This is why the panic is not needed (1 Viewer)

[bclemms]

The Falcons ran 85 offensive plays. Here are the stats.
9 sacks
15 tackles for a loss
2 interceptions
2 forced fumbles
4 yards per play
1 blocked punt
14 QB hits

When a defense plays like that, you quite literally don't have to score on offense. Even Payton realized it and was running the ball on 3rd down because he knew FG's would win it.

On offense
Saints only had 45 plays
We averaged 5.85 yards per play
0 sacks
0 turnovers
Only tackled for a loss 2 times for a total of -2 yards
1 QB hit

Win percentage with stats like that in the NFL is 100%. It's extremely efficient football.

We did all of that despite missing 3 pro bowl players, 2 starting LBs and our only FB on the road on Thursday Night against our biggest rival.

Fix the drops- Take those drops away last night and we score 40 easily. Cooks and Ginn need to get their sheet together. Thomas and Kamara will likely never drop a pass in the same game again in their careers.

The onside kicks will get fixed, I'm positive about that. The problem was recognized and the scheme will get corrected. Von Bell can't get stuck between going for the ball and making the block. He has to make the block in that situation every time. With a slow rolling onside kick you have to move the line up and we didn't. I know Payton recognized it because he described it in his post game presser. It'll get fixed.

The penalties- We have to fix what we can fix. The refs have made it clear they are only going to call penalties on the Saints. Clean up the dead ball and presnap penalties as well as pass interference penalties because that is what we can control. The rest have really been shady penalties and I'm afraid it's going to continue.

 

[BiloxiSaint1]

The Falcons ran 76 offensive plays. Here are the stats.
9 sacks
15 tackles for a loss
2 interceptions
2 forced fumbles
4 yards per play
1 blocked punt
4.57 yards per play
14 QB hits

When a defense plays like that, you quite literally don't have to score on offense. Even Payton realized it and was running the ball on 3rd down because he knew FG's would win it.

On offense
Saints only had 45 plays
We averaged 5.85 yards per play
0 sacks
0 turnovers
Only tackled for a loss 2 times for a total of -2 yards
1 QB hit

Win percentage with stats like that in the NFL is 100%. It's extremely efficient football.

We did all of that despite missing 3 pro bowl players, 2 starting LBs and our only FB on the road on Thursday Night against our biggest rival.

Fix the drops- Take those drops away last night and we score 40 easily. Cooks and Ginn need to get their shirt together. Thomas and Kamara will likely never drop a pass in the same game again in their careers.

The onside kicks will get fixed, I'm positive about that. The problem was recognized and the scheme will get corrected. Von Bell can't get stuck between going for the ball and making the block. He has to make the block in that situation every time. With a slow rolling onside kick you have to move the line up and we didn't. I know Payton recognized it because he described it in his post game presser. It'll get fixed.

The penalties- We have to fix what we can fix. The refs have made it clear they are only going to call penalties on the Saints. Clean up the dead ball and presnap penalties as well as pass interference penalties because that is what we can control. The rest have really been shady penalties and I'm afraid it's going to continue.

Just stop it with true facts! That's NO LONGER the world we live in!

 

[WhoDatWayne66]

Like your analysis!

 

[Floridalsusaintsfan]

Just stop it with true facts! That's NO LONGER the world we live in!

Lol! Sad but true.

 

[HoustonSaint68]

The Falcons ran 76 offensive plays. Here are the stats.
9 sacks
15 tackles for a loss
2 interceptions
2 forced fumbles
4 yards per play
1 blocked punt
4.57 yards per play
14 QB hits

When a defense plays like that, you quite literally don't have to score on offense. Even Payton realized it and was running the ball on 3rd down because he knew FG's would win it.

On offense
Saints only had 45 plays
We averaged 5.85 yards per play
0 sacks
0 turnovers
Only tackled for a loss 2 times for a total of -2 yards
1 QB hit

Win percentage with stats like that in the NFL is 100%. It's extremely efficient football.

We did all of that despite missing 3 pro bowl players, 2 starting LBs and our only FB on the road on Thursday Night against our biggest rival.

Fix the drops- Take those drops away last night and we score 40 easily. Cooks and Ginn need to get their shirt together. Thomas and Kamara will likely never drop a pass in the same game again in their careers.

The onside kicks will get fixed, I'm positive about that. The problem was recognized and the scheme will get corrected. Von Bell can't get stuck between going for the ball and making the block. He has to make the block in that situation every time. With a slow rolling onside kick you have to move the line up and we didn't. I know Payton recognized it because he described it in his post game presser. It'll get fixed.

The penalties- We have to fix what we can fix. The refs have made it clear they are only going to call penalties on the Saints. Clean up the dead ball and presnap penalties as well as pass interference penalties because that is what we can control. The rest have really been shady penalties and I'm afraid it's going to continue.

Really great post!

 

[saints4eva]

The Falcons ran 76 offensive plays. Here are the stats.
9 sacks
15 tackles for a loss
2 interceptions
2 forced fumbles
4 yards per play
1 blocked punt
4.57 yards per play
14 QB hits

When a defense plays like that, you quite literally don't have to score on offense. Even Payton realized it and was running the ball on 3rd down because he knew FG's would win it.

On offense
Saints only had 45 plays
We averaged 5.85 yards per play
0 sacks
0 turnovers
Only tackled for a loss 2 times for a total of -2 yards
1 QB hit

Win percentage with stats like that in the NFL is 100%. It's extremely efficient football.

We did all of that despite missing 3 pro bowl players, 2 starting LBs and our only FB on the road on Thursday Night against our biggest rival.

Fix the drops- Take those drops away last night and we score 40 easily. Cooks and Ginn need to get their shirt together. Thomas and Kamara will likely never drop a pass in the same game again in their careers.

The onside kicks will get fixed, I'm positive about that. The problem was recognized and the scheme will get corrected. Von Bell can't get stuck between going for the ball and making the block. He has to make the block in that situation every time. With a slow rolling onside kick you have to move the line up and we didn't. I know Payton recognized it because he described it in his post game presser. It'll get fixed.

The penalties- We have to fix what we can fix. The refs have made it clear they are only going to call penalties on the Saints. Clean up the dead ball and presnap penalties as well as pass interference penalties because that is what we can control. The rest have really been shady penalties and I'm afraid it's going to continue.

Very well said!
Hear hear!! ?

 

[TCEd]

I like it!

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

Great post.

 

[Crescentcity93]

That’s ballsy of you to use logic AND quantify it with actual statistics?! SSF is going to crash

 

[Super44]

The Falcons ran 76 offensive plays. Here are the stats.
9 sacks
15 tackles for a loss
2 interceptions
2 forced fumbles
4 yards per play
1 blocked punt
4.57 yards per play
14 QB hits

When a defense plays like that, you quite literally don't have to score on offense. Even Payton realized it and was running the ball on 3rd down because he knew FG's would win it.

On offense
Saints only had 45 plays
We averaged 5.85 yards per play
0 sacks
0 turnovers
Only tackled for a loss 2 times for a total of -2 yards
1 QB hit

Win percentage with stats like that in the NFL is 100%. It's extremely efficient football.

We did all of that despite missing 3 pro bowl players, 2 starting LBs and our only FB on the road on Thursday Night against our biggest rival.

Fix the drops- Take those drops away last night and we score 40 easily. Cooks and Ginn need to get their shirt together. Thomas and Kamara will likely never drop a pass in the same game again in their careers.

The onside kicks will get fixed, I'm positive about that. The problem was recognized and the scheme will get corrected. Von Bell can't get stuck between going for the ball and making the block. He has to make the block in that situation every time. With a slow rolling onside kick you have to move the line up and we didn't. I know Payton recognized it because he described it in his post game presser. It'll get fixed.

The penalties- We have to fix what we can fix. The refs have made it clear they are only going to call penalties on the Saints. Clean up the dead ball and presnap penalties as well as pass interference penalties because that is what we can control. The rest have really been shady penalties and I'm afraid it's going to continue.

Agree with most of what you have written. The real issue is, if the Saints continue taking the approach, “the defense will win games” against the top tier playoff teams with the offense playing pretty shoddy, I do not think they will advance beyond the first home game. But you have provided a really good factual analysis.

 

[BiloxiSaint1]

Agree with most of what you have written. The real issue is, if the Saints continue taking the approach, “the defense will win games” against the top tier playoff teams with the offense playing pretty shoddy, I do not think they will advance beyond the first home game. But you have provided a really good factual analysis.

But it is said that defense wins championships. I took that as the OP's his main position with his stats. The offense stats revealed no turnovers - which goes hand-in-hand with great defense.

The O definitely needs to do much better on 3rd down than they did last night. I think if the Saints go back to their season average on 3rd down, keep protecting the ball, and cut out a lot of the penalties while playing D like they did last night, they will advance well beyond the first home game.

 

[BoNcHiE]

Agree with most of what you have written. The real issue is, if the Saints continue taking the approach, “the defense will win games” against the top tier playoff teams with the offense playing pretty shoddy, I do not think they will advance beyond the first home game. But you have provided a really good factual analysis.

You gotta recognize the middle ground.

We still scored 26 points and didn't turn it over on offense. That's on the road. The defense was the better unit last night, but it's not like we won 13-9.

 

[ndcc]

The Falcons ran 76 offensive plays. Here are the stats.
9 sacks
15 tackles for a loss
2 interceptions
2 forced fumbles
4 yards per play
1 blocked punt
4.57 yards per play
14 QB hits

When a defense plays like that, you quite literally don't have to score on offense. Even Payton realized it and was running the ball on 3rd down because he knew FG's would win it.

On offense
Saints only had 45 plays
We averaged 5.85 yards per play
0 sacks
0 turnovers
Only tackled for a loss 2 times for a total of -2 yards
1 QB hit

Win percentage with stats like that in the NFL is 100%. It's extremely efficient football.

We did all of that despite missing 3 pro bowl players, 2 starting LBs and our only FB on the road on Thursday Night against our biggest rival.

Fix the drops- Take those drops away last night and we score 40 easily. Cooks and Ginn need to get their shirt together. Thomas and Kamara will likely never drop a pass in the same game again in their careers.

The onside kicks will get fixed, I'm positive about that. The problem was recognized and the scheme will get corrected. Von Bell can't get stuck between going for the ball and making the block. He has to make the block in that situation every time. With a slow rolling onside kick you have to move the line up and we didn't. I know Payton recognized it because he described it in his post game presser. It'll get fixed.

The penalties- We have to fix what we can fix. The refs have made it clear they are only going to call penalties on the Saints. Clean up the dead ball and presnap penalties as well as pass interference penalties because that is what we can control. The rest have really been shady penalties and I'm afraid it's going to continue.

One of the BEST posts this season:



P.S.: Your avatar makes me a bit sad. Is a change coming soon, or is your message “Deal with it?”

 

[zeketombar]

I'm with ya. These Thursday night games are brutal and I think Payton is saving some stuff for SF. The main concern for me is the onsides kick coverage unit but that's a nice problem to have in a way. It means you are beating a team so badly that they have to onside kick you to get back in the game. We still scored 26 and did not play our best ball and that is a blessing in a way. The team knows they can and must get better, so let's prepare for a strong finish in these last four. It's all still there for us. So, LET'S GO (please note that this is Bill Cowher's LET'S GO and not Tom Brady's. Thank you)!!!!!

 

[jmalon3]

Tom Brady recently talked about his teams offensive struggles. I don’t have the exact quote but he acknowledged the offensive struggle and noted the need to improve, but also noted being 10-1 with this much needed improvement was only a positive. I feel we are in the same situation. We are winning in the regular season all while trying to find the rhythm we need on offense to be unstoppable. Can you imagine if we put it all together at some point? We have the talent, and now we just need to find some consistency.