C-
The training room falls under this area and with all the injuries we have had I cannot think they are doing a very good job.

I gave the Saints a C…what could be more mediocre than a 4-4 record? Not real good, not real bad and that’s what C work is- mediocre. But, if I could have I would have been tempterd to give them a C minus because they have so much talent- in my opinion more than I have ever seen on a Saints roster, and have seriously underachieved.

I think the linebackers deserve a B or B minus as they ( especially Vilma and to a lesser extent Fugita) have done well in my opinion. Remember Fujita had an injury and missed 1-2 games and cane back porobably less than 100% I think Dunbar filled in well. – I think it’s quite hard on a linebacking corps when the pass rush is ineffective. That hurts the linebackers in the pass defense but also in the rush defense. It is hard to have a swagger and commit and be as aggressive when the opposing quarterback gets to survey the field just like it’s a thursday practice because the pass rush is ineffective. And, then the play action becomes more effective and draw plays have a better chance of being successful etc. It all starts with the defensive line and the pass rush is a big part of it. I think the d-line had done well against the rush SOME games and SOME downs, but I’ll say it again as it said in a different post- without a pass rush things will be incredibly difficult.

1. First of all, receivers. How can Drew get an A+ without the receivers getting the same grade? Especially considering that we’re down to essentially the second team—Colston, Patten, and Shockey replaced by Henderson, Moore, and Miller/Campbell. And still we have the best passing attack in the NFL. That can’t happen unless the receivers step up, big time. Give them credit where it’s due: Moore has turned into this year’s Wes Welker, Henderson is catching balls right, left and center, and Mark Campbell gets back up every time.

2. Running game. I’m not sure this category even makes sense anymore. I’d propose—for the Saints, anyway, considering Payton’s strategy—that we replace rushing and receiving stats with inside, outside, and downfield. For instance: Reggie Bush gets most of his best runs on outside rushes, and almost all of his receiving yards that way. And his “per touch” average is 5.1 yards, which is not shabby. I haven’t even tried to limit that to “outside touches,” but it must be much higher. Where he fails is as an inside rusher. This shows that our outside game—rushing and passes to the flats—works well. It’s our inside game that doesn’t work worth a damn.

On the other hand, Deuce is a much better inside rusher; and even though his average isn’t what it used to be, when you use him primarily in short-yardage situations, one or two yards represents success. His first-down percentage is nearly as good as it’s ever been. So is our inside game really all that bad? Yes, it is—when it’s based on Reggie. So we’re back to what seems to have been the majority opinion from the very start of the season: Bush is not an every-down rusher, and Deuce is. The challenge is finding a way to get the best out of both of them—or finding a way to be satisfied with just one. It won’t work if you telegraph your intentions through your personnel package; so Bush still has to run inside occasionally, and Deuce still has to catch passes in the flat. What’s an offensive coordinator to do?

So what is the problem? The offensive line personnel? The blocking scheme? The play calling? I may think I know; but I don’t know, and I (probably) never will. (Tip of the hat to Jim Mora, Sr.)