David Starts to Redeem Himself

Through blunder after blunder through his 22-game career with the New Orleans Saints, cornerback Jason David stood up and took the heat.

He’s tried to be as gracious as possible considering he’s been the defense’s main punching bag for the past couple of seasons. David even took his demotion from the starting lineup in stride, becoming a solid contributor on special teams.

But when No. 42 runs on the field to try to cover a wide receiver, fans typically cringe and quarterbacks typically attack.

During Sunday’s 34-3 win over the Oakland Raiders in the Louisiana Superdome, David gave fans a reason to root for No. 42. He played one of his most solid games since being with the Saints and made the type of plays Saints coach Sean Payton and Co. were hoping to see from him in the previous 21 games.

David racked up two tackles and deflected two passes during his extended playing time in the Saints’ nickel package. Yet it was David’s interception of the Raiders’ JaMarcus Russell in the third quarter that directly aided in start of the Saints’ blowout.

“Jason David’s interception to set up the touchdown a few plays later put us up all of a sudden three scores,” Payton said. “That’s a significant play in the game.”

David said the business of playing in the NFL is all about putting bad performances him and making up for it the next time. The scrappy 5-foot-8, 180-pound cornerback can revel in his Sunday performance.

“I’m just working hard, man,” David said. “I always kept faith in what I can do and things that I’m capable of doing. I never really gave up being that I wasn’t the starter this year and I was only playing special teams.

“It was a little more than about four years when I had to make a start as a rookie in Oakland and I got an interception for a touchdown. This league is all about making the best of your opportunities and (Sunday) I got an opportunity to plays some nickel and play some corner and it worked out (Sunday). I was just going out there to try and make a play.”

David could have gone diva for a minute and patted himself on the back for his interception and solid play. But for David, it still goes back to being a team-first guy much like his teammates have done when defending David through his struggles.

“Most importantly, it means a lot to the defense just being able to turnover the ball and make a play for our team,” David said. “Regardless if it was me or another player, it was big for our team as a whole. But for me personally, it felt good. I haven’t had much playing time this year. I just practice hard each day and try to work on my craft and try to get better.”

David probably won’t see the type of playing time like he has the past couple of weeks once veteran Aaron Glenn returns from a sprained ankle ligament. He probably won’t crack the starting lineup again unless injuries force him in the game.

None of that will stop David from looking to improve, though, and Sunday’s game was a step in the right direction.

“Each day at practice, you can ask the coaches, I try to practice as hard as I can,” David said. “I stay afterwards and do the little things just to get better. The thing that I always do is work hard and try to get better. Even last year when fans and the media were on me for not playing as well as I could, and that’s true, but I was still trying to get better last year. It’s same thing for me this year.”

Jason David seeking redemption

If Jason David’s decision to leave 2006 Super Bowl champion Indianapolis for more money in New Orleans had gone as the cornerback envisioned, he probably wouldn’t be playing much — if at all — in the Saints’ preseason finale against Miami on Thursday night.

His job would be secure, and coaches wouldn’t want to risk injury by leaving him on the field for long with the regular season starting in little more than a week. But David’s job is anything but secure. He’ll play a lot and may need to play well just to keep his spot on the roster.

“I really can’t pay too much attention to that kind of stuff,” David, who turned 26 in June, said after practice on Tuesday. “That’s really not in my hands. That’s up to the coaching staff. I’ve just got to go out there and keep competing at practice and show them I’m trying to get better and I’m still a growing player in this league.”

Full Story: Nola.com

Turning the Corner

No one seems to be too certain where it all went so wrong for Jason David.

He arrived at the Saints facility a year ago with a four-year contract and with the task of helping solidify a beleaguered pass defense.

Coaches and reporters raved about his speed and playmaking ability. Fans coveted the chance to see the new addition. It seemed as if David was the perfect match.

That was until the season started, and opposing quarterbacks attacked him, and the fan base turned on him, singing out a chorus of boos.

But that was last year. And everyone knows cornerbacks are supposed to have short-term memories.

“It’s football,” David said. “The more you play this game the more things you understand. You are not going to always have the best season or the best game you want. So it’s all about bouncing back and how you come back from situations like that.

“Each player out here feels like they have something to prove, everybody from the second-team kicker to the long snapper. Everybody wants to do their job as best as they can and prove to people that they are a good player.” No one may have more to prove, though, than David.

Full Story: The Times Picayune

Jason David Deserves Second Chance

Yeah, thats right. I said it! I know, I know…I KNOW. I’m gonna get some heat for this one, but what the heck.

I said I know!

I will be the first to admit that I was very unhappy with Jason David last season. Said some unkind words. Referred to him as Chasin’ David. Let’s face it, he was a HUGE disappointment. He was the marquee free agent acquisition last year, much like Vilma this year, and his addition was to be the key to a much needed defensive upgrade. The realization that he wasn’t started in the first game against the Colts when Manning picked on him multiple times, but I chalked it up to Peyton’s prior knowledge of David’s abilities having been on the same team previously. But as we all know, it continued as other teams seemed to prey on the known soft spot of the Saints defense until it became a running joke among fans and even the media. Line up your fastest and biggest receiver on him and let it fly.

But in my quest to be ever the optimist this season, I am going cut him some slack and join the “Jason David in ‘08″ campaign. Or probably more likely, start it.

As far as the teams position on David, I think Mickey Loomis really sums it all up in the article from Sports Illustrated a couple of days ago…

Full Article: Jason David Deserves Second Chance

David Back in Practice

The Saints are on the mend, both on the field and in the training room. They have just one name on their injury report this week - cornerback Jason David, who returned to practice in limited fashion Thursday for the first time since fracturing his left forearm in Week 3 against Tennessee.

David is not expected to play in Sunday’s game against Atlanta, but he’s getting closer to returning.

The Falcons, meanwhile, have a little more turbulence on their roster, starting with the quarterback position. Coach Bobby Petrino announced Wednesday that he’s turning the reins over to Byron Leftwich, the former Jacksonville starter who signed with the Falcons on Sept. 18.

Leftwich, 27, is a big, strong-armed quarterback at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds. He is known for not being very mobile, but he’s also hard to take down.

Full Story: David Back in Practice - [Times Picayune]

David: Game Not About Him

New Orleans Saints cornerback Jason David said the season opener at Indianapolis on Thursday night has enough intrigue without throwing in the storyline of him playing against his former team.

The most eagerly anticipated Saints season ever kicks off against the defending Super Bowl champions on national television in prime time.

“Any season opener you want to show everybody what you’ve got, especially being nationally televised you always want to have a great showing and show the world, ‘Hey this is the team that you’re going to see all season,’” said David, who played his first three seasons with the Colts before joining the Saints as a free agent during the offseason.

“It’s the season opener,” he said. “Everybody should be amped up, ready to go, but being that it’s the Thursday night game, the season opener, it’s on national television, it just makes it that much more exciting.”

Full Story: Ex-Colt David says game in Indianapolis not about him - [2theadvocate.com]

Related: David won’t admit to knowing Manning’s secrets - [USA Today]

David Faces Former Team in Opener

Maybe the New Orleans Saints brought in cornerback Jason David for this one game. Maybe David will divulge some super-secret information as to how to halt the Indianapolis Colts’ dynamic offense.So far, David said not too many players have picked his brain. It is only Sunday, which is the first day of on-field game week preparation in Saintsland.

“I think I’ll be fielding a few more questions once the game gets closer,” David said. “I’m going to be here to help.”

Any bit of help will be welcomed, if not encouraged, as the Saints and Colts open the NFL season Thursday night in the RCA Dome. David knows the offense and the atmosphere as well as anyone. He spent the past three seasons as a starter on the edge of the Colts’ Cover 2 defense…

Full Story: David faces former team in season opener - [Sun Herald]

Got it Covered

Jason David knows he shouldn’t admit it, but he’s too honest of a guy to tell anyone that he doesn’t think about Sept. 6 quite a bit.

David will make his New Orleans Saints debut that Thursday night against Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts.

David had spent all three seasons of his NFL career with the Colts when the Saints signed the restricted free agent cornerback to a four-year deal. Indianapolis had a week to match the Saints’ $16.5 million offer sheet. The Colts declined. David said Saturday that he harbors no ill will toward his former employer, but he made it clear he can’t wait to show Indianapolis what the Colts let walk away.

Full Story: Got it Covered - [al.com]

Youth Can Get Taste of NFL

The NFL returns to Southern California this weekend - sort of.

NFL veteran Jason David, who played at Charter Oak High School, returns to the valley to conduct his second annual Football Skills Camp on Saturday and Sunday. The two-day event will feature several NFL veterans, including Matt Ware (Loyola) and Ralph Brown (Bishop Amat), who now play for the Arizona Cardinals.

Also expected to be in attendance are Bob Sanders and Daryl Reid (Indianapolis Colts), Mike Doss (Minnesota Vikings), Hamza Abdullah (Denver Broncos), Dominic Rhodes (Oakland Raiders), Courtney Roby (Tennessee Titans) and Hanik Milligan (Cardinals).

The camp, at Charter Oak, will consist of football agility and skills drills and conclude with a question-and-answer and autograph session. All campers will also receive a goodie bag.

Youth can get a taste of the NFL game - [Whittier Daily News]

Saints Expect Big Things from David

Jason David readily acknowledges money had a lot to do with why he left Indianapolis rather than help the Colts defend their Super Bowl title.

Yet, there were other factors that brought the young cornerback to the New Orleans Saints, David insists, such as pride, a new challenge, warmer weather and the chance to be part of another winning team whose story goes beyond football.

“They always play that highlight of the Saints coming out in the Superdome when it reopened. That’s kind of something that stuck in everybody’s mind regardless of whether you watch football or not, just seeing them be able to come home and the fans so happy to see them,” said David, who turns 25 on June 12. “I just feel like being here is an awesome opportunity to help out in the community and be part of such a great story.”

Saints expect big things from diminutive David - [Shreveport Times]

David expected to be ‘missing link’ for Saints’ defense - [The Town Talk]

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