Saturday, April 08, 2000Blake: 'I can make it happen'
Looking to prove a quarterback can succeed with Saints
BY MARY FOSTER
AP Sports WriterNEW ORLEANS — Playing quarterback for the New Orleans Saints has rarely been a glory spot. This is the land of Billy Joes, Nussmeiers, Wuerffels and Shulers. The equivalent of the elephant's graveyard, a place where careers die and dreams fall apart. That, Jeff Blake believes, was before he stepped into the Saints lineup.
“I'm in a situation where I can make something happen that hasn't happened before,” Blake said after the first mini-camp workout on Friday. “I'd rather come to this situation than go into a situation like the '93, '94, '95 Dallas Cowboys. If I'd gone there, it would be like, "Well, look what you're playing with. You're supposed to win.'
“That's how I want it to be here. I want people saying, "Well, look who you're playing with. You're playing with the Saints. You're supposed to win.”
In six years with the Cincinnati Bengals, Blake threw 93 touchdown passes and was the starting quarterback for the AFC in the 1995 Pro Bowl. Blake's strong arm, quick feet and ability to run a complicated offense look like just what the Saints needed at a position that has had few glory days since Jim Everett put up respectable numbers in 1994-95.
New quarterback coach Frank Cignetti Jr. said he grew up an Archie Manning fan, the Saints' best known quarterback. Blake knew that Everett had put up some good numbers, although the Saints were 7-9 in both 1994 and 1995, and knew that Bobby Hebert had some success with the Saints.
Only Manning made the Pro Bowl while quarterbacking the Saints.
Blake, a free agent, signed a $17.4 million contract with the Saints this winter and is counted on to jump start a traditional feeble area on the team.
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