Chill Out - This team was Built for a 2017 SB Run (1 Viewer)

[gtaz21]

We as fans get stoked every offseason and beginning of every new season. We Homer's have our rosie colored glasses on and we make UDFAs into 1st ballot Hall of Famers. It's only natural.

It would have been awesome if this 2016 team could have snuck into the last wildcard spot this year. But if you look back at many of the posts in the off-season, our multi-year weaknesses were well discussed: bad drafts, terrible FA signings, dead cap space, toxic team chemistry and Brees contract situation.

Certain steps had to be taken to make another SB run:

- 1st, SP had to get a team that reflected his character and personality. So he gutted a bunch of players. I think there's little question this team has fire, is scrappy and plays hard
- Had to get an O-line to be able to Protect Brees in his aging years and be able to run the ball. Besides yesterday's fiasco, we are still the #1 offense in the league and Ingram averages over 5 YPC
- We had to instill new coaching and better players on defense to at least make the defense mediocre. With a MASH unit of CBs, very little talent depth and no real disruptive defensive players, DA has done a respectable job with this team and for the 1st time in years, this defense has exciting promise
- Fix draft problems and bring in a bedrock of difference makers on defense. Rankins and Von Bell are future super-stars and some of our previous year draft picks looked really good before injury
- Sign Brees through 2017 without destroying future cap space. That was done perfectly
- Free up cap space to secure key FAs before 2017 season. That's done also
- And we picked up a future pro bowl WR in Thomas as a bonus

Admittedly, I've been tough on the Saints since 2014. Unfortunately I've been right more often that not. In that same view, I am really stoked about 2017 and maybe 2018 if Brees can stay healthy. Yes it's hard to get excited after a beat-down in our own Dome. But I don't think too many of us really expected a SB run this year.

Before we judge and sentence SP and Loomis to extinction, let's give it one more year. If 2017 is not much much better than 2014 - 2016, then we can scream for heads and those of you who believe this regime is doomed will be correct. But let's give them one more year.

TRANSLATION = "Just wait 'til next year!!!"

 

[Hey BAY BAY!!!]

They said that in 2015 and its 2016 with the same production.

 

[bobad]

Everyone from the waterboy to the owner, and even 16 YO fans know our weaknesses.

I'll be watching in the off season for Payton to address those weaknesses. If he does, I will be encouraged, and believe we will improve. If not, I'll just go on cruise control for another year or 2 until things do change.

Meanwhile, I'm hopeful because many of our 22 starters plus a handful of useful backups will improve. I expect about half of our team to improve, and that's a lot. Here are the players I expect to improve in the coming year(s):

Peat
Kelemete
Armstead
Cooks
Snead
Thomas
Coleman
Lampman
Lasco
Breaux
Bell
Crawley
Webb
Davison
Onyemata
Rankins
Turner
Lutz

I may miss on 2-3, but that's still a lot of improvement. Then,,, we may even upgrade 2-3 of these names in the draft or FA. So I'm optimistic, especially if Payton cuts loose a couple of assistants in the off season.

 

[Meachemdat]

Nicks and Evans made a big difference right up the gut and we ran the ball much better with them, but overall I can't recall a Payton season sans Deuce where, when the chips were down and we needed a yard there wasn't some kind of a struggle to move defenders back off the LOS and comfortably pick up the yardage.

I don't know why but assume it's because something about our schemes are biased to the needs of the passing attack and we either don't emphasize the trench battles of brute strength, or the kind of traits we draft for to protect the QB and execute the passing attack don't fit as well to the run game.

2009 all the chips fell pretty well I'd say. Need a yard? Send Mike Bell flying .

 

[Swimmer]

OP, Good post. You may have talked me off of the ledge. You are right this was a rebuilding year with unforeseen injuries to the secondary. With cap space we should be able to buy a defense. But I must say it is still disappointing when you see flashes of greatness on defense and then they fold. Or you see an offense of consistent greatness only to have it stifled with horrible play calling. Optimistic for next year but let's build on success now and not breed a losing culture.

Thanks for the kind words. I have been roasted on the board the past 2 years for calling attention to what I believed to be really bad FO and coaching moves that were leading us in the wrong direction as a franchise. In reality, I am not smart enough about football to know. I only have hunches. But I do have some very knowledgeable NFL connections who have been pointing these problems out to me.

Count on my Homerism, 2 weeks before the season and I go 9-7 and maybe playoffs for the last 3 years. Then after we go 0-3, I realize these NFL sources are more often right than wrong.

For the 1st time since 2014, I really believe we have a real shot over the next 2 years if Brees stays healthy.

After that, I cringe knowing the state of Benson and lack of a real player personnel GM. But I am hopeful for the next 2 seasons. If we fall flat on our face next year again, I do believe it's time to clean house from Loomis to SP to the coaches.

 

[rail]

I've seen this sentiment brought up a lot on this board - 'wait 'til 2017'.

What is it that has people believing that this franchise can magically pull it all together next year? More cap space? I have little faith that they are going to suddenly be wise in the spending of money and bring in quality free agents that actually contribute.

That the younger players are going to improve dramatically under this team's stellar coaching? Please.

This team is just not good. Hasn't been for three straight years and it looks like that will not change.

 

[SAINTIN NEBR]

I agree...

Everyone from the waterboy to the owner, and even 16 YO fans know our weaknesses.

I'll be watching in the off season for Payton to address those weaknesses. If he does, I will be encouraged, and believe we will improve. If not, I'll just go on cruise control for another year or 2 until things do change.

Meanwhile, I'm hopeful because many of our 22 starters plus a handful of useful backups will improve. I expect about half of our team to improve, and that's a lot. Here are the players I expect to improve in the coming year(s):

Peat
Kelemete
Armstead
Cooks
Snead
Thomas
Coleman
Lampman
Lasco
Breaux
Bell
Crawley
Webb
Davison
Onyemata
Rankins
Turner
Lutz

I may miss on 2-3, but that's still a lot of improvement. Then,,, we may even upgrade 2-3 of these names in the draft or FA. So I'm optimistic, especially if Payton cuts loose a couple of assistants in the off season.

I'm pretty confident that Payton KNOWS what needs fixed..(i.e. special teams and defense) but WILL he make necessary coaching changes... I think Dennis Allen has been an improvement over Ryan as far as confusion and verbiage before snaps. I won't judge him until he's had a whole season of running this defense by himself... The Lions game exposed some glaring weakness in our pass rush front-four and our secondary needs a ball hawk..I see a lot of promise there.. Special teams is a train wreck and has to get fixed next year or you can forget about it..

 

[Maik Jeaunz]

while we may have a better team next year, I don't really buy this as a strategy. the Patriots have been Super Bowl contenders for the last 15 years, without ever having to "load up" for a 1 year run...

 

[SAINTIN NEBR]

Exactly...

and I think a lot of our angst comes from the fact that the clock is ticking on Drew's shelf life so to speak. Its a race to see if we can surround Drew with the right talent, coaching, schemes, (and sheer luck) to get back to the promised land.

while we may have a better team next year, I don't really buy this as a strategy. the Patriots have been Super Bowl contenders for the last 15 years, without ever having to "load up" for a 1 year run...

 

[crosswatt]

while we may have a better team next year, I don't really buy this as a strategy. the Patriots have been Super Bowl contenders for the last 15 years, without ever having to "load up" for a 1 year run...

Bill Belichick has complete control of the organization, and as one of the top five football minds that has ever existed. It's just not an analogy this ever going to work in anyone else's favor.

But let's not forget that Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton had a come-to-jesus meeting, and there was a very real chance that Sean Payton was walking out the door this past offseason. They came to an agreement on a new five-year contract for him, and we assume a strategic plan for the team going forward, which we see being implemented already in some of the younger players already making such an impact.

Drew Brees wasn't signed to essentially a two-year contract for salary-cap purposes. The salary cap is already free and clear from the majority of dead money that supposedly held us back these last two seasons.

It was done, I believe anyway, because next year is the target year for success. To be fair, this year could have been that year, but we had two ridiculously fluky losses, and two other winnable games that they just weren't able to put away.

It is my hope that they spend the next four games working on those types of situations, and come out next year with a few new players from what we hope to be a good draft class, a little maturity on some of our younger players, and a free agent or two who can help correct some of the little things that have kept the team from playing winning football.

 

[bobad]

and I think a lot of our angst comes from the fact that the clock is ticking on Drew's shelf life so to speak. Its a race to see if we can surround Drew with the right talent, coaching, schemes, (and sheer luck) to get back to the promised land.

I have a feeling we will draft a QB high this year, which will cramp my plans for an outside pass rusher, ILB, and Guard in that order.

 

[SAINTIN NEBR]

at some point we are going to have to..

If you believe that a successful transition requires a young QB to develop for one or two years as apposed to thrown to the wolves so to speak...(Dak Prescott-mode) The only other option would be to go the free-agent route. Is there anyone out there now who reminds you of a potential young Drew Brees? I don't see any... We were blessed to have Drew land here...

I have a feeling we will draft a QB high this year, which will cramp my plans for an outside pass rusher, ILB, and Guard in that order.

 

[St. Anger]

Ever since Loomis became head of basketball operations of the Pelicans in 2012, his eye on the Saints has not been focused. You cannot have two masters but in his defense, when the boss asks you to do something, you don't say no. So? Benson has boogered Loomis up by overloading his plate with two sports franchises.

 

[Chamo76]

that was said in 15...now its 16...then it was we going on a run...Brees for mvp...we gone win out...take the division from the falcons week 17...now its.....we were built for a 17 superbowl run...lets be real...take off the homer glasses...this team is a joke...if not for Brees...this team would be running neck to neck with the Browns for the first pick...Major changes need to be made this offseason

 

[JRead2]

All this talk makes it sound like 2016 is over. We're not mathematically eliminated, and I still believe. We had a bad week! Hopefully, we won't have any more. Once we win these last 4 games, I think our 9-7 record will be enough. Hold your heads high, people. The season isn't over.