New Orleans Saints' Offensive Player Grades vs. Rams
by Andrew Juge on Dec 14, 2010 6:00 AM CST
Email
PrintIf you're counting, that's now six straight wins for the Saints and five straight have seen the offense score 30 or more points. The offense is starting to find that complete effectiveness it was missing early this season. They are now able to run, pass, control the clock, convert on 3rd downs, make big plays - you name it. When the offense is producing like this, the Saints are arguably the toughest team to beat in the NFL. On to the grades.
Drew Brees; B+ (2.92) I caught some grief last week for giving Brees a B+, but he's getting the same grade from me again. I'm sure some of you will contend that I've been spoiled by his play and that I grade him too harshly. The bottom line is once again, while he was masterful most of the game and very accurate downfield, he didn't take care of the football. He has 18 interceptions on the season, a career high. Brees needs to take better care of the football. He finished 25-40 for 221 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The first interception was a horrible pass, and the second was a bad read where he didn't look off the safety and tried to force a ball downfield. In his defense, he was victimized by numerous drops in the game. I counted at least 6, if not more. You take away two really bad decisions, and I thought that Brees was mostly perfect overall. His pocket awareness was terrific and he even ran for a nice 7 yard scamper before sliding to smartly avoid a hit.
Chris Ivory: B+ (2.82) He made the most of just 7 carries, finishing with 47 yards. On the first two touchdown drives he had a number of big runs to move the chains, and one 18 yard breakout. He showed his usual strength and speed. Ivory has really improved the Saints' run game. With Bush and Pierre healthy, I think the Saints' running game is actually in better shape now than last year. Unfortunately for Ivory, he tweaked his hammy and never returned. That's something to keep a close eye on because he's become such an integral part to the offense's success. Without him, the Saints would lose a real presence in the running game and physicality department.
Pierre Thomas: B (2.83) Welcome back Pierre! While he wasn't back to his Super Bowl form maybe just yet, he didn't show much rust either. He was a useful contributor that helped move the chains and keep the offense so effective. He finished with 39 yards on 12 carries, and 29 yards on 4 catches. Not a bad game at all. He did a solid job of running the ball late to run some clock, filling in for Ivory, and he made an immediate impact in the passing game. I loved seeing him in dual sets with Reggie. Pierre reminded us all that no one runs the screen play better.
Reggie Bush: B+ (2.33) Reggie had a similar game to Pierre. He wasn't breaking away with big plays or turning heads with anything spectacular, but he was just reliable, and getting good yardage. Most commendable was how Bush turned a few plays that looked like they could go for huge losses into small gains. Reggie also ran for 39 yards, but on 9 carries. I was impressed with how well he did on handoffs, typically not his forte. He also caught 5 passes for 22 yards and returned two punts, running forward, for an 8 yard average. We're so used to Reggie either making a huge play or a disastrous play. In this game he was just extremely steady, a welcomed sight.
Heath Evans: C (2.69) He was an afterthought most of the game because the Saints decided they were going to go after the Rams with 3 receiver and multiple tight end sets. When the Saints did run two back sets, it was Thomas and Bush more than anyone else. When Evans was in the game, his blocking was fine, nothing special.
Marques Colston: B- (3.10) No joke, I counted 4 drops by Colston. Many of which were very catchable balls. You'd think he deserves an F for that, but he also had 2 touchdowns. How do I grade that?! I thought about giving him a C, since that's what A and F add up to, but ultimately I decided to give him a bit better because the degree of difficulty on both touchdown catches were high. The first was a very high pass that he snatched out of the air in the back of the end zone, and he showed great awareness to also get two feet down before falling out of the end zone. That was a big time play. Then, on 3rd and goal from the 17, Brees drilled a throw into very tight coverage that Colston made a tough catch on before absorbing a big hit. He was able to hold onto that one for a touchdown as well. How he makes catches like that and drops some easy ones is puzzling. One of his drops was another high pass in the end zone, though, that was difficult to make. He finished with 5 catches for 46 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Lance Moore: A- (2.82) He was just so good at finding that soft spot in zone coverage all day. Brees found him numerous times for huge 3rd down conversions. Moore was quick after the catch, and very sure with his hands. He finished with 5 catches for 70 yards and a touchdown and his TD was on a 31 yard pump and go where he ran right by two defenders and left them in his dust.
Devery Henderson: D (2.00) Does this guy still play on the team? How can he be listed as a starter? Brees threw one pass his way, just to humor him I guess, that was horribly off target on a harmless 3 yard out. Otherwise, he just ran a bunch of meaningless routes. He's a non factor in the gameplan, per usual.
Robert Meachem: F (2.44) It was a game to forget. He had two bad drops, and no catches. His first drop came on a 4th down play that was a very easy grab. He comes up with that catch and the Saints convert and get a 1st down. Instead, the Saints gave the ball back to the Rams. That play started a downward spiral for the Saints that would see the Rams get back in the game and get within striking distance until Malcolm Jenkins' pick six turned back the tide for good. Later in the game, Brees went deep for Meachem in double coverage. The coverage was good, overall, and there was some incidental content which made this one a tougher catch, but it still hit Meachem right in his bread basket in the end zone and it's a ball he has to come up with. For a guy that usually has a knack for big plays, he really struggled to be clutch in this one.
Jeremy Shockey: B- (2.73) He finished with 4 catches for 29 yards and was a target in the possession passing game. He showed good hands all game, but he is slower than ever. His size and superior catching ability still make him a weapon, but Shockey is basically useless after the catch these days.
David Thomas: C (2.36) Like Colston, Thomas was extremely difficult to grade. His blocking in the game overall was exceptional. On every big key run the Saints had, he either did a fantastic job of sealing the edge, or he got great push at the point of attack. If you go back and watch every successful run the Saints had in that game, Thomas was involved in almost every single one with a key block. He almost deserves blocker of the game. That said, he was penalized with two flags. One was a holding call, and the other was a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. I still have yet to understand that ruling and probably never will. My understanding is an illegal substitution penalty is 5 yards. From what I could tell, that was the infraction. The ref actually said "unsportsmanlike conduct, illegal substitution" and flagged Thomas for 15 yards. Those two infractions are completely different things. Maybe Thomas mouthed off or got busted trying to cover up his penalty? I guess we'll never know but I don't understand why that wasn't 5 yards instead of 15. The Saints would end up getting a touchdown on the next play anyway so it's not a huge deal. He had one catch for 4 yards and was mostly a non-factor in the passing game.
Jimmy Graham: B (2.92) His lone catch was a nice 21 yard play. He also made a ridiculous catch on a jump ball in the end zone, but that play was called back by the weird penalty I just described on Thomas. Graham provides the Saints with a really attractive red zone target. Watch him get huge looks when people least expect it in the playoffs.
Jermon Bushrod: B+ (2.56) I thought he was solid, though he was the most spotty in pass protection. There was a bit of pressure coming off the edge from his side, but per usual Brees would just feel it and step into the pocket to buy time. Bushrod is fortunate to benefit from one from one of the most aware quarterbacks in NFL history. Run blocking wise, I thought he was outstanding. He showed more of a mean streak than I'm used to seeing.
Carl Nicks: A- (2.93) Nicks is pulling away as the offensive lineman of the year for the Saints. Once again, he was a difference maker in the run game with his mammoth size and strength. The sizes of the running lanes he creates can be massive at times. Getting blocked by Nicks cannot be fun. He was also solid in pass protection. Of particular note was solid blocks he made pulling on screen passes. Still, when you see Evans do it, who's a little more fleet of foot, you notice that speed is maybe the one thing missing from Nicks' arsenal.
Jonathan Goodwin: B (2.72) He missed a blitz pickup late in the game on a safety coming up the middle which resulted in a sack. Otherwise, he was pretty solid most of the day.
Jahri Evans: A+ (2.69) First off, he deserves an A for going an entire game without getting penalized. Are you guys as shocked as I am? I said I'd donate $100 to a charity of his choice if he went an entire game without a penalty. If he contacts me, I will. Seriously, though, he was an animal. It was by far his best game of the season. He was very physical in the run game and got terrific push. In pass protection, he was impeccable all game long. He really put a display out there. When the Saints would have a roll out play action play, he would pull to protect the weak side, and he always made a terrific block to keep Brees clean. The few times Brees felt outside pressure, he would step into a perfectly calm pocket. Outstanding game from big Jahri, who actually played like a superstar guard in this game.
Jon Stinchcomb: B+ (2.46) Ok, before you blast me for being nice to all the offensive lineman, the Saints ran for 132 yards and 4.6 yards per carry. They gave up 1 sack all day and Brees was hardly hit. It was a dominant performance by the entire unit in this game. The Rams were largely neutralized. Chris Long is an up and coming superstar end in the league, and the Saints completely shut him down. Stinchcomb in particular was solid as well, quietly going about his work and lining up another steady performance.
Zach Strief: B- (2.40) We all know the drill with Strief by now and what he brings to the table. He was doing his thing out there.
My Offensive Player of the Game: Jahri Evans
26 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I'll have what he's smoking
Brees has a completion ratio 20% lower and throws two horrible interceptions, and he gets the same grade. Ivory rushes for nearly 7 yards/carry and doesn’t fumble, and he gets a lower grade. Are you grading based on fantasy points?
Ivory didn't play in the second half
Maybe that factored into the grading?
Either way, I’d give the entire offense about a C since they put up 24 points on a below-average defense with an injury-riddled secondary.
If it weren’t for the turnovers and dropped passes, it would have been an A. But, the turnovers and dropped passes happened, and you can’t ignore those.
Still, it’s a testament to how well the Saints defense played and how bad the Rams are that the game never seemed competitive despite the offensive struggles. It also helps that the offense started hot, getting 2 quick touchdowns and changing the complexion of the game before cooling off.
by Stuart Carlton on Dec 14, 2010 7:34 AM CST up reply actions
How can you grade a player who doesn't play?
You grade that player based on their production. If they only played half of the game, why penalize them?
"In fact, Sterger claims that, in one of the photos Favre allegedly sent her, he's masturbating — while wearing a pair of Crocs"
I completely agree… or at least if nothing else that that INJURY should not affect your grade. I mean, if you play really well in the first quarter — like Colston — and then suck the rest of the game, that should affect your grade. But if you’re kicking butt and taking names and get hurt and miss half the game, you should be graded on what you did on the field and the fact that you COULDN’T be on the field later should offset the fact that you didn’t contribute later.
And frankly if the coaches don’t play you that should be accounted for too, IMO. I think the only thing that should lower the grade is if you actually do something to lower it — i.e. suck on a play or two (or more).
But he only counts contributions over the entire game, period. At least he’s consistent about this. For example, for the Thanksgiving game in Dallas, Meachem had just one catch but it was basically a game-winner when it was needed most. That got him a pretty good overall score (B), even though the rest of the game he was, frankly, a complete non-factor.
OL
They were finally consistently good. I know that it was the Rams, but they controlled the line of scrimmage and got consistent push. They;ll need to build on that for next week.
By the by, anybody else get lots of ideas watching the Texans gash the Ravens in the second half with the hurry-up offense?
"But tonight the Superbowl belongs to the City of New Orleans" - Roger Goodell 2/7/2010
The Ravens secondary, going into this season, I expected to be an absolute Achilles heel that would drag down an otherwise solid team and make them pretty much putrid. Then the first half of the season happened and the secondary was playing VERY well. But it turned out that they were just playing crappy teams and/or getting lucky and/or playing beyond their real talent level. Because the last few weeks they’ve sucked. Badly. And I’m looking forward to that. This very well may be a game to pass to set up the run. Whether it gives CP a heart attack or not.
Christmas is near
If Evans contacts you or not pick a charity and donate the $100. Only Jesus1000 will know if you did or not.
"I understand this is a violent game. It's the only place you can hit somebody and not go to jail. So you understand that it's a privilege to play this game." Danny Clark
I guess I have to apologize for Meachem's bad game
I probably jinxed him when I picked him in the “Player Pick’em” contest. I haven’t been able to manage any points since about week 4. Maybe this week I’ll purposely pick a Ravens player just to see if I can mess them up…
"It's about time that something good like this happened." - Drew Brees
Why do you think I keep picking linemen? I know I got no shot in the game, so I’m just helping others and trying to stay out of the way of the players that might actually score points. :)
Besides, if you pick a Ravens player it won’t count. Pick somebody who’s a likely game-day inactive, like Charlie Brown or something.
I thought you were being too harsh on our receivers until I checked the box score
It really is odd to see Moore and Colston as the only WRs that get on the stat sheet. And looking at the numbers, Reggie was more impressive than I realized while watching the game. Good game from him.
"I want to hand this trophy to the MVP of the Super Bowl -- and the MVP of the entire league.''
-- Saints coach Sean Payton, handing the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Drew Brees after Super Bowl 44.
Also, did u guys notice throughout the whole game how the Saints were extremely quick going in and out of the huddle? That is very important. That’s what they did in 2009 and look where that got them. The offense finally looks ready and not sluggish looking as all of their previous games. It may not seem like it, but the faster u’r in and out of the huddle, the more it messes up the defense.
Meachem had his worst game as a Saint
Very uncharacteristic for him. The short 4th down pass was right in his hands. He looked away from the ball downfield instead of securing the ball. Everyone has a bad day. It was Meachems. He will come on strong this Sunday and have his drops corrected. . Guarantee his main focus this week is catching the ball. He’s been a big playmaker in most games. This past Sunday just wasn’t his day.
Your one and only..Professional Sports Blogger!
I don't get it at all. You describe someone as being non-spectacular on the field and just being workmanlike and doing their job and they get a B+? Last i looked that was the very definition of a C.
"Aristotle was not Belgian. The central message of Buddhism is not 'every man for himself.' And the London Underground is not a political movement. Those are all mistakes, Otto. I looked 'em up."
Andrew you have a rough job
I pay more attention to your comments than the actual grade.
The only time I think you’re off to me is when you penalize people who aren’t utilized, especially when available.
"I am a Saints player. Look, sir" Patrick Robinson
by CrazyforColston on Dec 14, 2010 1:26 PM CST reply actions
I agree
This is a high degree-of-difficulty column, especially with the limited camera angles from the networks. I appreciate the job you do each week, even if I don’t always agree with your terrible grading scheme (kidding!)
by Stuart Carlton on Dec 14, 2010 8:29 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Pretty nice assessment if you ask me...
Only contention would be that I think you gave PT a lil too much love compared to how much you’d normally give someone for those stats. You say Bush got 39 yards BUT on 9 carries. But PT had 12 carries and didn’t even average 4ypc. Sure it’s his game back but you have to be consistent across the board. Other than that though, I love this. I actually look forward to these.
2010 is cuzzin's breakout year...run with that chip bruh!
"I loved seeing him(Thomas) in dual sets with Reggie"
Man, I loved that too. I wish they ran stuff like that more often. It must be nightmarish for defenses.
"Now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb."
i've been saying that for a while
Deuce and Reggie ran it so well like that. I think it helps our running game especially when when it’s not working that well. You could fake a pitch to one and drop it off to the other sort of like an extension of the handoff. Manning and the Colts can get a “run game” going by little swing passes that are like extended handoffs. I love the 2 back sets like that with RBs. Imagine if we had a 3 back set with Ivory mixed in there too! I think that Ivory/PT are both big enough to get a good enough block to spring a runner loose and Reggie seems to be the better pass blocker to me. Could be a lot of trouble for Ds
Superbowl bound!!!...I know! do you?! Go Saints!!
by skinnykinney on Dec 14, 2010 8:47 PM CST up reply actions
SP loves run formations that become passes and pass formations that become runs. Funny thing is that the 3-back set would be so outlandish the defense wouldn’t know what it is. It would look like a run, but with two people proven to be capable pass catchers and a third who could probably be one that could be a great “either/or” formation that would drive defensive coordinators crazy.
I’m in. Now let’s find out if Sean Payton really does read every mention of his name online or not, because if so he’ll see this advice and his crafty brain will start doing some interesting churning…
I like Reggie's play right now
I think when Reggie was in the game he was having a big impact on the game especially on PA passes. They seem more effective to me when Reggie’s in and they fake a pitch to the outside. The whole D shifts that way moreso than when our other backs are in there. Sure they can take them to the house but it’s more on up the middle type plays. Reggie’s an outside runner specialist(yes i did just make that up) and to me PA has always seemed to work better when you shift players from side to side while they’re slowly moving forward. Also, he gave Brees time that he needed when he was in pass protection and i loved how he was making something out of nothing alot of the time. I thought on a few plays that if the O-line would open up a hole for Reggie like they did on a play for one of the others(especially on one of Ivory’s runs, maybe the 18 yarder) he could’ve taken it to the house. I’m also a Reggie supporter too though so i might be a bit biased. You can’t deny that he played really well yesterday though
Superbowl bound!!!...I know! do you?! Go Saints!!
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Canal Street Chronicles
Related FanShots on Canal Street Chronicles
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Donald Driver compared winning ‘Dancing With The Stars’ to winning Super Bowl
- Report: Most NFL players would have no problem with an openly gay teammate
- Donald Driver wins ‘Dancing With the Stars’
- Student has diploma withheld after Tebowing at graduation
- NFL to mandate knee and thigh pads for players
