Dennis Allen's defense (1 Viewer)

[Synch007]

You think those guys weren't totally gassed by the time they were on the field in OT? They beat us in TOP by nearly 10 minutes. They ran 73 plays on offense to our 51. The ran the ball nearly as many times (40) as we ran total plays.

It's our job to stop them which we failed at along with the 2017 season against the Vikings. Saints suck at closing out a game.

 

[BoNcHiE]

The problem was not the defense, the problem was the offense couldn't get it into gear. I don't understand why people don't / cant see how talented and fun to watch this defense is....but its probably because people think when the offense doesn't show up its on the defense to win the game, but you cant keep a defense on the field for 30min and not expect them to tire or for a more plays to be made on them than the opposing defense that's not nearly on the field as long as said defense for plays to be made on.

Giving up a bomb in OT to lose the game was absolutely a problem.

I know we play these stupid games where it must either be the offense or the defense, but in almost every game, it's a combination of failures.

 

[Taker597]

We held them to 20 points in regulation and the defense spent a hell of a lot more time on the field than the offense. That should be good enough to secure a win at home in regulation.

Also missing 5 starters. 6 on the game winner.

They did the best that they could

 

[jesusfish]

20 points in regulation. One turnover in Vikes side of field to set up points for offense. 1 inch away from getting second turnover + scoop and score. Gave offense ball back twice in 4th quarter for chance to take lead. All despite injuries on D-line and LB and CB.

But tell us again how Allen lost us the game. Or how Marcus Williams is the worst safety in the league.

 

[David Robbins]

They have looked good during the season yet have failed us when it mattered most. In both Vikings playoff loses. Yes Drew didn't play his best in this last game but we need a D we can rely on in big moments. We have a lot of solid pieces to the D but some cancers that will kill the body aka Marcus Williams. Lattimore losing his composure doesnt make Allen look any better either. It's a sound D against the run but doesn't get enough defensive turnovers or scores which was vital to our Super Bowl run. It's time for a change.

His defense looks good quite often, but it gives up way too many big plays because of all the blitzing he does. And, it needs improvement. This includes Marcus Williams.

 

[BoNcHiE]

Also missing 5 starters. 6 on the game winner.

They did the best that they could

I agree. But you can't give up a 45 yard bomb in OT with the game on the line with Williams once against being late to the play. If Williams isn't capable, stop playing single high.

In the macro sense, the defense is fine, which is why I'm all for keeping Allen. In the micro sense, these deep ball breakdowns in crunch time have to stop.

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

It's our job to stop them which we failed at along with the 2017 season against the Vikings. Saints suck at closing out a game.

Understatement.
I don’t trust our defense to close the bathroom door when the pressure is on, let alone an NFL game lol. The D is and has been the epitome of anti clutch. Butter soft when it matters. For years now. In 09 our D was clutch. Sharper had a lot to do with that. Also Porter, while not being All Pro, was clutch when it mattered. Clutch is something you either have, or you don’t imo. Can’t be taught. This D ain’t got clutch. ?

 

[OutlawSaint]

Hmm defense held them to 20 points in regulation and were on the field way too many times with little amount of rest because of our offenses' short drives that ended in punts. I'll take allowing 20 points any day. We should be able to score 21 or more.

 

[Synch007]

20 points in regulation. One turnover in Vikes side of field to set up points for offense. 1 inch away from getting second turnover + scoop and score. Gave offense ball back twice in 4th quarter for chance to take lead. All despite injuries on D-line and LB and CB.

But tell us again how Allen lost us the game. Or how Marcus Williams is the worst safety in the league.

Marcus Williams shouldn't be on an NFL roster should have been beheaded after the first time he gave up one of the worst plays in the history of the league. Yet the Saints continue with him. That's coaching. Jenkins is a promising addition with Lattimore but we need to patch up the secondary. Too many big plays on critical moments.

 

[bouxdag]

I'm not interested in playing the blame game for one specific game of the season. It's my opinion that we have the talent on defense to be dominant and we aren't.

It's rare, if ever, that you think "what a perfectly called blitz" or anything of that nature with Allen. Yet, he'll call cover zero or rush three at the worst times imaginable. He consistently leaves players like PJ Williams on an island in deep coverage despite everyone in the world knowing PJ can't cover deep.

We got beat by the Vikings on outside running plays that EVERYONE knew were coming. People constantly complain here that we can't "just" rely on Michael Thomas, because one or two games a year, other teams manage to take him away. But Dennis Allen is incapable of taking away what everyone knows is coming from the other team, despite having all pros at every level of the defense.

Allen isn't horrible, but he's not really all that great either. It's similar to having TQS or Ted Ginn as your #2 receiver. We could do a lot better.

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

I'm not interested in playing the blame game for one specific game of the season. It's my opinion that we have the talent on defense to be dominant and we aren't.

It's rare, if ever, that you think "what a perfectly called blitz" or anything of that nature with Allen. Yet, he'll call cover zero or rush three at the worst times imaginable. He consistently leaves players like PJ Williams on an island in deep coverage despite everyone in the world knowing PJ can't cover deep.

We got beat by the Vikings on outside running plays that EVERYONE knew were coming. People constantly complain here that we can't "just" rely on Michael Thomas, because one or two games a year, other teams manage to take him away. But Dennis Allen is incapable of taking away what everyone knows is coming from the other team, despite having all pros at every level of the defense.

Allen isn't horrible, but he's not really all that great either. It's similar to having TQS or Ted Ginn as your #2 receiver. We could do a lot better.

Awesome post!
Agree on all except your last and love how you laid it all out,
Having TQS as your two is very very bad lol. I won’t include Ginn in that as he’s aging and Father Time gets us all. TQS does not belong on an NFL team imo.

 

[LiterOCola]

I agree. But you can't give up a 45 yard bomb in OT with the game on the line with Williams once against being late to the play. If Williams isn't capable, stop playing single high.

In the macro sense, the defense is fine, which is why I'm all for keeping Allen. In the micro sense, these deep ball breakdowns in crunch time have to stop.

I agree in theory, but after years of the Saints having horrible big play defense (they were 20th in pass defense and the last I saw bottom 3 in plays of 20+ yards) this is who the Saints defense will be under Dennis Allen.

If he was capable of fixing it, he would have by now. The biggest thing I see is that our linebackers and defensive line seem to improve over time, while every single DB we have (except maybe Von Bell) have regressed over multiple seasons. CJGJ looked good for the second half of his first season, but so have other players we’ve had that all seem to start to slump in the latter half of their 2nd year and into their 3rd.

 

[stevo3]

When the Saints play good defenses it seems like the field shrinks. There's little room to make catches and almost no space to run after the catch. But with DA's defense there just seems to be so much space. Receivers have room to make catches and they have space to run after the catch.

It's hard to articulate but there's always so much open space. In the beginning I attributed this to DA not having enough talent. I thought it was a personnel issue. But now? I don't know what it is. This defense has talent.

I know what it is. When we play good defenses, they don't fear the deep ball and play mostly zone coverage or zone with man coverage on key receivers.

When we play defense, we have to respect the deep ball and we don't have a FS who puts fear into any QB's. Marcus Williams is not who we thought / hoped he would be after his rookie season. Either he lacks confidence, doesn't trust his instincts, or just doesn't have good instincts.

The gameplan for Thielen and Diggs was for Latt to handle Thielen 1 on 1 and for Jenkins to play Diggs with safety help (Williams) over the top. A bracket to contain Diggs. When Latt went out, the very next play PRob was on Thielen and the coverage didn't change. So instead of realizing the situation M. Williams stayed in his bracket role on Diggs and left PRob on an island with Thielen. That's textbook lack of situational awareness. In the biggest moment of the biggest game of the season. It's like he's good when everything goes right and he can play strictly assignment football. He's a robot. Don't ask him to get creative.

 

[sfidc3]

Wade Phillips tweeted that his contract with the Rams will not be renewed.

Nothing against DA, he has done pretty ok here....but I would snap up Wade Phillips in a heartbeat, he is one of the best....

 

[Synch007]

I agree in theory, but after years of the Saints having horrible big play defense (they were 20th in pass defense and the last I saw bottom 3 in plays of 20+ yards) this is who the Saints defense will be under Dennis Allen.

If he was capable of fixing it, he would have by now. The biggest thing I see is that our linebackers and defensive line seem to improve over time, while every single DB we have (except maybe Von Bell) have regressed over multiple seasons. CJGJ looked good for the second half of his first season, but so have other players we’ve had that all seem to start to slump in the latter half of their 2nd year and into their 3rd.

Totally agree it's a huge issue.