Eefluxx 113 Posted October 5, 2015 So the first quarter of games is done and I have managed to watch 2 of them from start to finish and the other 2 condensed versions of the games. We are bad. We are 1-3 with our lone win coming against a ravaged Dallas Cowboys team missing their starting QB and one of the best WR in the game, plus losing their defensive captain early in the game. And we still almost lost the game on top of all that. Offensive wise this team is not the same team from the past few years. Drew Brees has not looked like Drew Brees except for the last 2 minutes of the Cowboys game and in OT. What happened to throwing the ball downfield? Everything seems to be screen passes or short crossing patterns. Colston has really shown his age this year and Brandin Cooks has really been a non-factor for someone who was to shine this year. Willie Snead has been a pleasent surprise and seems to be the Lance Moore type receiver we've always had. There is noone to stretch defenses and as the season goes on I think teams will condense the field making it shorter and shorter daring Brees to test out the shoulder and throw deep. I am happy with the running backs but I really wish Payton would decide on one running back and stick with him and let him get into a groove instead of running a different one out there on every play. Offensive line has struggled. Streif has not looked good all season, Evans is injured and now Armstead is injured. Defensively its not as bad as it has been. Injuries to 3 starters at the beginning of the year is only one of the things that have hurt us though. We have so many rookies and first year players on defense I don't expect them to be a top 10 D this year but the young guys have looked promising. I really liked the picks of Anthony and Kikihaha (sp?) at LB and Swann has been a pleasent surprise. Browner continues to lead in penalties which I am not surprised about but Cam Jordan has been a non factor through most games and we have no push in the middle of the line. I think if we can find someone who can consistently get a push in the middle of the pocket are defense will be considerably better. Tyler Davidson seems to be that guy but for some reason can't seem to knock off John Jenkins (what does pad level have to do with anything?) Kicking game is still a mystery to us as we can't seem to find a consistent kicker, though Hocker seems like he can do it with more confidence. Still missing the game winner and sending us into OT doesn't do him any credit. Coaching has been subpar at times as well. Its almost like we don't know which direction we want to go in. I remember in 2013 we brought Rob Ryan in to switch to a 3-4 D and since then we have runa 3-3 hybrid in 2013, no defense in 2014 and we seem to be back in a 4-3 this year. All in all we might get lucky to win maybe 5 games this year. Our luck we will win enough to get us out of the top 5 draft pick. Forgive the spelling errors this is an early morning write for me and I am still half asleep. Who Dat Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ATL_Predator+ 1,196 Posted October 5, 2015 Your Saints fandom is admirable...but mistaken. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thanatos 2,847 Posted October 5, 2015 At least he stays a Saints fan through thick and thin. The Saints need to go through a rebuilding process, IMO. Brees is old. You don't have the talent to build a team around him fast enough to compete for a Super Bowl title. Try to find a trade partner for Brees- a team who perhaps just needs a QB to get them over that hump. Houston, maybe? His 30 million cap hit is too much for a franchise who simply doesn't have the weapons on offense and defense anymore. The Saints constant way of doing contracts has turned on them and they are going to be in serious cap trouble for a few years. They need to buckle down, make some hard decisions and start the rebuilding process sooner rather than later. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eefluxx 113 Posted October 6, 2015 Yes the contracts we have had during the Payton era have had a bad way of coming back and biting us in the ass. It is our own fault though. I am not opposed to trading Brees and going into full rebuild mode but I don't think anyone will give us much for an ageing QB who has a recent throwing shoulder injury and 30 million cap hit. Depending on how this year actually goes I can see them restructering Brees after the season and adding a couple more years to the contract if he is willing. If he isn't then they may just outright cut him and hope for the best with Garrett Grayson. As for cap trouble we should be out of cap hell after next year unless of course we completely shoot ourselves in the foot in the offseason which is highly possible. We still have to resign Cam Jordan and Terron Armstead. Bad draft classes have really hurt us as well. With the trade of Hicks to the Patriots we have noone left from the 2012 draft class. This past class seems like our best draft class since 2006 in Paytons first year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
