Monday, September 26, 2011

Week 3: Saints come back on Texans, 40-33



These New Orleans will play with your emotions in the first half of games but make no mistake: They will be somewhere in the thick of it come January.
Ask the Houston Texans, who scored at will in the Super Dome only to come away with a 30-33 whupping.
The Saints had no answer for Andre Johnson in the first half, but they doubled him in the second, shutting him out (He finished with 128 yards).
Matt Schaub (373 yards, 3 TD, int) played like Peyton Manning out there but Drew Brees (270 yards, 2 TD, 2 INTs) played like Brees.
Brees was picked off twice trying to go to new reciever Jimmy Graham, but forgave him when he scored a touchdown and was pretty much relentless with the undersized defensive backs for Houston.


"I love the fact that we can have something happen on the field that's a negative [an interception] ... and instead of him getting down like some young players might and having that affect what happens later on, he comes out and make a couple huge catches," Brees said. "He's mentally tough, physically tough, he wants to be great and he wants me to be able to trust him and have confidence in him, which I do to the utmost."

To be sure the Texans left points out on the field, especially in the first half.


"Our red zone performance wasn't good enough against a team like that, or any team, for that matter," Schaub said. "We needed touchdowns. We settled for too many field goals. We had to find a way to put it in the end zone."




Friday, September 23, 2011

LSU routes West Virginia, 47-21



On the Tigers biggest stage yet this season a rapidly improved Jarrett Lee had perhaps his best game as an LSU Tiger, throwing three touchdown passes in the first half on the way to a 47-21 shellacking of West Virginia.

LSU could have gotten more but normally sure-handed receiver Rueben Randle dropped an easy touchdown pass on a slant route.

The win has thrust the Tigers into the No. 1 spot and raised the stakes for a Tigers team that is showing skill, toughness and swagger at every position.
 Still, coach Les Miles is cautious about the hype.

"I like the position we're in, but I don't think we're the best team in college football today," Miles said. "I think there is a hope and want and desire to be there. I don't know if we're good enough right now to do everything we want to do. That's putting the cart before the horse."

West Virginia (3-1) outgained LSU 533-366 as awesome QB Geno Smith set school records for completions (38), attempts (65) and passing yards (463). He was picked off twice too though.


The play of the game came just before halftime, when LSU outstanding safety Tyrann Mathieu stormed in on a blitz, batted a screen pass into the air, caught it and raced from the West Virginia 17-yard-line to the 1.
 LSU cashed it in two plays later as Lee found Chase Clement in the end zone for a 27-7 lead. Lee also tossed TDs of 11 yards to Rueben Randle and 52 yards to Odell Beckham.


Friday, September 16, 2011

LSU mauls Mississippi State, 19-6



Mississippi State Bulldogs came out with fire in their eyes last night, trying to test the Tigers up front and in the secondary.
The offense looked pedestrian at times but the Tigers played it safe with a 19-6 victory over the Bulldogs.


The Tigers (3-0, 1-0 in SEC) were up to the challenge before a hostile 56,924 at Davis Wade Stadium. The Tigers were up against the SEC's best rushing attack.


"They came in averaging 300 yards rushing, and we came in trying to dominate and stop the run game," said LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers, who had three tackles for losses, including a sack. "We were flying to the ball. Everyone was doing their assignments, doing what we need to do to win. We don't want anybody to score on us."


The Tigers ate Bulldogs quarterback Chris Relf for lunch and made running back Vick Ballard eat turf like another Vick, holding a Bulldogs' team averaging 321 yards on the ground to 52 yards on 34 carries.


"We didn't get into a rhythm," Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said. "We got behind and had to throw the ball and play their game. Our playmakers have to make plays. We will be all right -- our guys always bounce back."


The lone blotch on the resume for LSU was Jarrett Lee's interception which happened because he overthrew the receiver but the veteran quarterback quickly regrouped.
Next up for the Tigers, West Virginia.








Monday, September 12, 2011

LSU blasts Northwestern State, 49-3



Called a trap game by commentators, LSU vs. Northwestern State may have trapped pundits into thinking the Tigers weren't for real after they thrashed Oregon last week.
A 49-3 victory over Northwestern State settled that assumption.


"I like how our team approached this game," Miles said. "It's nice. It means that your starters were not taxed. It means you should be fresh, and as we go into a short week, that's key."

The highly touted juco transfer, quarterback Zach Mettenberger, made his debut in the second half of the game with the Tigers up 28-3.

Jarrett Lee continued his sharp play, finishing 9 of 10 passes for 133 yards and a TD. Mettenberger went 8 of 11 for 92 yards. He also threw a 19-yard touchdown pass.

"He did good," Miles said of Mettenberger. "He came in, got comfortable, made some nice throws. I felt like he handled the offense well."

Next up will provide the Tigers with their first real measuring stick in the SEC: Mississippi State.

Sunday, September 04, 2011

LSU romps over Oregon 40-27


The LSU Fighting Tigers opened their 2011 campaign against the mighty Ducks of Oregon last night, romping a  PAC 12 team that almost won a national championship eight months earlier.
But it was the Tigers that looked like the champs last night, running away from Oregon with a score of 40-27.

With the fate of their quarterback Jordan Jefferson hanging in the balance, the Tigers took it to the Ducks. 
"I asked them to put to the perimeter all the things that could be considered distractions," LSU coach Les Miles said. "I enjoyed Jarrett Lee's gutty effort. I liked how the offense did the things they needed to do."
Oregon's much-touted De'Anthony Thomas fumbled on consecutive possessions in the third quarter, leading to 14 points for the Tigers.


"Those are self-inflicted wounds," coach Chip Kelly said. "The drops, the turnovers and the penalties are the things that really killed us. Against a team like that, you're not going to win the game."

Jarrett Lee won the game for the Tigers, a quarterback that the Tiger faithful haven't seen start under center since 2009 against Louisiana Tech. But he was sharp.

"We've had a lot on our minds as team coming into this game," Lee said. "It's not something that we wanted to happen. But you have to put that to the side and move forward."

Next up for the Tigers, Norwestern State.






Saturday, September 03, 2011

LSU handles Oregon, 40-27



The LSU Tigers showed that their defense will be a force to reckon with Saturday with a gritty 40-27 win against No. 3 Oregon Ducks in Dallas, Texas.
Jarrett Lee looked like the 2010 version, which is better than he ever was in handling the Ducks blitz and stunts on the way to 14 unanswered points in the 3rd quarter, which broke the game open.

See ESPN for analysis

LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu got the party started with a fumble return for TD in the first quarter, staking the Tigers to a 9-3 lead before Oregon roared back.
LSU's committee of running backs wore down the Ducks in the third quarter, outrushing them 100 to 10 at one point, before  a late Ducks drive.
 Oregon coach Chip Kelly  tried some things that worked against Auburn, but with 9 months to prepare, the LSU D was ready.
Reuben Randle caught a 10-yard TD pass that put LSU on top 13-9 in the second quarter.
Next up for the Tigers, Northwestern State.

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