Where’s the pass rush? Who’s at fault? Interesting numbers here: (1 Viewer)

[T.Sneden84]

Kwon coming back is huge... it will greatly improve LB blitzing which will trickle down to improving overall pass rush/packages etc.

 

[BG4L]

I don’t think we can depend on Davenport too much at this point but Onyemata yes he will be a great addition and improve the line a lot.

 

[Saint Taysom]

I don’t think we can depend on Davenport too much at this point but Onyemata yes he will be a great addition and improve the line a lot.

Adding Onyemata back to the interior DL will be huge! …and don’t forget, Onyemata also showed that he has the ability to move outside to DE if needed and still ball-out.

A healthy Davenport (even on a pitch count and in a rotational role) will provide a big boost by keeping Jordan, Turner, and TK fresh… and possibly even Granderson as well if he stays on the game day active list.

Both Jordan and TK can also move inside as well, so those 2 (or 1 of them and Onyemata) on the inside with Dav, Turner, and/or Granderson on the edges is a formidable front 4 for creating pass rush

 

[St.Dan]

So we’re second-worst in the NFL in sacks behind KC. Question is why? Is Cam declining? Turner disappointing since the injury? Granderson not stepping up? Or is it something else.

Check this:



Basically, all three DEs are double teamed (or triple teamed) at an extremely high rate. Which could mean:

1. Were not blitzing much, so backs and TEs and Cs can help on the edge.

2. Our DTs aren’t doing much of anything wrt pass rush, so extra blockers can focus on our edge guys.

It’s not a stretch to say that Onyemata will take this defense from “pretty good” to elite. Whether he’s rushing from inside or from the edge like he was in preseason (so we can kick Cam inside), the interior pressure with him in the game will make it impossible for blockers to focus their attention outside anymore.

Add in Davenport (hopefully) and you can see this changing fast.

Yet another metric to help prove what we should know during this stretch of the season: the injuries on D and the Onyemata suspension are what has the record at 3-2 and not 5-0. All things considered, 3-2 isn't bad heading into the bye week.

 

[SoggyBottomBoy]

We've been relying on the front four for the most part. We've been getting pressures, but not getting home for the sacks. I wonder in a game like we just played if that wasn't by design with a running QB like WFT has. More of a contain rush.

 

[bobad]

Saints have 8 sacks, Trey Hendrickson has 4.5. Ouch.

 

[BoxerJoe]

So the 4 most double-teamed pass rushers in the NFL are Nick Bosa and all 3 Saints DE's. That is incredibly damning on the DT's. For that to even be possible, both DE's would have to be double teamed on the same play consistently, while he DT's get snuffed out by one blocker.

Respect to Nick Bosa for that win to double team ratio. He's on that chart looking like a beastly outlier.

 

[SonOfNOLA]

I’m just glad we’ve been able to still the stop the run, while Onyemata and Davenport were out. D-Line has been getting to the QB enough to cause short yard throws, tighter coverage, three and outs, and int’s so they’ve been handling their assignments really well. Sack numbers should skyrocket once Dav and Onyemata are back after the bye.

 

[Saint Greg]

Saints have 8 sacks, Trey Hendrickson has 4.5. Ouch.

I was screaming last year that teams don't let guys that rush the passer like that walk in free agency. "But we can't afford him and we have Davenport."

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Add the return of Kwon Alexander to this equation with regards to 2nd level blitzing. The Saints are getting three front seven players back in 2-3 weeks. The icreased depth and talent will make a huge difference across the board. Even the Quality of the rotation steps up.

Guys like Turner, Granderson, Kpassagnon, Werner, go back to being package players.

For instance, before the injury to Davenport, Kpassagnon saw a lot of time as a DT in passrushing situations and was effective. It seemed like week to week you'd hear his name called and now...not so much.

He's having to play DE more and well he wouldn't be here if he was good at that position on other teams. He's best as a package guy, not a full time starter. Same can be said for Werner. He'll give you more quality snaps if he's giving you 30 plays a game instead of 60.

 

[St.RobE]

Saints have 8 sacks, Trey Hendrickson has 4.5. Ouch.

My buddy is a Bengals fan, he obviously watches all their games and said Trey has been dominating in all aspects of the game. It’s a shame he had to be a cap casualty but it was probably necessary to keep Lattimore and Ram.

 

[porculator]

My buddy is a Bengals fan, he obviously watches all their games and said Trey has been dominating in all aspects of the game. It’s a shame he had to be a cap casualty but it was probably necessary to keep Lattimore and Ram.

He also had one monster year after being kinda meh and one dimensional for three. If it was an either/or situation between him or Lattimore or Ram, which cap-wise it was, he was never going to win.

 

[breesgirl]

Sacks are not a useful indication of D-line effectiveness. QB hits and hurries are more indicative of success.

True. This also may mean that Cam hasn’t completely fallen off a cliff yet. As I recall, he’s one of the better DE’s at QB hurries and pressures this season. I need to recheck his ranking, though.

 

[HoustonSaint68]

We've been relying on the front four for the most part. We've been getting pressures, but not getting home for the sacks. I wonder in a game like we just played if that wasn't by design with a running QB like WFT has. More of a contain rush.

Yeah, this. And I expect it to continue against Geno Smith in Seattle. Then Onyemata comes back against a stationary target like Brady when you can also turn the blitzing dogs loose. Add in the Bucs secondary issues and I think we have a healthy chance to shock the media idiots with a win.

 

[breesgirl]

We need to start sustaining drives. Oline, although banged up, is going to have to perform better down the stretch.
We have been losing the TOP battle since the Greenbay game in a bad, bad way.

Absolutely.

I have been banging this drum since Drew announced his retirement. I kept telling people that the ability to score quickly is important, but ball control will always be the most valuable asset an offense possesses. Keeping our defense fresh by keeping them sidelined and controlling the clock is how we win games. Scoring quickly can sometimes be more detrimental than helpful.

We saw this for several seasons (14-16), where we scored at will, but kept putting our woeful defense on the field too soon just to get methodically carved up by our opponents. By the time we’d get the ball back, Drew didn’t have much time to answer back.

We have to control the clock in order to assert our will over other teams and help out our defense. Typically teams who control TOP win the game. You can only control TOP by sustaining methodical drives.