Drew Brees on WWL Radio: Don’t sleep on “weak” schedule (1 Viewer)

[Scorpius the Allfather]

Well, it depends on if you are talking about strength of schedule based on last year’s teams or how your opponents look now. For example, people like to point out the Falcons have the “easiest” schedule based on last year’s records. But they face the Jets, who look a lot better now than they did last year, and we don’t.

This thread is literally about strength of schedule before the season starts based off of last years record.

 

[Epic Brownie]

There are lots of teams that play down to their competition when playing a lesser team.

Could just be parity and matchups

 

[BlackNGoldblood]

This thread is literally about strength of schedule before the season starts based off of last years record.

I agree last year’s records are pretty meaningless, although there are a handful of teams, like the Chiefs and Eagles, who we would all be shocked if they missed the playoffs.

 

[HouseCall]

There are lots of teams that play down to their competition when playing a lesser team.

Yup. And under Payton we were notorious for playing down.

 

[SailorJerrysHorse]

No NFL Team sleeps on any team. The media does.

I think if that were universally true Brees wouldn’t have warned against it, given that…you know…he was in the NFL for a minute or two and might know if/when teams might sleep on opponents.

 

[sportsaint]

There are lots of teams that play down to their competition when playing a lesser team.

Saints used to and sometimes still do this

 

[bobad]

No NFL Team sleeps on any team. The media does.

I think that's right. The guesses are based partly on last year's teams and other guesses about this year's teams. Really, it's wilder guesses than mock drafts.

 

[Dan in Lafayette]

Was I not paying attention? I didn't hear him mention Vilma once.

You were not paying attention. In the first 3-4 minutes.

 

[GeauxSainz]

“we, we, we, us, us”. I miss that man.

 

[sainthood]

A weak schedule is not meaningless. If we had the AFC North and NFC West like last season our schedule would be objectively harder. The Saints went 1 and 4 against the AFC North and 2 and 2 against the NFC West with the second best win of the season being the Seahawks. The Rams were injury depleted. We beat the Eagles without Hurts. Our schedule last year had six playoff quality teams outside our division (Eagles, Bengals, Ravens, 49ers, Vikings, Seahawks) and the defending Super bowl champions in the Rams. This year we have the Vikings. Jaguars, and Giants as the best of a similar comparison. Sure you don't know who is going to improve: a la the 2022 Seahawks, but what you do know is the Titans, Colts, Texans, Falcons, Panthers, Bucs, Bears, Packers represent 11 games on our season and they all have young or new quarterbacks. We have a new quarterback with 10 years of experience. On that list Baker Mayfield with the Bucs is the elder of who we are likely to face with maybe the exception of Tannyhill may start week 1. That is real and cannot be ignored. It does not make us a legitimate playoff team but it does make it possible to build up some easier wins.

 

[COACHTDL]

Yup. And under Payton we were notorious for playing down.

We were notorious for playing down to the level of the competition during the entire history of the franchise.

 

[texasjefe]

Bobby Knight once said:
“You play ball against yourself; your opponent is your potential.”

We have a Saints team coming off two very lackluster seasons, injuries, increasing roster turnover, and a coaching staff that seemed overwhelmed last year.

No hype this offseason from me. Calling your schedule weak disrespects opponents and the opponents will use that as motivation against you. Prove it on the field.

 

[AARPSaint]

Although it's difficult to imagine another criterion other than last years record to determine strength of schedule, a lot depends on when you play the opposing team. For instance, the Saints might have a lot of injuries at one point. Or the other team might have key injuries when the Saints play them. Weather can come into play. There's nothing wrong in my view with speculating on outcomes based on the previous season's record-- but a lot of other variables come into play as well.

 

[State Of Affairs]

What does that have to do with thinking strength of schedule before a season starts is meaningless?

The strength of your team is hugely impacted by the QB… so, while there will be teams that get better or get worse, the QB has a huge part in it.

I would be willing to be that most people create an impression based solely on the QB and in most cases, you really don’t have to look much further.

The Eagles were a very good team last year, the eagles without Hurtz were an average team.

 

[faceman]

The Eagles were a very good team last year, the eagles without Hurtz were an average team.

We can also thank the Eagles OC for a terrible game plan. We were the legitimate 2nd ranked pass
defense and the Eagles came out slinging. You keep challenging Lattimore on out routes enough
times one of them is going for six in the opposite direction.