After four weeks of NFL football the biggest surprise to me is that the New Orleans Saints are 0-4. Last year this was the leagues best offence and knowing what we know now, the leagues most vicious defence. On special teams, Darren Sproles is as good as any returner in football and the New Orleans Superdome was a true home field advantage. The Saints did not lose one game at home last year. And they ended the season with a quarterback in Drew Brees that broke the single season passing yardage record previously held by Dan Marino - 5,476 yards and 46 touchdowns is one heck of a good year. But this year, 0-4 with losses to Washington and their rookie quarterback, Carolina and their second-year quarterback, Kansas City who is not a playoff team and Green Bay, well, okay, that is understandable. Does the absence of Sean Payton make the big of a difference? Did Gregg Williams as a defensive coordinator influence good play that much? I mean neither played, they just directed. But what other possible answer could there be? The team is basically the same in personnel, but it is not the same in consistent excellent execution and determined resolve. What other answer is out there? I will say this, Sean Payton and his absence has elevated the pay scale for any new and good NFL head coach. There is conclusive evidence that the good ones make the difference between winning and losing, the Saints have proven that. All coaches are different just like all players are different. For some, their greatest strength is teaching the techniques and details of the game in a specific position. Often they are former players that have transferred the ability to play to the ability to teach. Not an easy transition, I tried and could not do it for various reasons. Others are planners and preparers and schemers. Almost always the coordinators, guys who design plays, love plays, and have an intense level of gratification in seeing what worked on the practice field work on the game field. They know both sides of the ball and are kind of the "nerds" of the game in that the game is all-consuming and affects all aspects of life outside of work. (If they have a life outside of work). Then you have the head coach and he is all of the previous two and then some. The head coach is the intimidator, the Buck-stops-here guy, the guy you dont want to be called to the office for any reason guy. The guy who hires and fires and everything in between. Not all have that type of personality or presence. Tony Dungy for example was a coach that pulled people together to win (and he had Peyton Manning in his prime). But, for the most part the head coach of a NFL team has the job because he has the internal strength to activate a response from others. If you dont have a tough guy head coach you better have a Top-5 quarterback. When the Saints had Payton as head coach I could sense a focus that was unique, it transferred from Payton to his players. How? I dont know, its difficult to describe but I could sense that Paytons resolve was the teams resolve. I think part of it is that the head coach will address the team, as a team more than any other coach. Usually as many as four times: after the game, before the Monday morning meeting, before the Wednesday morning meeting to prepare for the next game, and right before the actual game on Sunday. That is 64 times a year over 17 weeks, 16 games, not including training camp and off-season. If you were to give me an opportunity to talk to a group of people 64 times over four months, I am sure I can mold and influence too, to some degree. It is true that a football team reflects the personality and often morality of the head coach. The reflection is more subtle than intense but it is there. At 0-4 I doubt the Saints are going to make the playoffs, they would have to win 10 of their next 12 to achieve Wild Card status. And they still have two games with Atlanta, San Francisco at home and at the Giants. Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco is a good example of a coach that makes an impact. His brother John does in Baltimore, too. What would happen if Bill Belichick left New England? Would they improve? Sean Payton must be sitting back and not enjoying the downfall of the Saints, but in a quiet moment he might be thinking that his future is bright for many years to come. His discipline, play calling, and in-game decisions all are missed and as much as the Saints will try to duplicate his absence, they cant. There is only one Sean Payton on the unemployment line. Only one Gregg Williams on the suspended list. And the Saints are 0-4. Logic rules in this one. cheap nfl jerseys paypal . The Sacramento Kings extended Smarts contract through the 2013-14 season on Monday. Smarts deal had been set to expire after the upcoming season. wholesale jerseys free shipping . -- There was no "Southeast Jerome" or "Bro Sweets. http://www.wholesalenflch... . The Clippers (5-3) open the regular season on Wednesday against Memphis. Denver (3-3) plays its exhibition finale Friday night against Phoenix before opening the season at Philadelphia, also on Wednesday. [url=http://www.wholesalenflcheapjerseysfromchina.biz/]cheap jerseys china . Less than four months after calling it quits, the former Winnipeg Blue Bombers centre returned to the CFL, signing with the Calgary Stampeders on Tuesday. cheap jerseys free shipping . French football federation president Noel Le Graet announced on Tuesday that the quartet would be questioned "as soon as possible" though he added that he does not think they will be suspended.JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- After four years of futility, the Jacksonville Jaguars are heading in a different direction. Coach Mike Mularkey might not be around for the move. The Jaguars fired general manager Gene Smith on Monday after four disappointing seasons, including the worst year in franchise history. Mularkey could be next. Owner Shad Khan is waiting to decide Mularkeys fate until he hires a new general manager, which could happen this week. Mularkey failed to make the Jaguars (2-14) better in his first season, setting a team record for losses and dropping eight games by 16 or more points. Smith was the architect of the roster. He had been with the team since its inception in 1994, working his way up from regional scout to general manager. He has been GM since 2009, compiling a 22-42 record. Not one player he acquired made the Pro Bowl. "Now it is time for the Jacksonville Jaguars to begin a new chapter," Khan said in a statement. "Were not looking back. Ive made it clear from Day One that we pledge nothing less than to deliver the first Super Bowl championship to Jacksonville. Our fans have been remarkably loyal over the years, and they were truly outstanding this past season. We simply must do better for our fans." Khan said the search for a new GM will begin immediately. Arizona director of player personnel Jason Licht, San Francisco director of player personnel Tom Gamble, and Atlanta director of player personnel David Caldwell have been mentioned as potential replacements. "Im determined to find the right man to lead our football operations, someone who shares my vision, understands the commitment we will demand and is qualified and ready to seize this opportunity," Khan said. Khan informed Smith of his decision Monday morning and then delivered the news to Mularkey. Mularkey said he received no assurances he would be retained for a second season. "It was a conversation about Genes status," said Mularkey, the former Buffalo Bills head coach who now has lost 20 of his last 23 games. "My status was not discussed, and I wont go into detail what was. But until Im told otherwise, Im the head coach of this team." So the Jaguars are in limbo again, much like they were late last season when Khan bought the team from Wayne Weaver for $770 million. Weaver fired coach Jack Del Rio the same day he gave Smith a three-year extension despite Smiths numerous mistakes in the draft and in free agency. Smith handled the coaching search, which started and ended with Mularkey. But the Jaguars made no progress under Mularkey, finishing the year ranked 29th in offence and 30th in defence. "You knew something was going to happen," defensive tackle Terrance Knighton said. "You didnt know where itt was going to start.dddddddddddd. It obviously started from the top and it will probably make its way down." Knighton is one of numerous free agents who could make the Jacksonville job enticing for prospective GMs. The new GM would be able to rebuild the roster, and the Jaguars have plenty of room under the salary cap and few dead-money contracts. Nonetheless, changes are never easy inside a locker room. "With a year like this, you can point fingers everywhere," tight end Marcedes Lewis said. "Im not sure what the final straw was, but it happened. Kind of got to move forward and do what you do." Smith changed the way Jacksonville approached personnel moves. He made character as important as ability, but it never paid off the way he envisioned. Finding talent seemed to be the main issue. Smith whiffed on offensive tackle Eben Britton (39th overall pick in 2009), defensive tackle Tyson Alualu (10th pick in 2010) and quarterback Blaine Gabbert (10th pick in 2011). Smith traded up to select Gabbert even though several teams with quarterback needs passed on the former Missouri starter. He also drafted a punter in the third round in April, a move that was mocked locally and nationally. Equally alarming for Khan had to be Smiths penchant for overpaying in free agency: Torry Holt, Aaron Kampman, Paul Posluszny, Clint Session, Dawan Landry, Laurent Robinson and Aaron Ross. Smith did hit on some players, including left tackle Eugene Monroe (eighth pick in 2009), cornerback Derek Cox (73rd pick in 2009) and receivers Cecil Shorts (114th pick in 2011) and Justin Blackmon (fifth pick in 2012). But none of those starters has become a star. And Smith gave up a second-round pick to get Cox and a fourth-rounder to trade up and get Blackmon. Smiths most controversial act came in April, when he chose punter Bryan Anger in the third round (70th pick). Anger was terrific as a rookie, but adding him never seemed like the best call for a team that needed talent and depth at so many other positions. Smith defended the pick by saying he would "rather take a starter over a backup." Terry McDonough, the teams personnel director, challenged reporters to compare Anger to other third-rounders in four years and see who has been more productive. Eight months later, quarterback Russell Wilson (75th pick) has Seattle in the playoffs. The Jaguars, meanwhile, are out of the post-season for the 11th time in the last 13 years. And theyre looking for a new GM and maybe a new coach. "Obviously, 2-14 isnt the season you want to kind of hang your hat on," running back Maurice Jones-Drew said. "When you dont produce, this is what happens." ' ' '