Are we this bad or is Sean Payton simply not showing his cards in Preseason? (1 Viewer)

[HouseCall]

I think it's a little bit of both. We certainly didn't do anything exotic on offense or defense -- which are hallmarks of Payton and Allen. So in that regard, I think we stayed a bit vanilla.

However, our vanilla is pretty below average and that doesn't foster a lot of hope that we'll be able to challenge in the South this season.

I think, as I've said before, we have some fresh new talent on the team, but we are lacking in the trenches. There will be flashes of greatness at times this season and there will be head-scratching inefficiency.

I think this is, from the eyeball test and on paper, right now... a 6 or 7 win team.

I hope I'm wrong and they catch lightning in a bottle and prove me really wrong.

 

[Crush]

The problem with this kind of argument is nobody is really showing their cards in preseason. It's not like everyone we played game planned and played their starters against our backups, while we were the only ones who didn't game plan and took our starters out earlier. We got whipped whether our starters were in or out, and nobody did anything special to prepare for us. That is concerning.

That's really it in a nutshell. Nobody is planning or showing anything in preseason. It's all about winning 1v1 match ups on both lines and execution. We looked bad all around aside from a few flashes by Fairley.

 

[natedog]

Hmmm, could be the teams we played are really good, seasoned teams. As far as I know three of those teams were play off teams last year. Add to that at least two of them have HOF coaches. Our kryptonite has always been these big, strong, physical teams. . . .nothing new here, If Drew plays all game we would have likely went at least 2-2 over the preseason.

 

[Optimistic Ozzy]

Come on give me a break

 

[Darth Deuce]

We have to be this bad, there is no other explanation for HOF QB Drew Brees at age 37 to be taking snaps in the 4th preseason game.

This.

 

[St.Dan]

I trend on the side of the "vanilla" argument with such a seemingly poor preseason. I do think one thing remains the same for all teams, regardless of scheme. Preseason is practice with ticket prices, nothing more. The intensity level is in another stratosphere for regular season games that count. You can't get much more competitive than Drew Brees when the bullets are for real, and I think you'll see a smoother effort from everyone, even the seemingly poor O-line.

On defense, there's good things. Our base scheme will indeed blitz WAY more than what you see in any preseason game. You're not going to see the 2011 opener when GW sent the house after Alex Smith and Little Fidel, then it came back to bite us when the same team ended our season prematurely. Of course, it'll put P.J. Williams in a white-hot spotlight much of the time. But, it's time to earn your money, son.

 

[Surviving Saint]

the first 4 games will tell the tale of the season. If history is any indication, if they go 3-1, things will look good. If they go 0-4, 1-3, things will be like the past 2 seasons. Since 2006 the saints have not been to the playoffs if they finish 2-2 or worse in the first 4 games

Atlanta went 5-0 to start last year and then 6-1 and failed miserably. Lets hope thats not us this year. 2-2 we still have a chance at the playoffs. 1-3, No. 0-4 definitely not happening.

This team isnt built to come from behind. We need to take an early lead every game if we want to win. FGs wont cut it either.

 

[sfbaysaint]

this bad.

 

[crosswatt]

Come on give me a break

Its just that we always thought that your name was a part of some sort of ironic commentary performance art piece.

 

[BoNcHiE]

That's really it in a nutshell. Nobody is planning or showing anything in preseason. It's all about winning 1v1 match ups on both lines and execution. We looked bad all around aside from a few flashes by Fairley.

Again, some teams do not win by winning "1v1" matchups.

Some do it with blitzing, zone blocking instead of man, disguised coverage, setting up the safety, better scheming, etc. on both sides of the ball.

It's way too simplified to just say "welp, they didn't win all their 1v1 matchups, so we are doomed."

 

[gumbotron]

the ole Payton bait n switch in full effect......we gonna curb stomp the Raiders

 

[Tony in Brandon]

If you look at Payton's face with 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter, that'll tell you everything you need to know

I didn't get to watch. What was his look?

 

[Jeff Miller]

I think its a combination of the two. Of course they are not going to show much scheme on either side of the ball, that makes preseason hard enough to watch, but the o-line that concontinues to make Brees run for his life, the dropped balls, the drive killing penalties, the lack of a pass rush with the front 4, and blown assigments that give up 1st downs on 3rd and long...thats a sign that tallent and/or chemistry isn't where it needs to be.

The quality of play execution is what you look for in preseason, and I haven't much at all in that department.

 

[Jeff Miller]

the ole Payton bait n switch in full effect......we gonna curb stomp the Raiders

watched the Raiders last night, their pass rush looks like its gonna curb stomp Brees.

 

[JvilleJoe]

I, too, am usually a 'glass half full' fan, but the body of work we have seen in our Saints this preseason has not been encouraging in terms of any improvement. In fact our OL has taken a huge step backward from last year and last year was not great. I just don't see anything that would give us expectations of a playoff spot this year, although I sure hope I am wrong.
This team is young and there is some ascending talent we can see from a number of the young guys. I am afraid, however, that without an OL that can protect Drew or an OL that cannot open consistent holes for the running game we are not going to be competitive week to week this year. I can see us improving later in the year, but at that point I am concerned we will be in such a hole that we will still wind up with a record of 7 - 9 or 8 - 8 if lucky.