The "Reggie Ratio" is hurting us (1 Viewer)

EvilMike

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This is NOT a post to bash Reggie Bush, but I do think the Saints are giving him the ball far too often in the wrong kind of situation.

Payton seems to just be substituting Bush for Deuce on many of the running plays. Running between the tackles is Deuce's forte, not Bush's, and the continued practice of doing so is killing the Saints running game.

I would like to see the Saints run some mis-direction plays for Reggie, something that would give him a chance to get one on one outside with someone and really blow by them. Even when Reggie does run to the outside it seems the Saints aren't fooling anyone with them, as the often seem to stack the line to that side and run to the short side of the field.

As for Deuce, he should be the mainstay of the Saints running game, with 15 or 20 carries per game.

We will not go far with Brees having to throw 40 to 50 times per game!
 
It's easy to say that Deuce should get 15-20 carries a game. Everybody wants it. But every time Deuce gets the ball somebody else is not getting it. So who should get fewer balls? Colston? Joe? Reggie? Reggie is averaging 6.7 yards per pass play. No way that Deuce will average anything close to that on running plays. Yes, running between the tackles isn't Reggies strength yet but when should he learn it if not now?
 
I think I'm just gonna go ahead a leave this one to the coaches who are professionals at their job and see these players on a daily basis....

we are 6-4, and we lost to some tough AFC teams. We'll bounce back and make the playoffs (even if we just barely make them).

Deuce may not be 100%.....wouldn't want to have him on the sideline for our playoff run either....
 
I believe a healthy Deuce is potentially another LT. He can do it all. Run, Power, Catch, Throw. If he were the feature in Payton's system and we ran the ball a little more, then he would be that good. I like his chances to break a long one or hit a homerun more so than Reggie. Don't get me wrong, I like Reggie, but I don't think he'll ever be an LT type of back. He's more like Eric Mecalf.
 
You can leave it to the professionals starsaint but the truth of the matter is, the Saints are 27th in the league in total rushing, and we have a former All Pro RB who has run for over 1600 yards in one season AND a RB who has been mentioned as perhaps the greatest RB in college football history. Obviously whatever we are doing in the running game is not working and its time to try something else.
 
Hmmm, Am I missing something? I thought the problems the past few weeks have been turnovers, not the inability for the offense to move the ball down the field.
 
Yes, we've been moving the ball but its been entirely by passing. I believe that with Deuce and Bush, if they are used properly, we should have one of the best running offenses in the league, not 27th.
 
Hmmm, Am I missing something? I thought the problems the past few weeks have been turnovers, not the inability for the offense to move the ball down the field.

Yes, but against Baltimore and Cincinatti, the majority of turnovers were interceptions. THREE going for touchdowns. Maybe the bigger issue is our crappy secondary not being able to stop the RAVENS passing attack of all people, much less the Bengals.
 
You can leave it to the professionals starsaint but the truth of the matter is, the Saints are 27th in the league in total rushing, and we have a former All Pro RB who has run for over 1600 yards in one season AND a RB who has been mentioned as perhaps the greatest RB in college football history. Obviously whatever we are doing in the running game is not working and its time to try something else.

I wasn't really disagreeing with you, I believe Payton will correct the run/pass ratio. However, Deuce can be that kind of back for us, if and when he is completely healthy (i don't think he is right now). Coach Payton knows that running the ball on a consistent basis is the key to winning games; moreso than passing it. But I'm sure he knows what he's got in both Reggie and Deuce at this time and keeping deuce fresh while giving reggie more chances to bust a big one, via the passing game, is the approach he is going with.

Now, do I think this will change? Yes, and it starts this week. I have a feeling we are going to see more I formation 2 wr sets with deuce getting runs up the middle. One thing that I have noticed from the coach is that he is not afraid to change up his gameplan/philosophy on the drop of a dime.
 
I hope so StarSaint, I know the INTs are killing us as others have pointed out but I think part of that is just the numbers catching up with us. If you HAVE to throw all the time the D is going to play it.
 
I agree that we need to involve Deuce more 100 percent. I just don't think Payton wants to run hims as much because he wants to see if Reggie finally learned how to run the ball and to get Deuce's knee to 100 percent. Don't second geuss Payton, he knows what hes doing.
 
I'd like to see Payton call running plays more than he has the last two weeks. But I really don't care who's carrying the rock as long as I'm getting at least 4 yards a pop. And I'm very encouraged to see Reggie running decisively and well as of late. I'm not with the whole "Deuce nostalgia" thing.
 
I think we all have the right to second-guess the coach or whomever. That's what the forums are all about. I agree with the posters who are second-guessing Payton on Deuce. I have been complaining about it for weeks. I think it has been a BIG part of our downfall in the past month. Who remembers Payton saying a month ago that he needs to rely on Deuce more, especially as the team approaches a stretch of difficult teams and a possible playoff run. He knows that you MUST run the football successfully to control the game to have success in the playoffs. What did he do? He promptly started running Bush more, especially in goal-line situations AND we started throwing the ball like Don Coryell was in charge. The interceptions are happening because you can't throw the football 50 times a game and expect to not throw some interceptions.

We must keep the opposing defense off-balance, which means we need to be more balanced. Ten carries for Deuce is ridiculous. Even more ridiculous is that Reggie got MORE carries! I think that Payton has been trying to force or teach Bush to run hard upfield whether that is inside or outside. He HAS gotten better, but we've sacrificed a couple games doing it. The only way it's worthwhile is if we go on a win streak into the playoffs during which Bush is running the ball with authority up the field. If that doesn't happen, it wasn't worth giving Deuce a backseat while we lost games.

Deuce should be getting 15-25 carries. Minimum 15 on days where we HAVE to pass, and upward to 25 on days that the other team just can't stop the run and we're controlling the game. As much as I love to see Brees throwing downfield, we need to have some of the 25-rushes days if we're going to make a playoff run.

I've said for weeks that this is our number one problem. Our number two problem is not enough pressure on the quarterback. If our line can't get there, we need to blitz MORE.
 
I believe Bush is doing an outstanding job in the last 2 games. Deuce has been getting hit for a lot of no gains lately. Im happy with the ratio. Duece and Reggie need to take advantage of every touch they get.
 

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