Is our receiving situation really that bad? (1 Viewer)

[Dago]

I don't think this is much of a problem (was more concerned when Cook wasn't producing and was injured)

Cook now seems to be playing the type of ball we expected when we signed him. That gives us 3 top tier targets (CGM, Kamara, Cook) to stress a defense. How many offenses have 3 top tier targets?

 

[Kielio]

We're 8-2... Next question.

 

[Saintsphere]

People should have long re-signed to the fact this offense is the MT and AK show. With Murray and Cook now playing supporting cast. That is a core I am happy to ride with given the eliteness of MT and AK.

While we don't have the depth other teams may have, we can argue no one has the top elite talent at RB and WR like we do. Only Minnesota likely can and maybe, MAYBE Dallas. But whereas we have Brees, they have Cousins and Dak (Both are having good years though I'll admit).

With that said, it would be nice to have a comfort in having another WR who could step up should MT or AK get shut down for whatever reason. This year, Cook will be that main guy who will have to. If he doesn't, then we are looking at the likes of Ginn and TQ. I'll give Ginn this, if the refs throw the flag, Ginn's legacy will be remembered for his huge catch to set up the game clinching drive in the NFCCG but alas...

The FO decided it was comfortable with the WR corps. I'm fine with riding MT and AK, and everyone should be too since its yielded us great results, but we can only hope should we need them come playoff time, that our supporting cast steps up.

 

[SonOfNOLA]

I guess people would feel better if Kamara and Cook were listed as WR on paper. Kamara is performing better than most #2 WRs in the NFL when he’s healthy

 

[St.Dan]

Mickey Loomis would love the OP

This team is structured to be all about production, not necessarily about checking boxes at each traditional position just for the sake of checking boxes.

In their heart of hearts, I'm sure the staff and FO would have loved to and loved to manually control the health of TQS and Kirkwood, for example. And that of Cook, too, since he dealt with an injury for a while. But if Kamara and Cook, for example, can combine to produce the kinds of clutch plays, first downs, smart completions, etc. that the "traditional WR2" can, then who cares?

 

[45TchoupSaint]

Are you judging them based on the number of targets they get? Because they aren't getting them due to the guys wearing #13, #41 and to a lesser extent #87. It's less targets, not necessarily less talent.

Bingo.

 

[head trauma]

Think about it. They're throwing to the 3rd string quarterback, that should answer your question and be enough said. It's not by design it's because the 3rd string quarterback is better than the receivers not name Thomas. That's a shame. They're going to have it tough in the playoffs unless coach SP can pull a miracle with what he got. The defense will have to play there but off

 

[Zigg]

It's not easy to build a perfect team, and the big weakness of the Saints is WR depth. Smith, Kirkwood, Hogan etc., pose no threat. Fortunately, Thomas, Kamara and Cook are a nice core, while Murray, Hill and Hill can all contribute.

I don't know snap counts, but if this is acknowledged, and Smith's reps are reduced, I don't see a problem. If we force 3/4 WR formations, then we will be in trouble. Play to your strengths.

 

[jasonsw]

We could insert someone like Godwin from T.B into the offense and they would probably fare only a little better than say Ginn. This offense is very Kamara and M.T centered as it should be. They catch almost every pass their way, make good plays with the ball and most importantly exercise good ball security. Cook also has been doing well lately along with Taysom showing he is a viable receiving option there are few balls to go around in an offense that runs often.

 

[CowtownSaint]

I'm just not convinced our receiving situation is as dire as people are claiming. I've seen posts about how "if we only had Team X's receivers, we'd be unstoppable". I took a look at some teams receiving production and I gotta say, we aren't as bad as people make it sound.

The Packers and Vikings are two teams we are often compared to and it's believed they have the superior receiving corps to the Saints. "If only we had the vikings receivers". But when looking at the stats for this year, all 3 offenses are almost identical in receiving production.

Saints


Packers


Vikings


All 3 offense produce almost identically with the exception of Green Bay spreading the ball around more evenly. We are actually eerily identical to the Vikings. Both use the RB and the TE is in top 4 in production. Both teams have key contributors missing games this year as well.

Now the Cowboys have, statistically, the best passing attack in the league and legit WR1 and WR2, but they are one of the few teams that can claim to have that. The Chiefs? Their best receiver this year is Kelce, the TE, by a long shot.

So there are arguably a couple teams (Cowboys, Falcons) with better receiving corps overall than the Saints, but to say we are only Michael Thomas and have no passing threat outside of that is just not true.

Once TQS gets up to speed and Kirkwood gets back we are going to have some really complimentary Receivers. We have a lot of guys we can put in favourable positions in the pass. With Brees back I think we are just seeing the beginning of what we can do creatively on offence.

 

[sammymvpknight]

Are you judging them based on the number of targets they get? Because they aren't getting them due to the guys wearing #13, #41 and to a lesser extent #87. It's less targets, not necessarily less talent.

I don’t think they have much talent. The statistics are a reflection of their inability to get open and to have the ball bounce off their hands at a high rate when scheme gets them open. The Saints have one of the leagues five highest drop rates despite Thomas having a historically low drop rate. I don’t think that a single one of our WRs outside of Thomas makes our 2011 WR Corp. I don’t base that one statistics, I base that on ability and lack of production from our 2-5 WRs. Brees has historically spread the ball around on offense...MT has about three times as many receptions as the rest of the WR combined. I doubt that Payton and Brees wants it so unbalanced but they have no other choice because MT is the only reliable WR on the field.

I’m not complaining...it is what it is at this point. But I refuse to call this WR better than what it really is...they don’t deserve it.

 

[Bill]

I think that our receiver situation can be very good... if all receivers not named Michael Thomas becomes more consistent and reliable at catching the football.

That's all that matters to getting things turned around in that area.

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

I said in a thread yesterday or day before, I believe Saints fans are used to us distributing the ball more evenly and to more receivers. But MT13 has just been balling out. He’s getting the bulk of the load. It probably has less to do with the other receivers and more to do with MT13 being that good.

Bingo. For me, I’m just terrified of MT going down. At that point I do believe (hopefully falsely) that we’d be in big trouble.

I just don’t believe in any of our other receivers to be able to step up.

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

I don’t think they have much talent. The statistics are a reflection of their inability to get open and to have the ball bounce off their hands at a high rate when scheme gets them open. The Saints have one of the leagues five highest drop rates despite Thomas having a historically low drop rate. I don’t think that a single one of our WRs outside of Thomas makes our 2011 WR Corp. I don’t base that one statistics, I base that on ability and lack of production from our 2-5 WRs. Brees has historically spread the ball around on offense...MT has about three times as many receptions as the rest of the WR combined. I doubt that Payton and Brees wants it so unbalanced but they have no other choice because MT is the only reliable WR on the field.

I’m not complaining...it is what it is at this point. But I refuse to call this WR better than what it really is...they don’t deserve it.

Great points imo Sammy.
Correlation does not imply causation.

MT is amazing and receives much work as a result of that, but just because he’s elite doesn’t mean that’s the reason our other receivers don’t ever get attention.
All of our WR’s other than MT are sub par imo. I hope for the continued development of TQS and
Kirkwood.

 

[Mississippi Saints Fan]

I thought at the beginning of the season that Cook would be the 2nd most productive pass catcher, followed by Kamara. I just don't think Cook filled the expectations we placed on him, but hopefully he's on the rise. What is slightly concerning is that our 3rd most productive, actual receiver, has just 88 yards, followed by just 10 yards from our 4th actual receiver. At the end of the day, no, it doesn't matter who is getting the passes as long as we are moving the ball. So the question then is, are we moving the ball at a satisfactory level? I'd say we have struggled at times, especially when crossing mid-field.