Injuries apart...there was something missing in the Off all year (1 Viewer)

[Colstonbaby]

That the D had.....

There was intensity, passion, energy and a " togetherness" that I saw from the D

The Off , minus that 6 TD gm from Kamara, just seemed blah....even if the stats might indicate otherwise.....

Or maybe it was just the injuries. But I think, the fact that this might be Drew's last year, hung a dark cloud on this Off all year...the game against TB showcased it in clarity.....

But, I believe.....in Gayle Benson , Loomis and SP. FOr those might think that we might go back to being in the cellar of the NFL, I say...you are wrong. As long as that trio is here, the Saints will contend !!!!

GEAUX SAINTS !!!!!

 

[Mackenzie]

We missed a healthy Michael Thomas. That was the biggest difference. But you’re right, we had no intensity on offense. No swagger.

 

[FootballFan42]

The biggest issue was Brees could not pass beyond 10 yards well. We were unbelievably limited and never explosive. Not sure having Thomas would have mattered with Brees' arm.

 

[Saint Taysom]

The biggest issue was Brees could not pass beyond 10 yards well. We were unbelievably limited and never explosive. Not sure having Thomas would have mattered with Brees' arm.

That’s really it...

 

[UFCSaint]

I think it's partly from barely having the starters on the field at the same time. Thomas was out most of the season and Brees missed 4 games and wasn't the same for many of the others. There several others that missed games but you can't have key components absent and still expect everyone to be fired up and on the same page. Would be like if we were missing Davis and Jordan on defense for most of the season.

 

[los226]

The offense hasn’t been explosive for years now. That’s the missing element of the offense.

 

[natedog]

Screen pass

 

[WhoDat?DrewDat]

The biggest issue was Brees could not pass beyond 10 yards well. We were unbelievably limited and never explosive. Not sure having Thomas would have mattered with Brees' arm.

100%.

It was the inevitable time bomb that was going to end our season.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

you're looking past the obvious to land on something much more squishy like 'intestinal fortitude'
you probably don't have to look past the obvious

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

Agreed.

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

Screen pass

Makes me miss PT23.

 

[AARPSaint]

The injuries were a problem. The offense just couldn't get in synch. Starting Taysom eliminated a lot of the gadget plays. The O line seemed to able to adjust, but the "skill position" players seemed to be out of touch with each other. One overlooked issue was the seemingly endless injuries to Ty Montgomery, who showed that he could be fairly effective. Cook would make a great play followed by a game changing disaster. Like the time in "Hamlet," the offense appeared to be " out of joint."

 

[Super44]

Saints have but two game changing talents. Kamara and Harris. And Harris is just starting to be used more regularly. Other than those two, we are very pedestrian on offense. On defense, we have a very SOLID group and have ZERO game changing type players. Very methodical and good defense. Not great players, just a number of solid players.

 

[Saintsphere]

The biggest issue was Brees could not pass beyond 10 yards well. We were unbelievably limited and never explosive. Not sure having Thomas would have mattered with Brees' arm.

I hate to say it but it's this. Basically, what was missing was a top QB.

I remember sitting back thinking "What is the thing that this team needs to be clear and above the best team in the NFC" and sadly I kept answering "Brees not being old anymore".

We showed enough flashes though and still won 12 games which was enough for me to have hope our defense could carry Drew the way Denver did Peyton in 2015 and all Drew and the offense needed to do was be efficient. But Drew just picked a bad time to really hit a brick wall last Sunday. Peyton was over the hill in his last playoff run too but he avoided the horrible picks and putting his defense in atrocious field position whereas Drew didn't.

 

[SweetT]

I can for surely say, that a few weeks in, most of us could see that Drew’s arm was kinda shot. Saw a few on here dismissing the “air yards” stat. The problem with deficiencies, is that they are magnified in the playoffs. Opposing teams will key in on that and those with talent can take advantage of them. I kinda wished we had smaller/shifter WRs, in the quicker mold (doesn’t have to be speedy). Those guys can create separation and work the first down markers. I think that would’ve helped Drew more.