kannon315

I was so impressed with our defense that I almost cried at the end of the game!!! I love the aggressiveness and since when have the saints not committed stupid penalties(4-40)!!! More than anything I'm loving the teams attitude!!! Every week I think we as fans can look forward to a concentrated effort from OUR team!!! The NEW NEW ORLEANS SAINTS!!! And that's Satisfaction enough for a guy like me!!!!!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!

xan

Pretty simple gameplan. Make Vick make the difficult throws. He's not a good quarterback, so he needs to be forced into that roll. The Fal-Cons run blocking scheme is zone, so force the zone into the middle and keep the edges off limits. Running between the tackles with a 175 pound back is better than letting him run around a corner. Force Vick to scramble into the middle, but keep the middle anchored with a spy.

A pretty good scheme. The only play Vick had that was dangerous was when the spy abandoned his post in the second to last drive in the game and Vick got 30 yards. That won't happen again!

Others have noted how tightly our corners played. And only one penalty of note on them and only one pass downfield - McKenzie had no shot at defending it.

Calvin: "I wish I was a Tiger."
Hobbes: "Common lament."

mikesaintfan

the DB's played tight and it looked to me like the spy was rotated depending on which side vick ran to. the off-side end had contain and the "vick-side" end just went after him knowing that there was help from a DB on the containment


it worked great, could this be the new "formula" for playing atlanta?

saintfan

And if not for that 30 yard run the dirty birds would have been held under a hundred for the night! As much as I've pisssed and moaned about our defense for the last few years...MAN...last night was extremely encouraging.

LKelley67

I thought the spy rotation as noted was excellent. Someone was constantly on Vick. Thomas-Young now look legit as the wall we have needed in the middle for TOO MANY years now. Make Vick throw and you have a good shot at winning. I think the rest of the NFL will be reviewing this film intently before facing Atlanta. It could be entitled 'How to Shutdown Birds Run 101'. Kudos to the corners for playing good, tight, and with no penalties. Not only can Vick not throw well their receivers aren't much when he actually could either. I've said it elsewhere too, Fujita definitely on AllPro track now.

SaintFanInATLHELL

We are all going to have to work hard at dispelling that old thinking. New staff, new players, and a new attitude makes everything before January of this year, when Payton came on board, a faint memory.

If you want to think about the past, go watch a Rams game. You can find Haslett, Venturi, and their retreads (Fakir Brown for example) there.

Folks don't seem to understand that you can remake an NFL team in a single year. With 24 new players, and a completely different staff, this isn't really Haslett's, Venturi's, or Brooks' Saints anymore.

That's why all the pundits pick on reputation. It's hard work trying to figure out the actual dynamics or chemistry of a current team.

What I hang my hat on is the fact that each of the 4 coaches that are in the NFL South were successful in their first year. From Fox going taking a 1-15 team to the SB within 2 years, to Gruden winning the SB, to Mora going to the NFC championship in his first year, new coaching has a significant impact upon a teams play almost instantly.

But I know how the media thinks. You could see it in how many of the pundits were presenting the win after the game last night. The Saints in their minds didn't win because they were a good football team. They won because of the emotion of the night. Only Steve Young on ESPN pointed out that the Saints tactical game was on point. I'll bet that the Saints will have to get into the meat of the AFC north schedule and win a handful more games before getting any real love outside of us fans.

SFIAH

Super Bowl Championships: New Orleans Saints:1, Carolina:0, Atlanta Chokers: STILL ZERO

Only Atlanta choked in an unchokable situation... Life is definitely good.

daviddrake2

I was thoroughly impressed with the schemes they used (hats off to Payton and the entire defensive coaching staff) to hold what everyone believed was probably the best rusing offense in the league to what very well could end up being their worst rushing game of the year.

The entire team, offense as well as defense showed real heart in last night's game. It was far better than I have even hoped it would be to see the SAINTS return to the Dome.

For the first time in a long time, I have truly high hopes for this team and somehow believe that we finally have the players and the coaches that can take us to the next level.

It should be a fun season.

Go SAINTS!!!!!

David in Houston

LKelley67

everyone else still shaking the fear of the old history that said something bad is gonna happen? We're up 17-3 now, I'm scared? It's a new day my brethren.

daviddrake2

Last night I could'nt help but find myself thinking back to all those games where we were leading by 17 or more late against the 49ers or Rams and still managed to lose.

I sure as hell hope those dark days are loooong gone.

LongTimeFan

I said going into the game that our D needed to stop Dunn first and then go after Vick, pretty much the way it turned out..