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Brees Talks About Matchup with Dolphins
by NewOrleansSaints.com
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - 5:17 PM
http://neworleanssaints.com/Articles/2009/10/Brees Talks About Matchup with Dolphins.aspx
by NewOrleansSaints.com
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - 5:17 PM
More...Sean said that last year after the Bucs game in the rain that you decided to be dedicated to running the ball more. What has that meant to you as an offense and what did you learn from that game?
“If there’s one game that I specifically remember walking out of – and obviously I was frustrated for a lot of reasons, the fact that we didn’t win and the fact that we had a chance to drive down and we threw the ball a ton of times and I ended up throwing a pick at the end of the game. Just from talking to everybody and getting the general feel of the linemen and everybody, we all felt like if we want to be the type of offense that we want to be, there has to be that type of balance. Our ability to not only run the ball effectively, but situationally in short-yardage we have to be able to run the ball to convert. I recall in that game having a third down-and-one and a fourth down-and-one where we could’ve gotten some points. I definitely remember that game as being somewhat of a turning point in that regard. And then obviously it’s something that we’ve worked extremely hard at through the offseason, coming up with that set of run plays and that mindset to carry forward into this season and make sure that we’re effective with that. I feel like we have done a good job with that thus far.”
What does that do to a defense when you’re balanced on offense?
“Obviously when you’re running the ball effectively, defenses feel like in order to stop you they need to put an extra man down around the front. So you’re talking about taking a safety out of the field and putting him in the box to help with run defense and now you’re leaving your corners one-on-one with one middle of the field safety and you’re exposing yourself somewhat to the passing game, and I’m an opportunist for big plays in the passing game. Then the more effective you are at throwing the football, the more they feel like they have to take that safety out of the box and put him deep again so that they can protect against big plays in the passing game and now you have the numbers again to run the ball effectively. If you’re able to do both, it’s kind of pick your poison – what’s the defense going to do and that puts them in a tough spot.”
http://neworleanssaints.com/Articles/2009/10/Brees Talks About Matchup with Dolphins.aspx