Saints Report # 14 - December 18, 2016

The New Orleans Saints went to Arizona, and put the bread on top of their 4 week poboy.

Or do you think this isn’t a sandwich?
48
11
13
49
That’s the scoring production over the last 4 games against 4 of the best defensive teams in the NFL. 
Predictable only in their inconsistency, the Saints offense hung 48 points on the #1 rated defense in the NFL in the desert. 
You figure it out.  I sure can’t. 
Drew Brees picked apart the Cardinals like they were standing still.  The offense hit on all cylinders as the Saints never punted.  Brandin Cooks had a career-best 170 yards receiving with 2 touchdowns.  The Saints brought their record to 6 – 8, seemingly determined to finish 7 – 9 for a third straight season.  Had they been able to convert early-season kicks, the Saints would be 8 -  6 and in the thick of the playoff race. 
But, the ability to win enough close games is something that has eluded the Saints during this 3-year descent into mediocrity.  They will almost certainly miss the playoffs again, and winning the last 2 games would bring them to .500 but that is not enough to satisfy Saints Fans, given the talent at Quarterback.

Drew Brees won his 100th game in a Saints uniform.  

He is the all-time NFL leader in so many passing categories that the only question about his eventual Hall of Fame entrance is how many rings will he be wearing?

Right now it looks like the answer will be One and that's not going to satisfy the Fleur-De-Lis faithful either.

It would seem that some coaching changes may hinge on the last two games.

There's a world of difference between 6 - 10 and 8 - 8 and who can predict how the last two weeks of this inconsistent season will go.

I certainly can't.

Saints Report # 13 - December 11, 2016

Hibernation. 

We’ve heard about it.

The last thing we expected was to see the Saints offense go into it. 

In a stunning reversal of fortune, the Saints have pivoted themselves unlike any other time in the Brees/Payton era.

Oh, we’re used to getting outscored in shootouts.  It’s been part of the expectation that occasionally that is going to happen.  But not a 16 – 11 loss to Tampa Bay.  Not another no-show by the offense.

Yet for the second game in a row the offense was participating in a sleep study.  This time they could only manage 3 field goals.  While Drew Brees has been far from sharp, throwing 3 interceptions in each of the last 2 games, in this game he was victimized by two dropped touchdown passes, a running game that has completely vanished, and the Tampa defense which was content to sit back in zone coverages and jump routes.  The Saints offense set a record for futility by gaining only 11 yards in the first quarter.  Zzzzzz.

What makes this especially aggravating is that the defense is actually improving.  First round draft pick Sheldon Rankins is the real deal.  Daneel Ellerbee has gone a couple of games without an injury.  Vonn Bell looks good.  Coach Dennis Allen has turned the defense into a respectable unit.

The offensive hibernation is mystifying, coming after the Rams massacre.  Mired at 5 – 8 with even a .500 record a long shot, could it be that the Saints are headed for their third straight 7 – 9 finish?  At this point that would be a surprise.   

The winless Cleveland Browns would like to play the Saints.  

That’s how bad it is.  Wake me when it's over.

Saints Report # 12 - December 4, 2016

The New Orleans Saints were gracious hosts to the hopeful Detroit Lions Sunday.  The Lions looked every bit the part of a playoff team as they outplayed the pretending Saints soundly and left the dome with 28-13 victory that could have been much worse.

The Saints were honoring their all-time 50-year team and saw fit to wear throwback uniforms.  As a 50 year fan, I had hoped to never see those uniforms again, and the Saints played down to their garb.  Drew Brees could have been a Billy Jo.    Thomas Moorstead even Erxleben’d a punt.  The offensive line played like John Shinners.  The defense covered like Jason David.  They tackled like Shawn Knight.  They were as present as Alvin Toles.

It was exactly the kind of game long time Saints fans used to watch all the time.  The only thing new was instant replay for the officials.  We didn’t have that back in the day.  But we are used to no running game, dropped passes, passes thrown into thick coverage, and three and outs.  On defense we’ve seen enough missed tackles and wide open bombs.  Those are Saints traditions that are resurfacing like the supposedly dead corpse in a horror movie that just keeps rising up, and I hate to use a Falcon’s phrase.

The Saints have been “in” most games this year, but unable to turn that corner with those one or two crucial plays.  In this game two interceptions fell through Saints hands and hit the ground.  Today, the offense needed some help like that from the defense.  It never came as the Saints defense couldn’t get a turnover at Arbys.  The only positive was that the defense was holding the Lions to field goals, five of them, so you thought the Saints were in striking distance.  But the Saints were flat, and the Lion’s slow paced, possession game kept the Saints from approaching a rhythm.    It’s obvious they can’t put together two emotional games in a row, and they aren’t good enough to play dead pan football.  The games are running out on another season of mediocrity, a 50 year Saints tradition.

Let’s at least retire those uniforms.