When a team is wildly inconsistent, that points to one thing. Coaching. (1 Viewer)

[perret318]

One of the primary duties of a coach, specifically a head coach, is to keep the team focused and motivated.

We all know the cliche that the biggest game of the year is always the next one. Maintaining that attitude among the players, keeping the team on an even keel -- humble after a big win, focused after a loss -- is the coaching staff's job.

We all saw what happened last week when Sean Payton was obviously fired up and keyed in on not just a victory, but an all-out balls-to-the-wall juggernaut of a win. That attitude was reflected in the entire team. If he can get jacked up about a personal vendetta, he should be just that intense about EVERY game. That is his job.

The sad part is, Payton used to be a mastermind of motivation. He was one of the best in the business. The last few seasons, it's become increasingly and undeniably evident that that fire just isn't there any more (outside of a revenge game against Gregg Williams, which just goes to show that he still has it, but isn't putting forth the effort week in and week out.)

Enough is enough. Sean Payton has been arguably the greatest head coach in Saints history. But if he wants to continue in that role, he's going to have to dig down and find what made his leadership so great and bring it back. Otherwise, it's time to step aside.

 

[Zztop]

These past few years the team has reminded me of years during the haslett era. They generally weren't good enough to make the playoffs, but not so terrible in that they won enough to just barely keep the fanbase from losing all hopes. The sad tragedy is Drew, a future hof 1st ballot qb that has had to play on putrid teams for the past 4 years.

 

[watts]

Agreed. Enough with the "bat games" and hokey "circle of life" silliness.

Get guys that identify, coach and motivate talent.

 

[jrdbrn]

SP put all his energy into last week... and it showed. He's done... ready to take his vacation. A tad too soon IMO, but I'm not a HC. What do I know?

 

[blackadder]

This was one of the biggest eggs laid/let down losses of the last decade considering the season riding on it and being at home.

I found it a bit unseemly the way Payton was so hyped up and out for blood on GW after 5 years. It was still just the Rams. That kind of focus is needed for...these kinds of games against good teams, not for personal vendettas against marginal teams.

 

[RJ in Lafayette]

It points to average personnel and lack of depth. But then on this team the head coach makes the personnel decisions.

 

[Meachemdat]

It points to average personnel and lack of depth. But then on this team the head coach makes the personnel decisions.

Nah, these guys came to the stadium ready to go home and play Xbox, has nothing to do with personnel when you just blew out a team the previous week. It's about "want to".

What on earth were they doing all week to prepare for this game? Why did they show up not ready to play an NFL game?

Those are the questions you ask one person and that's the head coach.

 

[Saint_Ward]

Agreed. Enough with the "bat games" and hokey "circle of life" silliness.

Get guys that identify, coach and motivate talent.

Why? Those seem to work.

 

[HouseCall]

The whole team was troubling. There was just no fire. Even Ellerbe, who normally plays like hes about to jump out of his skin was slow, indecisive and easily neutralized. The Lions didn't do anything special yesterday. They just dominated us man to man in the trenches. Stafford played from an immaculate pocket and Brees was running for his life.

However, even when Brees had time, he threw lame ducks and also seemed to be a step behind mentally. The team's body language was poor the whole game and the missed opportunities piled up like they do in so many of our losses this season.

- Moore's missed pick six on the opening drive led to a FG
- Fleener's dropped TD before half cost us 4 points
- Brees' severely under-threw Cooks on a sure TD
- Jordan drops an INT on a drive where the Lions scored the decisive TD two plays later.

It's just the same old song and dance every couple of weeks. They are just too inconsistent to develop an identity. It is coaching. I love Payton and I'm so grateful for what he has brought to us but it's a crying shame that they've squandered some amazing seasons by a first ballot HOF QB. It really might be time for a change.

Sad as it makes me to type that.

 

[RKNSaint]

It is true that Payton has lost the ability to consistently get his team ready for battle. He said it in his post game presser. It looked like the team was coming off a short week. This team was not ready to play. To maintain a high energy level it takes the entire organization. Coaching, players, etc...down to the waterboy. But it starts at the top and then veteran players keep it going. We have it one week and not the next. I said in another thread we are the greatest mediocre team in the league. Watching the top teams that sustain greatness you see the total commitment. Pete Carroll and his team are a great example. Belicheck and his group are another. We had it for a few seasons but have lost the magic formula.

 

[dvdman]

It's ALL coaching, look Tom Coughlin won two Super Bowls for the Giants and he's out of work now. Some times it's just time to move on.

 

[Brennan77]

It points to average personnel and lack of depth. But then on this team the head coach makes the personnel decisions.

Yep. I agree. I think the problem is not so much that the Saints didn't take the Lions seriously. I think we don't have a lot of depth and are weak at certain positions. Sometimes we get favorable match ups and sometimes we have exceedingly good game plans. That's what all the up and down is about. We just aren't that good.

And you're right. We know who chose the personnel. Yet the time to get rid of those guys was in 2014, after we whiffed on what was supposed to be a year to compete for a championship. Instead, we recommitted to a rebuild with the current coaching staff and management. To me, shipping out Jimmy Graham, Junior Galatte, and Kenny Stills was the start of a 2-3 year process of rebuilding that would mimic 2007-2008. I had hoped we would catch a little run and look like 2006 at some point, but it didn't work out.

We are too far invested in this rebuild to back away now. We have to give Payton and company another year or risk wasting the last two years of foundation building. If we don't compete for a championship next year, I think you have to strongly consider dumping Payton and prepare for life after Brees. If we do compete, you double down, pay Brees what he wants and hope he can pull a Peyton Manning.

 

[onanygivensunday]

FWIW from an outsider's perspective, I believe that it's time for the Saints to cut the cord with Payton.

Recent history shows that he's an average talent evaluator and has little or no knowledge how to assemble a defense and/or assemble a defensive coching staff.

Seattle had to do it with Holmgren, NYG had to do it with Coughlin, even DAL had to do it with Landry... it's time.

 

[DavidM]

Defense held its own for the most part. This could have been a really lop-sided loss. Were they motivated and the offense wasn't?

How much should have to go into motivating a veteran like Brees so he doesn't throw three interceptions, and so the offense doesn't misfire on multiple occasions?

And how much of it is because of the opponent? I thought the Lions' defense played well, and especially the defensive front which consistently got disruptive pressure throughout the game.

I think yesterday was a clearer indication that this team still isn't talented enough and that they had to kick the can down the road on some players and areas of the roster that still need improvement.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

trying to boil down highly complicated issues into simple/single bullet solutions is silly