We are 1-2, and we have not looked good, but the sky is not falling. (2 Viewers)

[Crzycjunx76]

We have looked bad, mostly on offense. The D has not been perfect, but they have been good enough to win.

Also we actually outgained CAR from LOS by 133yrds.

I know the easy target is Winston, and he disserves a lot of flak, but to me the glaring weakness that makes our play-calling, QB play, etc, moot, is the O-Line. Pretty much outside of a quick "dink and dunk" attack, I do not see much we could consistently execute.

The left side has been horrific and I am not sure there is a fix. If Penning can come back, and if he is ready to be a full time LT at this level, then we can slide Hurst to LG and the line should look infinitely better. That is a thin hope though, and even then we would have no depth... one injury away from a dysfunctional line again. Ram is already dinged, and not really playing like we expect from him.


Anyway, the issues with the team was not the point of this post. It was the 1-2 start to the season and the corresponding assumption that we are headed for a league worst finish.


How many times in the Payton era did we go 1-2 (or worse) in the first 3 games of the season?

2007- We actually started 0-3 (0-4 actually), and ended up 7-9, missing the playoffs.
Colts 10-41
Bucs 14-31
Titans 14-31

2008- Started 1-2, ended up 8-8, missed the playoffs again.
Bucs 24-20
Redskins 24-29
Broncos 32-34

2012- Started 0-3 (0-4 again), ended up 7-9, and missed the playoffs.
Redskins 32-40
Panthers 27-35
Chiefs 24-27

2014- Started 1-2, again 7-9, missing the playoffs.
Falcons 34-37
Browns 24-26
Vikings 20-9

2015- Started 0-3... yeah 7-9, and a theme in missing the playoffs.
Cards 19-31
Bucs 19-26
Panthers 22-27

2016- 0-3, 7-9, missed playoffs, rinse repeat
Raiders 34-35
Giants 13-16
Falcons 32-45

2017 1-2, 11-5, Lost in divisional round of playoffs.
Vikings 19-29
Patriots 20-36
Panthers 34-13

2020 1-2, 12-4, Lost in the divisional round of playoffs.
Bucs 34-23
Raiders 24-34
Packers 30-37


Now most of those results will not build a lot of confidence in the Super Bowl or bust crowd, but a team with our O-Line play is not a contender, period.

Mostly I threw those results out there to show how many times we started the season looking like the sky was falling... and it simply was not.

 

[sammymvpknight]

Garbage time offense

 

[philipkw]

Not falling. Fell.

 

[Goatman Saint]

In none of those seasons did you have a coach at game three acting like Allen did at his press conference.

 

[Taker597]

Coaching seems like a huge issue.

 

[Rudy]

Falling as long as Winston is at quarterback.

 

[SaintsFanJeff]

We have looked bad, mostly on offense. The D has not been perfect, but they have been good enough to win.

Also we actually outgained CAR from LOS by 133yrds.

I know the easy target is Winston, and he disserves a lot of flak, but to me the glaring weakness that makes our play-calling, QB play, etc, moot, is the O-Line. Pretty much outside of a quick "dink and dunk" attack, I do not see much we could consistently execute.

The left side has been horrific and I am not sure there is a fix. If Penning can come back, and if he is ready to be a full time LT at this level, then we can slide Hurst to LG and the line should look infinitely better. That is a thin hope though, and even then we would have no depth... one injury away from a dysfunctional line again. Ram is already dinged, and not really playing like we expect from him.


Anyway, the issues with the team was not the point of this post. It was the 1-2 start to the season and the corresponding assumption that we are headed for a league worst finish.


How many times in the Payton era did we go 1-2 (or worse) in the first 3 games of the season?

2007- We actually started 0-3 (0-4 actually), and ended up 7-9, missing the playoffs.
Colts 10-41
Bucs 14-31
Titans 14-31

2008- Started 1-2, ended up 8-8, missed the playoffs again.
Bucs 24-20
Redskins 24-29
Broncos 32-34

2012- Started 0-3 (0-4 again), ended up 7-9, and missed the playoffs.
Redskins 32-40
Panthers 27-35
Chiefs 24-27

2014- Started 1-2, again 7-9, missing the playoffs.
Falcons 34-37
Browns 24-26
Vikings 20-9

2015- Started 0-3... yeah 7-9, and a theme in missing the playoffs.
Cards 19-31
Bucs 19-26
Panthers 22-27

2016- 0-3, 7-9, missed playoffs, rinse repeat
Raiders 34-35
Giants 13-16
Falcons 32-45

2017 1-2, 11-5, Lost in divisional round of playoffs.
Vikings 19-29
Patriots 20-36
Panthers 34-13

2020 1-2, 12-4, Lost in the divisional round of playoffs.
Bucs 34-23
Raiders 24-34
Packers 30-37


Now most of those results will not build a lot of confidence in the Super Bowl or bust crowd, but a team with our O-Line play is not a contender, period.

Mostly I threw those results out there to show how many times we started the season looking like the sky was falling... and it simply was not.

We still have time to play Dalton and win

 

[Usmfan84]

The O-Line hasn't even been that bad.

It just appears that way because opposing defenses are teeing off on Winston because he's shown an inability to stop it. They will continue to tee off on him until he makes them pay.

 

[Spec]

Drew Brees and Sean Payton are no longer in the Saints locker room. /thread

 

[Innotech]

theyre divisional losses thats what HURTS

 

[Domeination]

How many times in the Payton era did we go 1-2 (or worse) in the first 3 games of the season?

Just a couple of things: (1) DA ain't no Sean Payton; (2) Sean had Drew when we had those bad starts, and Jameis ain't no Drew.

 

[Deuuuuce]

 

[Lendro Furioso]

We have looked bad, mostly on offense. The D has not been perfect, but they have been good enough to win.

Also we actually outgained CAR from LOS by 133yrds.

I know the easy target is Winston, and he disserves a lot of flak, but to me the glaring weakness that makes our play-calling, QB play, etc, moot, is the O-Line. Pretty much outside of a quick "dink and dunk" attack, I do not see much we could consistently execute.

The left side has been horrific and I am not sure there is a fix. If Penning can come back, and if he is ready to be a full time LT at this level, then we can slide Hurst to LG and the line should look infinitely better. That is a thin hope though, and even then we would have no depth... one injury away from a dysfunctional line again. Ram is already dinged, and not really playing like we expect from him.


Anyway, the issues with the team was not the point of this post. It was the 1-2 start to the season and the corresponding assumption that we are headed for a league worst finish.


How many times in the Payton era did we go 1-2 (or worse) in the first 3 games of the season?

2007- We actually started 0-3 (0-4 actually), and ended up 7-9, missing the playoffs.
Colts 10-41
Bucs 14-31
Titans 14-31

2008- Started 1-2, ended up 8-8, missed the playoffs again.
Bucs 24-20
Redskins 24-29
Broncos 32-34

2012- Started 0-3 (0-4 again), ended up 7-9, and missed the playoffs.
Redskins 32-40
Panthers 27-35
Chiefs 24-27

2014- Started 1-2, again 7-9, missing the playoffs.
Falcons 34-37
Browns 24-26
Vikings 20-9

2015- Started 0-3... yeah 7-9, and a theme in missing the playoffs.
Cards 19-31
Bucs 19-26
Panthers 22-27

2016- 0-3, 7-9, missed playoffs, rinse repeat
Raiders 34-35
Giants 13-16
Falcons 32-45

2017 1-2, 11-5, Lost in divisional round of playoffs.
Vikings 19-29
Patriots 20-36
Panthers 34-13

2020 1-2, 12-4, Lost in the divisional round of playoffs.
Bucs 34-23
Raiders 24-34
Packers 30-37


Now most of those results will not build a lot of confidence in the Super Bowl or bust crowd, but a team with our O-Line play is not a contender, period.

Mostly I threw those results out there to show how many times we started the season looking like the sky was falling... and it simply was not.

I look at those scores and what I see (and remember) is a good offense and terrible defense. We have a great defense and the worst offense in the league. I'm pretty sure this offense would be bad in the 60s NFL, in fact. It's really hard to watch. If it doesn't get fixed soon, heads better start to roll.

 

[IlovemySaints]

The O-Line hasn't even been that bad.

It just appears that way because opposing defenses are teeing off on Winston because he's shown an inability to stop it. They will continue to tee off on him until he makes them pay.

lol what …… how good does Tom Brady look when we teeing off on him ? I’ve seen us blitz and it gets stuffed hence the low number of sacks rbs and oline has a responsibility of picking up the blitz no excuses

 

[dtc]

The O-Line hasn't even been that bad.

It just appears that way because opposing defenses are teeing off on Winston because he's shown an inability to stop it. They will continue to tee off on him until he makes them pay.

How could you say they haven't been that bad?
We've given up 15 sacks in 3 games and probably 30 hits on the QB. We've had silly untimely penalties that have wrecked opportunities. The OL is banged up and our RBs keep coughing up touchdown fumbles.

Winston sure hasn't been good, but imho the OL has been an abomination compared to expectations. We got rolled up on a FG today.