Ex-UT receiver Meachem big part of offense for New Orleans

METAIRIE, La. - Robert Meachem promised during training camp that he would remind the New Orleans Saints why they made him their first-round draft choice out of Tennessee in 2007.

Half way into his third season, Meachem has advanced far beyond the frustration of his rookie season, when he arrived at rookie camp out of shape, hurt his knee, and wound up spending all 16 regular-season games on the inactive list and watching from the sideline in a sweat suit.

"I'm blessed. I'm living the dream right now," Meachem said. "Things weren't going the way I wanted them to go the first two years, but I knew once everything settled down and calmed down, I would be the guy that I am today. So I just kept praying and just trying to do everything I could on my part to help this team."

With a clutch, 54-yard, game-tying touchdown catch last Sunday against Carolina, Meachem further buried the bad memories of his rookie year, when he heard many critics calling him first-round bust.

His five catches for 98 yards against the Panthers helped New Orleans overcome a two-touchdown deficit and win 30-20 to remain unbeaten at 8-0.

Now getting chances to be on the field in pressure-filled, late-game situations, Meachem can say he's played a considerable role in what is now the best start to a season in the Saints' 43-year history.

With 13 catches for 296 yards and three touchdowns, Meachem has needed only half of this season to surpass his performance for all of 2008, when he caught 12 passes for 289 yards and three TDS.

He is averaging a team-high 22.8 yards per catch this season.

Head coach Sean Payton also has featured Meachem in running plays such as reverses. He has averaged 10 yards on three carries, with a long of 15.

"I'm encouraged with how Robert's playing," Payton said this week. "We have to continue to find ways to get him the football. Week in and week out, he's a guy that has great speed, he's powerful and he's playing with more and more confidence.

"The challenge each week is finding opportunities for him," Payton said. "In the second half last week there were some big plays he made certainly and it was good to see."

The Saints are deep at receiver, which is one of the reasons Meachem has to fight for everything he gets. However, opportunities have opened up lately with Lance Moore's ankle injury. Also, Marques Colston was trying to play through the flu last Sunday and struggled.

Brees was able to turn to Devery Henderson and Meachem for the bulk of his passing yards, though he expects Colston to play better in St. Louis today.

"That's what our offense has thrived on and prided itself on in the last few years, guys stepping up and performing very well and now becoming somewhat of household names," Brees said. "Nobody had heard of Marques Colston until mid-way through the 2006 season when the seventh-rounder from Hofstra was coming out and making plays and getting opportunities and making the most of them. Devery is really coming into his own. Meachem - the more opportunities he gets, he's playing great. Lance Moore was on the practice squad when I first got here and now he's a great player."

Meachem said he could tell during offseason workouts and training camp that he was on the brink of finally getting comfortable as an NFL receiver. Now Brees throws the ball to him even in coverage at times, confident that Meachem has the speed and ability to come down with the ball, as he did between two defenders for a 36-yard touchdown against the New Yok Giants in Week 6.

Those types of plays, Meachem said, "is what I've been feeling in my heart the whole season."