Week 11 AMA: Rams incoming (1 Viewer)

[TCUDan]

Is this the first real test for Rizzi? Can the Saints offense keep rolling or will the Rams have answers for its patchwork WR corps? Where are the matchup strengths and weakness?

Are they guys really clinging to playoff hopes, or has that ship truly sailed?

Shoot your questions and I'll try to come up with some completely non-speculative and scientific answers .

 

[Cougar 2]

Gm Coach! Long time! Hope all is well!

A couple of questions ( Defense)

After bein up n down all year, the D line has come around the last 2 games, with better play against the run ( esp against CLE) n 6 sacks. What made the difference? More spirited play? Or have Coachrs Woods n Young tweaked some things?

Alontae n Koolaid are gonna get tested big time of course. We usually play lotsa man. But with the D is starting to get a good rush with da 4 D linemen, should we play more zone to help da young CBs against Kupp n Puka?

 

[GeauxSainz]

How do you think Rizzi and the team does in this upcoming game?

 

[fishing4food]

Do you think the Rams offense will exploit the Saints aging defensive players?

 

[chameleonknight]

Is there any way to keep the run game going without pounding Tayslm too much? Jet sweeps? Run more out of spread formations? Or is it just a matter of timing l, eg right play at right time?

 

[SWJJ]

If we beat the rams, can we win out?

 

[BreesHOF2024]

Rams have a young D-Line. We have a young O-line. Dan who do you think has the edge in the trenches?

 

[TCUDan]

Gm Coach! Long time! Hope all is well!

A couple of questions ( Defense)

After bein up n down all year, the D line has come around the last 2 games, with better play against the run ( esp against CLE) n 6 sacks. What made the difference? More spirited play? Or have Coachrs Woods n Young tweaked some things?

Alontae n Koolaid are gonna get tested big time of course. We usually play lotsa man. But with the D is starting to get a good rush with da 4 D linemen, should we play more zone to help da young CBs against Kupp n Puka?

There isn't a lot different schematically but there has been some changes in situational playcalling. For whatever reason DA was mixing a lot of man and pressure on early downs and on 3rd down--even 3rd and long--kinda easing back into zone. They've flipped the script a little and are also being a more creative and intentional with their pressures. The DL has stepped up against the run, and the pressure has been creeping up, but Cleveland in particular had a ton of dropbacks, so 3 sacks is a little less impressive.

Without having the film in front of me, what stuck out on some of these chunk plays through the passing game is that it's less a technical or matchup issue in coverage and more just blown coverage. This could be growing pains Koolaid, an abrupt switch back to the outside for Taylor (he's gotta get his sea legs back). I'm still pretty confident in those guys, but yeah, Stafford and Cupp/Puka are gonna try and test them.

My default as a DC is always to get after the QB rather than try to dedicate more resources to coverage. My philosophy is that coverage should be strategic--stemming alignment, not showing rotation too early, finding more than one way to double cover a player, using simulated pressures and just generally breaking tendencies. Yes, you can cloud things up for the QB by dropping 7 or 8 but it really doesn't matter if your pressure doesn't hit home--coverage sacks in zone are rare and more often than not one of those crafty receivers will find a window to settle in.

 

[TCUDan]

How do you think Rizzi and the team does in this upcoming game?

I'm cautiously optimistic that they keep the momentum going. Home game, healthy at the right positions, leaning into some confidence and swagger. The Rams are better than their record so even at home I expect it to be close. It could come down to who manages the game better in critical situations and closes out when the time comes.

There is, of course, a flip-side to that take. The spark of change from DA to Rizzi could be fizzling out. Teams now have a little more film on Valdes-Scantling and some of the new additions (though I really don't think that's who you have to stop to stop the offense). And just the general inconsistency of the Saints this season makes it hard to really pound your chest on this.

Not to mention one injury to the wrong player (cough *Taysom Hill* cough) could easily swing the game.

(*Immediately knocks on wood*)

 

[GeauxSainz]

I'm cautiously optimistic that they keep the momentum going. Home game, healthy at the right positions, leaning into some confidence and swagger. The Rams are better than their record so even at home I expect it to be close. It could come down to who manages the game better in critical situations and closes out when the time comes.

There is, of course, a flip-side to that take. The spark of change from DA to Rizzi could be fizzling out. Teams now have a little more film on Valdes-Scantling and some of the new additions (though I really don't think that's who you have to stop to stop the offense). And just the general inconsistency of the Saints this season makes it hard to really pound your chest on this.

Not to mention one injury to the wrong player (cough *Taysom Hill* cough) could easily swing the game.

(*Immediately knocks on wood*)

SHHHHHHHHHHH. Haha. Thanks for the info Dan.

 

[TCUDan]

Is there any way to keep the run game going without pounding Tayslm too much? Jet sweeps? Run more out of spread formations? Or is it just a matter of timing l, eg right play at right time?

Ah I don't think he's getting overworked on run plays. They're managing that well, IMO. I always thought the bigger issue was the traditional fullback snaps where he was kicking out a DE or inserting up on a LB and getting caught in a scrum. To KK's credit, he seems to have eased up with Taysom on that particular brand of snaps.

The way they used him vs. Cleveland was picture-perfect. They should stick to that model.

 

[TCUDan]

Do you think the Rams offense will exploit the Saints aging defensive players?

I'm more worried about them exploiting the younger players than the aging players.

 

[TCUDan]

If we beat the rams, can we win out?

Anything's possible--though there's still some tough games on the schedule. I think Green Bay, the Commanders, and Tampa will all be tough.

But right now the guys seem to believe. Stacking up wins breeds confidence. That's your biggest weapon going into a tough game--that belief that you will beat anyone.

 

[TCUDan]

Rams have a young D-Line. We have a young O-line. Dan who do you think has the edge in the trenches?

After these last two games I'll take the Saints healthy OL. McCoy and Ruiz are back and Penning was a beast last game. If they manage to channel that same energy, they should win that matchup pretty handedly.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

There isn't a lot different schematically but there has been some changes in situational playcalling. For whatever reason DA was mixing a lot of man and pressure on early downs and on 3rd down--even 3rd and long--kinda easing back into zone. They've flipped the script a little and are also being a more creative and intentional with their pressures. The DL has stepped up against the run, and the pressure has been creeping up, but Cleveland in particular had a ton of dropbacks, so 3 sacks is a little less impressive.

Without having the film in front of me, what stuck out on some of these chunk plays through the passing game is that it's less a technical or matchup issue in coverage and more just blown coverage. This could be growing pains Koolaid, an abrupt switch back to the outside for Taylor (he's gotta get his sea legs back). I'm still pretty confident in those guys, but yeah, Stafford and Cupp/Puka are gonna try and test them.

My default as a DC is always to get after the QB rather than try to dedicate more resources to coverage. My philosophy is that coverage should be strategic--stemming alignment, not showing rotation too early, finding more than one way to double cover a player, using simulated pressures and just generally breaking tendencies. Yes, you can cloud things up for the QB by dropping 7 or 8 but it really doesn't matter if your pressure doesn't hit home--coverage sacks in zone are rare and more often than not one of those crafty receivers will find a window to settle in.

Yep, this happened far too often under DA. Drop 8, rush 3, QB/WR connect in huge hole. Might as well just rush 8 if you’re going to allow pass to be completed.

That style worked when we had Nick Fairley/Cam Jordan but if you don’t have two dominant players out of the 3, the OL just doubles two and singles the weaker guy and the QB has an eternity.