A Little Concern
 

Ok, I hate to say this, really....and am even hesitant to say it....but I want feedback, so I'm gonna say it anyway. :) I watched the replay last night of the Lions/Saints game. Truly, if the Lions had not shot themselves in the foot with all of the dumb penalties, it would have been another game. Our defense allowed wayyyyy too many plays to happen. A couple of blown coverages....some miscommunication. I just hope that we've corrected some of those errors, and are ready for the "airing the ball out" that we're gonna get from Stafford. They converted too many 3rd downs, for sure. We do NOT need to underestimate these guys like we did Seattle last season. (Or maybe we were just that crappy last season....but I think a lot of that was mental, too).

Ok, I said it. What do you guys/gals think?

I think our D has steadily improved since then. We may have given up some big plays in games....but look at the outcomes: they have mostly turned into field goals! I'm not saying they are not a dangerous team, but I trust in these coaches and the level of preparation they undertake!

oh yeah. the offense line will need a mistake free game. the saints defense will bend but limiting the number of breaks will be key.

this by no means will be a cake walk.

I think we need to show up ready to play football and not stumble out of the gate.
If we get out front on these guys we will bury them.
I don't think I could take a tit-for-tat and flip a coin to see who gets the last posession type game.
Steady doses of PT/Ivory/Sproles and wash that down with some Colston/Graham/Moore.
35/25: 29/35 passing for 350 3TD's and 25 rushes for 160 and 2TD's.
That should do the trick.

They only converted 2 of 11 3rd downs. It seemed 2nd down was when they did their damage.

I think we need to hit them right between the eyes first off, just like we did the Panthers last week. Touchdown three plays from scrimmage. Hit them REAL hard and hit them often. NO MERCY! I want the Saints to be accused of running up the score again!!!!

Saints need to get up by at least 10 points ASAP and make them one dimensional.

Definitely reason for concern
They really handed us the game. That is not to say we would not have stepped up anyway, but...

I was very confident last year, and I think Det is better. The difference is the dome

we have no running game, we are one dimensional.

i watched it last night, also. That was a rough patch for the Lions, and coach has eliminated most of that out of control play, the personal fouls.

Here's to a good game, should be fun. Wish I was there.

I was thinking the same thing about the LOINS'S penalties and I know they're thinking the same thing. I also don't like spending so much attention on MEGATRON and still giving up the same amount of yards to someone else. WHATS THE DIFFERENCE???? I think we will jump out fast and force a few of punts from LOINS and they will be in catch up mode after that so we may give up a lot of passing yards, but the lions will likely be playing desperate football come tomorrow!!!! LETS GEAUX SAINTS!!!!!!!

I don't believe that, you just poached J. Bell and I know how he did in pre-season, you guys got yourselves a good rb.

and they got him cheap.
If they work him into their schemes, he could bring a whole new dimension to their offense.
Probably too late this go round, but he'll do wonders for next season.
If they mess around and release him, he'll be back in NOLA before the waiver ink dries.

You think he's going to know the playbook well enough and work with the team enough in two weeks to really make a difference? He's there just for depth in case of injury and maybe for next season . . . don't get me wrong, I watched the kid play at Wayne State and am pleased as punch we signed him, but I can't imagine him seeing much action in our first playoff game in 12yrs . . . unless he's a fast learner . . . wouldn't that be ironic if he came in and ran for 100yds on you guys?

go Lions.

He will know enough of the playbook, he could hit a open hole. And yes, possibly do some damage, he can run can't he?

What is with the Bell love affair? The guy has been on 5 teams in 2 years and has 150 yards in his career. If he was any good we would've found a place for him or gotten something in return

I didn't know Wayne State had a football team and I live in Michigan.

He's a local boy and we don't have squat for a running back . . . everybody's hurt, we're just glad to be able to get a warm body on the roster at this point in the season . . .

go Lions.

I think at least every other game everyone and there mom has "had a bad feeling" for every game. I think we are a different and better team than the 2009 saints, and we have begun our stride. We are going to the Superbowl.

. . . yeah, they even played for the DivII National Championship this season . . . came out of nowhere as the last seed in the playoffs . . . no BCS Series crap for DivII, they run a real playoffs, lol . . . used to have a heck of a fencing program there too . . .

go Lions.

GVSU gets some talk on sports radio here in lansing but never Wayne State. I guess they can only kiss up to so many coaches.

The Saints had a running back who was signed on Monday and who played in the playoffs on Saturday last year, just FYI. Of course that was the Saints organization, and not the Lions organization, so maybe the expectation up there is that Bell won't play. But that's why people here on the forum might be thinking Bell is going to see the field -- he probably would if he were signed as a Saint, especially considering last year's running back corps for us.

The Saints have been where the Lions are, with the running backs, man! Last year we had running backs getting phone calls, hopping planes, flipping through the playbook in the cab on the way to the stadium, then running out the tunnel...the Dome announcer would call out their names as they ran out, and there'd be this sort of muted wash instead of a cheer

We had one guy last year where Drew would announce the play in the huddle, they'd all clap, then on the way to the line Drew would lean over in the running back's ear of his helmet and translate the play terminology into regular English for him, and point to where he was supposed to line up. We unfortunately learned that doesn't work so well on the road in a loud visiting stadium.

. . . "everybody got lose sometime, claus" . . .

go Lions.

I'll iterate:

On offense:
* Payton did not call the Lions game. He was still in crutches.
* Lions did not get a taste of the Package of Violence.
* There are still other players in the Saints offense who have not been featured like Jimmy and Colston and Sproles, and these guys are as capable of big plays as anyone on this offense.

On defense:
* It's improving week to week. Obviously they stopped sCam Newton and the Panthers, but I was more impressed with the previous game against the Clowns: Prime Time game, with the division on the line, the D came out and pretty much stopped Turner/White/Jones/Gonzalez which as a unit is a better unit than the Lions. And personally, I feel much more comfortable looking at the Saints D in recent games vs looking at a D that just got torched by Matt Flynn, and we all know Matt Flynn much better than most of the country, no?

Oh, and don't forget, Robinson cut his hair :)

Thanks for the insight and the very valid point . . . it's well taken and that is a huge difference between the Lions & the Saints, you guys know what it takes . . . that's hilarious about Brees translating the plays into layman's terms for the newby running back . . . that's winning football . . .

go Lions.

I think we will be doing the winning formation with 5 minutes to play, a la Les Miles!

haha . . . believe it or not, they weren't even covering it that close on Detroit sports radio either . . . I think they were two or three games into the playoffs before I heard about and I go right through campus a couple times a week! You never woulda' known . . .

go Lions.

Post more, lurk less.

I just have to believe that our secondary is gonna put some glue on their hands.

And, Martez, Smith, Harper and Casillas look like they haven't been fed in awhile.

Anything can happen in sports. The Saints losing this weekend to the Lions isn't one of them. WHO DAT!

I watched the replay as well. Neither our offense nor our defense played particularly well and we still walked away with a 14-point victory.

Here is Drew Brees' TD to interception ratio in the playoffs: 15 to 2.

15 to 2!!!! Everyone needs to chill. He is going to throw a minimum of 4 touchdown passes. We will score at least 38 points and there's no way the Lions will keep up.

JoanieNTX - that is some dedication there to re-run the game before tomorrow. Can you go talk to Greg Williams please.
I hope that it is not just hope on my part but I feel that there are some kids stepping up on the Saints defense since the last time Lions outing that ought to reduce some of the Lions effectiveness. Ok, the Lions too have some better personnel coming in.
So to tomorrow. May the Saints bring their A game and get this game over.

Lets put our jocks on straight.
 

Good points Joanie. It would be idiotic to think the Lions are just going to roll over and hand us this game. I think they're capable of scoring, scoring fast, scoring from behind, defending, getting after the QB, and they're a good enough team to ruin our day. We've lost to worse teams than the Lions, and they can beat anybody on a good day. They're going to come out ready for a fight.

Fortunately, our coach and players have a habit of preparing, and being ready. Every guy in our locker room seems to have his head screwed on straight, and all our guys seem to have the character to get the job done.

All we can do is get in those seats and raise 7 levels of hell to keep our boys fired up, and to remind our opponent who's house they're visiting.

great to have you here... glad you found B&G.

That Saints team is not the same team on the field the last 4 weeks,

The Saints would have won game regardless of penalties or anything else. Yeah it might have been closer but we would have played it different in the 4th if the Lions had been breathing down our necks.

Yep, after we scored 31, we went into clock-kill.

We rushed 7 times and only passed twice, and that was with 7 minutes left in the game.

Honestly jokeray, we'll have to see. Lions will have to play flawless football AND no personal fouls and YES they do have a shot. Any team would on any given Sunday.

I was just SHOCKED at the attitude and personal fouls and I think the Saints are able to press the Lions buttons... don't think they won't try again tomorrow.
We'll see. Will be a great game to watch.

I saw it last night too Danno and you're right, we watered it down.

I am not angry at you Joanie. No one is.
I agree with x626x and others. The Saints can win this game.
Yes, Detriot is strong team.
Absolutely yes.
The Saints are well aware of where DetLions are the strongest and the weakest.
We can only trust the Saints will work it tomorrow as they have been for the past 8 weeks.

AHHH - Too many things to consider. Be 8 PM already!!

Being the Saints fan that I am for over 30 years I can't help but be nervous about the game. Last year the first game I didnt feel nervous about in a LONG time and we got our asses handed to us (SEATTLE). Detroit is dangerous. And have all the confidence in the world right now. Stafford is playing lights out!

I see Payton coming out in the first 15 (script) with a healthy dose of the run. Much like he did against ATL and CAROLINA to end the season. Remember we will have no Lance Moore and it may not seem like a big deal but it is. He has the best hands on the team and it our reliable possession receiver. Need Meach to step up like he did last week. Not expecting much from Devery.

As long as we jump to a 10-14 point lead we should be fine. I think Stafford is at his worst when he has to force the issue and/or come form behind. He is mistake prone. Also he's made of glass...Roman folds his ass one good time and he may be on the bench. And for the love of god don't let Megatron have a big day.