GumboBC

The Saints first preseason game is in the books and, in my opinion, not many questions were answered!!

Most Saints' fans had ONE thing on their mind in the Saints vs. Jet preseason game. And that was DEFENSE!!

We heard all the "hype" coming from Haslett and co. And the fans. We heard things like:

1. Courtney Watson was the real deal at MLB.
2. Howard Green was looking like a player at DT.
3. John Pease was going to make a big difference on the D-line.
4. The secondary was going to be fine.
5. Continuity was going to be in place this year.
6. Sully was looking terrible and out of shape.

Well, some things happened to make most Saints fans (myself included) wonder if we are going to be any different than last year.

About the worst thing that could have happened, happened. On the very first Jet's possession, the Jet's offense drove down the field 76 yard in 10-plays and kicked a field goal.

Here's a recap of that drive:

- C.Martin left tackle to NYJ 22 for 2 yards
- C.Pennington pass to J.Carter to NYJ 34 for 12 yards
- C.Pennington pass to A.Becht to NYJ 48 for 14 yards
- C.Martin right end to NO 49 for 3 yards
- C.Martin left end to NO 34 for 15 yards
- C.Pennington pass to A.Becht pushed ob at NO 28 for 6 yards
- C.Pennington pass incomplete to C.Baker.
PENALTY on NO-A.Ambrose, Defensive Pass Interference, 20 yards, enforced at NO 28 - No Play.
- J.Reese right end pushed ob at NO 4 for 4 yards.
- C.Pennington pass incomplete to J.Carter
- C.Pennington pass incomplete to C.Baker.
- 4-4-NO4 (8:55) D.Brien 22 yard field goal is GOOD.

The Jets were pretty efficient moving the ball down the field for the most part. Pennington completed 3 passes for 32 yards and Curtis Martin rushed the ball 3 times for 20 yards.

But when Curtis Martin broke loose for 15 yards on the ONE run, fans saw visions of what happened last year. Hey, but it was only ONE run. And Curtis is certainly capable of doing that against most defenses. There's cause for concern, but nothing to get too alarmed about.

One thing that really helped the Jets keep the 1st drive going was a pass interference call on Ambrose which moved the ball down the field 20- yards for the Jets. It looked like their feet got tangled up to me. But I did only see the play one time and then the replay. I can't say for sure.

A good drive for the Jets but I don't think the Saints defense played that badly on the drive, but there is certainly room for improvement.

On the Jets second drive they moved the ball 5 yards on the first 2 plays and Darren Howard sacked the QB on 3rd down causing a fumble that was recovered by Charles Grant! Very good series for our defense!!

Here's a recap of that drive:

- J.Reese right end to NO 33 for 5 yards
- B.Bollinger pass incomplete to J.McCareins.
- B.Bollinger sacked at NO 41 for -8 yards (D.Howard). FUMBLES (D.Howard), RECOVERED by NO-Ch.Grant at NO 41. Ch.Grant to NO 41 for no gain .

On the Jets 3rd possession, the Jets rushed the ball 8- times for 42 yards averaging over 4 yards per carry. But on the Jets last set of downs of their 3rd drive the Saints only allowed 5 yards on the first two plays, placing the Jets in a 3rd and 5 situation. Bolllinger drops back to pass and is sacked by Jonathan Sullivan forcing the Jets to punt. Not a great series by the Saints, but it certainly was't bad either.

Here's a recap of that drive:

- J.Reese left guard to NYJ 34 for 3 yards
- J..Reese right tackle to NYJ 40 for 6 yards
- J.Reese right tackle to NYJ 45 for 5 yards
- J..Reese right end pushed ob at NO 50 for 5 yards (J.Craft).
- J.Reese left tackle to NO 49 for 1 yard (F.Brown).
- L.Jordan right end to NO 32 for 17 yards (M.Mitchell,
- L.Jordan right end to NO 28 for 4 yards (W.Smith)
- J.Reese left tackle to NO 27 for 1 yard (C.Bockwoldt).
- B.Bollinger sacked at NO 36 for -9 yards (J.Sullivan).
- 4-14-NO36 (11:16) T.Gowin punts 36 yards to end zone, Center-J.Dearth, Touchback

On the Jets last possession of the fist half B. Bollinger passed 6- times for 44 yards and J. Reese rushed the ball 3- times for 10 yards. On the last set of downs in the drive the Saints defense forced the Jets in a 3rd and 7 situation. Bollinger dropped back to pass and was sacked by Will Smith for a 2- yard loss, causing the Jets to settle for a field goal. Not a spectacular series by the Saints defense, but not a terrible one either.

Here's a recap of that drive:

- B.Bollinger pass to J.Cotchery to NO 48 for 12 yards
- B.Bollinger pass to J.Foschi to NO 41 for 7 yards
- J.Reese right guard to NO 36 for 5 yards
- B.Bollinger pass incomplete to J.Cotchery
- J.Reese right end to NO 34 for 2 yards
- B.Bollinger pass to L.Jordan to NO 20 for 14 yards
- B.Bollinger pass to J.Cotchery to NO 10 for 10 yards
- J.Reese right guard to NO 7 for 3 yards
- B.Bollinger pass incomplete to M.Ricks.
- B.Bollinger sacked at NO 9 for -2 yards (W.Smith).
4-9-NO9 (1:04) D.Brien 27 yard field goal is GOOD

While this wasn't the strongest showing the Saints defense could have made, particularly the rushing defense, it did have about as many bright spots as negative ones.

Things take time and it looked about like what you would expect the 1st preseason game to look like.

Next week will be the Saints 2nd preseason game and it will be a good test for the Saints defense. Brett Favre and Ahman Green are about as talented as they come and it will be yet another good test for the Saints defense.

Still a lot of questions to be answered, but fortunately there's still plenty of time for the Saints defense to improve.

[Edited on 15/8/2004 by GumboBC]

CheramieIII

Hey Gumbo, thanks for the info and what really stands out to me if the 3rd drive recap. The only linebacker mentioned on any tackle is the BEAST (Bockwoldt) and I\'m sure the rest of the drives are the similar.

I attribute the poor run defense to the linebacking corps, something needs to change very quickly. Watson did not appear to live up to Haz\'s Hype at all. Watson maybe a work horse much later than we all expected.

Good post Gumbo!!!

GumboBC

Hopefully, there\'s some members here that want to talk about the problems a little more in-depth.

If you look at where we had problems stopping the run, it was the runs to the outside. That\'s a much different problem than we had last year.

Here are all the runs in the first half. I have them broke down in two columns. The first is the runs to the outside and the second is the runs on the inside.

OUTSIDE RUNS:

- C.Martin right end to NO 49 for 3 yards
- C.Martin left end to NO 34 for 15 yards
- J.Reese right end pushed ob at NO 4 for 4 yards.
- J.Reese right end to NO 33 for 5 yards
- J..Reese right end pushed ob at NO 50 for 5 yards (J.Craft).
- L.Jordan right end to NO 32 for 17 yards (M.Mitchell,
- L.Jordan right end to NO 28 for 4 yards (W.Smith)

8 carries for 54 yards. We allowed almost 7 yards per rush to the outside.

INSIDE RUNS
- C.Martin left tackle to NYJ 22 for 2 yards
- J.Reese left guard to NYJ 34 for 3 yards
- J..Reese right tackle to NYJ 40 for 6 yards
- J.Reese right tackle to NYJ 45 for 5 yards
- J.Reese left tackle to NO 49 for 1 yard (F.Brown).
- J.Reese left tackle to NO 27 for 1 yard (C.Bockwoldt).
- J.Reese right guard to NO 7 for 3 yards
- J.Reese right guard to NO 36 for 5 yards

8 carries for 26 yards. We allowed about 3 yards per carry on the inside.

There\'s no doubt we had trouble stopping the run on the outside. But that problem is much easier corrected than stopping the run to the inside. Stopping the run on the inside is more about power and size.

Stopping the run on the outside is more about containment and the DE need to maintain the end of the D-line and stop rushing the QB every down.

I\'m not saying we\'ll be able to stop the run to the outside. I\'m not even saying we will be able to stop the run on the inside.

But if you want to talk about what happened in the 1st preseason game. Then there you have it.

CheramieIII

I agree that the runs outside were alot more obvious and should have been noticed by the DE\'s, as well as the linebacker\'s. In the DE\'s defense, I think there is a battle going on for supremacy at that position, so there trying to sack the QB every play. I think this will calm down during the preseason and they can concerntrate on all area\'s, not just outplaying there own teammates.

Bockwoldt is a BEAST and should start next game, at least we can see if he was a one hit wonder.

spkb25

no doubt on bock. he needs a chance n if they dont give it to him its ridiculous

CheramieIII

Hey Gumbo, Howard and Smith are on the right side and it appears the majority of the runs went to that side 5 out of 16, only 22 yards on the left side and if they had stopped the run for 15 yards to the left, it would have been 5 rushes for 7 yards. Howard and Smith were played the other night, not playing. They were concentrating so hard on out doing the other they forgot about the end run thingy.