Final thoughts before kickoff
 

Well, we're here.... almost. I've been waiting for this kickoff for what seems like an eternity!! In my opinion, this is the biggest challenge we could face to begin the season and now that it's around the corner what, if any, glaring questions do you feel we have going into the game with Indianapolis??

Offense?
Defense?
Special Teams?
Coaching?
Mental mistakes??

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

just curious to see what the starting defensive backfield is going to look like.

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

LCB 34 Mike McKenzie 21 Jason Craft 38 Usama Young

SS 41 Roman Harper 20 Jay Bellamy

FS 29 Josh Bullocks 43 Kevin Kaesviharn

RCB 42 Jason David 22 Fred Thomas



New Orleans Saints - Depth Chart

This is how it's listed on the team site.
I hope that Usama becomes good enough to get into the nickel package sometime this season.

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

the front 4 has to get pressure if we can get pressure with the 4, our secondary will be efficient enough to get the job done, as long as we can keep big play FT off the field.

geaux saints

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

I think secondary is the key!! Manning can make plays if we bing the heat or not. NO BIG PLAYS....

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

Truthfully after watching Gibbs defense for a year, I think that giving up big plays is part of the risk of the defense. I think that the consistency of big plays is going to be the issue.

Gibbs defense is man to man in the secondary with pressure up front. That means that opposing offenses are going to get opportunities to throw the ball down the field. Now you get a mix of results on such plays:

1) Incompletions
2) Completions
3) Interceptions

The problem last season is that there was way too much of #2 and not enough of the others. Increase the defensed passes and interceptions relative to completions and we'll be better off.

Part of Fred's problem was biting on the short fake then getting burned because he couldn't recover afterwards. Even if the secondary allows for a higher percentage of those shorter completions in tradeoff for preventing the longer ones, then I think we'll be better off.

SFIAH

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

we need turnovers simple as that, the more times we can get a turnover and stop third down plays ,the more we can get our offense the ball.and then we can put up some cushion points

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

I am going to wait and post my thoughts on the next final thread.

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

you leave off an important part...........
penaltys.........
and you leave off the offense
our offense, doing the same thing....
this killed us with the best defenses
and will continue to do so if we
can't gel and overcome.......
other than that, everythings peachy.............

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

McKenzie is gonna be picked on all night. Harrison lines up on the right side 99% of the time. Gibbs better have plans to roll a safety over and get him help on that side. AND, figure out other ways to help him too. If he doesn't they're gonna eat McKenzie alive.

As a disclaimer - I have to tell you that I don't think he's a good corner. Wasn't with GB & isn't here. Is he decent? Yes. Is he really good? No.
I think he could be better if he cut the dreads. They have to weigh a good bit and slow his head snap reactions. I honestly think they're a liability to him. Agree? Disagree?

p.s. I hope Deuce scores 3 or 4 touches. He's one of my fantasy RB's. And, it's a score only league...