Throughout the history of the Lombardi Trophy, only seven teams have won back-to-back Super Bowl titles.  Usually those teams have had something that sets them apart from the rest of the league.  Whether it is an unstoppable passing game, a punishing defense, or a dominating run game, those previous teams have had dominance in one form or another. 

The 2009 Saints have a similar aura around them.  Last season they were able to beat teams on either side of the ball. With a takeaway-happy defense, they were one of the top teams in the league in turnovers with 26 interceptions and 15 forced fumbles.  Newly added defensive coordinator Gregg Williams instilled an attacking mentality into this defensive unit and caught the whole league by surprise.  The defensive line is able to push offensive lines and cause enough problems early to disrupt timing in many high powered offenses.

If a team was able to overcome the defense, the offense could give you a shootout.  The passing game led by QB Drew Brees was amazing, to say the least.  Brees was only the second QB in history to throw for over 5,000 yards, behind Hall of Famer Dan Marino.  With an offensive assortment of weapons like Marques Colston and Devery Henderson and a great screen game with Reggie Bush, it's hard to find a weakness in this unit. 

Its weird how the outlook on the season changes and we haven’t even gotten into week 1 yet. 

Injuries are piling up, players hitting the Physically Unable to Perform List, and last minute roster cuts are shaping a lot of how these teams are going to look when opening day hits. 

Some teams’ fans are screaming Chicken Little, while others are trying to book their reservations in Dallas early. 

All it’s amounting to is that this is going to be one interesting season.

With the NFL entering into the third week of the preseason, every team is sending out their first team offense for them to get the most complete look on how they look as a fully functioning unit.  When it comes to high powered offenses like the Colts and the Saints, these are two of the most efficient units in the NFL in getting set and snapping the ball with minimal scrambling required.
 
Now that the league has changed the placement of the Umpire on the field, it has put a huge damper on the game as we know it currently. 

Pre-Season football isn’t something that should be taken all that seriously.

First team guys are trying to get comfortable and not get injuried. Coaches aren’t calling games that hopefully result in a win. And most plays are designed to test players, not to put them in the best position to win.

Still, though, we get a sneak preview based on pre-season games and more importantly training camps to see what we really can gather from the NFL’s tease-time. Here are a few headliners that have gotten press and are the real features of the pre-season.

It’s amazing that this tug of war is still going on between A.J. Smith and Vincent Jackson. 

With all the speculation about the different amounts of interest in the pro bowl 6’6” deep threat, it’s a wonder if we’ll see the end of this anytime this season.  With his previous legal troubles and suspensions with the league, you can wonder why he’s still hanging around on the Chargers’ roster.

I know its preseason, but this is like the grinder when it comes to the NFL. If a team can make it through the preseason unscathed, it seems to be a good omen when it comes to the regular season.

Last season’s New York Giants got a little banged up in the preseason only to get decimated after week 6 by injuries and never recover.

Here’s a couple warning signs that teams should be concerned about entering into the regular season.

The first week of preseason action is officially in the books. We got to see a little glimpse of what our favorite starting teams’ offense and defense will look like. Some new faces in new uniforms definitely looked refreshing.

Some teams looked like they have a new life this season, and let’s face it: Right now, every team is undefeated.

We got a lot to cover, so let’s dive right into this edition of the Weekly Scout’s Take.

Exactly one year ago to the day, August 17^th, Brad Childress introduced Brett Favre to the practice field to begin his work with the Minnesota Vikings. Favre would go on to lead the team to the NFC championship game before ending the season on an interception and a loss to the eventual champion New Orleans Saints.

After another summer and off-season, Brett Favre has decided, according to all reports, to come back to the Vikings on August 17^th of this year.

Fantasy football has become a monster in it's own, and has completely changed how many fans even watch football. Fans are less carrying about the standings and over-enthused with the stat sheet. When playing fantasy football, the end result isn't crucial, but the performance of each offensive player can have huge ramifications.

Whether you're new to fantasy football or a season vet, it's important to follow some of these golden rules that could make the difference between another disapointing season and becoming a powerhouse in your respective league.