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Saints Gameday Mag

Mike Sheppard was promoted to offensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints. He wanted to simplify the offensive philosophy by reducing terminology and play volume to make things easier for players. During offseason workouts, players responded positively to the changes and adjusted well. As coordinator, Sheppard will call plays from the coaches' booth upstairs, which allows him to see the game better and avoid distractions on the sidelines. He expects the continuity on offense, including most starters returning, to be an advantage for the Saints in 2005.

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NEW ORLEANS SAINTS GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 11 M ike Sheppard, who has been coach- ing in the NFL since 1993 and has been with the Saints since 2002 as quarterbacks coach, was promoted to Offensive Coordinator from his previous post in the off- season. Sheppard discussed his new role as coordinator and broke down the Saints different offensive groups going into the 2005 season. Q: What kind of changes in offensive philosophy did you want to implement when you moved into your new position? A: The first thing is that you implement the things that the head coach wants implement- ed. We've worked hard to simplify both in terms of the volume and the verbiage— making things easier. I know Jim (Haslett) feels the defense got better at the end of last year and one of the reasons for that is they were playing new players and they simplified for those players. All of the sudden, the new players are playing better and the defense is playing better. I think he felt that that was what he wanted to see change going into this year. We've cut things back and tried to make things easier and it think that's helped us. Q: How was those changes received during offseason workouts? A: My judgment was that the players were excited about it. They saw that number one, fortunately, I was excited for the chance to do this. They were, in turn, excited that there weren't going to be a whole lot of changes. So, when they came in for offseason workouts, they saw that the terminology was similar. Everything was less, but it was things that they recognized and they didn't have to go through a whole new system. Indeed, it was the same system, just easier. My take is that everyone identified with it well and adjusted to it well. Q: You are going to calling the plays from the coaches' booth in the press box. What is the advantage to seeing it from upstairs? A: The two advantages are, number one, that you are not bothered by the emotion of the game when you are upstairs. You don't have anyone tugging at your sleeve, nobody talking to you directly, so therefore it is an easier atmosphere for us to call the game. The second thing is, you can it see it. It's easier to look, watch and react during a game when you are upstairs than when you are on the field because you have a better view of what the defense is doing or maybe what your guys did or didn't do. The vision's just better so therefore you have an easier time reacting. Downstairs, you might think you know, and then you wait for the pictures after a series to tell you if you were right or not and what adjustments you have to make. This way, you have your sight and the pictures. The third thing is you have an easier time planning. Upstairs, you're not coaching – it's all strategy and it's talking to coaches about what they saw, but you don't have to deal with the players. It's probably easier to plan what your next series is or what your next thought is. Q: What is the process for you between plays from upstairs? A: We’ll call in the plays to Turk Schonert, our quarterbacks coach and Turk will relay it to Aaron Brooks. We are going to utilize a wristband and it will be a much more efficient that it was in the past and it just happens quicker. There is a little bit of challenge with that from the quar- terback's standpoint, and from the play-caller's standpoint, too. You are relaying numbers so the quarterback hears, 'Wristband 14', he'll look down and read it while he's giving the play to the huddle. Usually, when you are not on a wristband, you'll hear the play, process the play, step into the huddle and call the play. Now, you are processing it in the huddle while calling the play so there is not a lot of processing going on. You're just trying to make sure it's being read correctly. It's a little different procedure for the quarterbacks. There will be an adjustment for everybody, but it think it will be very good. Q: You have most of the starting unit back on offense in 2005. How important is that for you in your new role? A: I think it's huge. There is a lot of continu- ity there. I believe if you've got the right NEW ORLEANS SAINTS GAMEDAY MAGAZINE10 players, that all they do is improve. During camp, you want to play those 15 players who will be in your first huddle a lot as much as and as early as possible so that they can get used to each other. So much of the game is communi- cation and when you have new players, a lot of the time it’s harder. Fortunately, we have some new players, but not a lot of turnover and I think that's a great advantage for us. Q: There have been some changes on the offensive line and a strong emphasis on the running game. How important have those changes been to the run game? A: Changes happen every year, it seems. We have great confidence in Jermaine Mayberry and the addition he'll make. I think LeCharles Bentley, Kendyl Jacox and Wayne Gandy will all get better. They are good players who will compete and they'll improve. Montrae Holland, he'll find a way on the field some- where—he's a good player. He's competing inside with Kendyl at the guard spot so the new players on the right side—Jermane's a good player who's proven, has a Super Bowl appearance in his background and has been a solid player for years. We're happy to add him. Jammal Brown, our first round pick, we have expectations for. I really believe as the front line goes, we go. We’re fortunate to have a great coach like Jack Henry (Associate Head Coach/Running Game Coordinator) and the line should be the strength of our offense. Q: What do you want to see out of Aaron Brooks at quarterback this season? A: I think the biggest thing for us is that the quarterback has to be efficient. He has to be able to execute the run and the pass. He has to be able to protect the football like good teams do. Aaron has had a couple of years of protect- ing the football very well. Two years ago, he only threw eight interceptions and last year, he lost the ball on fumbles twice. The number one thing you want to start with is not hurting yourself. If we, as a group, can eliminate penal- ties—the pre-snap things which have hurt us in the past—and protect the football well, we have a starting point. From there, Aaron has to be efficient in the passing FEATURE: “ ”Mike Sheppard on RB Deuce McAllister …Deuce had a great spring during offseason workouts. He was faster and played more decisive. He is the lead dog in the running game… 2005OffensePreview: Left: Running Back Deuce McAllister Above: Wide Receiver Joe Horn Center LeCharles Bentley —continued on page 39 CHAINS MOVINGthe NEW ORLEANS SAINTS GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 11 M ike Sheppard, who has been coach-ing in the NFL since 1993 and hasbeen with the Saints since 2002 asquarterbacks coach, was promoted to OffensiveCoordinator from his previous post in the off-season. Sheppard discussed his new role ascoordinator and broke down the Saints differentoffensive groups going into the 2005 season.Q: What kind of changes in offensivephilosophy did you want to implementwhen you moved into your new position?A: The first thing is that you implement thethings that the head coach wants implement-ed. We've worked hard to simplify both interms of the volume and the verbiage—making things easier. I know Jim (Haslett)feels the defense got better at the end of lastyear and one of the reasons for that is theywere playing new players and they simplifiedfor those players. All of the sudden, the newplayers are playing better and the defense isplaying better. I think he felt that that waswhat he wanted to see change going into thisyear. We've cut things back and tried to makethings easier and it think that's helped us.Q: How was those changes receivedduring offseason workouts?A: My judgment was that the players wereexcited about it. They saw that number one,fortunately, I was excited for the chance to dothis. They were, in turn, excited that thereweren't going to be a whole lot of changes. So,when they came in for offseason workouts,they saw that the terminology was similar.Everything was less, but it was things that theyrecognized and they didn't have to go througha whole new system. Indeed, it was the same system, just easier. My take is that everyoneidentified with it well and adjusted to it well.Q: You are going to calling the plays fromthe coaches' booth in the press box. What isthe advantage to seeing it from upstairs?A: The two advantages are, number one, thatyou are not bothered by the emotion of thegame when you are upstairs. You don't haveanyone tugging at your sleeve, nobody talkingto you directly, so therefore it is an easieratmosphere for us to call the game. The secondthing is, you can it see it. It's easier to look,watch and react during a game when you areupstairs than when you are on the field becauseyou have a better view of what the defense isdoing or maybe what your guys did or didn'tdo. The vision's just better so therefore you have an easier time reacting. Downstairs, youmight think you know, and then you wait forthe pictures after a series to tell you if you wereright or not and what adjustments you have tomake. This way, you have your sight and thepictures. The third thing is you have an easiertime planning. Upstairs, you're not coaching –it's all strategy and it's talking to coaches aboutwhat they saw, but you don't have to deal withthe players. It's probably easier to plan whatyour next series is or what your next thought is.Q: What is the process for you betweenplays from upstairs? A: We’ll call in the plays to Turk Schonert, ourquarterbacks coach and Turk will relay it toAaron Brooks. We are going to utilize a wristbandand it will be a much more efficient that it wasin the past and it just happens quicker. There isa little bit of challenge with that from the quar-terback's standpoint, and from the play-caller'sstandpoint, too. You are relaying numbers sothe quarterback hears, 'Wristband 14', he'lllook down and read it while he's giving the playto the huddle. Usually, when you are not on awristband, you'll hear the play, process the play,step into the huddle and call the play. Now, youare processing it in the huddle while calling theplay so there is not a lot of processing going on.You're just trying to make sure it's being readcorrectly. It's a little different procedure for thequarterbacks. There will be an adjustment foreverybody, but it think it will be very good.Q: You have most of the starting unitback on offense in 2005. How important isthat for you in your new role? A: I think it's huge. There is a lot of continu-ity there. I believe if you've got the rightNEW ORLEANS SAINTS GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 10 players, that all they do is improve. Duringcamp, you want to play those 15 players whowill be in your first huddle a lot as much as andas early as possible so that they can get used toeach other. So much of the game is communi-cation and when you have new players, a lot ofthe time it’s harder. Fortunately, we have somenew players, but not a lot of turnover and Ithink that's a great advantage for us.Q: There have been some changes on theoffensive line and a strong emphasis onthe running game. How important havethose changes been to the run game?A: Changes happen every year, it seems. Wehave great confidence in Jermaine Mayberryand the addition he'll make. I think LeCharlesBentley, Kendyl Jacox and Wayne Gandy willall get better. They are good players who willcompete and they'll improve. Montrae Holland, he'll find a way on the field some-where—he's a good player. He's competinginside with Kendyl at the guard spot so thenew players on the right side—Jermane's agood player who's proven, has a Super Bowlappearance in his background and has been asolid player for years. We're happy to add him.Jammal Brown, our first round pick, we haveexpectations for. I really believe as the frontline goes, we go. We’re fortunate to have agreat coach like Jack Henry (Associate HeadCoach/Running Game Coordinator) and theline should be the strength of our offense.Q: What do you want to see out of AaronBrooks at quarterback this season?A: I think the biggest thing for us is that thequarterback has to be efficient. He has to beable to execute the run and the pass. He has tobe able to protect the football like good teams do. Aaron has had a couple of years of protect-ing the football very well. Two years ago, heonly threw eight interceptions and last year,he lost the ball on fumbles twice. The numberone thing you want to start with is not hurtingyourself. If we, as a group, can eliminate penal-ties—the pre-snap things which have hurt us inthe past—and protect the football well, we havea starting point. From there, Aaron has to beefficient in the passing game and do a good jobin decision-making. If he does that, which hecan do, and the other 10 guys play well, we'll dowell on offense. Q: Can you give an overview of the typeof weapons you have at your disposal atwide receiver? A: Joe Horn had such a great year last seasonand I was real excited that we got him undercontract in the offsea- FEATURE: caption —continued on page 39 DE-FENSE DE-FENSE DE-FENSE DE-FENSE 2005DefensePreview: Locking Horns Saints defensive tackle Rodney Leisle and Seahawks offensive guard Matt Miller go one-on-one during the preseason opener for both teams on Aug. 12 in the Superdome. Photo: Michael C. Hebert 52 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS GAME DAY MAGA ZINE NAME: April AGE: 20 HOMETOWN: New Orleans YEARS ON TEAM: 2 Background… HIGH SCHOOL: Dominican COLLEGE: UNO DEGREE: Exercise Physiology OCCUPATION: Hip Hop and Pilates instructor and Fitness Coordinator Favorite… MUSIC: anything I can dance to FOOD: Seafood MOVIE: The Little Mermaid TV SHOW: Sex and the City FOOTBALL POSITION: Tight End Personal Information… Lifetime Goal: To become successful in both my career and personal life. Personal exercise regime: Strength training, dancing, pilates, yoga, running, and meditating. Favorite Pastime: Spending time with my family and friends. Worst habit: Procrastinating. Trait you admire most in other people: Persistence Who is the positive woman role model in your life?: My mother If you had the opportunity to meet anyone in the world, living or dead, who would it be and why? Oprah because of her motivation, persistence, and will to help others. She inspires me to follow my heart and never give up on my dreams. If you were to be stranded on a deserted island, what one thing would you want to have with you? Pictures of my family and friends What is your most outstanding attribute? My most outstanding attribute is my ability to make others laugh. Laughing is great for the body. If I can help at least one person everyday realize that life is too short to focus on the negative that means another good deed has been done in the world. It is the most rewarding feeling to know that you’ve helped brighten up someone’s day. Focusing on the negative only reduces our ability to fully enjoy life. April SAINTSATIONS: SaintsationSpotlightoftheGame 30 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS GAME DAY MAGA ZINE Regional Marketing M any thanks to our fans and tick- etholders in the greater Gulf South region for your continued and increased support of the Saints. Please call our dedicated representatives below, who are working hard each day to support our regional efforts. REGIONAL MARKETING DIRECTORY MANAGER OF REGIONAL SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Jake Schneider (504) 729-5519 REGIONAL MARKETING & PROMOTIONS SUPERVISOR Heather Metzinger Baton Rouge: (225) 927-8626 — DEREK HENDERSON Bayou: (504) 731-1879 — MICHAEL DONOHOO Biloxi, Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Mississippi: (228) 863-9555 — MURPHY DORE Jackson, Mississipi: (228) 863-9555 — MURPHY DORE Central & Northern Louisiana: (225) 987-8626 — DEREK HENDERSON Lafayette: (504) 731-1883 — ROB SCHOLL Mobile, Ala., Pensacola, Florida: (251) 479-2327 — JEFF LONG Military Coordinator: (228) 863-9555 — MURPHY DORE Sept. 18 vs. N.Y. Giants (Noon) Mississippi Day (Jackson, Hattiesburg, Natchez, Meridian, Biloxi/Gulfport) OOcctt.. 22 vvss.. BBuuffffaalloo (Noon) Central & Northern Louisiana Day (Alexandria, Monroe, West Monroe, Shreveport, Natchitoches) OOcctt.. 3300 vvss.. MMiiaammii Baton Rouge Day NNoovv.. 66 vvss.. CChhiiccaaggoo (Noon) Alabama Gulf Coast (Mobile) & Florida Gulf Coast (Pensacola) Day DDeecc.. 1188 vvss.. CCaarroolliinnaa (Noon) Acadiana & Southwest Louisiana Day (Lafayette, Lake Charles, Opelousas, New Iberia) DDeecc.. 2244 vvss.. DDeettrrooiitt (Noon) Bayou Day (Houma, Thibodaux, Morgan City, Lafourche & Terrebonne Parishes) Regional Community Days New Orleans Saints 5800 Airline Drive, Metairie, LA 70003 • Main Phone: (504) 733-0255 Ticket Office: (504) 731-1700 • Web Site: www.NewOrleansSaints.com Michael Lewis Wide Receiv er ©MichaelC.Hebert Don’t miss your day at the Superdome with the Saints. Join us for a day of football and fun! Tickets are just a phone call away, so contact your regional representative for ticket information. AUGUST Preseason Fri. 12 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 7 pm Thur. 18 at New England Patriots 7 pm Fri. 26 BALTIMORE RAVENS 7 pm SEPTEMBER Thur. 1 at Oakland Raiders 8 pm Regular Season Sun. 11 at Carolina Panthers Noon Sun. 18 NEW YORK GIANTS Noon Sun. 25 at Minnesota Vikings Noon OCTOBER Sun. 2 BUFFALO BILLS Noon Sun. 9 at Green Bay Packers Noon Sun. 16 ATLANTA FALCONS Noon Sun. 23 at St. Louis Rams Noon Sun. 30 MIAMI DOLPHINS Noon NOVEMBER Sun. 6 CHICAGO BEARS Noon Sun. 13 Bye Week Sun. 20 at New England Patriots Noon Sun. 27 at New York Jets 7:30 pm DECEMBER Sun. 4 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS Noon Mon. 12 at Atlanta Falcons 8 pm Sun. 18 CAROLINA PANTHERS Noon Sat. 24 DETROIT LIONS Noon JANUARY Sun. 1 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Noon EXECUTIVE EDITOR Chris Pika EDITOR Meredith Landry ART DIRECTOR Suzan Matherne PHOTOGRAPHY Michael C. Hebert EDITOR IN CHIEF Errol Laborde CUSTOM PUBLISHING MANAGER Susan Wallace ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Donna Childress TRAFFIC MANAGER Allyson Gervais PRE-PRESS MANAGER Paul Hawkins SENIOR PRODUCTION DESIGNER Kristin Badeaux PRODUCTION DESIGNERS Nicholas Martinez, Marissa Ruiz CIRCULATION MANAGER Daniel Broussard CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER William M. Metcalf Jr. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Todd Matherne To sell or purchase programs call Daniel Broussard at 830-7244 The 2005 New Orleans Saints Gameday is produced for the New Orleans Saints by MCMedia, LLC, 111 Veterans Blvd., Ste. 1800, Metairie, LA, 70005, (504) 832-3555. Copyright 2005 New Orleans Saints and MCMedia, LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. New Orleans Saints 2005 Schedule Saints Ticket Information: (504) 731-1700 www.NewOrleansSaints.com © 2005; New Orleans Saints , National Football League Q & A with Saints Offensive Coordinator Mike Sheppard on his new role and what to expect from the offensive unit in 2005. Moving the Chains 8 Tonight’s Entertainment 12 Owner Tom Benson 14 Saints Administration 16 Head Coach Jim Haslett 18 Coaching Staff 20 Football Operations Staff 22 2005 Staff Directory 24 Louisiana Superdome Seating Chart and Facts 26 Saints Player Headshots 30 Regional Marketing C O N T E N T S : F E A T U R E : 34 Saints/Seahawks Starting Lineups 36 Saints Stats 40 Seahawks Player Headshots 42 Seahawks Alpha Roster 44 Seahawks Stats Saints Defense 46 P H O T O G A L L E R Y : Tonight’s Game 10 SaintsAlphaRoster 31 6 48 2005 NFC Final Results and Standings 50 2005 AFC Final Results and Standings 52 Spotlight Saintsation of the Game: Callie 62 FInal 2004 NFL Statistical Leaders 64 Final Frame SAINTS VS. SEAHAWKS August 12, 2005 Louisiana Superdome SaintsTrivia 56

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Saints Gameday Mag

  • 1.
    NEW ORLEANS SAINTSGAMEDAY MAGAZINE 11 M ike Sheppard, who has been coach- ing in the NFL since 1993 and has been with the Saints since 2002 as quarterbacks coach, was promoted to Offensive Coordinator from his previous post in the off- season. Sheppard discussed his new role as coordinator and broke down the Saints different offensive groups going into the 2005 season. Q: What kind of changes in offensive philosophy did you want to implement when you moved into your new position? A: The first thing is that you implement the things that the head coach wants implement- ed. We've worked hard to simplify both in terms of the volume and the verbiage— making things easier. I know Jim (Haslett) feels the defense got better at the end of last year and one of the reasons for that is they were playing new players and they simplified for those players. All of the sudden, the new players are playing better and the defense is playing better. I think he felt that that was what he wanted to see change going into this year. We've cut things back and tried to make things easier and it think that's helped us. Q: How was those changes received during offseason workouts? A: My judgment was that the players were excited about it. They saw that number one, fortunately, I was excited for the chance to do this. They were, in turn, excited that there weren't going to be a whole lot of changes. So, when they came in for offseason workouts, they saw that the terminology was similar. Everything was less, but it was things that they recognized and they didn't have to go through a whole new system. Indeed, it was the same system, just easier. My take is that everyone identified with it well and adjusted to it well. Q: You are going to calling the plays from the coaches' booth in the press box. What is the advantage to seeing it from upstairs? A: The two advantages are, number one, that you are not bothered by the emotion of the game when you are upstairs. You don't have anyone tugging at your sleeve, nobody talking to you directly, so therefore it is an easier atmosphere for us to call the game. The second thing is, you can it see it. It's easier to look, watch and react during a game when you are upstairs than when you are on the field because you have a better view of what the defense is doing or maybe what your guys did or didn't do. The vision's just better so therefore you have an easier time reacting. Downstairs, you might think you know, and then you wait for the pictures after a series to tell you if you were right or not and what adjustments you have to make. This way, you have your sight and the pictures. The third thing is you have an easier time planning. Upstairs, you're not coaching – it's all strategy and it's talking to coaches about what they saw, but you don't have to deal with the players. It's probably easier to plan what your next series is or what your next thought is. Q: What is the process for you between plays from upstairs? A: We’ll call in the plays to Turk Schonert, our quarterbacks coach and Turk will relay it to Aaron Brooks. We are going to utilize a wristband and it will be a much more efficient that it was in the past and it just happens quicker. There is a little bit of challenge with that from the quar- terback's standpoint, and from the play-caller's standpoint, too. You are relaying numbers so the quarterback hears, 'Wristband 14', he'll look down and read it while he's giving the play to the huddle. Usually, when you are not on a wristband, you'll hear the play, process the play, step into the huddle and call the play. Now, you are processing it in the huddle while calling the play so there is not a lot of processing going on. You're just trying to make sure it's being read correctly. It's a little different procedure for the quarterbacks. There will be an adjustment for everybody, but it think it will be very good. Q: You have most of the starting unit back on offense in 2005. How important is that for you in your new role? A: I think it's huge. There is a lot of continu- ity there. I believe if you've got the right NEW ORLEANS SAINTS GAMEDAY MAGAZINE10 players, that all they do is improve. During camp, you want to play those 15 players who will be in your first huddle a lot as much as and as early as possible so that they can get used to each other. So much of the game is communi- cation and when you have new players, a lot of the time it’s harder. Fortunately, we have some new players, but not a lot of turnover and I think that's a great advantage for us. Q: There have been some changes on the offensive line and a strong emphasis on the running game. How important have those changes been to the run game? A: Changes happen every year, it seems. We have great confidence in Jermaine Mayberry and the addition he'll make. I think LeCharles Bentley, Kendyl Jacox and Wayne Gandy will all get better. They are good players who will compete and they'll improve. Montrae Holland, he'll find a way on the field some- where—he's a good player. He's competing inside with Kendyl at the guard spot so the new players on the right side—Jermane's a good player who's proven, has a Super Bowl appearance in his background and has been a solid player for years. We're happy to add him. Jammal Brown, our first round pick, we have expectations for. I really believe as the front line goes, we go. We’re fortunate to have a great coach like Jack Henry (Associate Head Coach/Running Game Coordinator) and the line should be the strength of our offense. Q: What do you want to see out of Aaron Brooks at quarterback this season? A: I think the biggest thing for us is that the quarterback has to be efficient. He has to be able to execute the run and the pass. He has to be able to protect the football like good teams do. Aaron has had a couple of years of protect- ing the football very well. Two years ago, he only threw eight interceptions and last year, he lost the ball on fumbles twice. The number one thing you want to start with is not hurting yourself. If we, as a group, can eliminate penal- ties—the pre-snap things which have hurt us in the past—and protect the football well, we have a starting point. From there, Aaron has to be efficient in the passing FEATURE: “ ”Mike Sheppard on RB Deuce McAllister …Deuce had a great spring during offseason workouts. He was faster and played more decisive. He is the lead dog in the running game… 2005OffensePreview: Left: Running Back Deuce McAllister Above: Wide Receiver Joe Horn Center LeCharles Bentley —continued on page 39 CHAINS MOVINGthe NEW ORLEANS SAINTS GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 11 M ike Sheppard, who has been coach-ing in the NFL since 1993 and hasbeen with the Saints since 2002 asquarterbacks coach, was promoted to OffensiveCoordinator from his previous post in the off-season. Sheppard discussed his new role ascoordinator and broke down the Saints differentoffensive groups going into the 2005 season.Q: What kind of changes in offensivephilosophy did you want to implementwhen you moved into your new position?A: The first thing is that you implement thethings that the head coach wants implement-ed. We've worked hard to simplify both interms of the volume and the verbiage—making things easier. I know Jim (Haslett)feels the defense got better at the end of lastyear and one of the reasons for that is theywere playing new players and they simplifiedfor those players. All of the sudden, the newplayers are playing better and the defense isplaying better. I think he felt that that waswhat he wanted to see change going into thisyear. We've cut things back and tried to makethings easier and it think that's helped us.Q: How was those changes receivedduring offseason workouts?A: My judgment was that the players wereexcited about it. They saw that number one,fortunately, I was excited for the chance to dothis. They were, in turn, excited that thereweren't going to be a whole lot of changes. So,when they came in for offseason workouts,they saw that the terminology was similar.Everything was less, but it was things that theyrecognized and they didn't have to go througha whole new system. Indeed, it was the same system, just easier. My take is that everyoneidentified with it well and adjusted to it well.Q: You are going to calling the plays fromthe coaches' booth in the press box. What isthe advantage to seeing it from upstairs?A: The two advantages are, number one, thatyou are not bothered by the emotion of thegame when you are upstairs. You don't haveanyone tugging at your sleeve, nobody talkingto you directly, so therefore it is an easieratmosphere for us to call the game. The secondthing is, you can it see it. It's easier to look,watch and react during a game when you areupstairs than when you are on the field becauseyou have a better view of what the defense isdoing or maybe what your guys did or didn'tdo. The vision's just better so therefore you have an easier time reacting. Downstairs, youmight think you know, and then you wait forthe pictures after a series to tell you if you wereright or not and what adjustments you have tomake. This way, you have your sight and thepictures. The third thing is you have an easiertime planning. Upstairs, you're not coaching –it's all strategy and it's talking to coaches aboutwhat they saw, but you don't have to deal withthe players. It's probably easier to plan whatyour next series is or what your next thought is.Q: What is the process for you betweenplays from upstairs? A: We’ll call in the plays to Turk Schonert, ourquarterbacks coach and Turk will relay it toAaron Brooks. We are going to utilize a wristbandand it will be a much more efficient that it wasin the past and it just happens quicker. There isa little bit of challenge with that from the quar-terback's standpoint, and from the play-caller'sstandpoint, too. You are relaying numbers sothe quarterback hears, 'Wristband 14', he'lllook down and read it while he's giving the playto the huddle. Usually, when you are not on awristband, you'll hear the play, process the play,step into the huddle and call the play. Now, youare processing it in the huddle while calling theplay so there is not a lot of processing going on.You're just trying to make sure it's being readcorrectly. It's a little different procedure for thequarterbacks. There will be an adjustment foreverybody, but it think it will be very good.Q: You have most of the starting unitback on offense in 2005. How important isthat for you in your new role? A: I think it's huge. There is a lot of continu-ity there. I believe if you've got the rightNEW ORLEANS SAINTS GAMEDAY MAGAZINE 10 players, that all they do is improve. Duringcamp, you want to play those 15 players whowill be in your first huddle a lot as much as andas early as possible so that they can get used toeach other. So much of the game is communi-cation and when you have new players, a lot ofthe time it’s harder. Fortunately, we have somenew players, but not a lot of turnover and Ithink that's a great advantage for us.Q: There have been some changes on theoffensive line and a strong emphasis onthe running game. How important havethose changes been to the run game?A: Changes happen every year, it seems. Wehave great confidence in Jermaine Mayberryand the addition he'll make. I think LeCharlesBentley, Kendyl Jacox and Wayne Gandy willall get better. They are good players who willcompete and they'll improve. Montrae Holland, he'll find a way on the field some-where—he's a good player. He's competinginside with Kendyl at the guard spot so thenew players on the right side—Jermane's agood player who's proven, has a Super Bowlappearance in his background and has been asolid player for years. We're happy to add him.Jammal Brown, our first round pick, we haveexpectations for. I really believe as the frontline goes, we go. We’re fortunate to have agreat coach like Jack Henry (Associate HeadCoach/Running Game Coordinator) and theline should be the strength of our offense.Q: What do you want to see out of AaronBrooks at quarterback this season?A: I think the biggest thing for us is that thequarterback has to be efficient. He has to beable to execute the run and the pass. He has tobe able to protect the football like good teams do. Aaron has had a couple of years of protect-ing the football very well. Two years ago, heonly threw eight interceptions and last year,he lost the ball on fumbles twice. The numberone thing you want to start with is not hurtingyourself. If we, as a group, can eliminate penal-ties—the pre-snap things which have hurt us inthe past—and protect the football well, we havea starting point. From there, Aaron has to beefficient in the passing game and do a good jobin decision-making. If he does that, which hecan do, and the other 10 guys play well, we'll dowell on offense. Q: Can you give an overview of the typeof weapons you have at your disposal atwide receiver? A: Joe Horn had such a great year last seasonand I was real excited that we got him undercontract in the offsea- FEATURE: caption —continued on page 39 DE-FENSE DE-FENSE DE-FENSE DE-FENSE 2005DefensePreview: Locking Horns Saints defensive tackle Rodney Leisle and Seahawks offensive guard Matt Miller go one-on-one during the preseason opener for both teams on Aug. 12 in the Superdome. Photo: Michael C. Hebert 52 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS GAME DAY MAGA ZINE NAME: April AGE: 20 HOMETOWN: New Orleans YEARS ON TEAM: 2 Background… HIGH SCHOOL: Dominican COLLEGE: UNO DEGREE: Exercise Physiology OCCUPATION: Hip Hop and Pilates instructor and Fitness Coordinator Favorite… MUSIC: anything I can dance to FOOD: Seafood MOVIE: The Little Mermaid TV SHOW: Sex and the City FOOTBALL POSITION: Tight End Personal Information… Lifetime Goal: To become successful in both my career and personal life. Personal exercise regime: Strength training, dancing, pilates, yoga, running, and meditating. Favorite Pastime: Spending time with my family and friends. Worst habit: Procrastinating. Trait you admire most in other people: Persistence Who is the positive woman role model in your life?: My mother If you had the opportunity to meet anyone in the world, living or dead, who would it be and why? Oprah because of her motivation, persistence, and will to help others. She inspires me to follow my heart and never give up on my dreams. If you were to be stranded on a deserted island, what one thing would you want to have with you? Pictures of my family and friends What is your most outstanding attribute? My most outstanding attribute is my ability to make others laugh. Laughing is great for the body. If I can help at least one person everyday realize that life is too short to focus on the negative that means another good deed has been done in the world. It is the most rewarding feeling to know that you’ve helped brighten up someone’s day. Focusing on the negative only reduces our ability to fully enjoy life. April SAINTSATIONS: SaintsationSpotlightoftheGame 30 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS GAME DAY MAGA ZINE Regional Marketing M any thanks to our fans and tick- etholders in the greater Gulf South region for your continued and increased support of the Saints. Please call our dedicated representatives below, who are working hard each day to support our regional efforts. 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AUGUST Preseason Fri. 12 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 7 pm Thur. 18 at New England Patriots 7 pm Fri. 26 BALTIMORE RAVENS 7 pm SEPTEMBER Thur. 1 at Oakland Raiders 8 pm Regular Season Sun. 11 at Carolina Panthers Noon Sun. 18 NEW YORK GIANTS Noon Sun. 25 at Minnesota Vikings Noon OCTOBER Sun. 2 BUFFALO BILLS Noon Sun. 9 at Green Bay Packers Noon Sun. 16 ATLANTA FALCONS Noon Sun. 23 at St. Louis Rams Noon Sun. 30 MIAMI DOLPHINS Noon NOVEMBER Sun. 6 CHICAGO BEARS Noon Sun. 13 Bye Week Sun. 20 at New England Patriots Noon Sun. 27 at New York Jets 7:30 pm DECEMBER Sun. 4 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS Noon Mon. 12 at Atlanta Falcons 8 pm Sun. 18 CAROLINA PANTHERS Noon Sat. 24 DETROIT LIONS Noon JANUARY Sun. 1 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Noon EXECUTIVE EDITOR Chris Pika EDITOR Meredith Landry ART DIRECTOR Suzan Matherne PHOTOGRAPHY Michael C. Hebert EDITOR IN CHIEF Errol Laborde CUSTOM PUBLISHING MANAGER Susan Wallace ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Donna Childress TRAFFIC MANAGER Allyson Gervais PRE-PRESS MANAGER Paul Hawkins SENIOR PRODUCTION DESIGNER Kristin Badeaux PRODUCTION DESIGNERS Nicholas Martinez, Marissa Ruiz CIRCULATION MANAGER Daniel Broussard CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER William M. Metcalf Jr. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Todd Matherne To sell or purchase programs call Daniel Broussard at 830-7244 The 2005 New Orleans Saints Gameday is produced for the New Orleans Saints by MCMedia, LLC, 111 Veterans Blvd., Ste. 1800, Metairie, LA, 70005, (504) 832-3555. Copyright 2005 New Orleans Saints and MCMedia, LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. New Orleans Saints 2005 Schedule Saints Ticket Information: (504) 731-1700 www.NewOrleansSaints.com © 2005; New Orleans Saints , National Football League Q & A with Saints Offensive Coordinator Mike Sheppard on his new role and what to expect from the offensive unit in 2005. Moving the Chains 8 Tonight’s Entertainment 12 Owner Tom Benson 14 Saints Administration 16 Head Coach Jim Haslett 18 Coaching Staff 20 Football Operations Staff 22 2005 Staff Directory 24 Louisiana Superdome Seating Chart and Facts 26 Saints Player Headshots 30 Regional Marketing C O N T E N T S : F E A T U R E : 34 Saints/Seahawks Starting Lineups 36 Saints Stats 40 Seahawks Player Headshots 42 Seahawks Alpha Roster 44 Seahawks Stats Saints Defense 46 P H O T O G A L L E R Y : Tonight’s Game 10 SaintsAlphaRoster 31 6 48 2005 NFC Final Results and Standings 50 2005 AFC Final Results and Standings 52 Spotlight Saintsation of the Game: Callie 62 FInal 2004 NFL Statistical Leaders 64 Final Frame SAINTS VS. SEAHAWKS August 12, 2005 Louisiana Superdome SaintsTrivia 56