Childress keeps hammering Saints' defensive tactics

I'm wondering if there's more to Vikings coach Brad Childress' continuing criticism aimed at Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

The Vikings coach again reiterated his negative take on the Saints' aggressiveness on defense in the wake of last season's NFC Championship Game in New Orleans, when Brett Favre was hit continuously by the Saints' defense. Childress was at it this morning, according to Nakia Hogan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

"His defenses have always been aggressive," Childress said. "We were able to face them for a number of years when we were with the Eagles when he was with Washington. It's always been a 'storm the castle' type of approach.

"(He's) kind of known for that, even when he was back at Tennessee back with Jeff (Fisher). I understand a quarterback's going to get hit, people are going to get hit. It's football. I don't have any illusions about that. What I hate to see are late hits or attempts to hurt anybody. I don't think there's a place for that in the game."

In last year's NFC championship game the Saints were fined a total of $30,000 for four different hits on Vikings players, including three that were delivered on Favre. The Saints also were flagged three times for personal foul penalties.

Childress openly wondered whether the Saints were intentionally trying to injure his players in that game.

"Yes, I would have to say that, yes," he said.

A method to Childress' approach? No question. What he's doing here by publicly raising the issue is sending a message not only to the Saints, but to the officials. You have to believe that Childress is doing his best to draw attention to the situation and make sure the officials are vigilant in seeing if the Saints' defenders are going above and beyond, especially when it comes to how Favre is being treated.

And if Childress' public comments get inside the head of a Saints defender or two as he's lining up Favre after he releases the ball, then the coach is winning the pre-game psychological battle.