Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense

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BY LUKE JOHNSON | Staff writer Jun 5, 2024 Updated 19 hrs ago

There was a moment from Wednesday’s third and final OTA practice that really drove home how different the 2024 New Orleans Saints offense will look from the iterations that preceded it.

The second-team offense lined up in an offset I formation during a seven-on-seven period, then all of a sudden shifted its entire look. Fullback Zander Horvath motioned out to the far left side of the formation, and a tight end raced from the left to the right side. Quickly, the Saints were in an empty formation.

The defense scrambled to adjust, and quarterback Jake Haener took the snap before they could get settled, firing a dart down the seam to tight end Juwan Johnson for a big gain.

The explosive play inspired running back Jamaal Williams to mock the defense, yelling, “Oh s**t! They’re changing formations! We don’t know what to do!”

With the Saints wrapping up OTAs this week — and getting ready to hold a mandatory minicamp next week — now felt like a good time to do a vibe check on the team as a whole, and let’s start with that offense that had Williams talking trash.

Saints offense: Vibes are intoxicating

There’s certainly a chance that this is all just the standard excitement that comes with this time on the NFL calendar. Change itself is also often viewed through a rose-tinted shade. Nobody really knows how this thing is going to go until the Saints get a chance to play real football games against another team.

But talk to just about any offensive player on the team right now, and the underlying optimism to just about everything they say regarding new play-caller Klint Kubiak’s offense is impossible to ignore. The Saints are clearly excited about the possibilities this new scheme presents.

And, while it is early and the Saints are still months away from even holding a padded practice, the early returns have fed into that excitement.

Quarterback Derek Carr has looked sharp. While he did throw an interception Wednesday on a pass that was tipped twice, the positives have definitely outweighed the negatives. He threw a beautiful touchdown Wednesday to Chris Olave during a full team period, and it was the type of play one could envision the Saints running a lot this season: After a play-action fake, Carr hit the top of his drop and threw a rope to Chris Olave on the post. It should also be noted that, immediately after throwing the interception, Carr followed with a tight-window touchdown to tight end Michael Jacobsen.

It’s not just Carr, though. Kubiak clearly intends to take full advantage of Taysom Hill’s versatility — Wednesday, Hill was at various points lined up as a running back in a single-back formation — and the new wide zone running scheme looks like it could fit the Saints' young, athletic offensive line really well.

And that’s not even getting into the fun wrinkles with the formations and motion, like the one Haener took advantage of on his shot to Johnson. Maybe this Saints offense won’t challenge some of those record-smashing Sean Payton units, but it will at the very least be entertaining, and that is a welcome change.

Saints youngsters: Vibes are promising

Age has been a knock against some of the most recent Saints teams. Last year, they had the NFL’s oldest offense and the second-oldest defense by snap-weighted age, and they will once again count on several players who are in their mid-30s to play critical roles.

So it is imperative for New Orleans to find some young (and affordable) players who are ready to contribute. Taking a look at how things stacked up in OTAs, they might be on track to do that.

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Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

3…2…1

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

YAWNNNNN

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

lol!!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...261105292d.jpg

Too predictable.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

O P T I M I S M !!!

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

yes.... you are. :beatnik:

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

keyword.... "affordable" as opposed to "worthy of". Affordable don't get squat

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

....and we're back for some football!

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

Valid reasons for optimism, especially if the players are excited about it.
The upside of so many older vets is that they have seen what good teams and crappy teams look like and the whole team appears to buy in on what Kubiak is selling.

Our Oline is better suited for zone blocking. Kamara seems to be a great fit for that scheme, as well as the kid from TCU. Our defense looks like it will be a really good unit.

While every team is pretty optimistic at this point of the season, I just don't see a lot of reasons for pessimism. I'm sure our resident killjoys will disagree.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

YAWNERS GONNA YAWN…

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

Sports Info Solutions like what they see in the Saints possibilities this season. Their calculations have the Saints total at 10.7 wins.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

what's a .7 win? :beatnik:

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

It's not the old offense. Reason enough there.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

You mean Brees/Colston? No it’s not.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

I started out pessimistic but felt justified and rooted in facts.

I am however growing increasingly optimistic.

Still not sure if we'll win 12 or win 7

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

It could be possible both that the Saints offensive system will be much better and that personnel issues will limit how effective the offense can be. The system could be genius but the oline could have glaring holes that only don't look bad in camp because the oline is facing the likes of Gramps Jordan, Foskey, and company, and everyone looks better because nobody is very good. One problem is that many of teams question marks are on offensive and defensive line so its hard to measure the units against eachother.

It be something like offense scheme +3 wins, less historically easy schedule -1 win, aging defense -1 win, worse oline issues (lost 3 starters and added one rookie and the rest journeymen and hopeful backups) -1 win and you could break even on record even with the scheme being ridiculously better.

Realistically I would +1 to 2 wins for the offensive scheme as a hopeful figure, and perhaps breaking even would be the base case on oline issues, but I worry the harder schedule, aging defense, and the potential QB improvements for the rival Falcons and possibly even Panthers could reduce our gains.

Regardless, even if every coach on the staff is fired at the end of the season, it is probably beneficial to the franchise to expose our young players to more modern offensive concepts and to expose our defense to practicing against those concepts.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

We could be 7-10 or we could be 12-5. I don't have enough information about the 2024 team to know if they will be good or bad. If they are bad then DA is gone. If they get 10 wins then DA will still be the worst head coach in the NFL. If the team improves it will be a remarkable job of coaching by this new/improved staff that Kubiak brought in.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

You say Dennis Allen is a bad coach, Rugs. Exactly what are the specific reasons why you think he's a bad coach. Honestly wondering. None of this "his teams did bad with the Raiders" excuses. We all know how dysfunctional they were/are.

What has Dennis Allen done or not done specifically that makes him so horrible? Really want to know what people think.

:confused:

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

If you weren’t smoking crack for the past two seasons, you’d have your answer.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

Of course, this doesn't include that sinner guy since the guy appears to hate just for the sake of hating. That and I don't read his crap.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

I think that if you just set him to IGNORE, the same way you ignore how weak-@ss our Substitute Head Coach is, “that sinner guy” wouldn’t get so deep into your head, and you could just continue filling this forum with Nickelodeon Links, unimpeded.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

I won't be surprised if Carr has a good season. Klint Kubiak builds his offense around players talents to maximize their effectiveness.

I expect for Olave, Shaheed, Perry, and AK to shine this year.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

^^^ THIS is what happens when you let your crack soak in kool aid for too long before smoking it.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

Anyone else want to throw out some of their "Bold Predictions" for the 2024 season? Just curious how everyone else is feeling...

(FYI, this is not really a question for you Nega-Saint fans. We can pretty much guess where y'all stand on just about everything relating to this team!)

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

Not so bold prediction #1 for me: I win the bet I placed through my Caesars Sports app on the over of 7.5 for the Saints' 2024 win total.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

I hope you do! Honestly we should win at least 8 games.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

Yep! We just have to start out strong in order to do that. Those first five games will either make or break this season. Considering the supposedly weak strength of schedule, the start of the season real this year really matters. We have to start out strong.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

Another Bold Prediction based upon that, Rugs, if we start out winning four of our first five we go at least 14-3 and wrap up the #1 seed.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

We said "Bold" AG. You're dancing with "Delusional" there! ;) But I like the positive vibing. I said 11-6 if we stay healthy.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

It was qualified by the conditional opening five game results. ;)

But, when it comes down to it I'll always stick with my, undefeated, 20-0 record prediction. I know that no team will likely ever go undefeated again. But, honestly, I don't see a single game that we have zero chance of winning, so why not think the best each and every individual week?

:bng:

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

I don't see a single free throw that Zion Williamson can't make, but I don't see him shooting 100% from the line next season. I view Carr and DA in a similar way, there is no evidence they can't win a given game. Carr occasionally beat Mahomes. But there is evidence they can't win consistently. History tells us Zion will make about 70% of his free throws but not 100%, and DA + Carr will 25-50% of their games but not 100%.

I do think a team will go undefeated again. The 2007 Patriots were undefeated and lost a very close and fluky Super Bowl. Half of the teams to go 15-1 in the regular season have happened since 2000 so I don't know that the game has changed drastically to make a high number of wins harder. If you look at the Super Bowl, the Conference Championship, and their most off week as coin flips, that is three coin flips, so of teams that go 15-1 or better about 1 in 8 could have a perfect season.

In 1978 the NFL schedule increased to 16 games and is currently 17. Since then 7 teams have gone 15-1 or better but all have had that one loss either in the playoffs and/or regular season. Of the six teams that went 15-1, two won the Super Bowl.

From 1966 to 1977 (the super bowl era) the NFL schedule was 14 games. During that time 3 teams went 13-1 but had the one loss. Only one of the 3 won the Super Bowl. And the 1972 Dolphins went 14-0 and won the Super Bowl.

If we simply view this as a total of 11 teams since 1966 that had a shot at a 1 in 8 event, with 2 in the 60's, 2 in the 70's, 2 in the 80's, 1 in the 90's, 2 in the 2000's, and 2 in the 2010's, a perfect season is simply an event that we would expect to happen once every 40 years at a rate of about 2 near misses per decade and 1 hit per 8 near misses. The near misses do not seem to be becoming much less frequent, so the I don't think the event is way less likely just because we have went from 14 games to 17 but also had some expansion. Perhaps its a 1 in 12 event now, but still I feel it will happen again.

I think its possible that Tom Brady winning 7 Super Bowls and Bill Belichick winning 6 Super Bowls will lead other star coaches and quarterbacks to try harder for a perfect season as a more attainable way to reach a milestone that Belichick and Brady could not. In the past, elite coaches and quarterbacks were trying to match the Super Bowls wins of Lombardi, Starr, Bradshaw, Noll, Montana, Walsh, etc and playing it safe and not trying to be perfect was the best way to attain that but now that Belichick and Brady have made that number so much harder to reach, the next legends may try harder for a perfect season once they notch that first Super Bowl rather than always resting in later weeks if they have a perfect record. Right now what is more realistic if you are Andy Reid, lasting long enough to win 3 more rings, or having one perfect season and retiring if another star catches lightning beside Mahomes? What is more attainable for Sean McVay if he finds a young star QB like he found Kupps and Nacau, winning 5+ more super bowls or having one perfect season?

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

https://i1.sndcdn.com/artworks-00017...7-t500x500.jpg

:rolleyes:

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

At least your little flunkie liked it! LOL!!!

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

I find Bako to be insightful, and dare I say… hard to IGNORE!!! Muuaaahahahahahaha!!!!!

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

I have a hint of optimism just like any other year. I’m hoping to be pleasantly surprised. Maybe the new system is what the offensive line needed to flourish in their skill sets. We’ll find out soon enough.

Re: Saints vibe check: Why there's reason to be excited about the new-look offense
 

:couch: Is it safe to come out yet?