Around the League: Saints lost sneakiness

Maybe a slight drop-off from the New Orleans Saints wouldn’t have been a shock. But nobody expected them to lose their first three games and look thoroughly incompetent in the process.

What has happened in New Orleans?

The Saints aren’t sneaking up on anyone like they did a year ago.

“The Saints led the league in offense last year, so everybody studied them more,” said one defensive coach who has gone against the Saints this year. “We spent a lot of time on them in the off-season, and it’s different when you give a defense a year to prepare.”

What is happening in New Orleans might be similar to what happened in Oakland a few years ago. In 2002, Bill Callahan’s first year as head coach, the Raiders led the league in passing and finished second in offense. But the next season the league figured out Callahan, who never had been a game-planner or play-caller previously. The Raiders fell to 28th in the NFL passing and 27th overall.

O’Sullivan’s travels

Nobody knows NFC North offenses quite like J.T. O’Sullivan.

The Detroit Lions’ backup quarterback also has drawn checks from Chicago (2006, 2007), Green Bay (2004) and Minnesota (2005), among other teams.

Jet on the block

It would surprise no one if the New York Jets were to trade receiver Justin McCareins before the Oct. 16 deadline.

The Jets acquired him by trading their second-round pick to Tennessee in 2004. Since then, Eric Mangini became the head coach and McCareins has become the odd man out with Jerricho Cotchery taking his role.

McCareins has caught only three passes this season.