Opponents poking holes in Sants screen game - Holder (1 Viewer)

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Really good article by Holder for your reading pleasure early in the AM.

"I mean, I'd say we probably haven't attempted a ton of them, maybe not like historically like we have," Brees said. "Maybe our numbers are down just a little bit in that regard, but numbers are up in other places, so I think it just comes and goes. But, obviously, every week we have called them. It's just a matter if you find the right opportunities to call them."

Brees' answer smells of political correctness. Dance around the issue and throw no one under the bus.

"I think there's just been a couple of miscommunications on what screen maybe it was or some defenses are just reading it," Ingram said. "The D-linemen aren't rushing up the field, and they're diagnosing it. I think (it's) kind of a situational thing as well. Make sure you don't run it on second-and-long or third-and-long when defenses could know it's coming.

"But first of all, we have to execute it as players. After that, you need the right situation to call it. It seems like we haven't done either well."

6. Discouraging stat of the week

The Saints' pass rush is one of the worst in the league in terms of sack totals. Shocking, I'm sure.

New Orleans has only tallied nine sacks during its six games. It ties the Saints with the Giants and the Raiders for 28th in the league. Only the Steelers and the Chiefs rank worse with eight sacks each.

Opponents poking holes in Saints' screen game, plus other First-and-10 tidbits | NOLA.com

 

[LombardiGras]

Pierre Thomas was the best I have ever seen at running the screen. With PT gone I don't think the screen pass in the Saints offense will ever be as effective as it was.

 

[jarrod74]

Pierre Thomas was the best I have ever seen at running the screen. With PT gone I don't think the screen pass in the Saints offense will ever be as effective as it was.

I think Lasco would be good at them if he had more opportunities

 

[Consigliere]

This has been the case since the latter half of 2013. It got to the point where it seemed every pass was to Graham or a screen. Now we don't have Graham and we don't have a screen game because everybody has planned for it.

 

[bobad]

Screens need setting up. They work when the pass rush is heavy, but Drew gets the ball out so quick it slows down the pass rush.

Also, we're in that empty backfield set a lot, and screens are easier to sniff out.

When a RB is in the backfield, the defense knows there is a high probability it will be a screen. That's why screens work better if you have a fair to good running game.

 

[DaveXA]

Pierre Thomas was the best I have ever seen at running the screen. With PT gone I don't think the screen pass in the Saints offense will ever be as effective as it was.

Our OL isn't the same as well. I think this contributes as much to is as who's in the backfield. That said, PT was no doubt amazing with screens.

 

[Joshwa]

I wish I had videos to show y'all but back in he day when we ran screens our o-line had a way of throwing the defensive line out of the way. I remember Jahri Evans was really good at it and now the defenders stick to them while they're trying to disengage.

Our offense is strong enough to make up for it in other areas now, but I miss the 2009/2011 run game more then the screen game. We haven't run a game to 0:00 in the fourth in a long time and I think that has more importance then a one read pass play.

 

[bclemms]

PT had several things that made him perfect for a screen.
1) The way he casually slipped out for the screen at the last second.
2) He caught the ball smooth and tucked it quickly with his shoulders and hips headed up field.
3) Great vision and patience.
4) almost always made the first person miss.

Ingram does/has none of those.

Cadet is much smoother but teams know he's not going to run the ball and rarely lines up in the backfield so its a red flag when he runs the screen.

Hightower is probably best suited unless Lasco can get worked in the offense more.

A guy that reminds me a lot of PT and is a free agent is Roy Helu. He would be great for that role except we have 5 RB's on the roster.

 

[Outbackjack]

Tied for 28th in sacks?

YES!!!!!!!

We aren't last!!!!

 

[LoE]

Pierre Thomas was the best I have ever seen at running the screen. With PT gone I don't think the screen pass in the Saints offense will ever be as effective as it was.

True. He was so good at it that, over the seasons, the defense started to expect it when he came on the field.

 

[gumbotron]

predictability doesn't bode well for success,in football ,anyway ....

 

[Winter]

Tied for 28th in sacks?

YES!!!!!!!

We aren't last!!!!

true, but look at the teams near our ranking. Most of the defenses in the bottom half of sack totals are run stopping defenses. We are a passing defense. Which is why we don't invest in linebackers as much as secondary and pass rush. If our defense was executing as planned, we should be in the top 10 in sacks, not the bottom 5.

 

[Javon7143]

What Ingram said.
I've been able to pre-diagnose the screen coming EVERY SINGLE TIME for the past 2 years.

 

[sammymvpknight]

I think Lasco would be good at them if he had more opportunities

All I can do is shake my head. How can you make that statement other than by incredibly wishful thinking. PT is the best screen receiver I have ever seen. Faulk and Bush were better pure receivers...but neither were as good as PT at screens.

People on this forum have a heck of a time wrapping their heads around just how good Bush, PT, and Sproles were as receivers. Yes, Brees and guys like Jahri and Nicks help...but they were all elite receivers. Saints fans have been spoiled, and just assume that the next legendary receiving RB is right around the corner. Well, in all likelihood it's not. We could go another couple decades before finding someone like that again. It's not fair to EXPECT that out of guys like Ingram and Lasco. It's just not realistic.

 

[xardoz]

PT was a loss for the screen game, but the biggest loss was perhaps Jon Stinchcomb in 2011.