Playcalling difficulties due to a completely healthy backfield (1 Viewer)

The Mongoose

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I think today we saw some weird playcalls that were due to Sean Payton wanting to get guys involved. Today, it hurt us a bit. We had lots of success running Ivory and the resultant play action game. Yet we still tried to run screens and swing passes to Jones and Bush at crucial times with no success, and it bogged us down.

Next week Pierre should be healthy as well, so things will get only more challenging.

It took us a few weeks to adjust to not having Pierre or Reggie. Since then, we've created an identity with Ivory that we've used quite well for the past 8 or so weeks. Now that we're getting some really talented guys back, we have to find a new identity.

While it's an obvious benefit to us to have Reggie and Pierre back, there probably will be some growing pains while Payton figures out how to get everyone involved at the appropriate times.

We didn't gameplan this offseason for a three headed monster of Ivory, Pierre, and Reggie with some Julius Jones sprinkled in. We didn't work on the dynamics of having these three very talented guys in the preseason. We will have to sort this out in the midst of a crucial playoff/home field advantage push. It's quite the challenge.

I wouldn't prefer anyone other than Payton to be saddled with this. Still, it won't be easy even for him. He made some goofy calls on first downs today, seemingly going away from what had been successful previously.

It's obviously a good problem to have, and we have some time to work on it before the playoffs. I hope we find a way to maximize all the talent in our backfield without leaving too much on the table from the desire to get everyone involved.
 
Why is having a healthy stable of backs a "difficulty" to some people? Depth at RB is one of our biggest strengths. It enables us to keep fresh legs in the game at all times.

As far as who gets the majority of the carries, Payton is going to continue to ride the hot hand, and right now it's Ivory.

2 weeks from now it could be Bush, Thomas, any one of those guys. They're all capable of getting hot. I don't see this as a problem.
 
Why is having a healthy stable of backs a "difficulty" to some people? Depth at RB is one of our biggest strengths. It enables us to keep fresh legs in the game at all times.

As far as who gets the majority of the carries, Payton is going to continue to ride the hot hand, and right now it's Ivory.

2 weeks from now it could be Bush, Thomas, any one of those guys. They're all capable of getting hot. I don't see this as a problem.

I thought I made it clear that it's great to have so much talent. It is.

But these guys are all different. They excel at different things. Whether you believe it or not, that causes gameplanning difficulties.

The "hot hand" today was Ivory. For the most crucial last drive he was in the game, no doubt. But for much of the second half, he wasn't while we tried to establish other stuff (that didn't really work out, other than Reggie's couple of good runs).

I think it's just a bit more complicated than you're making it. But whatever. I suspect Payton will make it work. I just think we are going to have to test some things out in the next few weeks and hopefully get some good balance/rythm going before the post season.
 
I think it's just a bit more complicated than you're making it. But whatever. I suspect Payton will make it work. I just think we are going to have to test some things out in the next few weeks and hopefully get some good balance/rythm going before the post season.

We've won 5 games in a row. I feel like the offense is in a good rhythm right now and i don't see how getting guys healthy is going to disrupt that rhythm.
 
Id like to see Reggie get some of Jones touches.

Honestly, I don't want to see Ivory lose any touches. I know he's got pass protection issues, and I'm one who likes to see Reggie get lots of touches, and I love Pierre.

But Ivory has been the truth lately. He's improved his vision tremendously. I like the way our offense looks when it has a power running game.
 
I just want Pierre back so we can stop throwing those stupid screen passes to Jones that never go anywhere. That's where we really miss PT.
 
I think today we saw some weird playcalls that were due to Sean Payton wanting to get guys involved. Today, it hurt us a bit. We had lots of success running Ivory and the resultant play action game. Yet we still tried to run screens and swing passes to Jones and Bush at crucial times with no success, and it bogged us down.

Next week Pierre should be healthy as well, so things will get only more challenging.

It took us a few weeks to adjust to not having Pierre or Reggie. Since then, we've created an identity with Ivory that we've used quite well for the past 8 or so weeks. Now that we're getting some really talented guys back, we have to find a new identity.

While it's an obvious benefit to us to have Reggie and Pierre back, there probably will be some growing pains while Payton figures out how to get everyone involved at the appropriate times.

We didn't gameplan this offseason for a three headed monster of Ivory, Pierre, and Reggie with some Julius Jones sprinkled in. We didn't work on the dynamics of having these three very talented guys in the preseason. We will have to sort this out in the midst of a crucial playoff/home field advantage push. It's quite the challenge.

I wouldn't prefer anyone other than Payton to be saddled with this. Still, it won't be easy even for him. He made some goofy calls on first downs today, seemingly going away from what had been successful previously.

It's obviously a good problem to have, and we have some time to work on it before the playoffs. I hope we find a way to maximize all the talent in our backfield without leaving too much on the table from the desire to get everyone involved.
I see the concern of sidrupting the rhythm. "Don't fix what ain't broke".

Gotta leave that up to the coach.

COnsider this: his alternative is to reconsitute the backfield that won the Super Bowl.

:)
 
When is the last time you remember a back breaking off a long TD like Ivory?

Makes me miss Deuce. Ivory needs to be in the game.
 
You know something that kind of bothered me yesterday was the lack of Bush being in the game. Is there some reason for this? Are they trying to slowly bring him back? How is he supposed to shake off the rust only getting a touch every other series or so? Or is that just his place in the offense now? I thought he would get alot more touches yesterday.
 
When is the last time you remember a back breaking off a long TD like Ivory?

Makes me miss Deuce. Ivory needs to be in the game.

The run Reggie had against the Cardinals last year. That one was actually much more impressive because the Ivory run was mostly due to a coverage breakdown.
 
When is the last time you remember a back breaking off a long TD like Ivory?

Makes me miss Deuce. Ivory needs to be in the game.


I'm not trying to take anything away from Ivory, but after his initial move, he wasn't touched. The blocking just lined up perfectly against their defense. It was a group effort.
 
We need to use what is working each week. Ivory looked super yesterday: 117 yards! As long as it works - keep using it. It is nice to have options...so many years there were none. Go SAINTS!
 
Good points by mongoose.
The offensive series where we got away from Ivory ended up in an INT, if I'm not mistaken. Also, I wonder why we're throwing on first down instead of giving Ivory the ball, and either moving the chains on the ground, or setting up 2nd and short. Lately, the guys has been good for at least 5. :shrug:
 
payton is slowing getting reggie in the game. You will see his touches go up more and more. its all in the gameplan before the game.

I also noticed a couple times yesterday that even though running with ivory was nearly unstoppable they still seem to get away from it.
 

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