New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - The Advocate How the Saints plan to limit Cleveland QB Tyrod Taylor's ability to scramble

BY NICK UNDERHILL | NUNDERHILL@THEADVOCATE.COM SEP 12, 2018 - 5:35 PM

Take your pick.

Several things continue to bother the Saints about last week’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, all of which are valid complaints, but one that will continue to haunt them is the image of Ryan Fitzpatrick getting out of the pocket and scrambling for a first down on third-and-11.

A stop meant a chance to tie on the final drive. The first down ensured a 48-40 loss. It hurt.

“We didn’t get a lot of pressure, and at times we did lose contain,” linebacker A.J. Klein said. “We have to be better. I can’t put a finger on it and say this is why it happened. We just didn’t play up to our ability.”

That’s why Sean Payton has mentioned the rush plan several times in the days since that game. New Orleans was aware of Fitzpatrick’s ability to run, but it didn’t necessarily go to great lengths to keep him contained to the pocket. He got out on the third down when defensive end Marcus Davenport stunted behind a defensive tackle, which gave him a running lane out of the side of the pocket. The team would do it differently if it could.

Now, that will likely change this week. New Orleans should be well aware of Cleveland quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s ability to scramble considering he fled the pocket seven times last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers and gained 70 yards. That means the plan is being built with the knowledge that Taylor will punish them if he has the opportunity to run, same as it was last year when New Orleans faced the quarterback while he was with Buffalo. He scrambled twice in that game for 14 yards.

“Part of playing the quarterbacks in each week, it varies some weeks more than others,” coach Sean Payton said. “Last week we saw someone that could create, be it a little differently, but nonetheless make plays with his feet. Certainly, our rush plan and how we play Tyrod is going to be important.”

The Saints have fared decently against quarterbacks they know are mobile. Against Carolina’s Cam Newton, for instance, the team employees a rush plan that centers on the inside guys trying to collapse the pocket through bull-rushes. This essentially builds a wall in the middle of the line that prevents the quarterback from escaping through the middle of the pocket. The Saints will likely use a similar plan this week.

In two games against the Panthers last year, Newton scrambled three times for 48 yards. All three of them came to the outside, where, theoretically, everyone on defense has an opportunity to chase him down. The number isn’t bad, but it is below average. Newton scrambled 31 times total last season for 230 yards, according to Sports Info Solutions, which averages out to 14 yards per game.

As a whole, New Orleans (28 for 251) allowed the second-most yards in the NFL on scrambles last season, ranking ahead of only Atlanta (29 for 255), according to Sports Info Solutions. Some of that is matchup specific. Newton and Tampa Bay’s Jameis Winston (25 for 139 yards) ranked seventh and 10th, respectively, in scramble yards last season, which gave the Saints’ one of the harder schedules in this area.

But no question could be better. Allowing Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to get loose for 50 yards on a pair of scrambles didn’t help the overall numbers, for instance.

As far as the struggles against Fitzpatrick carrying over to this week against a much better athlete, there are naturally some concerns, but New Orleans will be more mindful of Taylor than it was against Fitzpatrick.

“You’re obviously going to be able to rush and take your chances here and there, and you can’t leave seams in the defense,” defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins said. “If you go back and watch the tape against Pittsburgh, there are times where guys are taking shots and missing, and he’s scrambling for 20 yards here. … Definitely got to be able to mix up those power rushes and being able to contain him but as well as mixing in your shots because he is a capable passer.”

And right now, the Saints need to prove they are a capable defense. Allowing a quarterback to run all over the field would be working counter to that goal. For a defense that wants to be one of the better units in the league, this is just one of many areas that need to look better this week.