Analysis AMA: Post-Cowboy's Game (13 Viewers)

[TCUDan]

What I see from the defense is that they aren't pressing, and when the opposing offense does make a big play, they stay composed. The Cowboys game, especially in the first, really came down to the Saints' offense scoring TDs and their defense holding Dallas to field goals. On the one touchdown that was a great route by Lamb (he got Adebo stacked, leaned into him, and then speed cut the out) and Mathieu just took a bad angle (was trying to play the ball and he should have just gone for the hit.... like he did later in the game).

I love what I'm seeing from an individual level too. Kool-aid played really well--far better than I expected. Adebo is earning himself a massive payday (he's been playing pro-bowl ball for a couple years now). Taylor is embracing the slot role and we finally have a nickel that looks like CJ Gardner-Johnson out there. The DL is disruptive and Demario is ageless and while I do think the defense can be a little leaky at times they are playing with a ton of swagger and complementing the offense really well.

Again, I'm not trying to get too excited, but these are 2009 vibes. I love the way the entire team is playing.

I don't remember if it was last year or the year before but when I would do these AMAs I'd always get questions about the defense's tackling--why it was bad, if they needed to live tackle in practice, etc.

At the time what I said was it's this cascade effect (someone can search for it to get my exact words)--basically you have guys pressing, trying to do more than their job, to make a play b/c they don't have confidence in their teammates or the scheme or whatever it is, so THEY need to make a play. So now they're getting out of their lane, trying to force big plays instead of letting the plays come to them. That's when you get bad technique and discipline, which leads to missed tackles, blown coverages, penalties, etc.

How many actual new faces are there on the defense? Where is the massive upgrade? Will Harris???? Chase Young??? Lattimore didn't even play this game.

No. It's the same guys, playing more sound, more composed, and trusting each other. Just like the offense--it's almost the exact same players, playing with confidence.

 

[TCUDan]

If you told me the Saints were 25 points better than the Cowboys at the beginning of the season, I would have said you were crazy. The execution of the offense and to also take Micah Parson's out of the game was good coaching. You can tell the players have bought into Kubiak's system. The defense has a swagger and the players are not afraid to tackle or hit someone. This not the same team as we have seen since Drew retired.

Question: Can Olave and Shaheed continue to carry the load for the receivers since A.T. Perry is a healthy scratch and is non-effective this year? Is McKinistry the new replacement for Latimore?

100% they can. Shaheed in particular looks SPECIAL this year... his routes, his understanding, the angle of his breaks. He's playing at an all-pro level for what he's being asked to do (Olave is still the man and the more complete WR--just considering how Shaheed got here, his play has been extremely impressive).

One thing this system--and it seems, Kubiak's philosophy--is that it is ALL ABOUT getting the best players on the field. There are far fewer 3 and 4 WR sets (10 and 11 personnel)... it's almost exclusively 21, 12, and 22 personnel, and very little rotation. Olave and Shaheed are taking the lion's share of snaps. Has any other WR had a target in these first 2 games?

 

[TCUDan]

Because as Dan says, it's a system, not a part of something else. In order to implement it properly you have to commit to it and it has to be core to your offense and your offense bends to it, not the other way around.

So when Payton brings in a/the guru consultant for a bit, that's just for adding a bit to his offense, not changing the core of his offense.

In culinary terms, if this Shanahan offense is a steak seasoned with salt and pepper, what Payton did was add a bit of salt and pepper to his Tilapia.

Well said. It is this, along with the great positional coaching (because everyone is serving the system) that has the offense operating so efficiently.

 

[TCUDan]

This has really jumped out to me as well. They aren't doing anything earth shattering out there. This isn't some gimmick offense. The motions/formations look fancy to us because we haven't seen it but the plays are super basic. The execution has been unreal.

You don't have to put much on film when you can run right, run left, and hit play action at will.

When Kubiack does reach into his bag of tricks, what can we expect? I'm sure he has a few bangers drawn up for Taysom.

The general rule of play-calling is you don't use it if you don't need it. They are definitely going into games with a few tricks in the bag--but when you're scoring on every drive out of your base stuff, why put it out there?

I like the way they're using Shaheed and some of the little window dressing things they do. But none of that's trick plays. It's just moving personnel around. I'm sure they have a flea flicker or a double pass or even some more creative, innovative stuff they spend a few minutes on each week, but until it's needed--no reason to pull it out.

My guess--and my method, generally--is if I'm not forced to us it, I'll pull it out whenever it's midseason and we're facing and undefeated opponent, and I want to shock them early, or in the playoffs. Not saying we won't see it sooner (maybe they open the game with something wild next week), but so far the efficiency of the base plays has made all that unnecessary

 

[Jesse Custer]

Are you as excited as I am over the expansion of Taysom's role in this offense? He's playing the Kyle Juszczyk role but with the added wrinkle of being able to pass and run effectively from the QB position and I like to think it makes it even harder to defend him.

 

[SWJJ]

While the plays themselves are not exotic, I do think people are not appreciating the way that Kubiak uses plays early to set up for plays later. We give so many different looks on purpose, then when we give the same look, we do something different next time. A great example is when we had presnap motion with Shaheed and faked a jet sweep right and then handed Karama the ball off tackle right. He got a chunk on that play early, I think for a first down. Then in the third quarter (I think) they have the same look, but faked the handoff to kamara and rolled Carr out on a naked play action bootleg, back to the sided of the field where Shaheed went into motion and went back to him.

Kubiak may be using "simple" plays, and I agree this offense isn't a "gimmick" offense, but KK is absolutely still playing 3d chess with his play calling. We are not scoring 40+ ppg based on sheer "execution."

Scheme matters.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Defenses will come up with answers. But truly, honestly--the Saints have NOT put that much on film. They're just running their base offense and beating the snot out of whichever defense is in front of them.

and that's the great part

to borrow a phrase - keep doing what we're doing and when defenses do start coming up with some answers to slow us down bust out the fancy stuff* just like Rocky switching back to southpaw against Apollo

*I'm assuming there is a bunch of fancy plays they're keeping in their back pocket, right?

 

[RJS]

and that's the great part

to borrow a phrase - keep doing what we're doing and when defenses do start coming up with some answers to slow us down bust out the fancy stuff* just like Rocky switching back to southpaw against Apollo

*I'm assuming there is a bunch of fancy plays they're keeping in their back pocket, right?

At this point it's not even the fancy stuff. This offense has historically made TE's a focal point in the passing game. Yesterday they targeted Foster and JJ a combined one time. When you only throw the ball 16 times, you're barely scratching the "base" offense.

 

[sfidc3]

100% they can. Shaheed in particular looks SPECIAL this year... his routes, his understanding, the angle of his breaks. He's playing at an all-pro level for what he's being asked to do (Olave is still the man and the more complete WR--just considering how Shaheed got here, his play has been extremely impressive).

One thing this system--and it seems, Kubiak's philosophy--is that it is ALL ABOUT getting the best players on the field. There are far fewer 3 and 4 WR sets (10 and 11 personnel)... it's almost exclusively 21, 12, and 22 personnel, and very little rotation. Olave and Shaheed are taking the lion's share of snaps. Has any other WR had a target in these first 2 games?

Thanks for all the great info Coach....

Above is absolutely what we are seeing, playing to our best players strengths, putting them in position to succeed.....BUT, the NFL is a very long season, that said what other offensive players do you think could be major contributors as the year goes on? Tipton, AT Perry, Holker, Mims?

I think as the year goes on, it will be important to keep our best players relatively fresh....

 

[SaintsFanInNY]

If our opponents are striking out on fastballs, no need to bring out the breaking ball just yet. "Forget about the curveball Rickey, give 'em the heater".

-we had a boxing reference ala Rocky, so I figured I'd sprinkle in a little baseball ala Major League.

 

[sfidc3]

If our opponents are striking out on fastballs, no need to bring out the breaking ball just yet. "Forget about the curveball Rickey, give 'em the heater".

-we had a boxing reference ala Rocky, so I figured I'd sprinkle in a little baseball ala Major League.

It's more like lets make sure our best pitcher(s) are healthy going into the pennant run......One of the my hopes is that a few of our younger players are worked in and start contributing.....the likelihood of all of our primary skilled players not missing time is unlikely.....

 

[NDat#]

Barring injury concerns, is Taysom going to be fantasy relevant in this offense? Looks like he is getting snaps but his primary role seems to be lead blocking and decoy route running more than actual rushing/receiving and surprisingly simply absent in goal line situations. With the insane results after two games, can't argue with keeping with what's working but it certainly hasn't been a major part of the primary plan at this point.

 

[efil4stnias]

Gibbs was a position coach, and it's the position coaches that make any system work. What Kubiak is doing isn't radical play design, it's good coaching by him and the coaches under him. It's attention to detail. It's accountability. It's, rather than asking each player to just beat the man in front of them, it's telling them to do their job, the way they are being taught, and trust that they will win--and defining what "winning" means.

thank you and i wanted to highlight this part- because AK41 referred SPECIFICALLY about this 2x in post game yesterday- the position coaches.

 

[efil4stnias]

I don't remember if it was last year or the year before but when I would do these AMAs I'd always get questions about the defense's tackling--why it was bad, if they needed to live tackle in practice, etc.

At the time what I said was it's this cascade effect (someone can search for it to get my exact words)--basically you have guys pressing, trying to do more than their job, to make a play b/c they don't have confidence in their teammates or the scheme or whatever it is, so THEY need to make a play. So now they're getting out of their lane, trying to force big plays instead of letting the plays come to them. That's when you get bad technique and discipline, which leads to missed tackles, blown coverages, penalties, etc.

How many actual new faces are there on the defense? Where is the massive upgrade? Will Harris???? Chase Young??? Lattimore didn't even play this game.

No. It's the same guys, playing more sound, more composed, and trusting each other. Just like the offense--it's almost the exact same players, playing with confidence.

and a good offense is, part of, a good defense.

The pressure of the opponent to have to execute on every play, flawless, just to keep pace, helps the defense for sure.

I came into this season with ZERO expectation - new OC, team finding its way, players assimilating to new system.

I had no earthly idea that the dividends would be paid opening drive, game 1.

Im going to soak up this ride. Attempt to remain even keeled but as many ( and you ) have pointed out, starting to get vibes of 2009 offensive output.

 

[Domeination]

Shaheed in particular looks SPECIAL this year... his routes, his understanding, the angle of his breaks. He's playing at an all-pro level for what he's being asked to do.

Shaheed told Underhill he can feel the exact moment a CB fails and he has gained the edge as he's running his route:

“The more you get on his toes, the more he has to guess, and the harder it is for him to recover,” Shaheed said. “By the time I get on his toes and my break, it’s kind of hard for DBs to keep up. As soon as I stick my foot in the ground and I don’t see their hips completely turn, then I know I have the advantage.”

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