Saints @ Redskins: Post-game Links

I think the game was lost on that 3 and out by the Saints in the 4th quarter. The Skins just cut the lead to 2 and Payton calls three straight run plays and comes up short on 3rd down. Jason Cambell next throws the TD bomb and the game was over. That was frustrating to watch! The Saints gave that win away.

I can’t fault the defense too much because of all of the key injuries they had on that side of the ball. Porter had a couple of bad plays, but he will get better and he is already a safer bet than Jason David.

Can Payton please make up his damn mind with Deuce!? Why not play him more in the game!? He had 2 runs for 10 yards. The running game was nonexistent. I’m not ready to jump off the bandwagon by any means, but I don’t understand Payton’s reasoning in the 4th quarter of this one. I’m sick of seeing Reggie try to run between the tackles and get stuffed at the line of scrimmage. Deuce wants to play, so let him play!

The Saints will have a harder time with the Broncos, so I hope they study this game film and figure out some solutions for what went wrong today. The temporary loss of Colston is proving to be more of a problem than we figured it would be. His presence was sorely missed today. In regards to Henderson, I was wrong about his potential effectiveness. He was a complete non-factor today.

On the brighter side (if there truly is one after this loss), this was just one game and it would be premature for us to expect another dismal season at this point. Several players should return from injury this week and help shore up the team. It’s time for Payton to put that creative offensive mind to work and come up with a brilliant game plan for Denver. Here’s a suggestion: GIVE DEUCE MORE THAN TWO CARRIES! Maybe he is washed up, but at least give him a chance to prove otherwise.

…only a few highlights and the stats. So take this for what it’s worth. Anyway:

1. A coach has got to understand what he can and cannot do. For some reason, the Saints’ running game is broken. I don’t think the problem is Reggie, or Pierre, or a lack of Deuce—I think it’s the line. Either the personnel or, more likely, the scheme. They excel in pass blocking, but not run blocking.

Why, then, do we try to run out the clock at the end by rushing up the middle? True, it keeps the clock running…but if you only get to run three plays, SO WHAT?! What’s important is making that first down. If the Saints can’t run the ball, then they can’t run out the clock—they have to play for scores. They should have been playing to score. The problem on offense boils down to coaching.

2. I know the defense was thin this week, but they’re exhibiting the same tendencies and failures they did last year. That’s too much to be a coincidence. When Porter was beat deep by Moss for the winning score, where was the safety? Either he blew it and left Porter on an island, or he did exactly what he was supposed to do and Porter was betrayed by the deficiencies of the scheme.

Once again, the problem seems to come down to coaching.

3. What is most disappointing is that the Saints sit here at .500—little better than they were last year—after displaying the same offensive and defensive tendencies as in 2007. I think we were all wrong: this is not a Superbowl team. This is the continuation of the 7-9 team from last year. And Loomis and Payton have mortgaged the future for this sorry present.

4. Still…these are my Saints. I won’t give up. If they go 1-15, I won’t give up. Maybe that’s stupid; if so, I blame coaching.

As many times as that is said by those that have won, it would seem that we would get that. I straight get jealous when I see a team that was sorry a year or two ago and now see that they addressed their defense and now they have guys who are killing em out there. Was the pass D a fluke last week? I mean Jason Campbell is no Drew Brees and he was alluding the rush big time. Ellis was a great addition, but so far and some of y’all might disagree but Vilma is not showing me enough, and to not seriously and I mean as serious as we went after Shokey, address that defensive secondary is totally beyond me, when the likes of Pacman, Samules, Litto, and even more pro-bowlers were available and we take JD one year and Gay the next hummm. Come on somebody please tell me what’s really going on. Is there a conspiracy gong on here that we don’t know about?? This ain’t rocket science. We’ve had these same needs since ’06 and BK (Before Katrina).

If the boys had played up to half of their potential, this game wouldn’t have been close.