PFW - The Way We Hear It (1 Viewer)

[clintjr23]

Gay will have to learn from, not repeat CB David's mistakes


The Saints have made three additions to their defense since the free-agent signing period began Feb. 29, trading for Jets MLB Jonathan Vilma and signing a pair of unrestricted free agents — Patriots CB Randall Gay and Jaguars DE Bobby McCray. The addition of Gay has been viewed as a crucial move while New Orleans attempts to upgrade its 30th-ranked pass defense and he will likely bump Jason David from a starting CB spot to nickel back. David struggled mightily last season, his first with the Saints, playing in their man-to-man scheme after becoming accustomed to the comfort of the Colts’ cover-2 system. However, some wonder whether Gay, who played mostly zone in New England, will have a similar experience to that of David’s in his first season with the Saints. If Gay and David, whose contracts combine to be worth more than $30 million, cannot make a smooth adjustment in the Big Easy, the Saints will have a pair of pricey mistakes on their hands.



http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/The+Way+We+Hear+It/default.htm?mode=nfcsouth

 

[DownWithDisease]

Gay, who played mostly zone in New England, will have a similar experience to that of David’s in his first season with the Saints. If Gay and David, whose contracts combine to be worth more than $30 million, cannot make a smooth adjustment in the Big Easy, the Saints will have a pair of pricey mistakes on their hands.



http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/The+Way+We+Hear+It/default.htm?mode=nfcsouth

Insert "covering eyes" smiley here.

 

[cdogg]

Umm, Gay and Samuel have both said themselves that they played mostly man last year, so this article is just wrong.

 

[clintjr23]

I don't think Gay will be a bust like David was last year. I think he will be adequate. We haven't had "adequate" for a while now, so i'll take it. But you have to admit, if he does play like David did last year and David doesn't redeem himself this year it is kind of scary how much money we would have wasted in the backfield.

 

[cruize]

Atleast the Saints are trying to sign top talent................................Oh wait.

 

[iwitnesskr]

I don't think Gay will be a bust like David was last year. I think he will be adequate. We haven't had "adequate" for a while now, so i'll take it. But you have to admit, if he does play like David did last year and David doesn't redeem himself this year it is kind of scary how much money we would have wasted in the backfield.

By that time, David will have used two years of his contract, and would be cut after next season with little penalty on Saints cap, so in theory, their attempts have been legit, and getting them at the price that we did would be welcomed.

I'd much rather make two moves that cost us very little ion terms of overall contract value, than to blow 80 million on one person, who in turn flops.

 

[meily]

Umm, Gay and Samuel have both said themselves that they played mostly man last year, so this article is just wrong.

I was gonna say the same thing....though they did play alot of zone...they did incorporate man vs man schemes also.....I also dont think the Saints Coaching staff will let that happen, specially since David BOMBED so bad last year.

 

[kooldak]

Umm, Gay and Samuel have both said themselves that they played mostly man last year, so this article is just wrong.

Fact.

And to some extent, the same can be said for JD. People, even analysts, forget that just because a team runs some form of zone that they don't run that zone all the time. Not the case. Every team in the NFL runs a variety of schemes.

In NE, the Pats ran A LOT of man-to-man. The Colts also ran some man-to-man. Not as much as the Pats, but still enough that it was obvious pre-signing (to me, anyway) that JD was gonna struggle in man coverage. Gay, OTOH, has shown himself to be much stronger in man while with the Pats than JD did with the Colts.

The comparison is easy and, IMHO, a lazy way to write an article. A little more valid analysis to go along with the comparison would have been nice.

 

[rbenet]

Is it wrong to point out that, while JD really did struggle, there was a noticable difference (read: improvement) in coverage when Kaisvaharn was in for Bullocks. A lot of JD's big blown plays could have been mitigated by good safety coverage.

Just food for thought....

 

[Wheelo]

I agree with rbenet, safety coverage would have helped out nicely. Bullocks was great for Nebraska as a ball hawk playmaking safety. In the next level, his "skills" have not adjusted. Bullocks is a good safety, just needs to raise his awareness and not be in the backfield on PA before our linebackers.

 

[MyDogSaint]

You know what makes CB look really good? A defensive line that can put pressure on a QB. Even I (though highly unlikely) might even complete a pass if I had all day to look for someone open. With that said Do you know what makes a good DL? that's right good CB play. So if we get better at both each will help the other out. Put I would say pressure from the front 4 make us better faster than a overpaid CB.

 

[Ti Rider]

It's funny I imagine if the Saints had landed Samuel these same writers would be applauding the Saints FO to no end. They would talk about how good Samuel was in man coverage. But since we signed Gay they claim he doesn't fit the D we play, even though it's the same system Samuel played in. Because these writers are lazy it's much easier and fun to say the Saints repeated the same mistake they made in signing Jason David.

Also they barely mentioned the Bobby McCray signing which was also specifically designed to help the pass D. McCray will allow Ogreron to rotate the DEs and 3 tech more often (like the New York Giants). To me the McCray signing is nearly as big as Gay......

 

[keepoursaints]

Did LSU run more Zone or man when Gay was here?

 

[UFCSaint]

I don't think Gay will be a bust like David was last year. I think he will be adequate. We haven't had "adequate" for a while now, so i'll take it. But you have to admit, if he does play like David did last year and David doesn't redeem himself this year it is kind of scary how much money we would have wasted in the backfield.

And would speak volumes about our secondary coach and talent scouts.

 

[tenordas]

I'd much rather make two moves that cost us very little ion terms of overall contract value, than to blow 80 million on one person, who in turn flops.

Like the Whiners did on Clement, right? I agree wholeheartedly.

Besides being wrong on Gay, what this article doesn't take into account is that the Saints defensive staff may be positioning themselves to move more to a cover 2 scheme than man. We did some of it last year and with the temporary loss of McKenzie, the signing of McCray, and the looks they've been taking at DTs (admittedly none of whom have worked out so far), one can't help but wonder if this is in their plans.

Did LSU run more Zone or man when Gay was here?

LSU ran mostly man coverage as they do now; however, it must be noted that Gay was the nickelback most of his LSU career. But to answer the implied question, yes, he was playing mostly man coverage in college.