Saints Report 12 - December 2, 2013

It’s taken me a few days to fully digest the Seattle slewing that took place Monday night.  Never in the Payton/Brees era have the Saints been more thoroughly spanked.  What does it mean?  It just means the media can continue to talk about how the Saints don’t play as well on the road as they do at home, just like every other NFL team ever.   (Ok, I’ll admit the Eagles are weird this year.)  So, it was just one of 16 games.  No reason for panic at the disco.

Here’s what the 34-7 baking reminded me.  I’ve played and coached sports enough to know that when the “big” game comes, your weaknesses are going to get exposed.  Sometimes, I was the weakness.  Or maybe you have a 3^rd baseman who won’t get in front of the ball.  Or you have a point guard with limited court sense.  Or maybe you’ve tried to hide a guy who is good, but there’s a certain thing he can’t do.  Bet your bottom dollar that he will be called on to do that very thing in the big game. 

So, Monday night the Saints weaknesses got fully exposed.  The offensive line couldn’t hold up.  Pressure up the middle in the face of a short quarterback is a serious problem.  Wide Receivers who can’t separate are a problem.  It’s time to face reality.  Marques Colston is a great, dependable possession receiver.  The Saints have no deep threat.  It speaks volume that a Robert Meachum who couldn’t cut it on a mediocre San Diego team, came back to New Orleans and became our deep threat.  Lance Moore has not been productive.  Kenny Stills has shown flashes, but is not yet a consistent producer.  So it also is telltale that our most explosive passing game options are an all world tight end who is still learning, and 2 spectacular pass receiving running backs.  Look for our first round draft choice to be a speed burner wide out.  Where have you gone Devery Henderson?

Our defense obviously took a major blow when it lost Jabari Greer, who had lost a step already.  Our safeties are having to camouflage our lack of speed at linebacker.  Seattle was a match up nightmare for a defense that is fading.  I couldn’t believe the number of times the Saints only rushed three, allowing emerging superstar Russell Wilson to bide his time while his receivers outran our defenders.  Not the right formula.   Bigger, stronger and faster is a better one, and spreading the field increases the advantage.  The Seahawks were bigger, stronger, and faster and it all made me go to bed early.  Guessing we’ll see teams spreading the field out.  We’ll see more emphasis on stopping Graham, Sproles, and Thomas, meaning Moore, Stills, and Meachum must step up. 

This stretch of the schedule is proving as brutal as I thought it would be.  Two months ago who could have predicted that a surging Panther team would be licking their chops in anticipation of a relevant Superdome visit, and one that comes on the heels of the Saints looking vulnerable.  Will the crowd provide enough lift to compensate for the Saints lack of prep time?  Will Brees again look like he’s in brick galoshes compared to a young QB?  Will the Saints preserve at least a first round bye in the playoffs now that home field advantage appears out of reach?  By the time the clock strikes midnight Sunday night we’ll have our answer.