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SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
Saints Off Season Analysis Brent Foshee - SaintsInsider.com January 14, 2004 at 11:04am ET The New Orleans Saints finished the 2003 season a disappointing 8-8. The Saints did manage to finish strong, going 7-4 over the last 11 games. The Saints now find themselves in the most competitive division in the NFL, however, and in serious need of addressing a few significant personnel issues. Tom Benson is unlikely to tolerate another non playoff year from Haslett and should the Saints not show vast improvement next season he could clean house and opt for a new GM and head coach. 2003 Unit Rankings Defense Passing: 8 Though the Saints finished in the top 10 in passing defense this was partially done with smoke and mirrors. Coach Haslett and his defensive staff deserve a great deal of credit for their defensive scheme which hides the Saints questionable talent in the defensive backfield. New Orleans finished tied for 20th in interceptions with 14 and tied for 21st in sacks with 32. Both of those numbers must be improved. Rushing: 27 The off season trade of Norman Hand and mid season cutting of Grady Jackson will probably be good in the long run, but this season it left the Saints short handed at DT. While Jonathan Sullivan played well for most of the year, injuries to the Saints defensive linemen made it difficult for the Saints to start the same unit each week and their effectiveness was compromised. Scoring: 14 The Saints finished a respectable 14th in scoring, the injuries to some of their key players probably hurt them here but an infusion of youth throughout their defense would help them. Offense Rushing: 11 Deuce McAlister was the teams MVP of the 2003 season. McAlister established himself as one of the finest backs in the league when he topped 100 yards 9 straight weeks. The blocking of Terrelle Smith and the Saints offensive line make the rushing offense the strength of their team. Passing: 8 Aaron Brooks closed out the season strong. Joe Horn continues to remain among the best WR's in the league. Unfortunately Donte Stallworth was an injury concern for most of the year and Ernie Conwell battled a case of the drops and was thusly rendered ineffective. The Saints issue here is not related to talent, rather the consistency of that talent. Look for Talman Gardner to push someone for some playing time next year. The Saints might want to add a TE but their defensive needs are much greater so TE will likely not be a high priority thi s off season. Scoring: 14 Like their defensive teammates the Saints offense also finished 14th overall in the league in scoring. A healthy Donte Stallworth, offensive line, and anything remotely similar to the Ernie Conwell of pre-2003 should help them improve next year. Personnel Needs The Saints have the 18th pick in the first round and the 17th pick (49 overall) in the second round. They should be able to bring in two solid players that can contribute immediately with these two picks. The Saints 4 primary needs in our eyes are 1) DT 2) CB 3) SS 4) ILB The top 3 needs are almost interchangeable and the Saints would be wise to address whichever one has the best player available. Next week Saintsinsider will focus on the DT's available in the draft and who might be available to the Saints in rounds 1, 2, and 3, as well as their second day options. |
SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
1. CB
2. LB 3. OT 4. DT |
SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
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I wouldn\'t be upset at all if the Saints used their 1st pick on the highest rated LB or DT or even a LT if a can\'t miss all-pro type slips. As long as we go into next season with a new stud LB, CB, and a run stuffing DT. I don\'t care how they address it, draft or Free-agent, doesn\'t matter. |
SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
I may be getting ahead of myself but this is sure intriguing:
NEW ENGLAND MAY LAY DOWN FINANCIAL LAW WITH TY By MARK CANNIZZARO and PAUL SCHWARTZ Email Archives Print Reprint January 20, 2004 -- The notion may seem absurd, but it\'s possible cornerback Ty Law played his last home game as a Patriot on Sunday despite the fact that he had three interceptions. Law will enter next season with a salary cap number of some $9.5 million, and that actually is scheduled to escalate in 2005 to about $12.6 million. The Patriots, whose formula is utilizing non-big-name, lesser-paid players, are surely going to want to renegotiate those figures down. Prior to this season, when safety Lawyer Milloy refused to restructure his contract to lower the cap figure, he was released. \"If I do leave,\" Law said, \"I want to leave as a champion. The best thing I can do to negotiate for myself is to play football. No matter what happens, I\'ll be all right. Some decisions will have to be made about my future, but it\'s not like I\'m a free agent. It\'s out of my control.\" http://n.foxsports.com/extlink?url=h...%2f16206%2ehtm Especially after that three interception performance on Sunday. That\'s a whole lotta money, though. [Edited on 1/20/2004 by iceshack149] |
SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
I think a team has to be able to rush the QB AND have a secondary that can cover. One helps the other and allows a defense to be flexible. That\'s the Pats key to success on defense. I think we are close on defense. I also think the Saints will be one of the most aggressive teams in free-agency.
It\'s true the Saints have not gone after big name free-agents in the past, but look for that to change this year. Haslett knows this is make or break time for him and I don\'t think he has felt pressure like this in the past. He would be a fool not to demand we go after the big names. Now, if he does make that demand and the FO doesn\'t do it, then that\'s on the FO. At least that\'s what I would be saying if I were Haslett. |
SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
Haslett hasn\'t shown the ability to change in the four previous years, why do you think he will start that now? Especially now that the company line is consistency, and we\'re almost there.
Nothing much changes. The Saints sign one or two players that you\'ve heard of in free agency, pass up DTs, LBs, CBs, and an OT for a guard in the draft, go 10-6 next season, make the playoffs as a wildcard, and Haslett continues to be amazed by fans who are mad that the THIRD most money available under the cap, good draft positions, and a team that only really needs four or five players to be Super Bowl contenders doesn\'t translate into a team with the bite to make any real push for a championship. Next year, Haslett is still the coach, the Saints remain four or five players away from being a contender, have the fourth most money available under the cap, and people on this board continue to try to convince us that THIS is the year that everything will change. ;) |
SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
...and they go 12-4 right?
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SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
Well, sure they will Saintfan. You and Billy have been telling us that for a LONG time.
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SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
Kinda like Milli Vanilli , just lip syncing the same song over and over again ....
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SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
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You also think that at a best of 11-5 the Saints will win the division next year but that Haz will still be a bum. However, he\'s NOT a bum if he wins two more and goes 13-3? Shall I go dig up the post where you typed the Saints record next year of 12-4? Pretty optimistic for such a pessimistic fella who thinks the team is coached by a talentless hack. Wouldn\'t you agree? [Edited on 22/1/2004 by saintfan] |
SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
Whodat, I\'d really like to read your response to the above. Specifically answers to the following:
(a) Do you think the Panthers were average this year (b)based on your infatuation with Jake\'s \"leadership\" ability, why do you think the Panthers will fade next year (c)if 11-5 means Haz is an underachiever, how does two more wins in what would obviously be a good record for ANY team take him from underachiever to \"good coach\" These are all questions based on things YOU said and things that I quoted you as having said in my previous post in this thread. What say you? |
SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
I\'ll start with C. The only way Jim Haslett can become a good coach, from where I\'m standing, is if he A) outcoaches other coaches, and/or B) gets his players to play up to or beyond expectations and potential. This team is ridiculously talented. If they go 11-5 it will be in spite of Haslett, not b/c of him. Of course, if they lose Deuce, Horn, Grant, and Howard and go 11-5, I\'ll give Jim credit for getting backups to play better than expected and be the first to eat crow. I\'m guessing that ain\'t gonna happen. I said 13-3 b/c I believe that if the Saints end up with that record Haslett will HAVE to have outcoached someone or at least made his players play to the best of their ability.
A & B. I do not think that the Panthers were average this year, no. I think that their offense will get better next year, but their defense will get exposed. Tampa Bay certainly wasn\'t average last year and look at what happened to them. Or the Raiders, or the Rams of two years ago, or the Ravens and Giants of three years ago. Super Bowl teams fade (excpet for New England it appears). I also think Stephen Davis will get hurt. Too many touches.. although DeShaun Foster could be better given time. That\'s right. I think the Saints WILL make the playoffs next year. I\'m not ashamed of that. I\'m not trying to spread doom and gloom like you think I am. I am trying to give my honest opinion. The Saints won\'t get to the Super Bowl with Haslett as coach. If I\'m wrong, I\'ll eat crow... happily. We\'ll go 10-6 or 11-5 next year b/c this team is too talented not to. It\'s got nothing to do with JH. I\'ve also said over and over again that this is all subject to change based on what happens in the offseason. |
SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
While at times I beleive WhoDat stretches things, I have come to understand that WhoDat doesn\'t go around trying to spread \"doom and gloom.\" I really used to believe he was the most negetive person I had ever heard.
Now, I believe that WhoDat is simply expressing what he feels is the truth. Not to say he\'s always right, but I do respect his opinion very highly. It\'s hard to argue with most of what WhoDat has been saying over the last year. I feel kinda bad for being so hard on him for some things that\'s he\'s posted. As much as I hate being wrong, I must say that WhoDat looks at things the way they are and doesn\'t put a postive spin on it. And he\'s right for doing that. I tend to be too positive because I want to believe that the Saints are going to do well. While WhoDat might be a little more negetive than he has too, I can certainly understand why. As far as I\'m concerned WhoDat is as fair as anyone on this board and is personally one of my favorite members. Props Dat -- You\'ve taught me some things on here [Edited on 23/1/2004 by BillyC] |
SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
Not that you care, but I accept what you\'re saying. I guess I don\'t get the part about 2 games in a season deciding Jim\'s ability to coach, but I do get what you\'re saying.
I kinda thought you were under the impression that Jake Delhomme was the key cog in the Panthers wheel this year, but after reading your comments I am now under the impression that you, like me, think their defense probaby had more to do with their success this year. I do, however, disagree about their offense getting better. As I\'ve said before, I think Jake, while better than average, will begin to cost them games with his seeming need to throw the ball up for grabs off his back foot when he\'s in trouble rather than do what Brooks has had to learn to do...throw the ball away. Maybe Jake will learn not to do that. Brooks did. Think back to the Eagles game. His TD pass was terribly underthrown. I mean is was a really really bad idea to throw that ball. But, as they have been all year, the Panthers got lucky. Their other TD was set up by a penalty. 14-3...after a late hit that took McNabb out of the game. Those guys, in my opinion, are fortunate to be in the superbowl...I just can\'t stand the fact that the Eagles didn\'t show up. |
SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
Thanks Billy. Nice to hear you finally admit that I\'m always right and you\'re always wrong!! :) LMAO. Just had to zing you there - things are getting kinda lovey dovey around here.
Time will tell Saintfan. We\'ll see what happens. I think the team to beat in the division may be Atlanta next season. Vick, along with probably Manning and maybe Favre, is one of the only QBs in the league that truly transforms a team just by being on the field. The man will make at least a three or four game difference just by staying healthy. I hope AB does continue to improve. I hope he\'s the number one QB in the league, but what I hope and what I think will actually happen are different things. I also think that Delhomme will get better, but he will be challenged next year. Teams are figuring out how to take Stephen Davis away. If they get to DeShaun Foster too then Jake could be in trouble. Still, I think the defense falters, Carolina has a little less luck than they did this year, and they end up around .500. Tampa is an enigma to me. I can see that team with four wins... or ten. Hard to tell right now. |
SAINTS OFFSEASON ANALYSIS......
Gee thanks Billy...I just puked...
:P Just kidding..LOL |
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