Saints Report # 3 - September 26, 2016

Monday Night football got a terribly low rating up against the Presidential Debates. 

In the Superdome where the game was played, there was no debate.

The hated Atlanta Falcons brought a woodshed into the Superdome and took the Saints to it.  The final score of 45 – 32 makes it look close, and the statistics indicate a close game.  Don’t be fooled.  The Saints never had a chance.

Live by the punt, die by the punt.  In a week during which there were so many Gleason (10 years ago) and Mauti (last year) reminders, the Falcons had to be sick of seeing and hearing about blocked punts.  I only had one prediction going into the game.  There was no way the Falcons were going to allow a blocked punt.  But, I didn't predict a cold revenge dish.

When the Saints opened the game with a nice drive for a score, then held the Falcons to a punt, the Dome was rocking.  The Falcons punted and Saint rookie free agent De’Vante Harris made the hit of the game, unfortunately against his teammate TommyLee Lewis, who was minding his own business trying to field that punt at the time. 

The Falcons pounced on the football and easily pounded it in to tie the game at 7 – 7, and momentum had taken a shift of Gleason-like proportions.  It was the second straight week with a special teams’ disaster.  That, unfortunately, is the sign of a bad football team, and the Falcons had to feel gratified with the turn of events. 

The Saints defense, which had looked so promising in the Meadowlands last week, rarely slowed the Falcons down after that.  The Falcons ran and passed at will.  Sean Payton had been 14-4 against the Falcons.  It has always been the same game plan.  Hit the Quarterback.  They only hit Matt Ryan a few times, and several of them were after long runs for a first down. He looked all-world, and the Saints attempts to tackle Devante Freeman were air mishaps.

Kenny Vaccaro, who has been playing with a little fire, was unable to go due to injury.

Roman Harper, who appears to be a step slower than molasses at this point, just couldn’t make the plays that Vaccaro has been making.  But there was certainly enough molasses to go around.  Only new acquisition Paul Kruger appeared to be able to cover any ground.  The Saints have lost so many starters on defense that the only thing we can hope for is that the young secondary is getting a trial by fire that pays off in the future.

One thing is for sure, as long as Drew Brees is around, the Saints don’t give up.  No lead is safe, except when that lead is expanding.  A late interception that was returned for a touchdown was the offensive disaster of the night, and the Saints were not going to recover.

Brees and the offense matriculated all night, but the Falcons had a simple strategy.  First of all, they appeared to have no respect for the Saints running game, which makes two of us.  The Saints had some success running, but the Falcons were intent on stopping the big play, so the offense got nothing easy as they were forced to work in small chunks.  It’s a game plan the Saints will probably see again.

So, now it’s off to San Diego.  What gives the Saints hope of winning this one?  Drew Brees.  He will not want to get embarrassed by his old team. 

Let’s hope the Saints pick up on that vibe.  They are now 0-3, to go with their 0-3 start in 2015, 1-3 in 2014, and 0-4 in 2013.  That’s an embarrassing trend.  It’s beyond debate.

 

Saints Report # 2 - September 18, 2016

All is lost after the Saints fell to the Giants 16 – 13 on Sunday.

They join Cleveland, Miami, Buffalo, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Washington, and Chicago at 0 - 2

The season is lost. 

Not so fast. 

I saw a lot I liked Sunday. 

The consensus was, and it was certainly my feeling, that the Saints would be-bop into the Meadowlands and get trounced in another shootout.

It didn’t happen.                                      

The Saints did almost nothing on offense.  But, what they did do, was slow the game down with a little ball control, and actually hold the Giants without an offensive touchdown.  They played a field position game with their MVP, punter Thomas Morestead.

But for 2 plays – a blocked field goal (and let's recognize that special teams have been reliable in the Sean Payton era) and the final drive miscue by rookie Ken Crawley when he went for an interception instead of knocking the ball away from Victor Cruz, the Saints played well enough to win.

When training camp started the cornerback depth chart would have read Keenan Lewis, Delvin Breaux, Damian Swan and PJ Williams.  Gone, Hurt, Disabled and Concussed.  Eli Manning should have had a field day.  But he didn’t.   They Saints got 3 turnovers, a couple of rare sacks, and played pliable defense the whole game.  It was downright encouraging.  For the first time since 2009, they appear to have an actual scheme on defense. 

Unfortunately, the offense picked this trip to play their worst game in memory.  The Giants defense is certainly improved and I couldn’t help but wonder about that day when Sean Payton came off suspension and immediately fired (now Giant defensive coordinator) Steve Spagnuolo.  Wonder where we’d be now if he had stuck with him for a few years?  But, Dennis Allen appears to know what he’s doing.  He’s just knee deep in rookies in the defensive backfield, with the injury bug biting hard, and that’s not even mentioning Sheldon Rankins, Hau’oli Kikaha, the perennially injured Daneel Ellerbe, and last year’s leading tackler Stephone Anthony, who has disappeared like he was in some kind of slasher movie and he’s wandered off into the woods.  No, it’s not the defense we would have envisioned just 6 months ago.

Of course there are things not to like.  I’ve watched the Pittsburgh Pirates a lot over the last few years.  They have a pitcher named Jeff Locke whom I have watched get shelled time after time. His presence on a major league roster mystifies me.

Which brings me to Brandon Coleman.  Oh, he resembles Marques Colston in body frame, and they want him to be the new Colston, but sir, I knew Marques Colston, and you're no Marques Colston.  The hands aren’t there, and the heart isn’t there.  He’s a product of the salary cap issues, in that he’s a cheap alternative.  Drew Brees throwing to him and the struggling Coby Fleener can be traced right to the salary cap hell GM Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton have put the team in.  We're putting cheap parts on the Cadillac.

Then, there’s the totally ineffective running game.  Traditionally we’ve had some lightening to go with our thunder.  Tony Galbreath,  Dalton Hilliard, Reggie Bush, Darren Sproles.  Today we have Tavares Cadet.  Oh, he’s serviceable, as is Tim Hightower.  But do you think any defensive coach is worried about our running game?   We get about one effective run a game.  And is it just me, or can you tell exactly where they’re going to run when we line up?  I look for our offense to continue to struggle as defenses only have to worry about our quarterback and wide receivers.

We saw two teams Sunday who have significantly improved their defense.  So, I’m tempted to say when we play a game where both the offense and defense show up on the same day, we’ll be fine.  But alas, the truth is, that’s not the way the NFL works.  It is a made-for-tv event that is designed to be close.  It is the only sport that allows a make-it, take-it.  Two losses by a total of 4 points, in which the outcome was significantly affected by the officiating – is it time to panic?  I don’t think so.  Wait one more game, (and it’s going to be a doozy.)  If the Saints lose to Atlanta at home on Monday night, it’s time to panic.  

The way Tom Benson should be panicking over Mickey Loomis' checkbook skills.

Saints Report #1 - 2016

Same old same old.

Same Song, different verse.

Same old song and dance.

New year, same result.

It was déjà vu all over again for the New Orleans Saints as they lost their season opener 35 – 34 to the Oakland Raiders in the no longer imposing Superdome Sunday. And may I say the Oakland Raider fans were especially obnoxious.

Who wins football games?  Most of the time, it’s the team running the ball in the 4^th quarter, either chewing up clock or grinding their way down the field.

Never going to happen.  Not with the New Orleans Saints.  They are the grindee, not the grinder.

Can’t run the ball.

Can’t stop the run.

Can’t get any pressure on the Quarterback.

Meanwhile Drew Brees threw it all over the field for over 400 yards but it just is never going to matter because the Saints

Can’t run the ball

Can’t stop the run.

Can’t get any pressure on the Quarterback.

Brees showed off his stellar receiving corps of Brandin Cooks, Willie Snead, and Michael Thomas and that quartet is of Super Bowl quality.  Unfortunately, the Saints just don’t have much else.  They’re going to be great fantasy players, but how many wins will it translate into?  Not many, because….

Can’t run the ball

Yea, I know Mark Ingram had a couple of good runs.  But, the Saints need to run it effectively 30 times a game, not 7.   They can’t chew clock when they have a lead, and they can’t pound it when they’re behind.  Average 4 yards a carry.

Can’t stop the run.

168 yards rushing for Oakland.  A 70 yard run by Jalen Richard, a rookie from nearby Alexandria, via Southern Miss, was a particular dagger.  Average 6.4 yards per carry.

Can’t pressure the quarterback.

Up and coming star Derek Carr sat back as if he were doing 7 on 7 drills and picked the young Saints secondary apart, especially after 2^nd year cornerback Delvin Breaux went down.  If the Saints had been able to play touch football rules (which is where the NFL is eventually headed) they still wouldn’t have had a sack.  They never laid a hand on him.  He brought the Raiders back from a 2 touchdown deficit and their 2 point conversions were gutsy and huge confidence builders for their future.

I thought there were two turning points.  The Breaux injury with what would later turn out to be a broken leg was of devastating consequence to the secondary for not just this game, but the season.  Now, it’s all rookies.  OMG.  And no pass rush.

But the real turning point of this game was when Sean Payton signed a new placekicker just days before the game.   Will Lutz has such a strong leg, and will probably be a great kicker, that he emboldened Coach Payton to try from 50 early in the 4^th quarter with a 24-10 lead.  That miss was a turning point because with those old tepid kickers the Saints have, they would have punted.  Instead the miss let the Raiders right back in the game by presenting them with a short field.  Long field goal attempts that put the pressure on this defense – not a great idea.  Especially when the defense gives up 14 yards per play in the 2^nd half, which is the astounding statistic of the week.  Gassed. 

So, now the Saints travel to New York, where Eli Manning is licking his chops.  Who is going to cover Odell Beckham?  Last year’s game was a classic air show, 7 td’s for Brees to 6 for Manning.   Will anybody run the ball?  Or will it be the same old song and dance?