Mike Silver: Sean Payton sets aggressive tone in Saints' tight win vs. Ravens (1 Viewer)

[guillermo]

""In the days leading up to Sunday's scintillating stylistic showdown between the NFL's top scoring offense and its stingiest scoring defense, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton was in touch with his inner nerd....
Yeah, man -- we're playing to win," Brees said before heading off to his postgame press conference. "It just set the tone for the game -- a 20-play drive, if you count the fake (punt) -- and the confidence he showed in us."
A few minutes earlier, Cameron Jordan, the Saints' star defensive end, put it this way: "When you're going against a defense like the Ravens have, you have to do that -- why be afraid of anything? They're trying to play Bully Ball. Well, we're bullies too. [Payton] told us, 'We're gonna take the fight to them.' He's been preaching that all week. And he backed it up, right from the start.""

Rest of the article:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...gressive-tone-in-saints-tight-win-over-ravens

 

[jayd265]

i had just thought of the fake for that punt, but said no way, if they dont make it they're too close to the ravens scoring. then bam, going for it 4 times in one drive. insane. and almost got a TD.

 

[BiloxiSaint1]

They're trying to play Bully Ball. Well, we're bullies too

Great quote by Cam Jordan!

 

[BarBar]

this team was so fired up for this game. it was really a fun watch. both teams were really aggressive.

 

[bongatong]

I've been waiting for this Sean to cone back the one tht puts his foot on the throat when the other team is down

 

[Winter]

Statement game right there. Didn't blow out the Ravens or anything like the Bills last year, but this is the kind of game the Saints often find themselves on the wrong side of. The talking heads always point to games like this as to why the Saints aren't good enough or why Brees isn't good enough. It was more than just the 32nd team for Brees and Payton to beat, it got other monkeys off their back as well.

I like that they kept giving Ingram opportunities as well. It may only be a yard or two, but it keeps the defense honest, and stopping those power runs and a runner like ingram takes a lot of energy to do over and over again.

I would be interested to see if we can take queues from the way the Ravens play football and be the bully against the Vikings and Rams too. They are going to want to get into a track meet because they know their defense can probably produce one or two more stops than ours can. Pounding the rock and eating clock might be the way we throw these team's off their game and make them play to us.

 

[broccoli60]

Good stuff.


But I thought Pederson and the Eagles invented aggressive play calling last year!?

 

[St.Fury]

Great quote by Cam Jordan!

That’s a mentality that carry over the course of a season, even in games where we aren’t as aggressive on 4th down.

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Great stuff about Payton's prep and knowing the stats of how BAL does when giving up more than 21 points, loses time of possession, etc.

Smart.

Things got better thereafter, but even after a 43-19 blowout of Washington heading into New Orleans' bye week, Payton began obsessing over the upcoming game with the Ravens, poring over the statistical breakdowns in his binders like an honors student cramming for a final exam.

Sitting in his locker-room office long after Sunday's game, Payton shared some of the contents:

-- Before Sunday, the Ravens, since 2017, were 13-0 in games in which they led at halftime and 0-9 in games in which they trailed. (So much for that: The halftime score was 10-7, Baltimore.)

-- Also since 2017, the Ravens were 13-1 when holding their opponent to 20 points or fewer -- and 0-8 when surrendering 23 or more. (Make that 0-9.) And since 2008, when Harbaugh became the Ravens' coach and Flacco, then a rookie, seized the starting quarterback job, Baltimore was 19-54 in games in which its opponent scored at least 21 points. "We knew going in: 21 was the number," Payton said.

-- Since 2017, the Ravens were 13-2 in games in which they had possession for at least 29:44, and 0-7 when they held the ball for 28:54 or fewer. (That trend held Sunday, as the Saints won the time-of-possession battle, 33:31 to 26:29.)

Said Payton: "You do all the analytics ... you look at field position, time of possession ... but I don't want anyone to tell me what I should do (in the moment). Because what they can't factor in is, I have a backup left guard playing, and what if (Terrell) Suggs is kicking my right tackle's arse. These (numbers) are just overviews. But they're helpful."

 

[Saint Kamara]

Fantastic article.

I thought we were a bit too predictable early in the game with running so much on first down and even second down, but it ultimately served it's intended purpose.

 

[CowtownSaint]

that fake punt was beautiful. when Taysom waived his left hand i got this inkling they may face it, but thought, nahhhhh, but then went YAAAAAAA when we did lol

 

[Bartyboy]

Yea they held nothing back.
They scored 24 points on a team that was averaging giving up 12.
They stopped the running game.
The defense actually held them to less than the Ravens scorring average as well.
Great ganme. Must admit I was really worried in the 3rd quarter but they prevailed.