Losing Carl Nicks has affected the while O Line
 

Brees can't step up into the pocket anymore and our RB's are having a hard time finding holes. Grubbs is definitely no Nicks.

Re: Losing Carl Nicks has affected the while O Line
 

I was saying this before we traded him, and lots of people shot me down.

"No way, trade Nicks before Colston dude, Colston is Brees #1 target!!"

WHO CARES WHO HIS TARGET IS IF HE'S RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE

No protection for a 5-foot-nothing QB = you're gonna have a bad time.

And yes, I understand that it is also an issue with our OT's, they're laughable, but when Nicks was here they were the same dudes, and what we're seeing right now simply didn't happen as often (Rams game excluded)

Re: Losing Carl Nicks has affected the while O Line
 

I don't see losing Nicks to be the problem, Grubbs is doing just fine... It's Strief and Bushrod on the ends without help is the problem...

Re: Losing Carl Nicks has affected the while O Line
 

I get what you're trying to do here, but first of all we didn't "trade" Nicks -- he walked -- and we could not afford to keep him. We probably couldn't have afforded him, even if we had let Colston go! The writing was on the wall for a long time that Nicks was going to go, whether we wanted him to stay or not. No matter what we offered him, somebody out there in free agency would have offered $1 more and a bag of chips, and he would have taken it. He was going to take top dollar and nothing less. It was a bidding war the Saints could not win. You can't just sign everybody in the world that you want and keep the ol' gang together forever. It's a business.


When Nicks was here we also had the same dudes but we had an O-line coach who wasn't pulling double duty head coaching the whole team at the same time. Who do you think is supposed to figure stuff out about blocking schemes and game planning against specific opposing players and their styles, or make adjustments when things aren't working? You think Kromer really has the same amount of time during the week or during the game, that he used to have to prepare these guys specifically for the war in the trenches, or make adjustments on the fly? Nicks was a beast but he's not the savior of the team and he's not the only problem we have.

Re: Losing Carl Nicks has affected the while O Line
 

i disagree, both tackle positions are getting abused!! I think Grubbs has done a pretty good job....plus its the ENTIRE offense, just cant pin on one guy...We need Sean payton back to solve it

I agree our OT's are horrible. I remember reading somewhere that the key to Bree's passing success is the ability of the Interior lineman to create space for him to step up and make his throws. How many times have we seen DE's miss a sack because Brees steps up into the pocket? He doesnt seem to have that opportunity anymore. But don't get me wrong, Bushrod has beem horrible this year and so has Strief. I think we just miss that push from the inside that Nicks gave us.

Re: Losing Carl Nicks has affected the while O Line
 

For pass protection the middle of the line is doing fine, not outstanding, but fine. That's not the case with run blocking or the Chiefs have the best front 7 in football.

Speed rushing is killing the Tackles. This is where we're missing SP. We should have already adjusted the offense to more 3 and 5 step throws with less shotgun.

I know I say this like I'm an expert, but I've been watching a long time and have seen the SAINTS do this very thing under SP.

Re: Losing Carl Nicks has affected the while O Line
 

And don't forget that Brees and Grubbs, (and the rest of the O-line), lost valuable time together while Brees' contract negotiations were going on.

Re: Losing Carl Nicks has affected the while O Line
 

Yes those 10 practices without pads that Brees missed but the rest of the line was here for, are clearly what's killing us in the O-line. And yet Drew missed those same 10 practices the year before and threw for 5,476 yards and 7,474 total yards of offense. Okay. Yup. It's Brees' fault. Gotcha.

Re: Losing Carl Nicks has affected the while O Line
 

Gotcha? Don't flatter yourself; you probably couldn't spell CAT if I spotted you the C & the T!

Show me where I posted that it was Brees' fault?