Saints defense coming up big in second half adjustments (1 Viewer)

mrwhodat

Saintiac
VIP Contributor
Joined
Jan 25, 2010
Messages
1,312
Reaction score
2,369
Location
Lacombe, La
Offline
Numbers and stat enthusiasts

Saints defense coming up big in second half adjustments

In this stretch, the Saints run defense has improved tremendously by allowing just 83.5 yards/game on the ground. If you go off Sheldon Rankins’ return in Week 9 against the San Francisco 49ers, then the Saints have surrendered just 78.8 yards/game in the past four games. They’ve also cut down on the average yards given up per play to 5.65. That includes a pretty rough outing against the 49ers in which they gave up a season-high 8.5 yards per play.

Of the past six games, the Saints are just allowing an average of 128.5 yards in the final two quarters, giving up 12 points in the third quarter and 21 points in the fourth quarter.

More importantly, the Saints are generating pressure from their interior linemen. Nick Fairley and Sheldon Rankins have combined for 6.5 sacks this season, which equals the exact total of the 2014 and 2015 defensive interior output.
 
So could the resident experts explain why our pass defense is so bad when we have Breaux back and Moore is not that bad? Is it that of all the 3 areas of D, that is the weakest? I think Webb has been abused a few times.
 
If only, if only our special teams weren't so bad during that stretch. We are at worst a 7-4 team IMO.
 
So could the resident experts explain why our pass defense is so bad when we have Breaux back and Moore is not that bad? Is it that of all the 3 areas of D, that is the weakest? I think Webb has been abused a few times.
I don't think it has been that bad in the last several weeks.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 
So could the resident experts explain why our pass defense is so bad when we have Breaux back and Moore is not that bad? Is it that of all the 3 areas of D, that is the weakest? I think Webb has been abused a few times.

We play a bend-don't break style defense again. We give up early yards on the first drive or so and then we make adjustments and start making plays on the ball and getting pressure on the QB (now that there is a consistent push up the middle with Rankins and Fairley both playing.

Look at points per quarters in the last few games. The 2nd half of games the defense has downright dominated. Basically quit turning the ball over during the beginning of games and help special teams not be so "special" and we will start blowing teams out.
 
I really wish articles like these would take into account who and when we've played during these stretches. Our D is improving in the 2nd half, and there's definitely been improvement as they've gotten healthier, but there is a stark difference in quality of offenses between the last handful of games and the first handful. Rams offense? Atrocious. Broncos offense? Mediocre even when they're healthy. Chiefs offense? Mediocre. 49ers offense? Mediocre. Seahawks offense? Decent when healthy, but their o-line is/was atrocious/depleted, RB's depleted, and Wilson couldn't run which is what makes him so deadly in the first place.

We're definitely better this year than last, and in the second half, but it's tough to quantify improvement when the D is finally getting healthy while the level of their competition has dropped off a cliff.
 
So why can't we do first half adjustments?

This is the real question.

I've often heard that "2nd half adjustments" in the NFL are somewhat of a myth - by the time coaches/players get to the locker room, use the bathroom, get a drink, whatever, there's only about 4-5 minutes for any kind of coaching. Not much longer than any of the 12 first half commercial breaks where they could come up with the same changes.
 
I really wish articles like these would take into account who and when we've played during these stretches. Our D is improving in the 2nd half, and there's definitely been improvement as they've gotten healthier, but there is a stark difference in quality of offenses between the last handful of games and the first handful. Rams offense? Atrocious. Broncos offense? Mediocre even when they're healthy. Chiefs offense? Mediocre. 49ers offense? Mediocre. Seahawks offense? Decent when healthy, but their o-line is/was atrocious/depleted, RB's depleted, and Wilson couldn't run which is what makes him so deadly in the first place.

We're definitely better this year than last, and in the second half, but it's tough to quantify improvement when the D is finally getting healthy while the level of their competition has dropped off a cliff.

Eh, I guess so, but even in our "normal" bad defensive years - the ones where we are historically bad, those types of bad offenses go up and down the field on us.

I read an article once, and I forgot the exact metrics, but the over-arching message was this - good teams stop/blowout bad teams. If we are a good team (and I tend to think we are, sans three blocked field goals), then we're doing exactly what we're supposed to be doing.
 
I really wish articles like these would take into account who and when we've played during these stretches. Our D is improving in the 2nd half, and there's definitely been improvement as they've gotten healthier, but there is a stark difference in quality of offenses between the last handful of games and the first handful. Rams offense? Atrocious. Broncos offense? Mediocre even when they're healthy. Chiefs offense? Mediocre. 49ers offense? Mediocre. Seahawks offense? Decent when healthy, but their o-line is/was atrocious/depleted, RB's depleted, and Wilson couldn't run which is what makes him so deadly in the first place.

We're definitely better this year than last, and in the second half, but it's tough to quantify improvement when the D is finally getting healthy while the level of their competition has dropped off a cliff.

I hear you but in previous years it hasn't mattered who the QB was we made everybody else's QB look like Brees
 
This is the real question.

I've often heard that "2nd half adjustments" in the NFL are somewhat of a myth - by the time coaches/players get to the locker room, use the bathroom, get a drink, whatever, there's only about 4-5 minutes for any kind of coaching. Not much longer than any of the 12 first half commercial breaks where they could come up with the same changes.

Maybe it's a myth, but evidently something's making a difference. Maybe the coaches have a chance to compare notes at halftime. I don't know. Maybe we're just a second half team. Or maybe it just looks like that.

This year seems to be record setting for "close games decided at the end of the 4th quarter" not just our games, but all over the league. This coming after ratings begin falling off. Makes me wonder...
 
I think I recall all SP teams making good halftime defensive adjustments except under Ryan.
 
Our defense has made several crucial stops this season.

If it weren't for abysmal special teams play we would be an 8 or 9 win team.
 
I really wish articles like these would take into account who and when we've played during these stretches. Our D is improving in the 2nd half, and there's definitely been improvement as they've gotten healthier, but there is a stark difference in quality of offenses between the last handful of games and the first handful. Rams offense? Atrocious. Broncos offense? Mediocre even when they're healthy. Chiefs offense? Mediocre. 49ers offense? Mediocre. Seahawks offense? Decent when healthy, but their o-line is/was atrocious/depleted, RB's depleted, and Wilson couldn't run which is what makes him so deadly in the first place.

We're definitely better this year than last, and in the second half, but it's tough to quantify improvement when the D is finally getting healthy while the level of their competition has dropped off a cliff.

Isn't that kinda the point, though? Bad defenses allow bad offenses to pile up points. We aren't doing that anymore.
 
I can't link to it because I'm at work, but Shanle was saying earlier on twitter that in 2009 they would allow a lot of yards and then tighten up in the redzone when the offense had a lead to burn clock.

Never thought of it that way. I've thought about it in terms of allowing your d-line sort of chill until you get close to redzone then let them lose, but never as a clock spending method.
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account on our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Users who are viewing this thread

    Back
    Top Bottom