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Fun With Sound Bites

Posted Jan 29, 2010 by Ira Kaufman

Updated Jan 29, 2010 at 02:45 PM

By IRA KAUFMAN
TAMPA—It’s amazing what riles some people up these days.

New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was chatting with a Nashville radio station earlier this week when the talk turned toward Colts QB Peyton Manning and what game plan Williams had in mind to contain the 4-time league MVP.

“When we do get to him,’’ Williams said, “we’re going to make sure we have a couple of ‘remember me’ shots when we get there. Great defenses have to be feared.’‘

To me, the only apect of those remarks I take issue with is the New Orleans defense is far from great.

Some in the media appear to be aghast that Williams would suggest the Saints intend to rough Manning up in the Super Bowl. The implication is that the Saints would be better off if Manning limped to the sidelines with an injury.

Duh.

Nowehere is Gregg Williams suggesting the Saints want to seriously hurt Manning. But New Orleans knows that if Manning has time to survey the field, he’ll pick them apart, just like he dissected the NFL’s top-rated defense in rallying Indy past the Jets last week.

The Saints did a very good job of hitting Brett Favre repeatedly in the NFC title game. Favre was worn down by the late stages, perhaps contributing to that dumb interception he threw late in the fourth quarter with Minnesota almost within field goal range.

Williams certainly shouldn’t feel a need to apologize for a physical defensive scheme that is built around making Manning uncomfortable. Hit any quarterback often enough and he begins to feel pressure—even when there is none.

Nobody is trying to end Manning’s career, but the Saints have an obligation to try to win the biggest game of their lives. The best way to do that is to send Manning to the sidelines.