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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Receiver Joe Horn criticized the NFL on Wednesday for forcing the Hurricane Katrina-displaced New Orleans Saints to play their home-opener at the Meadowlands.

 

 

 

"Man, let me tell you something, the Saints aren't going to be the first team that they made a mockery of, and we will not be the last team that they make a mockery of," Horn said in a conference call with Buffalo-area reporters.

 

Horn spoke as New Orleans (1-2) prepares to host Buffalo (1-2) on Sunday in what will be the Saints' first game at their new temporary home, San Antonio's Alamodome. The Saints will play three games at San Antonio and four other home games at LSU.

 

The Saints have been without a home since Hurricane Katrina flooded New Orleans and ruined the Superdome. After opening their season as scheduled on the road at Carolina, the NFL forced the team to play what was supposed to be its home-opener against the New York Giants at the Giants home field.

 

The Saints, who dressed in the Meadowlands visitors' locker room, lost 27-10 to the Giants.

 

Horn was still bugged by what he considered the league's arbitrary decision.

 

"Believe that," Horn said. "Whether I'm in the NFL or in 10-15 years when I'm out of the NFL, no one's bigger than the NFL, and whoever the commissioner is he calls the shots, simple as that."

 

Horn is looking forward to Sunday's game, and impressed by the welcome the Saints have received in San Antonio.

 

"San Antonio has embraced us to another level," Horn said. "They honestly have and we appreciate it and we won't forget it."

 

Saints coach Jim Haslett called the NFL's decision unfair but distanced himself when informed of Horn's comments.

 

"Those are Joe's words," Haslett said.

 

He noted the game at the Meadowlands was part of the league's "Hurricane Relief Weekend" and helped the NFL raise $5 million for the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund.

 

"I think the NFL had all good intentions of raising money, and I thought they did a great job with the fundraiser," Haslett said. "But I don't think it was fair what they did to this football team, having us travel to a hostile city and play in that type of environment to win a game."

 

Haslett is looking forward to playing at the Alamodome.

 

"Hopefully, it's going to be 65,000," he said of the turnout. "I just know they probably won't be cheering for Buffalo, so at least we won't have to deal with the crowd noise we've dealt with the last three weeks."

 

 

 

Of course, that gets followed up by:

Link

Saints WR Horn questionable

New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - New Orleans Saints wide receiver Joe Horn is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills.

 

Horn is hampered with a hamstring injury suffered in last week's loss to the Minnesota Vikings. In three games this season, Horn has 220 yards and a touchdown on 15 catches.

 

In other injury news, safety Jay Bellamy will be placed on injured reserve with a shoulder problem.

 

Starting cornerback Mike McKenzie (neck), cornerback Fakhir Brown (knee), safety Dwight Smith (toe), defensive end Darren Howard (ankle) and defensive tackle Brian Young (foot) are all also questionable versus Buffalo.

 

 

 

09/28 19:01:45 ET

Huh. They went from not making excuses to making excuses. Oh, well, I have news for Joe Horn, the Saints are an AVERAGE team at best.

 

By they I mean Joe Horn.

Average or not average, that still does not take away from the fact that making them play their 'home' game in NY was complete BS. Why do the Giants get an extra home game? What was the justification for that? They could've raised funds for Katrina victims in any other stadium just as well.

Meh. Excuses or no excuses, the Saints got screwed on that deal.

 

And so did everyone who may be in a playoff race with the Giants for that matter, since they got 9 home games.

I dont get why the NFL didnt just rent out Independence in Shreveport...isn't it only used for the bowl game?