What’s wrong with the Saints?

[11thEagleFan]

Been pondering this today. Good offensive line, veteran QB (diminished, but still accurate and good decision maker), arguably the best halfback in the game, good talent at the receiver position. On defense, at least 4 Pro Bowl caliber players in Jordan, Lattimore, Davis, and Jenkins. Pro Bowl punter, kicker, and return man.

So why are they 1-2 and generally unimpressive?

 

[tenureplan]

2nd best offensivr weapon out. Murray does a pretty good Kamara impression, but there is no receiver to fill Thomas' shoes

 

[msstate7]

Drew has not picked up where he left off last season, but he looked better last night.

Thomas being out is obvious.

The defense is pathetic right now. Think the saints have forced 1 punt since 2nd quarter of raider game. Check this out...

Last 17 drives vs saints defense:
8 touchdowns
5 field goals
1 ended on downs
1 end of half
1 fumble
1 punt

Until the defense gets right, the saints aren't winning anything. Cam Jordan and Lattimore need to step up, and we need Davenport back.

 

[MSUDC11]

For me it's all defense. They've just been really bad, which is kind of hard to explain considering it's pretty much the same players and staff from the last few years when they were mostly good defensively.

 

[jack daniels dog]

For me it's all defense. They've just been really bad, which is kind of hard to explain considering it's pretty much the same players and staff from the last few years when they were mostly good defensively.

Unfortunately age catches up with the best of us.....

 

[DAWG61]

Saints offense sucks without Thomas. Taysom Hill experiment needs to be extinguished.

 

[patdog]

Brees decline is a pretty big factor. Can't throw the deep ball and teams are adjusting to take the short pass away. And the defense is a real problem.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Saints Defense is 27th in points allowed, Dallas is 30th...

 

[ronpolk]

Saints offense sucks without Thomas. Taysom Hill experiment needs to be extinguished.

I’m just not sure that the problem is missing Thomas. Don’t get me wrong he will help. I think the problem is the saints can’t push the ball downfield. Not sure if that is lack of WR that can be a threat downfield or Brees can’t push it downfield anymore.

 

[ChinaDogSunflower]

I love Brees, we all do. But there comes a time when we have to admit the game can only be reduced to screens and dinks/dunks before the scheme becomes more about what the quarterback is capable of, instead of what the offense is capable of. Maybe it’s the receivers fault for not being able to create separation downfield.

The Saints still manage to have the best wr in the league and don't even have a downfield pass game


ETA: Defense hasn’t been holding up its end either

 

[paindonthurt_]

Wouldn’t Thomas male stretching the field easier?

 

[fishwater99]

Brees is done, should have retired. His arm strength is not there anymore.
Also the defensive backs are horrible.

 

[tenureplan]

well i mean, he probably can't dunk anymore, but he still has 1 or 2 great games in front of him

 

[tenureplan]

You really do just jump on everyone else's hot takes....girls can't dunk; stans can't coach because 34 says so; Jimmy can't play; and Brees can't throw. Let me know when you stop smoking so much weed out there where you can formulate your own ideas

 

[ronpolk]

Wouldn’t Thomas male stretching the field easier?

How? What downfield WR do the saints have? And if Brees literally can’t accurately make the deep throw how does Thomas help?

 

[msstate7]

How? What downfield WR do the saints have? And if Brees literally can’t accurately make the deep throw how does Thomas help?

https://youtu.be/SqhuQGuLQ-w

This is week 1. Go to 2:00 min mark, saints 32 to bucs 25 = 43 yard pass, not lobbed.

 

[Mafiadawg]

They went woke social justice warrior this off-season.

 

[AlCoDog]

Brees’ balls fell off a few months ago.

 

[KingBarkus]

It is the defense. Not enough pass rush (looking at you, Cam Jordan), inexperienced LB's except Davis, and the secondary...My God. Getting Davenport and Oyenmata back would help. Rankins has not returned to form pre-injury. I don't agree about Brees declining. He has a tendency to become too reliant on Thomas just as we saw when Jimmy was here. The OL still has not meshed like they are capable and I think with Ruiz now playing for Peat, things will get better. I don't like Payton's decisions at times, but that is what you get with an uber aggressive play caller. I think they will be ok once the defense wakes up. We seem to start slow every year.

 

[fishwater99]

You really do just jump on everyone else's hot takes....girls can't dunk; stans can't coach because 34 says so; Jimmy can't play; and Brees can't throw. Let me know when you stop smoking so much weed out there where you can formulate your own ideas

Triggered much? Brees can't throw the deep ball, it's a fact. It's not an idea. Also, the Saints D backs are losing games for them with bad play and penalties. Another fact.

Enjoy the debate tonight and National Coffee day. Try some.

 

[Cooterpoot]

Defense isn't great and they're missing their security blanket at WR who opens up the other WRs. They also need a better RB that Murray. Should've never brought Jenkins in.

 

[PineGroveBully]

If you haven’t seen the very noticeable decline in Brees’ arm then you haven’t been watching or you’re in a state of denial.

 

[Go Budaw]

Wouldn’t Thomas male stretching the field easier?

Not really...not by an appreciable amount anyway. Brees has been at the bottom of the league in aDOT for the past 3 or 4 years, even with Thomas. Its just even worse this year, especially without Thomas. Kamara makes pretty much all of his efficiency stats look way better than they would with pretty much any other RB in the NFL catching the checkdowns.

 

[ronpolk]

https://youtu.be/SqhuQGuLQ-w

This is week 1. Go to 2:00 min mark, saints 32 to bucs 25 = 43 yard pass, not lobbed.

Now do the multiple misses he’s had? Trust me the misses outweigh the hits so far.

 

[11thEagleFan]

I generally agree that Brees has declined, but he looks gun shy on any down field pass further than 10-12 yards. And that’s baffling, because some of the swing passes that he completes easily travel 20+ yards. Remember that a football field is ~53 yards wide. Defensive backs need to pull their heads out of their asses and defensive line has had 2 off games. Agree that when Davenport and Onyemata return things should get better. Still think they’ll win 10-11 games.

 

[msstate7]

Now do the multiple misses he’s had? Trust me the misses outweigh the hits so far.

How bout you pull the ones where he was short? I'm not saying he hasn't lost arm over the years, but it looks the same as last year to me. Gotta remember sanders is new, and the other receivers are hit and miss. Drew probably doesn't trust these guys that much. Drew will be ok... sunday loss wasn't bc of drew.

 

[PineGroveBully]

Someone who has watched Brees week-in and week-out for years might could say whether this has any validity but I wonder if the lack of confidence throwing downfield has anything to do with legs as opposed to his arm. Whereas most QB’s will plant when possible throwing deep, Brees has always seemed to throw from his toes because of his lack of height.

As he’s aged he may not have quite that same spring that allowed him to throw from his toes and get more on his ball. Or the lack of spring making it harder to see over his line to find guys downfield causing his lack on confidence in driving the ball downfield. Just a hypothesis.