4 years (1 Viewer)

[big screen D]

The problem is, the Saints never make big moves to get players. Demario Davis was an outstanding addition to the Defense, and while Alexander played well, apparently the reason he was so cheap was he can't stay on the field. The Bucs added Antonio Brown and Leonard Fournette DURING the season. The Saints could have added Earl Thomas relatively cheap. They have GOT to make some moves to get some more talent on this team.

Kwon Alexander would take issue with this.

 

[Brooklyn]

4 years of division titles. 1 year I'll put the game on the refs. 3 years, out coached and out played. Tough to take. Once a Saints fan, always a Saints fan however something has to change just not sure what. I don't want to blow up the foundation of this team, there is to much talent. AA got picked on all game, Drew had a tough game ( will always hold him in the highest regard ) , a couple times it looked like he and the receivers were on a different page on the routes run. Bad prep? play calls? To predictable? What needs to change?

We will look back on these years fondly down the road. Just think of how bad the first 40 years were. 1 playoff win. We didn’t even make the playoffs until I was 13-14 years old, then we were blown out in the playoffs.

 

[LonghornSaintsFan]

a couple times it looked like he and the receivers were on a different page on the routes run. Bad prep? play calls? To predictable? What needs to change?

Bingo 2 of those picks were just bad route by the receiver/RB. The last I checked Brady did the same thing twice against us in the regular season I didn't hear people complaining about that.

 

[SRAddict]

We will look back on these years fondly down the road. Just think of how bad the first 40 years were. 1 playoff win. We didn’t even make the playoffs until I was 13-14 years old, then we were blown out in the playoffs.

This x 1000...prior to Hakim dropping the ball, I only saw the saints get blown out in the playoffs (looking at you Eric Allen)...enjoyed the ride. Ready for the next era in Saints football...consistently winning 12-13 games a yr for 4 yr in a row is very hard.

 

[Derrick 63]

We have to give the Bucs some credit here as well. The receivers struggled to get separation and Drew had one of his worst games.

Agreed. The Bucs secondary played the game of a lifetime. They will have to duplicate that the next two games.

 

[RajCaj80]

Bingo 2 of those picks were just bad route by the receiver/RB. The last I checked Brady did the same thing twice against us in the regular season I didn't hear people complaining about that.

There might be others, but the missed back shoulder throw to Thomas is one that comes to mind. Drew put the ball out of reach of the defender toward the sideline and it looked like Thomas was running a different route. He and Kamara were definitely off on Drew's 2nd interception. I don't know if Kamara ran the wrong route, or if they weren't on the same page on an option play. That wasn't an underthrown ball....he was expecting Kamara to come back for the catch. The 3rd pick to Cook wasn't necessarily a bad throw...he put the ball up high where he could contend for it....just went straight through his hands and shot straight up in the air after hitting his pads.

RE: Brady & his play.....Saints defenders had their hands on at least 3 interceptions....1 of which could have gone for 6. Lattimore didn't drag his 2nd foot to bring one in bounds, ball hit the ground on one CGJ dove for and Lattimore missed another on a route he undercut with no one infront of him. Would have been a very different game if they could have come up with those grabs.

 

[smokey bear]

If the Dome would’ve been full of screaming fans it may have been a Saints Win Thanks COVID-19 !

 

[Taker597]

I would say


1 Ref
1 Fluke Play
2 Father Time appearances

 

[Arc]

doesn’t matter it’s fake anyway


QUOTE="brd13, post: 8340297, member: 10514"]
4 years of division titles. 1 year I'll put the game on the refs. 3 years, out coached and out played. Tough to take. Once a Saints fan, always a Saints fan however something has to change just not sure what. I don't want to blow up the foundation of this team, there is to much talent. AA got picked on all game, Drew had a tough game ( will always hold him in the highest regard ) , a couple times it looked like he and the receivers were on a different page on the routes run. Bad prep? play calls? To predictable? What needs to change?
[/QUOTE]

 

[brd13]

We will look back on these years fondly down the road. Just think of how bad the first 40 years were. 1 playoff win. We didn’t even make the playoffs until I was 13-14 years old, then we were blown out in the playoffs.

True dat

 

[Icon]

Pssh! These are our glory years. At least we were in every game. Could be worse. We could be fans of the Lombardiless, sitting on the couch during the postseason, Vikings, Panthers and Falcons' fans.

Quite honestly, I've gotten to the point where I'm so incredibly over "28-3", Minnesota, etc.

To get to that Super Bowl, Atlanta had to go through a quarterback on one of the hottest 6 or 7 week runs that I've maybe ever seen in Aaron Rodgers. They comfortably handled business at home in that NFC title game. And I wish we had a chance to be up on somebody 28 to 3 in a Super Bowl in these last few seasons.

Minnesota has ended our season twice on a final play.

For a team that has been built to win so much over the last 4 years, I don't understand why we've constantly invented ways to lose when it counts the most.

 

[blackadder]

Football is all about momentum and I feel like had we scored on that drive...it would've been almost impossible for the Bucs to rally.

Brady very nearly three 3 picks and if we had ball skills things might be different.

Had they scored there the Bucs were going to have to pass and we probably would have gotten one. That said...maybe Brady gets lucky or gets a PI. Defense played well overall but pass rush was AWOL and Allen seemed set on rushing just 4.

All shortcomings of Drew considered, they are the same as they have been all year. The team was working around what Drew can do and was managing it as well as you can. The Cook fumble was the key, but the first INT was also critical.

I struggle with why Payton continued to tolerate or rely on Cook. He was a huge risk for exactly what happened and needed to be phased out or used less in key situations. Same with Hill, he needs to be used carefully because the analytics tell you he is also a huge turnover risk, so both I would dial back unless up by a healthy lead then use them to try to put the game away when the risk from their turnover tendencies is less likely to cost you the game.

 

[RajCaj80]

Brady very nearly three 3 picks and if we had ball skills things might be different.

Had they scored there the Bucs were going to have to pass and we probably would have gotten one. That said...maybe Brady gets lucky or gets a PI. Defense played well overall but pass rush was AWOL and Allen seemed set on rushing just 4.

All shortcomings of Drew considered, they are the same as they have been all year. The team was working around what Drew can do and was managing it as well as you can. The Cook fumble was the key, but the first INT was also critical.

I struggle with why Payton continued to tolerate or rely on Cook. He was a huge risk for exactly what happened and needed to be phased out or used less in key situations. Same with Hill, he needs to be used carefully because the analytics tell you he is also a huge turnover risk, so both I would dial back unless up by a healthy lead then use them to try to put the game away when the risk from their turnover tendencies is less likely to cost you the game.

Good point on the missed opportunities for interceptions. The teams were very closely matched on the stat sheet, with one of the major differences being the 3 interceptions thrown by Brees...which has been highlighted very clearly. One of the other areas where Tampa's defense was different than ours was that they were able to capitalize on those interception opportunities. Our guys had hands on 3 balls from Brady but failed to bring them in. It doesn't make up for the interceptions the Saints were responsible for...but picking off Brady at least 1 of those 3 times would have had a significant impact on the game.

Regarding your 2nd point.....the Saints won 2x (in convincing fashion) against the Bucs with Drew's "noodle" arm, and high reliance on precision timing routes in the short / intermediate range. The difference this time? Execution. At least as the offense was concerned...Brees & Thomas were not on the same page. Brees & Kamara were not on the same page for the 2nd int. Cook's situational awareness and focus wasn't in the game.

As for Cook continually being put in those key situations....that's just how Payton roles. I think he's of the mindset that one of the best ways to get over being thrown off the horse is to get back on and try again until you get it right and re-build confidence. I think Payton fashions himself as a player's coach, which only works if you have the trust and respect of your players. One way to lose that trust is to give up on a guy mid-game, or mid-season. So long as he thinks they have the capacity to be effective, I think he'll continue to put players in opportunities to get wins until a player has demonstrated that they just can't get over the hump. That said, I think if Payton were to not include Cook anymore...it will happen in the offseason.

Similarly with Taysom...borrowing a massive meltdown, I don't think he would have ever pulled Taysom during the season....but likely learned enough to look in a different direction in the offseason for Drew's replacement.

 

[SaintsMan209]

They didn’t want to win. You don’t turn it over 4 times if you want to win. Drew lost his fire

 

[mr.t]

Agreed. I think Payton called a good game overall, it just wasn’t enough once the turnovers started mounting.

My friend is a high school coach. He said Tampa brought everyone up, covered close, and dared Brees to throw deep. That's next year if Brees come back.. I think that CSP should be on the block at the end of next year if we underachieved again.