| Saints OT Zach Strief says it's "amazing" how much better he feels after a weekend off. (US Presswire) |
After losing for the third consecutive time after a bye in 2008, the Saints said bye-bye to their previous open-week schedule.
Rather than practicing during their bye week, they began taking it off in 2009. Since then, they have gone 3-0 after the open date, beating the New York Giants 48-27 in 2009, Seattle 34-19 in 2010 and the Giants again, 49-24, in 2011.
They had lost to Baltimore 35-22, Carolina 16-13 and Atlanta 34-20 in coach Sean Payton’s first three seasons in New Orleans.
“It’s been great for us,” quarterback Drew Brees said. “Obviously the first philosophy didn’t work, so we changed it up. We’re well-rested, we’re coming back and there’s a sense of urgency to get rolling.”
New Orleans is playing a road game after its bye for the first time since changing its philosophy, traveling to Tampa Bay in a must-win game for any realistic hope of recovering from a 1-4 start.
Road or home, the Saints feel refreshed after the time away from practice.
“Just physically it feels so much better,” offensive tackle Zach Strief said. “It’s amazing what one week off does.”
Greer hoping for healthy return: Saints CB Jabari Greer used the off week to recover from a lingering groin injury that required sports hernia surgery in early August.
He left the San Diego game early Oct. 7 after tweaking the groin again, and has not been 100 percent all season. He missed the opener against Washington and has 12 tackles with one interception in five games.
Interim coach Aaron Kromer said Greer was limited in practice Wednesday.
He led the Saints in passes defensed the last three years, including in 2009 when he missed seven games due to injury.
“It’s definitely my intent to go out there and play,” Greer said. “They’ve done a great job in treating me and monitoring the issue. I look forward to being the player that I know I can be. It’s been extremely frustrating these last couple of weeks.”
With Greer playing below his usual level, the Saints rank third-to-last in the NFL in pass-efficiency defense. Opposing quarterbacks have a 104.5 rating against New Orleans.
Carl Nicks speaks out: Offensive guard Carl Nicks left New Orleans for Tampa Bay as a free agent in March after four years with the Saints, and he said Wednesday he was looking forward to facing his old team.
Although he signed the richest contract any guard had ever signed ($47.5 million over four years), Nicks, an All-Pro selection in 2011, said other factors contributed to his wanting a new team.
“Everybody thinks it was the money,” he said. “But it really wasn’t. The challenge here is to be something that the Saints didn’t look at me as; a premier player that could be a leader.”
He noted New Orleans signing Ben Grubbs immediately after he departed as an indication they did not want him back.
“I think it was that day or the day after,” he said. “You can say I left or say they sent me packing.”
Injury update: Kromer said LBs Scott Shanle (sick) and David Hawthorne (hamstring) sat out practice along with TE Jimmy Graham. WR Lance Moore (hamstring) was full-go along with LB Jonathan Casillas, RB Travaris Cadet and DE Turk McBride, all of whom missed the San Diego game.
It was McBride’s first practice since he sprained an ankle in the opener against Washington.
Kromer said OG Jahri Evans was limited with a toe injury.
Follow Saints reporter Guerry Smith on Twitter @CBSSaints.