Saints Report # 3

The season of high hopes is slowly disintegrating.  In the most abysmal performance of the Sean Payton era, the Saints continued their road horror show by travelling to Dallas and getting manhandled in a 38-17 blowout.  They are now solidly in last place in the NFC South. 

With a quarter of the season in the books, it is now painfully obvious that the over-hyped Saints are destined to be an 8 – 8 team, assuming, as one must at this point, that the Saints will win all their home games and lose all their away games.  One strategy at this point might be to selectively forfeit a few road games and preserve their health.  After all, losing 6 straight regular-season road games, and going 1-8 in the last 9 makes every road game a long shot.

The recent history of Saints vs Cowboys contests is one of momentum.  One team gets rolling, and it’s over early.  The Cowboys led 31 – 3 going into the 4^th quarter and it was over despite some late saber-rattling by the Saints offense.

The Saints defensive line led the lack of charge.  They couldn’t stop the run – DeMarcus Murray ran easily.  They couldn’t pressure that most susceptible-to-pressure-of-quarterbacks Tony Romo. 

Critical drops by Colston and Graham, and fumbles by Graham and Cadet sealed the loss.  And I won’t even mention the Brees interception on, of course, a 2^nd and short play when the Saints should have been running the ball.

So what’s wrong with the Saints?  Start with the defensive line.  A great, or at least good pass rush from your front four is a pretty good starting formula for success in the NFL.  Stalwarts Cameron Jordan and Junior Galette have been absent.  The middles of the line has been worse.  The blitzes have been predictable and too over-done.  Rob – sometimes you only need to blitz one person, not four. 

The offensive line has been only marginally better.  Brees looks like he’s auditioning for Dancing with the Stars the way he has to boogey in the pocket.  No one respects the running game of the Saints, including the Saints. Let's just say there are many opportunities for improvement, but football is still first and foremost a game of power in the trenches.  That's where the Saints are losing battle after battle and I don't know if there is a quick fix for the shortcomings.  

Next up is Tampa Bay for a Superdome battle of the two last place teams.  Don’t get excited.  The Saints have an explosive offense and an explodable defense.  I didn’t like the Saints schedule the moment I saw it, and I still don’t.  Three of the first four on the road against good teams, and great teams coming to the dome in rapid succession.  Maybe 8 – 8 is optimistic.  The turnaround needs to start soon.