Re: What we learned from our loss on Thursday night
 

Three items.

1. Your prediction of a division loss has come true unfortunately. I guess it ended up being the right call.

2. That loss throws playoff positioning out the window. The organization should (and we should too) put it completely out of our minds because the only playoff position the Saints now controls is #4. And no matter how the rest of the games shake out this weekend, because of the loss the Saints will not be in a position for a bye.

At this point the team is in a 7 game playoff with a home game in the wildcard round. Anything else is gravy. I just hope that we've learned some new lessons from the road losses to two of the three playoff teams ahead of us in the standings. It's likely we may be in Minnesota for the divisional round of the playoffs.

3. Thanks for no more loss predicitions. We can get the best positioning by running the table for the last 3 games. We are still in control of the South. BTW everything in #2 is based on winning out.

SFIAH

Re: What we learned from our loss on Thursday night
 

Our D, absolutely plagued by injuries stepped up nicely against one of the better offenses we'll face all year. Especially with Lattimore coming off the field every other play.

The refs played a key role, but they didn't stop Payton from running the ball.

We had 3 straight 3 and outs in the second half, in 9 plays, Payton called 1 run to Ingram, 1 fly sweep to Ginn and 7 passes from Brees.

Brees' decision making is scary sometimes, he doesn't think the process through and panics in crunch time. He did the same vs Washington, threw a pick but luckily the refs brought it back for a hold.

In crunch time, if you are going to throw a dangerous pass, you don't throw it to Josh Hill, you throw it to Michael Thomas.
The decision was bad, the pass was worse, throw it outside and let the receiver turn, the pass gets caught or misses everyone and falls incomplete. Instead he threw it straight to Jones.

Offense has been stagnant a lot this season, failing on 3rd downs etc

Re: What we learned from our loss on Thursday night
 

Hopefully WillSaints81 reads this before posting another "what if" scenario.

Re: What we learned from our loss on Thursday night
 

I'm not accepting the criticism of Drew. There are individual plays where he makes bizarre decisions sometimes, but they are in-game otherwise educated decisions based on real time info our brains don't have. The man is human.

He is also one of the smartest QBs to ever play. I have no problem granting him a bonehead play ever now and again, even when that one play costs us a game.

He also doesn't have the quality of targets he once had, but he plays as if he does. This tells me his is expecting Hill to make that play.

Anyway, it was a dumb throw. It was a dumb call. We were playing a dumb team and the refs were dumb too. We were hurt and on the shortest turnaround scheduled, and that was dumb. Here's to a three game win streak to end the season!

Re: What we learned from our loss on Thursday night
 

I understand where you are coming from and don't get me wrong, I love what Brees has done for this team. But for roughly 25-29M a year, he needs to make better decisions.

Countless weeks the offense has been around 3-10 on third downs and Brees has missed multiple receivers, under throwing Ginn, over throwing Thomas.

Also, someone, somewhere, please abolish that stupid screen pass we always run on 3rd and 11 to the WR, it gains 4 yards at best every time.

Throw it past the sticks!!

Re: What we learned from our loss on Thursday night
 

There is a bright spot with regards to the injuries we sustained. Playing on Thursday gives us 17 days in which to recover, heal and plan for the next game against the Jets.

Re: What we learned from our loss on Thursday night
 

Make that 10 days.

Re: What we learned from our loss on Thursday night
 

Re: What we learned from our loss on Thursday night
 

I don't think we will end up a 4. LA and Philadelphia are playing each other this week. I don't need to post a what if scenario for that.

Re: What we learned from our loss on Thursday night
 

We learned that Thursday night football sucks

The NFL manipulate the schedule as we never get home games on Thursdays. Also 4 of the last 5 games being divisional

We learn the officials are trash

And that even with a depleted team we can still be in games.