Saints must fundamentally change their identity or we don't make the SB (1 Viewer)

[Christian Bale]

When Teddy Bridgewater finished up his 5-0 run, I posed the question if the defense will revert to its old ways of relying on Drew Brees' arm to win games. I was largely mocked and ridiculed for such a blasphemous notion, and SINCE Drew has returned, the defense has largely reverted to its old ways of relying on Drew Brees' arm to win games. And the 49ers loss was just the biggest example of them becoming the shootout team they've been the past decade that gets you so far, but ultimately gets stopped in the playoffs.

and now with this loss, the Saints only hope of HF is not only running the table (including facing a suddenly red hot wild card Titan team on the road) but hoping the Seahawks can beat the Niners twice in a row (we own tie over SEA not SF) And if we drop ONE game vs the Colts, Titans, or even Panthers, then we need the Packers to lose TWO games (ain't gonna happen) because guess what, they hold the tiebreaker over us, and we might be playing bloody wild card weekend with all the rif-raf!

The bottom line is, the shootout version of the Saints is not winning the NFC. and the only way that happens is if Payton and Allen get this defense in gear. Because I don't want to get into a shootout with the Vikings indoors with Adam Thielen, Dalvin Cook, and Stefon Diggs, and if we get passed that, I don't want to be taking Drew Brees up to Green Bay in the middle of a January blizzard on his 41st birthday! Only to be greeted by the 49ers in THEIR stadium? Defense must play like they did with Teddy.

 

[insidejob]

We should just forfeit.

Klein and Alonso were dearly missed yesterday. Period. Without them, the front seven obviously isn't the same. They take advantage of the defensive line doing their job while Craig Robertson showed why he's a backup and special teamer.

 

[BooBirdSaint]

Batman speaks...

Each team we face will present challenges. Fortunately, the bookend games of Indy and Cryolina are pride games for those teams as Cryolina is out and Indy is just about out. We are also catching Tennessee at the right time as they play the Texans next week for the lead in the AFC South then us and then the Texans again. Titans might mail it in vs us because all they need to do is beat the Texans twice to win the Division.
Now that being said any given Sunday but I like our chances to run the table.

 

[JvilleJoe]

We should just forfeit.

Klein and Alonso were dearly missed yesterday. Period. Without them, the front seven obviously isn't the same. The take advantage of the defensive line doing their job while Craig Robertson showed why he's a backup and special teamer.

The absence of both Klein and Alonso were absolutely missed. As I watched the game and the outside flair passes and runs it was obvious that Robertson, although showing great hustle, was always a step slow. He also did not drop back effectively in the passing game. There were other instances of poor play with Gardner-Johnson and Eli Apple, who got schooled numerous times over the course of the game. For as good as the offense played the defense was AWOL most of the day, with the exception of the DL.

 

[slaym]

The Saints defense plays when they want to play. It is as simple as that. They took off during the Falcons beat down and the 49ers loss coming off practically a bye week in both games.

 

[insidejob]

The absence of both Klein and Alonso were absolutely missed. As I watched the game and the outside flair passes and runs it was obvious that Robertson, although showing great hustle, was always a step slow. He also did not drop back effectively in the passing game. There were other instances of poor play with Gardner-Johnson and Eli Apple, who got schooled numerous times over the course of the game. For as good as the offense played the defense was AWOL most of the day, with the exception of the DL.

Agreed, obviously. Robertson was out of position a few times that we got gashed on runs and when he was in position, he was a step slow and the runner would look like they were walking away from him. In the first half, their passing offense was "throw at Apple," but we did something to clean that up in the second half because I don't recall him really getting picked on then. I think if Klein/Alonso were playing CJGJ wouldn't have been on the field to get schooled like he was but we had no choice but to have him out there with Robertson getting beat too.

 

[crosswatt]

 

[insidejob]

The Saints defense plays when they want to play. It is as simple as that. They took off during the Falcons beat down and the 49ers loss coming off practically a bye week in both games.

I'm not buying that at all. We couldn't get into the end zone against the falcons and Drew got sacked 6 times.

The DL played their butts off yesterday but were missing 2 important pieces of the front 7 to make their great play produce results. We tightened up on defense in the second half, only allowing them 7 points for a good stretch but then the 9ers got some very fortunate calls to extend their drive twice when we got off the field on third down and they scored their next points of the second half.

 

[NatureBoy]

How about some credit to the team on the other side of the ball. They are pros too, and yesterday they were incredible. They made all the right calls and executed with insane precision. Their game plan was perfect. Their play selection kept us off balance all day. Sometimes these things happen. It happened to the Philadelphia Eagles in their Super Bowl winning season against, our Saints. That loss didn’t stop them from turning things around and winning it all. Tip your hat, give credit where it’s due and move on. This is the NFL. Defenses can not be dominant anymore. The rules and nature of the game don’t allow it.

AFTER FACT EDIT: I say Eagles above and meant Giants.

 

[Taker597]

mEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH


A bit over dramatic. The Teddy Bridgewater run wasn't that great. The two games where Kamara was out and it was the Murray show was the most complete we looked all year.

Lets just be honest... Ingram made Kamara. We should use Murray in the same fashion to make Kamara a threat instead of trying to force a lead back role on Karama.

 

[Jeff Miller]

If they can't figure out how to play defense they will be 1 and done in the playoffs

 

[Walter White]

I have no issue with the offensive playcalling yesterday. It was actually genius. We have to eliminate the stupid penalties as well as the boneheaded coverage mistakes and we will be fine.

 

[greg8710]

I pray we get the Packers in the playoffs.

 

[FGE413]

I don't see how anyone can look at the way we've played since the bye and think that we're a Super Bowl level team. Yeah, that could change because we SHOULD be getting some injured guys healthy again for the postseason and in theory, a lot of the inexcusable mental mistakes SHOULD be correctible (but we've been saying this since the start of the season and we haven't cleaned up our act yet...it may just be who we are this year). Time will tell.

 

[Saint Spud]

The identity isn’t the problem.

The offense did whatever it wanted to all day. A couple of strange play calls, but whatever.

The defense couldn’t stop a runny nose. It was pitiful to watch. Yeah, we had some injuries. So does everyone.

Dennis Allen being unable to cover for any of it and allowing a near-fifty burger at home is a fireable offense. And I don’t see how he/they improve enough to get to a SB.