The One Single Factor that will Put Us Back in the SB, or end it early (1 Viewer)

[Flipx99]

Lots of ways to look at it. Personally, I think the O-line is the key.

If the O - Line is dominating, we have a running game, which means not only that there is less pressure on Drew to make plays but the receivers will be open.

If the O-line is dominating then Drew will have clear throwing lanes and will not have to force throws under pressure.

 

[rich70116]

I don't believe all that stuff anymore -- when the season's on the line, when it is down to one game, it's all about superior QB's.

It's all about Drew Brees.

 

[krushing]

The defense can't have a "let down "game like we did against the ravens. We cannot let a team pound the ball against us at will like the ravens or the first falcons game. Must shut down the run to win even if it means giving up a couple deep throws or deep PI calls.

 

[Chopper Man]

Lots of ways to look at it. Personally, I think the O-line is the key.

If the O - Line is dominating, we have a running game, which means not only that there is less pressure on Drew to make plays but the receivers will be open.

If the O-line is dominating then Drew will have clear throwing lanes and will not have to force throws under pressure.

+1

I think the offensive line needs to step it up. Brees is under seige every play and is forced in to throws he doesnt need to make, the holes are not there for the running game so we rely on screen passes to get that going and then there are the false start and holding penalties. Its hard to imagine when looking at it that we have two probowl players on that line. If they dont step up big this thing ends ugly.

 

[Domeination]

Even if we don't start getting the picks we were getting last year, Brees needs to stop throwing picks. Against the best, you can't afford to turn it over. The most predictive stat in all of football regarding wins and losses is who wins the turnover battle. There's no way around it. The two turnovers we got against Atlanta were huge in enabling us to win that game.

 

[Mule]

We just beat the top seed in the NFC with a 1-1 turnover ratio and 10 bad calls! The Saints can beat ANY TEAM OUT THERE. No special conditions or gimmick are required!

 

[geauxboy]

Solid running
No or low TO ratio
Convert on 3rd down
Win battle of field position (off punts mainly)
Time of possession (ie loooong drives)
Stopping the run (our pass D is already good enough)
Limit their 3rd down conversions

In other words. SEC football.

 

[bobad]

It is not valid to say that if Hartley had hit that kick we would be 12-3. If he had, everything would have been different going into the rest of the season, leading to who knows what.

True,,, it would change the whole space-time continuum. My laptop may not have even been stolen.

But I agree with the TO ratio. With this defence, even a +1 per game can get us a win.

 

[Sophandros]

I don't believe all that stuff anymore -- when the season's on the line, when it is down to one game, it's all about superior QB's.

It's all about Drew Brees.

Well, this season, the turnovers have been all about Drew. I think he'll be fine going forward (one of the picks this week was Abraham's making a great play), as he has been making, for the most part, more Drew Brees throws instead of the Aaron Brooks mistakes from early in the season.

 

[PatronSaintofBUD]

I don't think we need to get turnovers to win, I think that if we just limit our own turnovers, teams will find it hard to keep up with us.

In the losses to Cleveland and Arizona, INTs killed us. Limit those and establish the run, it will be destination Dallas.

 

[AceD]

+1 to Patron.

For us, it's not about getting turnover in 2010, our defense has really improved. It's simply a matter of not giving them.

If somebody would make me a deal right now- that we could go the 3-4 games in the playoffs without turning the ball over yet we wouldn't get one either, I'd take it in a heartbeat. Make room on the trophy shelf.

 

[Big_L]

I think as long as we can run the ball we can keep any defense in this league off balance. Over on the ATL forum those idiots are talking about we have no running game, which I think is wrong. I think our head coach goes to the passing game too often and too fast. I understand we are not a grind it out teamm, but we have to run the ball to keep the opposing defense honest. If we can do that then our defense isnt on the field as long and Drew isn't running for his life in the backfield. We will go as our running game goes.

 

[Swimmer]

Since we can not count on having an 8-1 TO ratio, we have to not turn the ball over ourselves. This requires a solid running game to make our play action game more effective. This will in turn take pressure off Drew, which I know he loves, but he can't afford to make any stupid bone headed picks like he has made at certain times this year. If he does we'll be pretty well done for the season.

Bingo!

 

[Swimmer]

actually... if Hartley makes that FG in OT against ATL in week 3... we're already division champs and have the # 1 seed locked up (ATL would be 11-4, we'd be 12-3 and have head-to-head tiebreaker) so Drew and all starters that have sufficiant back-ups would be sitting this week against TB.

that said... a moderate running game that combines w/ our passing game should be good enough to win as long as we don't turn the ball over. remember... most of the season our running backs were Ladell Betts, Julius Jones and Chris Ivory getting spot duty w/ the injuries to Thomas & Bush... as well as our supposed # 3 RB (Lynell Hamilton) on IR since preseason.

RBs need to do just a lil bit better in my eyes... O-line REALLY needs to step it up... and we need to stop turning the ball over (Drew stop throwing picks... though i'm ok w/ the 3rd & 20 bomb INTs that are pretty much nothing more than punts 1 down early)

Completely agree with your point about the run. Last MNF it was exciting watching Brees weave his way through blitzers on nearly every play. However, without a running a game, he will get knocked out if he has to scramble like that on 70% of the plays during the playoffs

 

[Nutria]

Based on what we've seen this season, I don't think that we can expect a large number of take-aways, particularly picks, but the defense is playing much better in general, so that compensates for the lack of INTs.