Coaches talk about a football season taking place in three quarters. Each quarter is four games. Folks, we are in the second quarter, and so far, we’re 1-0. Looking at it like that, we’re on a roll.

I was listening in on Reggie Bush during his weekly call-in session to Sirius NFL radio’s Afternoon Blitz program. Typically, those sessions have the player answering softball questions that they’re prompted for.

One thing stood out. They talked about the use of younger players, now that the saints have nothing to lose. We can expect more blitzes, more aggression and more youth. To me that says more passion, which was something that the team in the First Quarter lacked.

The youth movement — with CB Usama Young, more WR Lance Moore, RB Pierre Thomas — could show some of these old timers what it means to be hungry.

That said, I would still love to see David Patten become the number one receiver on this club, to be the new Joe Horn and take some pressure of M. Colston. He’s not ready for number one. And I don’t know what to make of Devery Henderson. LSU’s Blue Grass Miracle, where he caught the game winning pass with his fingertips through two Kentucky defenders, seems so far away.

I wonder if we’ll see the Saints top draft pick Robert Meachem this week…. Not holding my breath.

Pierre Thomas in my mind is a solid, hungry back and nice complement to Reggie Bush. I’ve always been a Stecker fan, but don’t know the extent of his injuries after he came up lame in the fourth quarter. I get a little nervous seeing so much youth in the backfield — especially in ball protection. Reggie coughed up another one Sunday. I wonder what it would take to get Antowain Smith back in a Saints uniform.

He’s worth more to Houston at the moment. Ouch. They need some running backs. And then there’s Tampa trading for Michael Bennett in mid- season. I haven’t seen Bennett play a full season since…well ever. I hope Tampa has an extra hospital cot for him Sunday night.

By the way, anyone know how to get a poll up on one of these sites?