Underrated and under appreciated? Those might be a couple of phrases used by Saints players and coaches when talking about linebacker Scott Shanle.
If I asked you who was second on the team in tackles last season, would you know? If I asked you who has been the leading tackler for the Saints during the last three years, would you immediately answer Scott Shanle? I wouldn't have thought so either until I did a little reading.
Shanle has tallied 358 tackles since arriving prior to the start of the 2006 season. The team continues to bring in competition at his weakside linebacker spot, and he continues to thwart would be challengers.
Does it bother Shanle that sometimes his numbers go unnoticed or unappreciated? "I think anytime you put together a good body of work it always feels good to have someone recognize it. Sometimes, yeah, people do over look it, but I'm the type of player that I'm not going to complain about it," Shanle said. "I just keep doing my job. As long as my coaches, the general manager, and the owner notice that's all that matters."
Listen to Shanle:
Shanle was voted defensive MVP by his teammates last season, turning in 145 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks. He's quiet during practice, methodically going about his business, and is always around the ball.
"I don't know why fans don't show him as much love, but he's a good linebacker. I've always thought that he was underrated, not just on this team but in the NFL," WWL's Bobby Hebert said of Shanle. "He does a lot of little things really, really well. He doesn't do one particular thing great, but solid in every part of his game."
Not many would argue with the current trio of linebackers the Saints have penciled in as the starters. You could say the Saints backers are underrated as a whole. "Everyone knows about Vilma, and what he does. Fujita is another one, that doesn't get a lot of attention, but makes a lot of plays. While they're not flashy they get results." Hebert said.
With a new scheme, the jury is out on if the Saints defense will be able to climb out cellar in total team defense this year under coordinator Gregg Williams, but Shanle says he thinks he'll benefit a lot from the aggressive scheme. "I think as a defensive player that's ever players dream is to attack, we like to get after it with Gregg."
While the fans or experts outside of the organization might allow Shanle's accomplishments to fly under the radar, his head coach Sean Payton knows he'll play a big role this season. "He's definitely one of the guys we're counting on, on defense."
Payton said he knows Shanle graded out near the top of all the players on defense a season ago. "Not a lot of people know of him, but Scott's playing as well as any of them right now at linebacker, so we're pleased with his progress." One of the strength's in Shanle's game is his tremendous physical conditioning. "He's in great shape. He's got a lot of confidence. He's been real consistent over the last year and a half now, and we like what we have in him."
Bobby Hebert likes what he see's, Coach Payton like's what he see's from Shanle and so does just about every analyst that I've talked to about him. So why no love for one of the better linebackers on the Saints team? I don't know, but rest assured it doesn't bother him. He knows he can play and knows his teammates and coaches know it too.
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