BillyCarpenter1

If you look at a team long enough you can find reasons why they can be both good and bad. This is where we're at when trying to figure out how the saints are going to do this year.

Let's start with the areas I think we all feel comfortable at.

Receivers: I'll take ours over any group in the league.

Running Back: Duece McAllistor. Enough said.

Offensive Line: Overall Strong Unit.

Fullback: I see no problems here. Some might not agree.

That leaves tightends and quarterback. Like I said, if you look at a player long enough you can find reasons why they can be both good and bad, but you need to be realistic.

Quarterback: Brooks definatly has some areas to improve. I will not go into specifics but even if he plays like last year this cannot be considered a weak area and has the potential to be one of the strongest areas on the team. I think when the opposing team sees the Saints on their schedule, Aaron Brooks' name worries the hell out of them.

Tightend: From a competition stand point, it looks better than I can remember. At this point it definately cannot be considered a weak area and has the potential to be very good.

Overall the offensens has no glaring weak areas that I can see. With the experince of last year under their belt, they should be even better. Anyone disagree?


Now the area that really has questions. The Defense. I'm not going to break it down like I did the offense because it just isn't realistic. There are too many new starters that even Venturi said he didn't know how they were going to do.

This defense will be nothing like the one last year. The theme of this years defense is SPEED. There are going to be mistakes but speed can make up for a lot of mistakes. I'll take the unknown on defense over what we had last year. Anyone disagree?

No one is going to outscore our offense on a consistant basis. Our special teams will win some game for us just like last year.

Wost case scenario is Brooks falls competely apart and our defense does not improve. Not realistic. Anyone disagree?

How it all plays out I don't know, but if the defense does it's job I can realitically see the superbowl. Anyone disagree?

BucNup

Strong post, but looking from the outside; I think the biggest ? marks come in the form of your defense. Although you say it will be nothing like last year, that remains to be seen. Just as people don\'t think our O will amount to anything. It\'s all about showing and proving. I have read some of the addtions your Saints have, but its all with a grain of salt until it\'s time to play ball....

If the Saints are fortunate enough to make it to the playoffs, its all going to boil down to the D and the stops they can or cannot make. Just my thoughts.

Week 9: Saints vs. Bucs
http://www.bucnup.com/SBXXXVII.bmp

BillyCarpenter1

The D might not be better but it will be nothing like last year from a player standpoint. I agree with you on the D being a quetion mark. It\'s getting that time that were going to find out though. I feel the little butterflies in my stomach right now thinking about it.

SaintNik

Billy \"The NailMan\" Carpenter has pretty much nailed it on his post of this thread. Saints defense is the unknown factor yet it appears at least on paper that we have upgraded at all positions with depth. Biggest concern with this unit would have to be how well Ruff and Smith can play the MLB spot, and how well Sullivan contributes as a Rook, and of course, what kind of shape Gravy Jackson reports to camp in. Otherwise, we have brought in proven vets in Ambrose, Rodgers, and Jones, yet only Jones is a lock to start. Our young players now mostly have a few years of seasoning in our system and they should be able to play with more confidence. A better understanding of assignments and techniques combined with the major upgrade in team speed can only improve the overall play of this unit.

Overall team depth may actually allow a few players to be traded away for a player of need or for future consideration. We could still possibly use depth at RB, LB, and DL. We may actually have depth at OL, TE, DB and rather than having to cut any players from these positions that would be picked up and added to someone elses 53, don\'t be suprised to see some further movements and tweeking of the roster.

If this team can get through the season without being decimated by injuries there won\'t be a weak area on the entire team. Injuries are always a factor though and to win consistently in the NFL a team must be able to overcome them. Sometimes an unknown backup to the masses gets thrust into action and under these circumstances a star is born. Though you never want it to happen this way, sometimes good comes from bad, but more often than not bad comes from bad.

Don\'t expect Brooks to have a melt down of any kind. He may not throw for any more yards or TDs but you can count on him improving his completion percentage and reducing his number of turnovers. He\'ll take his game and the Saints to the next level. A few Pro Bowl appearances are in his future and the family feud will heat up.

Get on SAINTAS SLEIGH while there is still room for someone other than mysELF.

Just Chillin Checking Out The B&G Forum While Waiting For My Ship To Come In

http://img51.exs.cx/img51/4387/Santa_on_raft.jpg

coastalkid

One other area that could stand some improvement is the FB position. I like Terrell very much as a blocker. He can really take people out, however, he isn\'t much use in any other capacity. This gives up some plays. When Terrell is in the back field we are in essence telling the defense that either a pass play or Deuce is getting the ball. We did have allot of success with this last year I will not argus that. Buy if we had a FB that could block, run and catch then that would greatly improve our offense. Sort of the same situation as a TE who only blocks or one that can only be a receiver. I\'d love to have a all around FB as well as TE.