, to see him rebound and approach relevance once again.

Bush, meanwhile, entered the game with incredible amounts of hype. The Heisman Trophy winner, two-time national champion, former USC star and No. 2 overall pick in this past April's draft ended the victory with 61 yards on 14 rushes, good enough for an impressive 4.4 yards per carry.

To go along with his promising ground stats, the first-year man demonstrated his keen ability to be a dual threat, finishing with a team-high eight receptions for 58 yards. He was the safety valve for most of the day for quarterback Drew Brees, who only seemed comfortable with Bush and rookie wideout Marques Colston through the air.

The combination of McAllister's thunder and Bush's lighting was probably the main reason why first-year head coach Sean Payton was able to win his debut showing, since Brees' passing performance was fairly unimpressive.

The former San Diego Charger, who signed a big contract to join New Orleans in the offseason, completed 17-of-31 passes for 176 yards with a touchdown and interception. Perhaps even more surprising was Brees' lack of connection with his No. 1 receiver, the 34-year-old Joe Horn, who ended with just two receptions for 25 yards.

With their 1-0 start in the bag, the New Orleans Saints can begin preparing for a Week 2 showdown at Lambeau Field against the sputtering Green Bay Packers. Considering the Pack's defense isn't exactly among the league's best, there's a good chance McAllister and Bush could lead the way to a surprising 2-0 start for the upstart Saints.

--Got feedback? Connor J. Byrne can be reached at cbyrne@realfootball365.com.

Get more on the New Orleans Saints at RealFootball365.com.
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