Saints mailbag 10/09/09 (1 Viewer)

[kfran]

New Orleans Saints mailbag kicks off with kicker questions
By Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune
October 09, 2009

We feel for you, Saints fans. Not only do you have to survive the weekend without any black-and-gold football, but you've also got to make it through this mailbag without Jeff Duncan. ... I'll try my best to fill in. Next week, Jeff - and more importantly, the Saints - will be back.

Saints kicker John Carney has made 6 of 7 field-goal attempts this year. His only miss was a blocked kick in Week 1 vs. the Detroit Lions.Q: Last season John Carney made field goals of 47, 46, 48, 47, and 51 yards with the Giants. However, this season, Payton seems hesitant to use him from outside of 40 yards, twice choosing to go for it on 4th down (Week 3 vs. Buffalo @ the Bills' 28...conversion failed, and Week 4 vs. NY at the Jets' 28...conversion failed ). In your opinion, is it a lack of confidence in Carney's leg strength from 45 yards, or Payton's confidence that the offense can pick up the first down on 4th and short? Thanks. Kris, Ann Arbor, MI

Hey Kris, I think Payton has plenty of confidence in Carney, depending on the circumstances. He would have been fine with sending Carney out there for a 46-yard field goal, maybe even a 50- or 51-yarder inside the Superdome last Sunday, if it was fourth-and-5 or fourth-and-10. I talked to Carney afterward, and he said that was well within his range. But like you said, Payton has plenty of confidence in his offense, too, and he thought they could gain that one yard on fourth-and-1, then continue to drive in for seven points instead of three. ... Maybe it was the wrong choice, but it was worth the risk for Payton because of the field position. He didn't mind having the Jets take over at their own 28-yard line. ... As for the decision in Buffalo, that had more to do with the wind conditions, which weren't awful, but enough to make it a borderline decision. ... I don't expect to see Carney kicking a bunch of 50-yarders this year, but that's still within his range, especially indoors, and Payton trusts him. That 51-yarder last year was indoors at Minnesota, by the way.

More questions...
http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2009/10/new_orleans_saints_mailbag_kic.html

 

[Cuozzo67]

Hargrove has not been a disappointment in any sense. He's one of the most pleasant surprises of 2009. He makes plays and hustles on every down. He's not good enough to start, but he's helped this football team already in 2009.

Meachem? I don't know. He's made very few catches (5?), but they've been key grabs. You could argue that last week's catch was one of the biggest plays of the game. He still looks a little tentative to me. Watch him on those end-arounds and you can really tell. Look, I don't want to get roasted on the board, but does he have enough size and bulk to be a TE? Probably a stupid question, but I'm just asking. Whatever you think of his route-running, you have to admit he already is a good blocker. When you see this guy up close he's got great size. He's big for a wide receiver and with his speed, you can see why he was a 1st round pick. I'm still not sure about Meachem, though. When Moore returns, is he going to disappear again or step up his play?

 

[SAINTLOVE]

Meachem and Hargrove add to the team,we dont need 1or2 stars doing all the work,we need 11 player to do their part when they are on the field and I think these two have done their fair share.We have 12 games left Im sure we will hear their names again!Saints better as a whole!

 

[CHI-TOWNSAINT]

Meachem's production this year has been disappointing. I'm not down on him, just down on the fact that he hasn't had a bigger impact thus far.

 

[Saints addic]

Meachem's production this year has been disappointing. I'm not down on him, just down on the fact that he hasn't had a bigger impact thus far.

guys like Lance Moore and Billy Miller are missed. Moore (if healthy) I thought would have been huge last week against the Jets

 

[CHI-TOWNSAINT]

guys like Lance Moore and Billy Miller are missed. Moore (if healthy) I thought would have been huge last week against the Jets

I'm really not understanding where all the targeted passes are going. With Moore and Miller out, and Bush getting way less passes his way than years past, where's Brees going with the ball? I know I can figure that out easily, but I still don't get it.

 

[BoNcHiE]

I'm really not understanding where all the targeted passes are going. With Moore and Miller out, and Bush getting way less passes his way than years past, where's Brees going with the ball? I know I can figure that out easily, but I still don't get it.

We are passing less thus far because of playing in 3 (perhaps you could say 4) blowouts.

If this was the same shoot it out Saints of with a crappy defense of years past guys like Meachem would of gotten more catches I'm sure.

Shockey also has 18 catches already in this young season.

 

[Caleb462]

I'm really not understanding where all the targeted passes are going. With Moore and Miller out, and Bush getting way less passes his way than years past, where's Brees going with the ball? I know I can figure that out easily, but I still don't get it.

I'd say to Devery much more often than last year, to Shockey more since he's healthy, and sometimes to Heath Evans and David Thomas.