Go Back   New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com > Main > Saints

Why The Saints Are 8 and 0

this is a discussion within the Saints Community Forum; The debate on whether the New Orleans Saints can go 16-0 is silly, but there’s no question the Saints have staying power. Sure, they have committed too many turnovers and given up too many big plays in the past three ...

Closed Thread
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-14-2009, 11:54 AM   #1
Threaded by Halo
Site Donor MONTHLY
Join Date: May 2002
Location: New Orleans, LA
Posts: 20,181

Blog Entries: 45
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rating: (0 votes - average)

The debate on whether the New Orleans Saints can go 16-0 is silly, but there’s no question the Saints have staying power.

Sure, they have committed too many turnovers and given up too many big plays in the past three weeks.

Obviously, they cannot count on coming back from double-digit deficits against the likes of New England Patriots or Dallas Cowboys if they start poorly in those games.

No team is perfect, but the Saints’ perfect record after eight games is not fluky. Here are the best first-half indicators they will continue to win in the second half of the season.

1) They are No. 1 in the NFL in pass efficiency defense.

That stat matters much more than New Orleans’ middle-of-the-pack ranking in passing yards allowed and should be mind-boggling to anyone who watched the Saints lose several games in the past few years because the secondary could not make a play at a crucial moment.

In 2007, the Saints were dead last in pass efficiency defense, with opposing quarterbacks compiling a rating of 96.9 while completing 62.4 percent of their throws.

Through eight games this season, the Saints are holding quarterbacks to a rating of 55.8. The New Orleans defense ranks first in completion percentage (.519), significantly ahead of second-place Green Bay Packers (.540). New Orleans ranks first in interceptions with 16, is tied for third in touchdowns allowed (six) and is tied for fifth in opponents’ yards per attempt (6.3).

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, lock-down cornerback Jabari Greer and ball-hawking free safety Darren Sharper all deserve tremendous credit for the turnaround in their first year. Williams’ pressure scheme has helped the Saints register 19 sacks, well above their pace in 2008 when they finished with 28 sacks.

Don’t discount second-year cornerback Tracy Porter, whose presence improved the pass defense last year before he suffered a season-ending injury.

2) Drew Brees averages 8.8 yards per pass, the highest number in the NFL.

Of the four components that make up a quarterback’s rating, yards per attempt is the most telling.

Dinkers and dunkers often throw few interceptions because they rarely take chances, while guys like Brees can live with mistakes if they make enough big plays.

Touchdown passes can be misleading. Teams with good running games throw for fewer touchdowns than teams with weak running games.

Completion percentages are skewed in favor of quarterbacks who throw to their check-down receivers all the time instead of looking downfield.

Yards per attempt is the real deal. Seven quarterbacks average eight yards or more, and the combined record of their teams is 42-15. None of them are below .500.

Brees is at the top of his game because he spreads the ball around. The Saints have no receivers among the top 25 in yards and only two in the top 50, but Brees is fourth in that category among quarterbacks.


Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	resized_pierre_thomas_average.jpg
Views:	0
Size:	40.1 KB
ID:	583  

Views: 8146
Old 11-14-2009, 02:36 PM   #2
Where Y'at?
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: The Republic of Texas
Posts: 518
Re: Why The Saints Are 8 and 0

I think the Saints are 8-0 because they won all their games.
gumbeau is offline  
Old 11-14-2009, 02:43 PM   #3
Site Donor 2014
Truth Addict
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Spanish Fort, AL (via NO and B/R)
Posts: 24,634
Re: Why The Saints Are 8 and 0

Yards per attempt is the real deal. Seven quarterbacks average eight yards or more, and the combined record of their teams is 42-15. None of them are below .500.
And this is the stat I keep hearing over and over again for the last 3 or 4 years that defines a good QB.

Its kinda like at CB, where "targeted" means a heck of a lot more than anything else.

If you never throw at a CB, its because he's damn good, even thought all the other stats don't point that out (PD's, TD's, INT's etc).
Danno is offline  
Old 11-14-2009, 02:50 PM   #4
Rookie
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 25
Re: Why The Saints Are 8 and 0

cool read
NOpride is offline  
Old 11-14-2009, 02:54 PM   #5
100th Post
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 275
Re: Why The Saints Are 8 and 0

Originally Posted by gumbeau View Post
I think the Saints are 8-0 because they won all their games.
I disagree

Running game for sure has been a big difference. I cant see us winning against the bills and the jets without grinding it out on the ground. It was windy in buffalo and the jets secondary were playing at a high level then. Brees had to win all our games for us last year and that's a lot to ask of one guy in a team sport.

Last edited by Savant; 11-14-2009 at 02:58 PM..
Savant is offline  
Old 11-14-2009, 05:35 PM   #6
Merces Letifer
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,161
Re: Why The Saints Are 8 and 0

Mere stats don't tell you why this team has won all their games so far.
The blowouts were blowouts, but the reason the Saints won against Buffalo, NYJ, Miami and Atlanta, the coaching staff has been able to make adjustments pre-game to account for injuries to starters and in-game on both sides of the ball.
Tobias-Reiper is offline  
Old 11-14-2009, 09:23 PM   #7
Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: New Haven Ct
Posts: 23,982
Re: Why The Saints Are 8 and 0

Improved running game and Great Defense simply put. Plus they won all there games. LOL
QBREES9 is offline  
Old 11-14-2009, 11:00 PM   #8
5000 POSTS! +
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Hollywood, CA
Posts: 7,601
Blog Entries: 5
Re: Why The Saints Are 8 and 0

Why do people think we have an improved running game???

We don't! Well Bush isn't running so much that improves the running game, lol. The big difference is the D. You have a great D your running game seems better because its time consuming. The only difference I seen is Payton using Bell more instead of Bush. Bye Bye Bush.
Euphoria is offline  
Old 11-15-2009, 08:10 AM   #9
Sac-A-Lait
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Prairieville, LA
Posts: 262
Re: Why The Saints Are 8 and 0

1) Pretty good depth at most positions except quarterback, if Bree's is hurt we are done.

2) Commitment to the run this year in preseason as well as during season.

3) Greer, Sharper, Vilma

4) Best receiving corps of any NFL team.

5) New Defensive Coach/Revitalized defense.

6) Positive in trunovers.

7) Gris Gris applied by my wife before the season started on our opponents.

8) The Saints have to win a SuperBowl before I die and I have been watching since the beginning and I am getting old.

9) We only have a couple of years left with the magician Brees playing, and it may be centuries before the Saints see another quarterbcak of his caliber. What a joy he is to watch playing this game.
nutria is offline  
Old 11-15-2009, 08:16 AM   #10
Site Donor 2018
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Thibodaux
Posts: 43,543
Blog Entries: 39
Re: Why The Saints Are 8 and 0

B-a-l-a-n-c-e
jeanpierre is offline  
Closed Thread

Tags
dallas cowboys, defensive coordinator, drew brees, gregg williams, guerry smith, jabari greer, new england patriots, new orleans saints, nfl, pass efficiency defense, the examiner, tracy porter

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:35 AM.


Copyright 1997 - 2020 - BlackandGold.com
no new posts