Defensive stats for Brees' starts vs Bridgewater (1 Viewer)

[mdharper]

Drew Brees puts a lot more pressure on opposing offenses. A lot more. You should see a corresponding increase in yardage by the opponent.

However, you should also see a corresponding increase in opponent turnovers and I haven't noticed that. To me that's a failure in the defense, especially in the secondary.

 

[joeyseven]

When Drew got hurt, everyone wanted to put the best efforts to make sure we wouldn't be falling. Many players told Bridgewater that they had their back for him and trusted him to lead them to succeed. It was a total team effort from all offense, defense and special teams.

 

[JJoeyB]

my opinion is the entire secondary is playing lazy and have no fight. you see it everytime someone catches a pass they all stare at each other instead of trying to tackle the ball carrier. i dont know if thats coaching or something else is going on with them. they arent playing like defenders.

 

[SaintRob]

Sorry that cannot be the excuse.

We haven't suffered that many injuries on defense. And the two LBs didn't make that much of a difference vs SF. It goes much deeper than that. That secondary was completely embarrassed, including Lattimore.

It can't? Lattimore was banged up a bit during the game. Rankins went out. We were down to Robertson, Stephone Anthony (!), and a newly off the couch Te'o (who only played 2 snaps on ST). Davenport was in and out with nicks here and there. I promise you, not having the players who have gelled throughout the season, duct taped together with a player like Stephone Anthony WILL have an impact on defensive performance. It may not be an excuse, but there's a reason that other players are starting and lower quality backups, will not perform the same as their predecessors. We're already down Anzalone and promising rookies Kaden Eliss and Colton Jumper. We're scraping the bottom of the barrel with Anthony and Te'o. We had a rookie DB alone on the best TE in the league on the most important play of the game at the end due to necessity. Injuries make an impact. You're right that it does go deeper because not having the LBs that the rest of the D has played with has a ripple effect. It doesn't help that Williams had one of his worst games of the season, but that could be that he had to be out of position (by scheme) to cover for less effective LB talent.

 

[Hedon James]

The discussion my family and I have had is that it seems like since Brees is back, the defence has let up slot almost in a collective “ahhhhhh” sigh where it’s almost like they are playing like Brees will win it for them instead of them winning games for themselves

I agree with CS. Forget the stats and consider the "eyeball test".

Our defense has traditionally looked like a turnstile. But with Teddy, they looked "smothering". Not dominant like the old Dome Patrol days, but they showed consistency in getting the stop (until garbage time). Complementary football at its finest. We almost looked like a smash mouth team.

Then Drew came back, and our turnstile D reappeared. Intuitively, with our high-powered GOAT triggerman reinvigorating our O, we should have graduated from grinding out victories to crushing our opponents. That hasn't happened. Why not?

I don't know. We can point to stats, but stats also indicate that ability to score more points should = increased victory margins. We can point to injuries, but so can the teams we're playing. My THEORY is the defensive mindset has changed. I'm picturing the scene in the movie The Program, where the team learns star QB Joe Kane will be unavailable, and defensive captain Alvin Mack responds with "just great...defense is gonna hafta pitch shutouts now."

It seems like the defense had the mindset of pitching shutouts when TB was under center. But now that DB is back, they don't have to, and it's showing up in their play. That may not be true, but it certainly fits my eyeball test. This is concerning because championship teams put boots to throat and grind their heels. On the other hand, we are 10-3 and still haven't played a COMPLETE game this season. It's time to put it all together and start peaking for the ascent. If a team can half-assed sleepwalk to 10-3, can you imagine the damage that a fully motivated team firing on all cylinders can do?! I would luv to see that!

 

[SystemShock]

Whether it was a coincidence or not that the defense has played better with Bridgewater is up for debate. But the stats are the stats...there is no question that the defense gave up far fewer points and yards while Bridgewater was under center. To argue that point makes no sense to me...you are arguing that the sun doesn’t set in the west.

This is classic straw man fallacy.

 

[ilvdsnts]

Maybe when TB was playing, the Ref's saw no need to "assist " our opponents, but with Drew in they are extending drive after drive on our defense because they need the assist when Drew is the QB.

 

[TooDopeGoldRope]

Its simple. SP said it when Drew went down. He and the whole team knew they needed to hunker down and dig in to make up for Drew's absence.

The margins for error were going to be non existent with Bridgewater at the helm during that stretch of the year.

The coaches game planned better , the players bought in more , were more tightly focused on their assignments ,

We reinvented ourselves to be simple , yet effective.



Those idiotic throws to Kamara in the backfield with 3 guys around him weren't happening.


We were using our teams strengths and maximizing on opportunities.


Elite interior line with a bruising back kept defenses off balances when it came time to get MT the ball.


We played complimentary football.




That and Eli Apple is worse at covering than Marcus William's is at tackling.?

 

[Saint Kamara]

This. Neither Drew nor Teddy play defense, nothing to see here.


False. You can't "score too fast" its the defenses job to make a stop, and as far as giving the defenders a rest with offensive TOP:
Avg. TOP with Teddy ~34min per game
Avg. TOP with Drew ~31min per game
Avg. TOP with Drew (-ATL and those crazy onside recoveries) ~33min per game

That's a chicken or the egg question regarding these stats.

So didn't our TOP get worse with Brees because the defense can't get off the field? The answer is yes. It certainly isn't because our offense has been less effective with Brees.

 

[SmashmouthSaints]

Drew is a fast strike offense, whereas Teddy is more about ball control and running the football. It may not light up scoreboards all the time, but it maintains possession with long clock eating drives. Drew is best for shootout style games, Teddy is best when you need to burn a quarter off the clock and keep someone like Mahomes, Jackson, Wilson etc on the sideline

 

[jbourque]

Here is a stat I would like to see.

With Bridgewater under center how long before the opposing offense scores?

With Brees under center how long before the opposing offense scores?

Drew is a fast strike offense, whereas Teddy is more about ball control and running the football. It may not light up scoreboards all the time, but it maintains possession with long clock eating drives. Drew is best for shootout style games, Teddy is best when you need to burn a quarter off the clock and keep someone like Mahomes, Jackson, Wilson etc on the sideline

Ball control offense is what I love. Back breaking drives opposing defenses just gas trying to stop.

 

[head trauma]

The defense played better for Teddy. So we know they CAN. They, and we, take Drew for granted. It's a shame.

The ball was ran more and the clock was controlled. Look up the running and passing attempts. Brees vs Teddy

 

[VPCajun]

This. Neither Drew nor Teddy play defense, nothing to see here.


False. You can't "score too fast" its the defenses job to make a stop, and as far as giving the defenders a rest with offensive TOP:
Avg. TOP with Teddy ~34min per game
Avg. TOP with Drew ~31min per game
Avg. TOP with Drew (-ATL and those crazy onside recoveries) ~33min per game

Those THREE MINUTES would have given the Saints a WIN this past Sunday...

 

[LonghornSaintsFan]

The defense played better for Teddy. So we know they CAN. They, and we, take Drew for granted. It's a shame.

Bingo, it's a totally lazy mindset for the defense to have and none will ever admit it. I would bet they don't know they are even doing it when they give up huge yards and a TD.

 

[Maxp]

Verse the 9ers we had plenty of long scoring drives, absolutely what we needed to beat a team as good as San Fran. Then the defense would give up a touchdown in 4 plays. This has nothing to do with who is at quarterback. If the defense makes a stop instead of giving up over a dozen splash plays we get another three minutes or more on offense. This thread is ridiculous. Other teams have more tape on our defense and we have some large holes due to injury. Throw in sloppy secondary play and you get what we saw last weekend.