Oswlek
Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2006
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I didn't see an "other games" thread and none of the current threads appeared appropriate. If this should have gone somewhere else, feel free to move it.
* I know Rex is having a rough go of it right now, but IMO the Ryan brother who was worse last night was Rob. The Jets were awful against Buffalo, but they are awful. NO let a very winnable game slip right through their hands by atrocious asset management
Quick! You have probably the worst collection of DBs in the entire league - seriously, at least two of the 2011 Patriots secondary would start for the Saints right now - and you are playing a team with two excellent WRs whose entire offensive game plan is throw it quick to the first read or throw deep. What defense do you call?
If you said lots of zero blitzes leaving your terrible CBs in single coverage and allowing 8 yards of cushion you might be qualified to be the New Orleans defensive coordinator! If not, don't fret, it just means you have a functioning neocortex.
Wow, that was ugly.
* I've watched quite a bit of the Saints this year and I have to say... {clears throat and prepares best Chris Simms impression}... Drew Brees is not a top five quarterback.
I don't know if it is purely system, but I can say with certainty that Brees' aggressiveness is creating problems for the offense. Beyond the obvious turnovers (both picks and fumbles after holding the ball too long), I saw no less than a half dozen plays last night when a receiver was open in the flat for good yardage, but Drew waited too long for the big play giving the defense time to react.
******Tangent***************************
This is precisely the stuff that PFF doesn't seem to recognize. Yes, it is far more visually impressive to see someone toss the ball 40 yards downfield into a tight window, but quick recognition of the easy play is equally important. I've seen them degrade Tom due to passes appearing too easy with receivers too open, failing to realize that Tom is the reason the play seemed so easy.
******End Rant**************************
There was a moment in the 3rd quarter when ESPN ran a stat about Brees being 4/4 with 160 yards and a TD on passes more than 20 yards, or something to that effect. What was funny is that two of those plays really should have been picked, one play along the sidelines when the receiver had to literally steal the ball from the defender while falling to the turf and the other when the safety bizarrely backed up into the end zone giving Colston the space to make the catch.
I swear on my life that even before the announcers went over it, I stood up and said to my daughter, "what the hell was that guy doing?! Seriously, watch this player when they do the replay... look at him just back up when all he had to do is jump for an easy interception. At the very least he could have drilled the receiver and ." Too her credit she actually tried to follow me.
So um.... where was I again? Oh yeah, Brees is a fine QB. But let's stop lumping him in with Brady, Manning and Rodgers.
* In an ironic twist, the one time I saw Brees react quickly to an open running back (maybe it was the play call?) was the play on the goal line where the guy caught the ball with a clear path to a TD, but for some reason couldn't keep his balance and he just backed his way out of bounds. I don't think I've ever seen that before. I've seen receivers fall down or have their sprinting moment carry them out, but stumbling backwards out of bounds with no defender anywhere near you when you have 5-7 yards of space to stabilize yourself is a new one for me.
* I'd like to have seen how the game played out in the alternate universe where no hold was called on Evans in the 3rd quarter. NO had Baltimore on their heels, were in Raven territory after an impressive run. Instead, they were pushed back 10 yards setting up the pick-6 that pretty much sealed the game, even if the Saints still had 20 minutes of flopping around, gasping for air until the lie was out of them.
That holding call changed the complexion of the entire game and even Jon Gruden admitted he couldn't see it on the replay. If I'm being generous, it might have been worth a 3 inch penalty. Maybe.
I think that's it. I don't expect anyone to really care about this game, but I had a few things to get off my chest and nowhere else to say them, so you guys fall on the sword this time.
* I know Rex is having a rough go of it right now, but IMO the Ryan brother who was worse last night was Rob. The Jets were awful against Buffalo, but they are awful. NO let a very winnable game slip right through their hands by atrocious asset management
Quick! You have probably the worst collection of DBs in the entire league - seriously, at least two of the 2011 Patriots secondary would start for the Saints right now - and you are playing a team with two excellent WRs whose entire offensive game plan is throw it quick to the first read or throw deep. What defense do you call?
If you said lots of zero blitzes leaving your terrible CBs in single coverage and allowing 8 yards of cushion you might be qualified to be the New Orleans defensive coordinator! If not, don't fret, it just means you have a functioning neocortex.
Wow, that was ugly.
* I've watched quite a bit of the Saints this year and I have to say... {clears throat and prepares best Chris Simms impression}... Drew Brees is not a top five quarterback.
I don't know if it is purely system, but I can say with certainty that Brees' aggressiveness is creating problems for the offense. Beyond the obvious turnovers (both picks and fumbles after holding the ball too long), I saw no less than a half dozen plays last night when a receiver was open in the flat for good yardage, but Drew waited too long for the big play giving the defense time to react.
******Tangent***************************
This is precisely the stuff that PFF doesn't seem to recognize. Yes, it is far more visually impressive to see someone toss the ball 40 yards downfield into a tight window, but quick recognition of the easy play is equally important. I've seen them degrade Tom due to passes appearing too easy with receivers too open, failing to realize that Tom is the reason the play seemed so easy.
******End Rant**************************
There was a moment in the 3rd quarter when ESPN ran a stat about Brees being 4/4 with 160 yards and a TD on passes more than 20 yards, or something to that effect. What was funny is that two of those plays really should have been picked, one play along the sidelines when the receiver had to literally steal the ball from the defender while falling to the turf and the other when the safety bizarrely backed up into the end zone giving Colston the space to make the catch.
I swear on my life that even before the announcers went over it, I stood up and said to my daughter, "what the hell was that guy doing?! Seriously, watch this player when they do the replay... look at him just back up when all he had to do is jump for an easy interception. At the very least he could have drilled the receiver and ." Too her credit she actually tried to follow me.
So um.... where was I again? Oh yeah, Brees is a fine QB. But let's stop lumping him in with Brady, Manning and Rodgers.
* In an ironic twist, the one time I saw Brees react quickly to an open running back (maybe it was the play call?) was the play on the goal line where the guy caught the ball with a clear path to a TD, but for some reason couldn't keep his balance and he just backed his way out of bounds. I don't think I've ever seen that before. I've seen receivers fall down or have their sprinting moment carry them out, but stumbling backwards out of bounds with no defender anywhere near you when you have 5-7 yards of space to stabilize yourself is a new one for me.
* I'd like to have seen how the game played out in the alternate universe where no hold was called on Evans in the 3rd quarter. NO had Baltimore on their heels, were in Raven territory after an impressive run. Instead, they were pushed back 10 yards setting up the pick-6 that pretty much sealed the game, even if the Saints still had 20 minutes of flopping around, gasping for air until the lie was out of them.
That holding call changed the complexion of the entire game and even Jon Gruden admitted he couldn't see it on the replay. If I'm being generous, it might have been worth a 3 inch penalty. Maybe.
I think that's it. I don't expect anyone to really care about this game, but I had a few things to get off my chest and nowhere else to say them, so you guys fall on the sword this time.