This defense scares me (2 Viewers)

[CRESS_137]

That center for Jacksonville is HUGE. 6'6" 315. He was pushing people around
Brandon Linder

 

[Outbackjack]

Before I begin, I will point out the obvious and also the most common quoted phrases around this time of year:

• It's just preseason
• We didn't gameplan
• Most of our starters didn't play
• We were vanilla (which I suppose the opposing team decided to go with whip cream & sprinkles)
• Quit overreacting

While some of these phrases can be true, it does not mean to totally ignore what you saw. There were some positives from the game, but mostly from individuals instead of the entire unit.
What concerns me the most about this defense is that it appears that we have went away from our Man scheme to a more Zone heavy scheme. If something is working, then why switch it? Also if it was working well, then why change?

After watching this past game, I immediately went back to last year's 1st preseason game against the Browns. We lost, but if you remember, it was the 3rd team defense and the wonder play of Damian Swann that helped the Browns get the win. However our 1st team defense played well(as a unit) and left fans for a reason to be optimistic concerning the defense.

After watching the recent game twice, I honestly cannot say that I feel the same.
Last preseason the Saints' defense took the league by storm. We were very aggressive, we played a lot of Press-Man defense and we finished 2nd in total yards surrendered (preseason) and 3rd in least points given up.
Last year the preseason set the tone and gave us a preview as to how the regular season would play out: strong defense, low scoring/ball control offense.

As we all remember, the Saints started out 0-2 after getting demolished by the Pats & Vikings. It was rumored that Kenny Vaccaro had a players only meeting, and then suggested to the coaches that the team goes back to the defense that was played during the preseason. I'm not sure, how true that is, but after that meeting, the defense dramatically improved and the Saints went on an 8 game winning streak. In my opinion, the 2017 defense was the real MVP of the season.
We allowed Kenny to walk and it has been stated that we want to play a more traditional safety set. Did we make a mistake? Are we still trying to implement the same defense that we saw during the 1st two games of last season?

Why I dislike Zone
It's not that I hate Zone, I actually love a team that plays a good zone defense. However, it's just that whenever we went to a Zone heavy Scheme under Sean Payton, the defense has never played well. For some odd reason, we have always been a team that plays well with an aggressive scheme and playing man coverage with a single high safety. Even under Steve Spagnuolo, the defense looked totally different when we played the Eagles vs many of the other games that we played that year.

When the Saints have played Zone, we have seen blown coverages, players getting to the ball too late, players looking confused before the snap, etc.
If Lattimore & Crawley are better fit for a Man scheme, then why are we implementing something that is not to their strength? During the game I saw pre-snap looks that resemble Cover 4, and we were getting picked apart against a QB who did not scheme against us.

Time will tell
I hope that I am wrong and that maybe we were just trying out certain concepts that will change with each preseason game that passes by. I hope I am wrong, and I would love to be wrong. Feel free to bump this thread during the regular season and I will gladly eat crow.

Refer back to your first 5 bullet points.

 

[Colin311]

We didn’t have Cam Jordan playing which he is a game changer. I’m not worried at all about our defense. The linebackers just need to gel and they will have their issues fixed by the first game of regular season.

 

[Alaina]

I don't think it was really our secondary that failed us in Jacksonville. Seemed like our line was failing us. Remember that Jacksonville was the #1 team in rushing yards last year and they were gouging us on the run. It's something we need to work on, yes. We also may not have the right people in the right positions on game 1 of preseason. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned but I have enough confidence that these things will get worked out by game 3 or 4 of the preseason, and certainly by week 1 or 2 when we're playing inferior teams.

 

[nolatransplant]

I hear you, but let us not forget who we were playing. The Jags made it to the AFC championship and almost beat New England. They have made some improvements this year and all indications suggest they will be a top-tier team that will compete in the AFC. They have a strong running game and Fournette is a beast. This was a good test to see what our defense could do against a top offense and which players would mesh well together.

I saw a defense with incredible depth and players that can fill in if an injury happens. There is a lot of room for optimism.
As I mentioned in another thread, we were missing Cam Jordan, Okafor, and Davenport. It's hard to stop Fournette or put pressure on the QB if you're missing those players.

Let's see what will happen once we get our starting D-line on the field.

 

[rsmith2783]

I don't think it was really our secondary that failed us in Jacksonville. Seemed like our line was failing us. Remember that Jacksonville was the #1 team in rushing yards last year and they were gouging us on the run. It's something we need to work on, yes. We also may not have the right people in the right positions on game 1 of preseason. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned but I have enough confidence that these things will get worked out by game 3 or 4 of the preseason, and certainly by week 1 or 2 when we're playing inferior teams.

I saw pre-snap confusion, blown assignments and DBs lined up nearly 10 yards off the receiver. Jacksonville marched down the field against us without even game planning. If we went into the regular season like this, a really good QB will pick us apart.
Like I said, I hope I am wrong.

 

[Bartyboy]

I think once you see the 8 man rotation on the D-line a lot will change.

 

[Alaina]

I saw pre-snap confusion, blown assignments and DBs lined up nearly 10 yards off the receiver. Jacksonville marched down the field against us without even game planning. If we went into the regular season like this, a really good QB will pick us apart.
Like I said, I hope I am wrong.

I saw no pass rush and massive holes for Fournette to tear us up with. Bortles held onto the ball forever numerous times. Lining up too far from the receiver is easily fixable. I'm more worried about our line.

 

[rsmith2783]

I saw no pass rush and massive holes for Fournette to tear us up with. Bortles held onto the ball forever numerous times. Lining up too far from the receiver is easily fixable. I'm more worried about our line.

I believe the play of the line will improve once Cam & Okafor are back. I guess i'm more worried about the back 7, instead of the front 4. I actually saw good things (individually) from the front 4.

 

[Alaina]

I believe the play of the line will improve once Cam & Okafor are back. I guess i'm more worried about the back 7, instead of the front 4. I actually saw good things (individually) from the front 4.

Interesting, my concern is the front 7 and not the back 4. Crawley, Lattimore, and Williams looked fine to me. But yes, I agree that Cam and Okafor will be a big help when they're back, along with Davenport when he gets up to speed.

 

[renegadewa]

Before I begin, I will point out the obvious and also the most common quoted phrases around this time of year:

• It's just preseason
• We didn't gameplan
• Most of our starters didn't play
• We were vanilla (which I suppose the opposing team decided to go with whip cream & sprinkles)
• Quit overreacting

While some of these phrases can be true, it does not mean to totally ignore what you saw. There were some positives from the game, but mostly from individuals instead of the entire unit.
What concerns me the most about this defense is that it appears that we have went away from our Man scheme to a more Zone heavy scheme. If something is working, then why switch it? Also if it was working well, then why change?

After watching this past game, I immediately went back to last year's 1st preseason game against the Browns. We lost, but if you remember, it was the 3rd team defense and the wonder play of Damian Swann that helped the Browns get the win. However our 1st team defense played well(as a unit) and left fans for a reason to be optimistic concerning the defense.

After watching the recent game twice, I honestly cannot say that I feel the same.
Last preseason the Saints' defense took the league by storm. We were very aggressive, we played a lot of Press-Man defense and we finished 2nd in total yards surrendered (preseason) and 3rd in least points given up.
Last year the preseason set the tone and gave us a preview as to how the regular season would play out: strong defense, low scoring/ball control offense.

As we all remember, the Saints started out 0-2 after getting demolished by the Pats & Vikings. It was rumored that Kenny Vaccaro had a players only meeting, and then suggested to the coaches that the team goes back to the defense that was played during the preseason. I'm not sure, how true that is, but after that meeting, the defense dramatically improved and the Saints went on an 8 game winning streak. In my opinion, the 2017 defense was the real MVP of the season.
We allowed Kenny to walk and it has been stated that we want to play a more traditional safety set. Did we make a mistake? Are we still trying to implement the same defense that we saw during the 1st two games of last season?

Why I dislike Zone
It's not that I hate Zone, I actually love a team that plays a good zone defense. However, it's just that whenever we went to a Zone heavy Scheme under Sean Payton, the defense has never played well. For some odd reason, we have always been a team that plays well with an aggressive scheme and playing man coverage with a single high safety. Even under Steve Spagnuolo, the defense looked totally different when we played the Eagles vs many of the other games that we played that year.

When the Saints have played Zone, we have seen blown coverages, players getting to the ball too late, players looking confused before the snap, etc.
If Lattimore & Crawley are better fit for a Man scheme, then why are we implementing something that is not to their strength? During the game I saw pre-snap looks that resemble Cover 4, and we were getting picked apart against a QB who did not scheme against us.

Time will tell
I hope that I am wrong and that maybe we were just trying out certain concepts that will change with each preseason game that passes by. I hope I am wrong, and I would love to be wrong. Feel free to bump this thread during the regular season and I will gladly eat crow.

Well it IS preseason and there was no game plan. Key starters were given the night off if for nothing else they have very little to prove. It was a very vanilla effort from the defense and do you actually think that the players don't know it?

You actually went back and watched preseason game 1 from a year ago and you watched the Jags game twice to come to the conclusion that this defense scares you?

I may be the one eating crow but I think you are WAY over reacting and reading way too much into what you saw Thursday night.

Coaches coach and preseason is when they try different and other things. These games are for getting their packages and schemes worked out for when the games get real.

There is way too much talent on this defense for me to get worried after one preseason game.

 

[capt. bloodlog]

We have a good defense for the first time in years. I don’t understand the pessimism.

 

[rsmith2783]

Well it IS preseason and there was no game plan. Key starters were given the night off if for nothing else they have very little to prove. It was a very vanilla effort from the defense and do you actually think that the players don't know it?

You actually went back and watched preseason game 1 from a year ago and you watched the Jags game twice to come to the conclusion that this defense scares you?

I may be the one eating crow but I think you are WAY over reacting and reading way too much into what you saw Thursday night.

Coaches coach and preseason is when they try different and other things. These games are for getting their packages and schemes worked out for when the games get real.

There is way too much talent on this defense for me to get worried after one preseason game.

I hope so.

 

[rsmith2783]

We have a good defense for the first time in years. I don’t understand the pessimism.

My question to you is how many years under Sean Payton that we have had back to back good years for the defense?

 

[los226]

Our LB’s didn’t play very well.