5. New Orleans Saints
As you might expect, the intensity at Saints practices has
increased now that Mike Ditka is in charge. Last season,
after they finished their stretching exercises at the start
of practice, the players strolled off to do their
individual position work.
These days, stretching is followed by the
Nutcracker: Players on the defensive front seven line up against
offensive linemen and running backs, and the two sides run
plays in something fullback Ray Zellars
describes as "a full-blown war, except it takes place
on a football field."
When the Nutcracker begins, the popping of pads echoes off
the side of the team's training headquarters. Only when
Ditka is satisfied that a high intensity level has been
reached does practice move forward. "Boy, that drill
gets your blood
flowing," says Zellars. "Guys wake up pretty quickly. People even
look forward to it. They like the fight. There sure was
nothing like that last
year."
That, of course, is Ditka's plan: to eliminate all
recollections of the Saints' 3-13 season in '96. NFL teams
are often a reflection of their coach, and nowhere will
that be more evident than in New Orleans, where Ditka
returns to coaching after
spending the last four years as an
NBC studio analyst. With his thick neck and cold stare, Ditka
was known for his physical play during a 12-year career as
a tight end. He instilled that toughness in the Bears teams
he coached from 1981 through '92. Now Ditka
is preparing the Saints to run between the
tackles.
The rushing game was the subject of Ditka's first lecture
to his team in February, and it's something he has
pounded into his players' heads. "Run the ball, run
the ball, run the ball," says rookie tailback Troy
Davis. "That's about all that ever comes
out of his
mouth."
The last New Orleans player to gain 1,000 yards in a season
was Dalton Hilliard, in '89. The Saints ranked last in the
NFL in rushing in '96, averaging a paltry 81.8 yards per
game. The low point came during a 30-15 loss to the Bengals
on Sept. 15, when
New Orleans gained 27 yards on 15 carries. With Heath
Shuler taking over at quarterback after riding the
Redskins' bench in '96, there's an even greater urgency for
the team to
establish a ground game. "I don't believe in
miracles," says Ditka. "But I
don't think it's going to take a
miracle."
In fact, what it's going to take is a quality line and a
deep, talented backfield. Though the Saints might not have
much else, they appear sound in those two areas. The line
is anchored by Pro Bowl left tackle William Roaf and center
Jerry Fontenot, a
Louisiana native who came to New Orleans after eight years in
Chicago. Also, the Saints used their first-round draft pick on
Chris Naeole, a
6'3", 313-pound right guard from Colorado. Those three
typify the kind of quick,
aggressive blockers that Ditka needs to control the line of
scrimmage.
Joining Zellars in the backfield will be Mario Bates, who
has led the team in rushing three years in a row—albeit
with just 584 yards and four touchdowns in '96. Davis, the
team's third-round draft choice out of Iowa State, became
the first player in
Division I history to run for more than 2,000 yards in
consecutive seasons when he gained 2,185 last year. He's
one of a handful of rookies who will probably see
significant playing time this
season.
"The rookies on this team might not be the best
players," says Ditka. "But if they get in a fight
with you, they will knock you out. Those are the kind of
guys I've got to have right
now."
Especially if he plans to continue running the
Nutcracker.—David Fleming
SCHEDULE SKINNY
New Orleans could easily be 1-5 when coach Mike Ditka returns to Chicago for a Sunday-night game on Oct. 5. With games against Carolina and San Francisco looming later in October, this one carries added significance for Iron Mike and his Saints.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
NFL rank: 24
Opponents' 1996 winning percentage: .477
Games against playoff teams: 4
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