Run the damn ball
 

First 3 plays of the game, 3 passes, incomplete

7 down quickly turned into 17 down

We have the most dangerous weapons in our backfield

PT was running hard up the middle, bouncing off tacklers

So my question, why stray from the running game?

Get sproles on the outside with the quick pitch, that's where he does his damage

Drew was running for his life all night because the redskins knew what was coming, we need to run the ball more

Eat up some clock, keep our defense off the field, gas the opponents D and keep the defense honest

That stat whenever we run for over 100 yards we are like 32-1 in wins, I understand the need for urgency, but we hurt ourselves more by passing

I want to see more running in the panthers game, they couldnt stop the bucs run game and we need to take advantage of that

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Wouldn't mind if we caught the damn ball either.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

I don't care whether it's through the air or from running... get PT23 his touches and the rest will fall into place.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Surprisingly, we didn't seem to have a dedicated gameplan to the run from the start. We are one of the best screen teams also, and with the pressure on Drew all day, surprised we didn't try more there.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

This is what I couldn't understand most from yesterday.

On the eventual Sproles TD we were on the 3 YL and tried to throw the ball three times. Didn't we JUST DRAFT someone to handle short-yardage/goal-line running?

Drew was uncharacteristically off on his placement yesterday, and he led his receivers into some dangerous places, he11, he almost got Rev Graham killed when he tried to hit him in triple coverage over the middle.

I saw we were horribly unbalanced in terms of run/pass, so for as good as Carmichael/Brees are supposed to be with their play calling, whats up with that? I understand we ended up down and had to throw, but there were some opportunities to keep the 'Skins honest by running that we really didn't take advantage of. Thoughts?

Re: Run the damn ball
 

I agree we need to put the ball in our rbs hands more often than not, we have too much skill there not to but...We had way too many penalties that put us in difficult down and distance situations, and the score dictated that we had to play catch up the whole game. You have to play ahead of the chains that's what keeps the D guessing! They played pass first defense, and its easier to defend when you know it's coming!

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Good point, less we not forget.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

You know I could believe in a master plan to keep our RBs fresh down the stretch.
But I don't believe that because I would have used our 5 RBs to carry the ball twice each.

More seriously, I always believed we should employ rushing to keep the defense "honest". And man, don't we have Über-weapon Sproles? I bet ya crappier teams like Chicago don't ignore Forte.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

When PT and sproles get into a rhythm they are very difficult to stop, PT makes it look likes he's running into foam walls how he bounces off

I totally agree that the down and distance stopped us from running the ball, thats just our lack of discipline telling us how to run the game rather than us dictating the game

But when you have sproles, PT, and Ingram and you pass 3 straight times when the games close it's not good

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Well Sp was blamed for the same thing several times

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Too true.

It's "funny". I was going mental, screaming what's wrong with the run when we went:
1-2-WAS 2 Brees pass incomplete
2-2-WAS 2 Brees pass incomplete
3-2-WAS 2 Brees pass incomplete

and then Brees throws a TD!

Go figure.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Maybe Carmichael isn't impressed with our running backs and is afraid to risk putting the ball in their hands and taking it out of Drews hands. Just a thought......not a valid one necessarily though.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

I was screaming the same thing all game. All the passes were ridiculous. Hopefull Coach Payton buys a dump phone and lights someone up.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

It's kind of hard to follow your gameplan when the penalties are killing us. We were in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and longs too much yesterday to rely on the run. Like Kromer said, commit less penalties and the rest of the problems will be less...

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Yea I don't understand why weren't running the ball either and we activated Cadet for what? For him to sit on the bench...I say next week we need to activate Ivory he always has his best game against the panthers and ucs and what took us so long to get Sproles going?

Re: Run the damn ball
 

We got out coached we didn't run the ball enough and there was to many penalties that we made.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Run....left, Run .... up the middle, Run.... right, I agree totally run the damn ball

Re: Run the damn ball
 

There was definitely a point in there around the 2nd quarter, where they should have realized, "hey, this isn't working," and they should have gotten in there with Pierre and just let him bash and slam into people and move the pile a little bit. At least you're going FORWARD for a few yards, make the defense PAY for stopping you, instead of going 1st, 2nd, 3rd, punt.

I've sorta thought this before at different points last year, but it kinda hit me a bit more yesterday -- I think Carmichael is a lot more PREDICTABLE than Payton usually was. I mean, if I can sit there in the stands and look at the down and distance and the Saints lineup, on play after play and go "Jimmy Graham....now handoff to Mark Ingram....this is the screen to Pierre coming up..." I mean if *I* can sit there in my seat and do that, you know Haslett and other team's coaches can look at film and guess what's coming, too. Maybe the tendencies or leanings are a little more obvious than with Payton calling the plays, I dunno. The only times I was SHOCKED was when Drew obviously saw something and altered the play, then I was surprised by what happened.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

You do realize that Pete called the plays most of last year right? And that we averaged an ungodly amount of yards per game, led the league I believe...

Re: Run the damn ball
 

We are who we are...

I'd be happy if we didn't have half the penalties we had.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Yeah I know all that, bro. But even a really good thing can become predictable. Last year is last year; now there is plenty of film of Pete Carmichael calling the plays for the Saints from last year, for people to study and look for tendencies and figure out what he likes to do and get a feel for his playcalling and stuff. Last year, when the Saints O were doing so great, on that big tear, other teams DIDN'T have that film to look at, and say THIS IS PETE CARMICHAEL CALLING THE PLAYS, what does he like to do in certain situations? Nobody had a clue what was coming at them; but now I think they maybe kinda do, or can sniff it out a bit better.

I have been watching ever since he started taking over the playcalling, my friend, and it's getting to where I can almost sorta see certain plays coming from a mile away, on certain downs and distances and situations. Not ALL the time, just sometimes. That's what I'm saying.

Last year was great -- but did the offense lead the league in anything yesterday, or during this preseason? Have they really lit it up? Not really. One explanation is that defenses may be adjusting to Carmichael now that they can study and dissect him, which before they couldn't.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

How do you explain the second half? We did put up 32 points with a chance for 8 more in the end?

Without the penalties and drops the offense would have been rolling like always...

Re: Run the damn ball
 

You're probably right. It's probably not as bad as I'm making it sound. Our offense was rolling in the second half. They looked great -- whenever Washington was up by two scores.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

It's a passing league. Really need to catch the ball and hang on to it.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

I think I just woke up in Bryant-Denny Stadium!

Re: Run the damn ball
 

I said something about running the ball in another thread and it was replied that we had to throw because we were behind.

My beef is why we weren't running the ball in the opening series (3 and out, three straight passes) or on the goal line (FOUR straight passes, eventually completing to Sproles).

We have good running backs and I just don't get why Carmichael didn't want to use them. PT looked good, Ingram was never really given a chance (two or three carries I think), and if you're gonna activate Cadet over Ivory, put him in the freakin' game and give him a chance to do something

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Whilst we did have to throw the ball because we were behind, your exactly right

Throwing the ball constantly is what put us in a bad position (along with the penalties) and Pete tends to turn crazy when the passes don't work so he passes some more

Our offense runs the ball to help the pass, that's the way it is, this formula was found in 2009 when mike bell and PT combined for 150 yards every game and we went on a 13 game win streak, Pete needs to take a step back and let PT do his thing

Re: Run the damn ball
 

"All man," Haslett said. "All man. We didn't want him having easy areas to throw to.
You run vs. man.
4 WR spread them out and run.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Agreed. How about a freaking draw play? Running for 10 yards and a 1st down is more effective than an incomplete pass or interception. Trust me, I did the math.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Five RB's. Ten carries. Only two of them touched the ball on run plays. I don't care how many penalties there were or how far we were down. That is absolutely ridiculous. If you have that many weapons at your disposal, USE THEM!

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Well technically we only activated 4, and the 4th is simply activated for special teams, and another is a weapon in the passing game. I think Sproles played about 50 snaps.

Pass because we are behind?

@24 of 52 we do not have time for that crap.

When Drew goes into gun slinger mode we tend to give the ball up.

Run, screen, run, run, screen, play action.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Run RUN RUN...... I just wanted to jump back into the discussion

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Its true. Great teams normally never leave there game plan if falling behind by 14-17 points. But seems cach payton with drew at the helm could give a rats ass on that theory.its hard to win like that passing 52 times. There coming for ur but if ur giving it away that ur going to pass every down.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Carolina right this minute is gaming to stop our run game.
Our coaches know that...
Therefore it will be an airshow all over again!

LOL

NOW, follow me here:

They know that we know, but we think they know what we know but really don't so we do what they don't know! Brilliant!!!

Now, game that.

Alaska

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Yep...let's pay our QB 20 million to hand-off. I hope this last game was just a fluke and we get back on track...but even the mighty Brees can't do it all by himself. I don't know...maybe he thought he could. I just wonder if winning matters or if that bank account is the most important thing in his life.

I FKN knew it!

Your thinking Shanle under center also aren't you?

Re: Run the damn ball
 

Yep, EIGHT drops in one game is ridiculousy.

If only 4 of those weren't dropped, we win by two scores.

Overall a bad game by numerous players, Brees included.

I sort of equate "blanket badness" to off season mental stress... For it to effect EVERYONE?

And if the entire team
is worn, no amount of great coaches will make them play well.

Re: Run the damn ball
 

One of the greatest pass protection schemes is a hand-off.
It keeps their front seven honest and at least gives them some pause while salivating after Drew.
I can see abandoning the run in the 4th quarter when behind, but we do it way to quickly habitually.
The way to protect the million dollar man is with balance.
The way to give him longevity is with balance.
The way to make his job much easier is with balance.
Control the line of scrimmage from the start of the game.
Our offensive front will have more game success playing on their toes rather than on their heels.