Analysis AMA - Ask Me Anything (Saints Preseason Game 1) (2 Viewers)

[whodatbe]

Hi Dan,

Whodatbe from Kennerbruh. Your thoughts on the new kick-off? I watched a few different pre-season games, and basically what I seen is just most teams starting between the 25-30. I get not wanting to see the touch backs, but if this is the norm why change it? (Yes safety). Thanks, I'll hang up and listen.

 

[MisplacedSaint]

Hey Dan, thanks for all the insight! Not sure you focused on this guy, but Kyle Hergel has really impressed me. As an UDFA he has come in and looked really strong in both 1-on-1s and 2-on-2s. He plays both Guard and Center and when I watched him he seemed to have great technique and was very strong. Did you have any chance to look at his play and make a comment on where you see him with the team?

 

[TruSaint]

Good stuff in Bresee and I agree, he’s fantastic and could turn into a premier 3 down DT in this league.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Hey guys. Things have been busy as usual but I did catch the game and rewatched a little bit. Here to discuss any questions you might have and dive a little deeper into where the team/specific players are at this moment in the preseason. I don't have every position/player graded all the way up and down the depth chart, but I did focus in pretty heavily on WR, OL (well, Penning mostly), RB, QB and a little bit of the DB depth. LB and DL I gotta dig a little deeper but let's talk about whatever's on your mind.

Should the rope w/ Penning be as long as it was last year?

-He's a guy who's in his 3rd season but has only played in 8 games. As it pertains to snaps in an NFL game he's effectively a rookie, one could argue he should have been a player at rookie mini-camps. He needs reps

-He's playing a completely new position this year, so you effectively hit reset on the Atari. Shouldn't that along with the lack of snaps/games played alot him more time before yanking him again?

 

[football]

what do you think of Foskey and his performance so far?

 

[IceHot]

I have two questions the later being more serious (in my mind)....

First can Rico "Suave" Payton make the Team/PSquad?

Second, I didnt get to watch the the game until the second quarter. What I noticed (on the punt plays) was the way the right Gunner would take on the two Jammers. Instead of trying to beat them outside the gunner would consistently try to out pace them through the center of the field well across midfield. I know that a lot of players will make the team based on their ST play, so my question: Is this sound ST play or just a player trying not to look bad by getting washed out?

 

[AGW85]

BC he's not trusting his technique.

Hey Dan,

I've seen you and Duke Manyweather say this about Penning. But what does it mean for an O-Lineman to "trust his technique?" And how does not trusting it result in much smaller players bullying him?

Not being an o-lineman, I don't have any knowledge of o-line technique. Would love to learn more.

Thanks.

 

[Andrus]

Hey guys. Things have been busy as usual but I did catch the game and rewatched a little bit. Here to discuss any questions you might have and dive a little deeper into where the team/specific players are at this moment in the preseason. I don't have every position/player graded all the way up and down the depth chart, but I did focus in pretty heavily on WR, OL (well, Penning mostly), RB, QB and a little bit of the DB depth. LB and DL I gotta dig a little deeper but let's talk about whatever's on your mind.

Great to see you back, Dan! How'd your season go?

 

[Eeyore]

Is Rattler that good or are we getting a little carried away here ?

Yes

 

[TCUDan]

Hi Dan,

Whodatbe from Kennerbruh. Your thoughts on the new kick-off? I watched a few different pre-season games, and basically what I seen is just most teams starting between the 25-30. I get not wanting to see the touch backs, but if this is the norm why change it? (Yes safety). Thanks, I'll hang up and listen.

I was actually a little familiar with it beforehand because the European League of Football (pro league out here) has been using it since 2021. I don't have any strong thoughts on it from a fan/entertainment perspective. From a coaching perspective it means less time spent during the practice week on kickoff so I'm all for it (no coach really enjoys special teams periods).

 

[TCUDan]

Hey Dan, thanks for all the insight! Not sure you focused on this guy, but Kyle Hergel has really impressed me. As an UDFA he has come in and looked really strong in both 1-on-1s and 2-on-2s. He plays both Guard and Center and when I watched him he seemed to have great technique and was very strong. Did you have any chance to look at his play and make a comment on where you see him with the team?

I've loved what I've been hearing about Hergel coming out of practice and the clips of seen of him in camp. I did not focus on him heavily in the game but I'll definitely take a look at him. He's definitely thrown himself into the mix at guard and I wouldn't be surprised to see him make the roster.

 

[TCUDan]

Should the rope w/ Penning be as long as it was last year?

-He's a guy who's in his 3rd season but has only played in 8 games. As it pertains to snaps in an NFL game he's effectively a rookie, one could argue he should have been a player at rookie mini-camps. He needs reps

-He's playing a completely new position this year, so you effectively hit reset on the Atari. Shouldn't that along with the lack of snaps/games played alot him more time before yanking him again?

I understand the argument, but my short answer would be "no"... but with qualifications.

The move from right to left gets overblown a lot. I compare it to driving in England or Ireland or some other former British colony for the first time where you're now on the left side of the road. Yeah, it's jarring, especially if you're driving stick and now have to shift with your left hand. You gotta remember which way to look and essentially left turns become right turns and vise versa... but after a day or two you just naturally get the hang of it because that's how the human brain works. Your muscle memory just transfers over.

So I don't consider RT to be a new position. It gets treated differently bc LT is usually the blindside, so you want your more athletic pass protectors there, but the fundamentals are the same.

But let's say for the sake of the argument that RT is a completely new beast... if his mistakes were specific to making that move (i.e. new mistakes), then I'd grant him a little more grace. But he's doing the same stuff he did last year, which is abandoning all technique, which renders his physical gifts irrelevant. Dude might be the pound for pound best athlete on the tea in terms of size/athleticism ratio, and he looks like a toddler trying to walk on a balance beam.

Don't get me wrong, what he's being asked to do is difficult... but that's the job. There's a reason the coaches moved the guy who's always played LT to RT and the rookie who has always played RT to LT. It's because they are trying to make Penning's job easier. They trust Fuaga, a rookie, to make the move... and by all accounts he's done so successfully (the more difficult transition, mind you)... but Penning can't? The fact that the move was made in the first place only confirms for me that it's a mental/confidence issue with Penning. "Hey, if he's on the right maybe he'll feel less pressure about keeping the QB's head attached to his shoulders, so he'll play with more confidence."

So far, one preseason game in, he's looked awful. And I mean really awful. If he was drafted in the 5th or 6th round... sure, maybe he gets a little more grace, gets stashed on the practice squad, etc. But he was a 1st round pick and I, for one, thought he was a future pro-bowler--his measurables are generational type stuff.

But now going into his 3rd year he has failed to meet the moment and regressed. Like I said, I think his odds of even making the roster are 50/50 at this point. I don't think the answer is coaching or weight room or a different training routine. It's a sports psychologist... maybe some hail-mary type hypnotherapy, I dunno. But at the end of the day the only person who can get Penning out of his own way is Penning.

 

[DarkBuddha]

Just wrapped up the season at the end of June. Back in Prague and doing my offseason stuff (writing, consulting), but otherwise staying the hell away from football for a little while.

... well, except for the Saints.

And CFB '25.

We watch the Saints every week at the Drunken Monkey in old town. We have three games on at each window. It's a dive bar and the beer is flowing but you are welcome if you wanna get out of the house on a Sunday evening.

 

[TCUDan]

what do you think of Foskey and his performance so far?

Honestly... not impressed with him in the game. His first few series he looked extremely hesitant (and for some reason was coming out of a 4 pt... I don't know if that had to do with the particular front or if that was his preference, but he went back to a 3 pt after those couple of series). He got swallowed up in the run game and his pass rush left a lot to be desired. It was always long-arm with the speed rush or a just a half-hearted bull rush. And no counter moves.

He was never grossly out of position (maybe one or two boot legs) but he had 0 impact. I'd like to see a lot more from him. And he'll need to show more if he plans to find a place in a crowded DE rotation.

 

[TCUDan]

I have two questions the later being more serious (in my mind)....

First can Rico "Suave" Payton make the Team/PSquad?

Second, I didnt get to watch the the game until the second quarter. What I noticed (on the punt plays) was the way the right Gunner would take on the two Jammers. Instead of trying to beat them outside the gunner would consistently try to out pace them through the center of the field well across midfield. I know that a lot of players will make the team based on their ST play, so my question: Is this sound ST play or just a player trying not to look bad by getting washed out?

Payton looked good and showed up on a couple plays on the ball... but I'm actually a bigger fan of Rejzohn Wright. I love his length and without getting out in front of my skis, he reminds me A LOT of Richard Sherman. If you get Wright in a match-man (zone with man principles, like the match 3 that the Seahawks ran during peak 'legion of boom' era) I think he could shine. I won't go off on a tangent too much here, but if you want me to explain match-man and how it's different than straight man or zone coverage, I'm happy to go full neurodivergent and explain the defense and why it favors CBs like Wright.

As for the gunner question, the rule on punt coverage for gunners is typically "take the most direct path to the returner." It's the anti-gunners job to funnel you outside for a reason. "Inside and in front" is the kind of catch-all kick/punt coverage rule. The only time you'll see a gunner correctly release outside is on a directional punt.

I, for one, teach my gunners to play "heavy technique," which means their aiming point is the opposite collar bone of the returner. So if I'm the right gunner, my aiming point is his left collar bone, and I take my most direct path to get there.

The reason why treating gunners as "contain" isn't sound is you open up the entire middle of the field and put your fastest coverage players to waste. The cardinal sin of kick/punt coverage is run behind the returner, which is where you usually end up if you're pursuing outside-in and getting washed up the field. "Inside and in front" -- that's where we always wanna be.