Saints, Eagles know each other well

By Darrell Laurant  |   Thursday, October 12, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

New Orleans Saints
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Growing up in Newtown Square, Pa., Sean Payton used to be a Philadelphia Eagles fan. His brother Tom, who lives in Cape May, N.J., still is.

Moreover, the Eagles gave Payton his first NFL assistant coaching job. For that, he's grateful.

But Payton now coaches the New Orleans Saints, and the Eagles are in the way. Both teams will be 4-1 and division leaders when they kick off at the Superdome on Sunday.

Connections abound here, above and beyond Payton's former Eagle associations. Two of the Saints' top defensive players this season, DT Hollis Thomas and LB Mark Simoneau, played in Philadelphia last season. Darren Howard, who had two sacks against Dallas for the Eagles last week, was a Saint from 2000-2005, and Philly WR Donte Stallworth was there between 2002-'05.

Stallworth is doubtful for the game with a strained hamstring, but he'd love the chance to put a dent in Payton's budding head coaching career. It was Payton who recommended trading Stallworth away just prior to the start of the season.

"I felt I was pre-judged," said Stallworth, who clashed with Payton over offseason workouts and tardiness at a team meeting.

Howard is glad to be out of New Orleans, as well, but not because of Payton. He just wants to forget the whole nightmare 2005 season in which the Saints became pro football's first homeless team after Hurricane Katrina trashed their city. By the end of the year, they had played in more venues than a lounge singer, and a 3-13 record didn't help.

"It just beat us down," Howard said.

By contrast, newcomers Simoneau and Thomas have been able to tap into the renewed enthusiasm in New Orleans. Simoneau had lost his starting job in Philadelphia but has moved into the middle with the Saints, registering 27 tackles thus far.

Turns out his stock had fallen so far in Philly that he was a throw-in on the deal for Stallworth. The main attraction, as far as the Saints were concerned, was a future draft pick.

Obviously, the Saints will have to contain Eagle QB Donovan McNabb, off to his best start ever with 1,602 yards passing, a 107.2 QB rating and 11 touchdown passes against one interception.

Stallworth was McNabb's leading receiver for the first two games, however, including six receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown against Houston. If he can't go, rookie Hank Baskett and Reggie Brown will be the primary targets.

Meanwhile, the Saints lost rookie starting safety Roman Harper for the season, forcing the team to bring back the previously cut Jay Bellamy, a 13-year veteran, to back up 32-year-old Omar Stoutmire at Harper's position.

Even if Stallworth can't play, however, he's already exacted a measure of revenge by telling what he knows of the Eagles' offense to defensive coordinator Jim Johnson.

"He (Stallworth) has been very helpful," Johnson said.

Get more New Orleans Saints pre-game analysis at RealFootball365.com
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