I remember Blain Bishop. If memory serves me, he was good but not spectacular. Samari Rolle was good then, but how much of that was because he was in Williams’ defense, if you catch my drift.

This makes me feel a little bit better. Honestly, if he can motivate/create scheme to maximize the talents of Grant and Smith, that will go a long way towards improving the D. That and bar Smith from Krispy Kreme

I don’t know much about Williams, but I think he is somewhat similar to Jim Johnson. Regardless, defenders love when you turn them loose. Now, the good defenses know they have responsibilities and it’s not just about pinning your ears back and forgetting about responsibilities such as staying in your lane or zone, being wary of the reverse and the screen pass, etc, etc. But it seemed to me that Gibbs defense was based only on discipline and no “caution to the wind” sometimes. I think if you ask most QBs, (and offenses in general as well as OCs) they would rather face a very disciplined and consistent moderate pressure defense (like ours) as opposed to a defense that’s priorioty is pressure on the QB, run and pass blitz (both) and attack. Some mistakes will be made by the defense and occasionally exploited, for sure, but QBs and RBs and wideouts will also make mistakes also when a defense pressures an offense. And to my observation, the more a defense does this and commits to it, a the better they are and the more effective they are at causing turnovers. If you try it twice and give up a medium play
and a big gain, you have to pre4ssure more because the offense is trying to break the defenses spirit by burning them early and making them give up on pressure like what happened to the saints.

Two things that are important, and I have said it before, is that you have to show different fronts, looks, and facades and keep the offense guessing. I don’t think most offenses were guessing against our defense as to what we were doing on any given play. The other thing is that when you attack the QB, you better commit and do it a lot of the time with 6 or 7. 5 defenders rushing the QB is not a committment. It’s a half-hearted pussy-footing effort. And, the advantage of periodically sending 6 or 7 is that you can fake it and only send 5 and the linemen and backs can get freaked out because they know you might send 7 and then they are confused and looking for it. and may miss responsibilities and wideouts may break offf routes when you fake 7 and send only 4 or 5. That was something we never did this year to my observations. And don’t tell me we don’t have the personnel to do it- when 6 or 7 rush- it’s all about attitude and effort, not talent.

Also, Johnson and the better DCs rotate a lot of DEs (and some DTs and LBs) in the game to keep them fresh BEFORE they get tired. Especially because they blitz so much, it seems to be that he would rather have a 2nd tier DL rushing the quarterback who is fresh instead of a Pro Bowl DL who is winded. Jim Johnson does it to an extreme and these 2nd tier guys get real good at their roles and contribute immensely.

is his reputation for being distant from his players. Buddy Ryan was a hardass to end all hardasses, but his players loved him. Jim Johnson’s players love him; same for Steve Spagnuolo; same for Dick LeBeau. Those guys own the hearts of their players, who would go to hell and back for them.

Williams’ reputation is that he believes players are essentially pawns—to be treated as though any one of them is expendable. I hasten to add this is my take on his reputation—I don’t know if he’s that way at all in fact. He may be a sweetheart in person, but that’s not how he’s portrayed in the media (again, can we trust the media?).

That’s essentially how I see Payton, actually. Knowing that he’s a Bill Parcells protege, and considering the way the roster is continually tinkered with, players being cut and re-signed and cut again, Payton seems to treat players like pawns. That may be what made Williams reportedly so impressed with New Orleans; but I don’t think that attitude is conducive to long-term success.

But what do I know? It worked for Parcells.

One reason why you don’t know these players is because none of ‘em were superstars. His schemes are totally based off mismatches and weaknesses in the off. I read this post yesterday and it got me thinking, who did this guy really have??? For the most part you are right, didn’t check every stat but your right on. Its pressure, pressure, and a little more pressure. That’s what we need!! Now he did have a true cover corner in both defenses with stout and athletic LB’s. They were constant in everything. My opinion is that we have a very talented def, maybe add an athletic WLB and maybe a true free safety, but the pieces for him to have a GREAT def is in place. Do you guy remember back in Jim Mora’s day, we had one of the best def but a weak off? From ‘86-’96 we avg 44sacks/17Int’s per year. (Total 489sacks and 188 Int’s) I’ll take that!!! Here’s the site if you wanna check http://www.nosaintshistory.com/years.htm
What I’m getting at is that I really think this guy will work out and get the work and effort out of our entire front 7 and once our front 7 plays well it will trickle over to our DB’s. A mastermind on off and a mastermind on def!! I really don’t want to get over excited about it but I can’t wait til the season starts. Guess what WORLD – ‘THE SAINTS ARE BACK’
-Go Saints