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...

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

Sure you don't wanna wait just for the final final thread? :)

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

Okay, Okay..... Sorry!! Looks like I missed this topic a few threads down the line (I've been away). It's an important enough game to have another thread, no??

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

Agreed on all points.

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

i m going to get my two cents out there. theese are my keys to victory every week and i think it is still the same with us playing indy

no turn overs
limit the penalties
get off the field on third down

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

1) We are faster than they are
2) They lost a bunch of starters on D
3) We Win!

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

As a Saints fan here is what I see of the Colts...
One of the most potent offensive air attacks in the NFL (ranked in the top ten or higher for like the last 10 years). Early season beasts (10-0 in 06 & 13-0 in 05). Oh and defending Super Bowl Champs on their home turf...
I would like a win but lets face it No Way Baby! Our offense last year was great but against AFC team... Mmm not so good. I just hope we come thru healthy. The prize for us this year is a defense of the NFC South Crown and a trip to the post season. Forget trying to win the SB in September or send a message!!! Bla bla bla.

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

Thank God we all don't have that kind of attitude. If we did there would be nothing to look forward to. Defend the NFC South title? Forget the Super Bowl? Come on man. I for one want to win it all and think that they can. I even think they can beat the Colts. I hope you're just kidding.

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

I think that the Saints can win if and only if they score more points than the colts. If passes are completed and runs go for positive yardage, that will help. Also, if the Saints D can keep the Colts from completing passes and gaining yards on the ground, that will help to prevent the Colts from scoring...thus helping to win the game.

So yeah, that's the key...score more points...oh and make good use of the 5 TE set.

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

JoeSam,

I think (think?) he was being facetious.

SFIAH

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

Brilliant!


Actually 4 TE set. Miller is going to be out with a bad back.

SFIAH

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

The way i see it....

1. Limit turnovers.
2. Pressure Manning.
3. Play clock controled offense. The longer we have the ball...the less they do.

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

Well, create a few turnovers too.

looking forward to Turs. if any one is in DC or Bal'more and knows of either a saints bar or one where other Saints fans watch - let me know.

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

Great...we're screwed now.

In all seriousness, I think the main key to victory lies squarely on the shoulders of Coach Payton. He needs to rekindle the game-planning magic of last season and get the team motivated like they were on the big stage last year (see the 1st ATL game, the Dallas game). He and Gibbs have to be near perfect because if you can slow down the Colts' offensive machine even the slightest bit, you can beat them with such a great offense.

I also think the Saints need to make points out of special teams play. Whether it be a kick return or a blocked FG, they need to get a lot of momentum early and then sustain the attack with clock eating drives, heavy on the Deuce (it takes 2 years to fully recover from ACL surgery).

Finally, they team needs to straight-up punch the colts in the mouth from the opening kick-off to the final wistle and on both sides of the ball. If you look back at the games when the Pats owned the Colts, that was how it was done. Brutal, unrelenting and senseless violence focused 100% on Archie's Boy. If you really lay some lumber on #18, he folds like a cheap tent and the game is yours. So I say play bump and run man coverage on the wideouts and release the hounds...if you get beat deep a few times, so what, just get beat quick and get the O back on the field.

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

What about them? Last year the team was in the top 5 in the league for both least penalties and penalty-yardarge.

Doing the same thing? Most yards per game? Top 5 in scoring?

I'd be quite happy if the offense were doing the same thing!

Thanks for making my point. Everything is in fact peachy. Every offense in the NFL has problems with top 5 defenses, including the Saints and the Colts.

The Colts do not have the best defense. The Saints defense is better than the Colts defense.

Thursday will not be a blowout in either direction. But overall the Saints have a comparable offense and a better defense than the Colts. That should translate to a win.

SFIAH

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

My mistake. It's Campbell who's out, not Miller.

Agreed.

Agree here too. We should pound the rock.

Perfect gameplan. Also be prepared to accept getting burned a time or two. But with the Colts if you can get them down to 50/50 on scoring drives, with their paper thin defense, it should be enough.

SFIAH

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

SI.com - Writers - Monday Morning QB (cont.) - Monday September 3, 2007 2:02PM

Quote of the Week VII
"I figured it would possibly be us and New England or us and the Saints, because they want to put two entertaining teams on TV. I've played in this opener before a few years ago, when it was up in New England and a rematch of the AFC Conference Championship. Once the schedule comes out, you look at it and you realize how tough a schedule we have playing the Saints. You're always going to have to play the AFC division winners, like San Diego, Baltimore and New England. It's a tough schedule, and it doesn't get any tougher starting against the Saints.''

-- Peyton Manning, on Sunday, talking about the season opener Thursday night in Indy.

Peter King wrote a great MMQ this week. You guys should check it out for the section where a on-the-bubble Olineman for the Skins talks about getting cut. Really moving stuff.

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

The one advantage that we have on the majority of our opponents this season is "offensive continuity". That alone should help us compete and maybe even beat the Colts on opening day (I think we'll win). And that alone should allow us to beat most of the rest of the schedule. I think we'll win 10 games, and if we don't let a lesser team beat us, we could win 11.


I just can't wait! 2 more days.

Let's just enjoy the fact that our team can REALLY compete with everybody in this league. I've been extremely happy this off-season because of that.

You boys Enjoy!!

who dat!

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

The "if we can score points than the Colts by the end of the fourth quarter, we have a good chance of winning the game" gameplan... I like the way you're thinking whodat!!!

Re: Final thoughts before kickoff
 

Oh that was 9-0 in 06. Just wanted to correct that error. I wouldn't want to submerge the optimism in falsehoods.