Who Would You Start?
 

If you were the coach of the Saints, what would your starting line-up look like going into the Bucs game?

QB - Brees
RB - Bush, Thomas, Stecker (PT gets a lot of...um...PT)
FB - Karney
WR - Colston, Patten, Devery, Moore, Copper
TE - Miller, Johnson (Miller has outplayed him in recent weeks)
LT - Brown
LG - Nesbit
C - Goodwin
RG - Evans
RT - Stinch

FS - Bullocks (On a short leash)
SS - Harper
CB - MM, David, Craft, Young (Craft has been really good this year, all get some PT)
OLB - Fuji, Shanle
MLB - Simmons
DE - Grant, Smith
DT - HT, Young, Clancy, Lake (All get a lot of PT)

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

lmao - goodwin

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

Well you know of course that I have to disagree with one player. That being Faine, since we aren't the coachs I assume he's the best player available. They are the coachs right? Seems to me they would know much more than we do since we aren't the coachs. The last time i heard Payton wasn't calling any of us asking our opinion on this subject. Of course I could be wrong on that too. Maybe he has called one of our members for the starting center.

As far as Jason David, given some help, maybe he can get the job done. I just hope he's learned to watch his man rather than look at the QB. Maybe he just hasn't had enough time. You know 11 weeks and training camp isn't very long. Just give the guy some help and let's all pray.:phat:

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

The list looks ok to me, with one disagreement. I'd start Young in place of David (as you all already know, I'm sure). But I strongly agree with Hollis and Simmons. With the choice for center, I can't really comment. I haven't focused on Faine/Goodwin as much as you guys have.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

There you two go again...I didn't want to start a Faine debate, and no, Payton never asked me for any of the many opinions I've stated on this board. I'm just starting a thread I thought some might be interested in. Maybe people want to see Young at CB or Bellamy at FS. Maybe Streif at RT or PT as the #1 RB. Hell maybe we should start Grant at place kicker and Hollis as the punt returner.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

Frankly, I'd like to see more of Pierre Thomas and see what he can do on a regular basis. I also would like to see what Young can do. he might be good, he might not. i'd just like to have the chance to see. Of course, I think we'd all like to see Andy get the chance to play. I won't say we're out of the playoff picture but it's going to take a lot of help from other teams.

Any way, just a few thoughts on other players.:phat:

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

I agree with Simmons at MLB because the Saints need someone dishing out the pain early and often, and Simmons, while he doesn't have the terminator reputation, he can surely hit, and hit hard.

.. and speaking of pain, I’ll tell you who’s going to decide this game: the play of Grant and Smith. They HAVE to bring it. They have to get to Garcia, or at least pull enough defenders out of the way for a Fujita or a Simmons to come in clean and de-cleat Garcia early and often.

I’m just hoping Payton sees the light and gets either Craft or Usama in there to cover that right side.

It’s the Bucs. The Saints got to punch them in the mouth, and make sure they don’t get up dancing after the whistle, but that they get up grimacing in pain after the whistle.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

QB - Brees
RB - Stecker (PT gets a lot of...um...PT)
FB - Karney
WR - Colston, Patten, Devery, Moore, Copper
TE - Johnson (Miller has outplayed him in recent weeks)
LT - Brown
LG - Nesbit
C - Goodwin
RG - Evans
RT - Stinch

FS - Bullocks (On a short leash) - VERY SHORT.
SS - Harper (so so on him right now.)
CB - MM, David, Craft, Young (Craft has been really good this year, all get some PT)
OLB - Fuji, Shanle
MLB - Simmons
DE - Grant, Smith
DT - HT, Young, Lake then Clancy.

Lake did pretty well when he was in last week.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

Offense:

Brees
Bush
Karney
Colston
Patten
Moore
Johnson
Brown
Nesbit
Faine
Evans
Stinch

Defense:
Grant
Thomas
Young
Smith
Shanle
Simmons
Fuji
Mike
Craft
Harper
Bullocks

Kicker - anyone not name Mare.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

Bullocks has sucked this year. Why not see what KK can do back there.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

ahhh ha someone said it before I have. You bring an interesting point to some problems in the secondary. But I'll leave this at that.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

It's been brought up in other threads. Bullocks would make a good backup, but he does not make a good starter.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

Someone give Euph a medal or something. No one else saw how inconsistent he's been this year, last year, and the year before that.

Great job.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

yeah yeah yeah.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

Faine must be in there, he's the best we have.
Eric Johnson over Miller any Sunday.
Bush of course but I want to see about 10 carries for P. Thomas because I think he's ready to take some of the load from Bush.
Keep Henderson off of the field and play Patton and Moore and of course Colston.
Start Jason over David but no way put David on the field except when Craft needs a little water and rest.
Glad to see Grant back, showed how much better the front 4 is with grant in there.
Fuji, leading tackler on defense so he goes without saying. (Pro Bowl)

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

Since you're confused...

JD is the best we have and well it worked out last week.

Goodwin is the better Center there for he is the best at that position.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

My guess is that the coachs think different, or he'd be starting. But what do they know?

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

Seems like the one change the coaches have made was Henderson for Moore. After watching all the dropped balls they decided it does matter who you play at skill positions. Henderson does make some spectacular catches unfortunatly it is those 9 out of 10 balls that hit him in the hands that he cant catch. The coaches realized it doesnt matter that the o-line is giving great protection, the qb is throwing the ball on target, the wr is running a good route but he cant seem to catch the ball. Moore really stepped up in preseason I think he was one of the leading wrs and I think he deserves a shot to play.
As far as gauging how a backup might be better than a starter I will have to side with the coaches decision on who they start. I cant understand why we think they dont play the personnel that gives us the best shot at winning. I would not pressume they take there job for granted do you think they would risk their job because one player is a better buttkisser or tells better jokes or gives them some pain meds. I think the coaching staff understands that they need to win to stay employed and they wouldnt bench better players and jepordize what must be a pretty cool job to have.
So I do give credit to the coaches for realizing Henderson might not be the best option available and looking for an imrovement. I will also assume the players that are starting are the best we have until they notice something on the company TIVO or during practice that says otherwise.
Still a little surprised they kept Mare. Maybe next time our kicker pulls a groin they will find a replacement. His stats look great when he is 5/5 on xp. Please fans at the game dont booo him on opening kickoff we might need him to have a little confidence later in the game.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

LOL I hear ya.

I am just going by what I saw from the actual games. Goodwin made some plays and was more consistant. Thats a change I would make.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

I would leave the starting line up alone at this point of the season but I would like to see this set on a third and medium distance (3 to 5).


RWR - David Patten
RTE - Billy Miller
RT - Jammal Brown
RG - Jahri Evans
OC - Jeff Faine
LG - Jon Stinchcomb
LT - Zach Strief
LTE - Eric Johnson
LWR - Marques Colston

QB - Drew Brees
RB - Reggie Bush


Two TE set. With Miller, Brown and Evans teamed together on the right the defense will have to over play to that side of the line to defend the run. The line up on the left is more mobile and open up a rolling pocket option to defend against. With Colston and Johnston to that side the safety would have to deside which way to play. Along with the WLB. At the least it would force the defense to burn a time out. :cool:
As far as this debate goes at center I would leave it alone. Chemistry between the man under center and the center is a personal thing. Brees wants his hands under Faine's butt more than Goodwin's so be it. But Goodwin deserves to get some time playing time. Last 2 year all these Goodwin lovers, hated him and did not want to see him play. Now he can do wrong. He is the same player he always has been, a solid and almost starter quality back up. Worth every penny he gets paid.

On defense I would give Young the position of #2 for the rest of the year. Rotating David on the field as the #3 and the #1 back up to both M&M and Young. Him and Craft would be all over the field to keep players fresh. Thomas? Got me. What happened to him? He and Mech must be hanging out a lot together.
Hollis would start but a solid rotation is needed to give the big guy a breather. You want him fresh for the 4th.
Simmons deserves to see the field more especially on passing downs. Well the way teams have been playing us every down is a passing down.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

Too true, too true.

I found your lineup for 3rd and medium interesting. Moving Stinch to G and throwing in Strief is something I'd never considered. Do you have that much confidence in Strief? Has this actually occured anytime this season?

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

I like the mobility the left side would offer. With brown over at left the defense would have to respect the run to the left. If you roll the pocket to the left it would cause the defense to over load to that side opening up the middle up the left seem. The left would have to seal only. Thats were the mobility would pay off and Brees would be moving away from that side. Back door screen would work too. TE and WR blocking.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

You sound like a coach, and it's an interesting idea. Do you know if this lineup has ever been used, i.e. moving Stinch to G while Strief comes in at T? If so I haven't seen it - but then again, I haven't been looking for it either.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

QB - Brees
RB - Branch - get this Bruiser off the Practice Squad
RB - Bush - mix in Karney every now and then
WR - Colston, Patten, Devery, Moore, Copper - at least two of these guys need to run long on every play.
TE - Johnson/Miller - these guys need to run the seam route all day
LT - Brown
LG - Nesbit
C - Goodwin
RG - Evans
RT - Stinch

FS - Bullocks (On a short leash) - VERY SHORT with KK in there early and often.
SS - Harper (so so on him right now.)
CB - MM, KK - he's got to be a better corner than David (cut David),Craft, Young (Craft has been really good this year, all get some PT)
OLB - Fuji, Shanle
MLB - Simmons
DE - Grant, Smith
DT - HT, Young, Lake then Clancy.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

Why is it that Miller keeps snapping off long pass plays with a bunch of YAC, and Johnson keeps getting the 5-10 yard dumps and falling down? Is it just a matter of Miller being lower priority to the Ds or is it the routes he has called?

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

Good point. I think Billy feels he has more to prove and goes out and does it. I liked him when he was in Houston too. I really don't know what Johnsons problem is. I wish I knew. But you are right, he catches the ball and goes down like he is afraid of getting hurt.


P.S. Please bring Branch up from the practice squad. This kid is good too. He just needs a chance,just like Thomas. If you don't get playing time you will never know what to do or where your blockers are.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

I need to watch more where the passes are thrown but it seems to me Johnson catches more in the middle of the field where Miller catches his on the outside and heads down the sidelines.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

LOL does pee wee count. I did play some ball years ago. More than anything I am a fan. A junkie. I have stood up many a good looking woman over the sport. Still do it today. LOL

As for lineup no i have not seen it. I think it would work. They all would be playing a position they have experience with. I think the defense would be confused and forced to call a time out. If not some one would blow an assignment. Just moving brown to the RT position would cause concern.

As for Johnson he will always get more attention than Miller based on his reputation.

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

i agree....you said it best

Re: Who Would You Start?
 

Ya know, at the beginning of the season, I kept saying that Hollis Thomas should start on the D line because I liked the way he performed better. I remember everyone else said he was out of shape and he wasn't the player he used to be. I could careless about his weight. That's just an extra somany-pounds the offensive lineman has to block.

I'm glad Hollis has played to his ability and I hope he continues to keep impressing everyone.