Jeff Duncan's Saints-Eagles film study: Conservative approach, Brees' brilliance pay dividends (1 Viewer)

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Saints-Eagles film study: Conservative approach, Brees' brilliance pay dividends for New Orleans Saints in big win
By Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune
September 23, 2009, 12:30PM


A review of the game film from the Saints’ 48-22 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday:

CONSERVATIVE APPROACH: Sean Payton said the Saints’ plan was to play conservatively in this one and that philosophy was reflected in their play-calling on both sides of the ball. The Saints were still aggressive but they picked their spots to attack more judiciously. They employed only six personnel packages on offense, which might prove to be a season-low total at season's end. They traditionally use between seven and nine. The Saints were less exotic in part because of strategy and in part because of necessity. A hamstring injury to Lance Moore prevented the Saints from running four-receiver sets. Once the Saints built the big lead, they went almost exclusively to their 1WR/2TE/1RB/1FB package, which they employ to ice games using the power running game. The Saints ran this package on all eleven of their snaps in the fourth quarter and for a game-high 24 reps overall.

On defense, coordinator Gregg Williams played almost exclusively in their base 4-3 scheme and picked his spots to blitz. By my count, the Saints blitzed 15 times in 75 snaps but most were garden variety pressures. Williams once again wasn’t afraid to send defensive backs after the quarterback. Randall Gay, Roman Harper, Pierson Prioleau, Malcolm Jenkins and Chris Reis all blitzed at least once. Once the Saints grabbed the big lead, Williams chose to sit back in a base two-deep safety set and rarely blitzed.

More: http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2009/09/saints-eagles_film_study_conse.html
 
On defense, coordinator Gregg Williams played almost exclusively in their base 4-3 scheme and picked his spots to blitz. By my count, the Saints blitzed 15 times in 75 snaps but most were garden variety pressures. Williams once again wasn’t afraid to send defensive backs after the quarterback. Randall Gay, Roman Harper, Pierson Prioleau, Malcolm Jenkins and Chris Reis all blitzed at least once. Once the Saints grabbed the big lead, Williams chose to sit back in a base two-deep safety set and rarely blitzed.

This tells me that once Gregg Williams is comfortable with the lead the Saints have, he absolutely refuses to give up information for other teams to find and study on film. I was fairly sure after the Detroit game that he was only calling as an aggressive of a game as was needed to win. But now, with what the stats on paper show for the Philadelphia game, I'm nearly 100% sure that we've only seen the tip of the iceberg. Believe it or not, I can't wait for a game that is coming down to the wire in the 4th quarter inorder to see what Williams pulls out of his bag of tricks.
 
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This tells me that once Gregg Williams is comfortable with the lead the Saints have, he absolutely refuses to give up information for other teams to find and study on film.

While i'm sure that's part of it, I don't think its an overriding issue. Switching to a soft-scheme and only tightening up in the redzone is simply the intelligent thing to do given the Quarterbacks we've played and the defense we have. Maybe as he trusts the defense more and we play better quarterbacks like Brady, he'll stay in his normal defense longer, but against Kolb or Stafford this early in the season?

Going soft was the right thing to do, and Philly going 0-3 on drives in the 4th quarter, with 2 INTs (one for a TD) and a turnover on downs demonstrates that the strategy is smart on it's own merits.
 
1WR/2TE/1RB/1FB – 24 snaps
3WR/1TE/1RB – 19

2WR/1TE/1RB/1FB -- 13

2WR/2TE/1RB – 6

3WR/1RB/1FB – 2

3WR/1TE/1FB – 1

I know we were up pretty big in this game, but this is surprising.

Whoever said we were a "finesse" team? :idunno:

The other thing that got my attention was the fact that when we did run a 1WR set, Meachem was the one WR.

<o:p> </o:p>
 
I know we were up pretty big in this game, but this is surprising.

Whoever said we were a "finesse" team? :idunno:

The other thing that got my attention was the fact that when we did run a 1WR set, Meachem was the one WR.

<o:p> </o:p>

Having Shockey, Heath Evans, Reggie Bush, and (apparently) David Thomas means even when we line up with 1 wide receiver, Brees is still every bit as dangerous in getting the ball down field, even "way" down field.

And with Meachem and Colston, we might as well have tight ends on the field even when we line up 4 wide.

Very, very versatile personal groupings.
 
Gregg Williams playing close to the vest... no need to show other teams our blitzes if we're winning by 20. I did find it funny that Reis was sent on a blitz on the last play of the game on Porter's INT... I turned the channel leading up to that play so I missed the called T.O. with 5 seconds left. So GW sent Reis LOL! That's what I'm talkin bout!
 
The one mention here that is of most concern to me is Duncan's observation of Grant. If this continues, I do believe Williams will bench him. If he is hurt and playing that is one thing, but his production is now at the suck level for the third year in row.
 
I know we were up pretty big in this game, but this is surprising.

Whoever said we were a "finesse" team? :idunno:

The other thing that got my attention was the fact that when we did run a 1WR set, Meachem was the one WR.

<o:p> </o:p>

It's been stated that he's our best blocking WR.
 
Meachem and Heath Evans are playing a lot this year, and I wonder how much those two, along with Shockey, are helping with the "instant run game" the SAINTS seem to have developed? Nicks and Evans are huge in the run game too, both literally and figuratively. ;)

Great article, Jeff Duncan's been doing a really top notch job this season (and offseason).
 
The one mention here that is of most concern to me is Duncan's observation of Grant. If this continues, I do believe Williams will bench him. If he is hurt and playing that is one thing, but his production is now at the suck level for the third year in row.

Charles Grant has been stealing from the Saints for far too long. If he doesn't pick it up soon, he's a goner this offseason, IMO. I wouldn't be surprised if we take a DE in the first round of next year's draft to fix what appears to be the weakest part of the team so far: the pass rush.

CRAZY SALARY + INJURIES + MORBID OBESITY + PENDING MURDER TRIAL(!!!) + MINIMAL PRODUCTION = CUT
 
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Charles Grant has been stealing from the Saints for far too long. If he doesn't pick it up soon, he's a goner this offseason, IMO. I wouldn't be surprised if we take a DE in the first round of next year's draft to fix what appears to be the weakest part of the team so far: the pass rush.

CRAZY SALARY + INJURIES + MORBID OBESITY + PENDING MURDER TRIAL(!!!) + MINIMAL PRODUCTION = CUT


Agreed. I haven't been on the bash WS and CG bandwagon, but there is obviously something still missing from our D. When I look at our D line with THREE 1st rounders not getting any more pressure than they have, you gotta think that is the area underperforming.
 
I liked when Greg said he wanted to see Kevin Kolb punished
 

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