Saints player upset with Falcons for 'classless' pregame behavior

The NFL's new paragons of virtue, the New Orleans Saints, were upset with the "classless" actions of the Atlanta Falcons prior to Sunday's game at the Superdome.

"They were talking (expletive) to our guy Curtis Lofton," Saints linebacker Scott Shanle told Mike Silver on Sunday night. "I couldn't even understand them. They were just walking all over our drills trying to mess with him. (Linebacker Jonathan) Vilma went and told their coach it was classless and they didn't even say anything. It set the tone for the day. It was classless and they got what they deserved."

I'd imagine a talk on classlessness from Vilma goes over about as well as a lecture on monogamy from David Petraeus. Still, engaging in pregame chatter with a former teammate is hardly the stuff of classlessness. Houston Texans safety Danieal Manning was talking with his former Chicago Bears teammates during most of Sunday night's game and none of it seemed contentious.

With all the pregame chatter, maybe the Falcons are in the Saints' heads. Atlanta has won only two games against the division rival since 2006.

"They are not in our heads," Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez said, as reported by Jarrett Bell of USA TODAY Sports, a sure sign that the Saints reside there, even if only slightly.

The Saints were also reportedly amused by Williams Moore's "D-Block" freestyle rap video that was posted on the Falcons' website over the weekend. (It starts near the 11-minute mark.) Moore's freestyle, to the beat of Hit "Em Up, is actually quite good and features a practice squad player wearing sunglasses and a Zubaz hat while nodding in the background,so it's worth your time. Apparently it offended the delicate sensibilities of the Saints.

"That video would never be allowed nor would our players make a video like that in our locker room," a Saints source told Pro Football Talk.

The Saints would never besmirch the sanctity of a locker room like that.