thecrowsaint

I've never been much of a prognosticator, but it seems like the Saints running game will be affected, namely by Da Bears' linebackers Urlacher and company.

Any chance the Saints' offensive line can effectively nullify them? Any ideas what the offensive coordinator(s) will do to help get Bush break-away yardage?

I see double-teaming defense for this game, especially on Bush. Any chance the wide receivers will supplement that (possible) decrease in running yardage? On a plus-note: Saints' receiving corp. have about three more TDs for the year over the Bears, but that's really close.

Saints!

SaintPauly

I see screen passes to Bush, and short slant routes to back that LB corps up. Our O line can handle their line for the most part. The trick will be taking the LBs out of the mix. Urlacher is fast from sideline to sideline, but as stated before, he can't seem to bead on a RB with moves as well, as one that runs North and South. Bush is going to be a major factor in this game plan, so he better shake off the mistakes from last week, and show up to play. I also see Karney playing a role, similar to the one he played in Dallas. If he gets locked up, we go to the Tight ends. That's the thing about our offense: If one factor gets negated, then we have about five more to choose from. Our offense, when clicking, is the best one in the NFL right now, no doubt about it.

What's popular is not always right, and what's right is not always popular.....

thecrowsaint

thx for the reply.

Screen passes? They are great when they're executed right, or good for a ten yard loss when you got fast linebackers "going wide" to cover them, as I'm sure Brian Urlacher and his cronies will surely do.

Either way, maybe Bush is fast enough to overcome the Bears' linebacker that will spread out wide, to "screen-the-screen" sotospeak.

Right on! The tightends should get yardage with Bush getting double-teamed. I will be shocked if the Bears DON'T double-team him, you HAVE to respect Bush's outside speed. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see Reggie beat the Bears' defense for big plays!

During the S'hawks-Bears' game, Heller and Stevens continued to get great tightend yardage; it seems they were open for the S'hawks on every pass! Broken-fingered Hasselbeck couldn't connect when he needed to, to Branch.

I think the Saints' ace in the hole is Brees, as he should show his true grit versus Grossman. Rex looked super worried out there, even during his win over S'hawks.

Brann

I wouldn't run screens against the Bears unless they blitz with the LBs. The Bears LB corps excels at sniffing out screens and swings.

thecrowsaint

Reggie will have to do the wide receiver routine, to get open. I agree, screens won't necessarily work versus Urlacher and Briggs, unless one of them misses a read.

I don't see Reggie displaying the Shaun Alexander talent > patiently waiting and picking the right O-line hole to get big yardage, as he so blatantly did versus Da Bears, only to have Matt Hasselbeck mess everything up w/the 4th qtr. interception.

Reggie's talent seems to be break-away speed out on the wings and even on wide receiver routes. Hopefully even Reggie's presence will draw Briggs and Urlacher away from Brees.

Anyone here know who's better = The Saints' Linebacker corp or the Bears' Linebacker corp? (SACKS & TACKLES totals, for their last game versus Philly and S'hawks, respectively? ? ? ?)

JOESAM2002

I'm looking for oodles of crossing patterns by Colston and the tightends all game long to keep the backers busy. I just see far to many options by the Saints for the linebackers to zero in on any one player.

neugey

Where Urlacher makes a difference is in the passing game. Drew will have to watch where Urlacher goes and, in most cases, throw the ball to a different area. It'll also be interesting to see how well the Bears do against that Deuce-Reggie reverse-or-run play that's been working so well against the rest of the league.

xan

Block them. change direction. run at them. run away from them. pass over them. sneak under them.

Whatever. They've been just like any other defense for the last 8 weeks.

Fleured

The checkdown receivers will have to make an extra effort to get open. The notion that the primaries will be the only contributions necessary would be absurd. The game Billy Miller had versus Philadelphia could prove to be huge in deciding how Payton could utilize him. Copper and Henderson and the whole squad as a whole could take some extra time in practice to catch a ball in potentially cold climates. I don't mean that as a smite but we do not want receivers to freeze up when their contributions mean more than ever now. Hey Payton, is the offensive line in the weight room? No? Get 'em in there!

mikesaintfan

get urlacher alone in space with Bush. Urlacher got faked out by AB