I'm just going to do my thoughts on the game early today (2 Viewers)

[CHEF]

Our defense must somehow force more turnovers. They had one in the end zone today, but overall have shown an ineptitude to force turnovers and get our offense the ball. You realize that our defensive backfield after ten games has yet to get ONE interception. Heck, a secondary can get an INT almost by osmosis in that amount of time. Not even one tipped ball. IMO the defense must pick it up by putting more pressure on the QB and force him into bad decisions.

 

[Marlboro Man]

I dont care about Coppers TD.....He needs to go !!!! and NOW !!!!!

I agree with you.

 

[LSSpam]

Point taken... although I guess it doesn't work so hot when you get picked off three times. Wasn't it Bum Phillips who said: "Three things can happen when you pass... and two of them are bad."

Edit: Bah, someone beat me to it.

Well it's obvious we missed 6'4 235lb Colston in the redzone passing game, I grant you that.

 

[Random Fan]

Well it's obvious we missed 6'4 235lb Colston in the redzone passing game, I grant you that.

Yep. His presence alone probably would have made those two interceptions into touchdowns by his ability to overpower/overreach most corners. That's why I'm not too concerned about the offense. It's little things -- some of which that are out of the coaches/players hands -- that hurt us today.

 

[RebSaint]

Good, rational assessment.

The defense has been gashed the past couple weeks, no doubt. The Saints need help at CB and safety. Thomas has been great, but he's showing he's a bit long in the tooth.

But without the turnovers, this game is completely different.

This offense is amazing, if they can just eliminate some of the turnovers and the team will get back on track.

 

[VDK]

We held the ball 33:33 minutes to Cinncy's 26:27.

And that stat is not unusual.

We lead the league in 10+ play drives.

We are a ball control offense.

What's the average scoring time of opposing offenses against our defense? I think that will explain the time of possession disparity. Teams don't need much time to score against our defense. So the time of possession actually highlights our defensive problems.

We WERE a ball controlled offense, not any more. This may be due to teams stopping our running game, but I'm beginning to see instances where we seem to be getting away from the running game too early.

 

[Random Fan]

That's another good point I overlooked. It took the Bengals about five or so minutes to ring up two touchdowns on us and I believe the intervening Saints drive was just a three and out and not a turnover.

 

[LSSpam]

That's another good point I overlooked. It took the Bengals about five or so minutes to ring up two touchdowns on us.

The suggestion was that we needed to run the ball to control the clock. My response was we did so already.

That the Bengals only needed 25 minutes to put up 31 points is incidental. Running the ball would have produced no more of a ToP discrepency that what we already had.

 

[LSSpam]

Yep. His presence alone probably would have made those two interceptions into touchdowns by his ability to overpower/overreach most corners. That's why I'm not too concerned about the offense. It's little things -- some of which that are out of the coaches/players hands -- that hurt us today.

I don't know that he would have produced 2 TDs. But in the redzone you pretty much have to double him up, which helps open things in the middle of the field. He also gives you the option of just throwing a jump ball on the side that either he gets or it goes out of bounds.

He definantly improves our Redzone scoring.

 

[Random Fan]

Curse you for making sense! My new argument is run the ball to have a 40+ min ToP!

 

[LSSpam]

Curse you for making sense! My new argument is run the ball to have a 40+ min ToP!

Well that's how Bill Parcells and the Giants beat the no-huddle Bills. But that's pretty much what you have to do. If the other team is scoring on big plays, ToP is meaningless. They don't need much time. And even if they did need much time, again, we typically lead in ToP. We have a ball control offense with the short passing game.

If you want to criticize the lack of running, the redzone is where it's a problem. And even then, no one could have expected Drew Brees to make two just awful decisions.

 

[Random Fan]

Well that's how Bill Parcells and the Giants beat the no-huddle Bills. But that's pretty much what you have to do. If the other team is scoring on big plays, ToP is meaningless. They don't need much time. And even if they did need much time, again, we typically lead in ToP. We have a ball control offense with the short passing game.

If you want to criticize the lack of running, the redzone is where it's a problem. And even then, no one could have expected Drew Brees to make two just awful decisions.

We need to sign Joe Morris and Otis Anderson.

 

[DCSaints_Fan]

*CUT DEVERY HENDERSON. Doubt we'll see those threads. But everyone was willing to cut Copper last week. Henderson has 2 or 3 critical drops and a killer fumble, but it won't matter. Not that i'm in favor of cutting Henderson. Or Copper. That's my point.

That was Copper(yet again) that fumbled and not Hnederson.

*We really missed Colston. Not in terms of moving the ball, but in terms of clutch play. Particularly in the Red Zone. Colston is critical to our ability to throw in the Red Zone.

Yes. Colsotn is the most critical playmaker on our offense not counting Brees (sorry Reggie)

Anyways, blame this loss on the offense.

Agree. Only so much you can expect our defense to do against a O like Cinci's. We were in the game until early in the 4th and the O couldn't keep our D off the field.

 

[BigSlick]

Anyways, blame this loss on the offense.

I agree with your entire original post, but limed that last bit to reflect its pure truth.

Other misc thoughts:

- The kickoff depth is noticeably lacking. Could Steve W. maybe handle KOs like Berger used to?

- The other wideouts must've noticed that Colston was committedly run blocking at the time of his injury and decided that they wanted no part of that scene, as there was no WR run blocking in evidence the rest of the way.

- Was that Leisle (sp?) on a big 3rd down stop? If Tank Thomas can get a couple of breathers a game from Leisle, that's great for the entire defensive unit.

- We miss Harper a ton. Someone that can boom like that shouldn't have the cover skills that Roman Harper does.

- The run game showed signs of life this game! I noticed the backs + OL take on that 'meat grinder' personality for moments here and there.

- I hope Grant and Will Smith get to play together for a long time.