dasaints26

I like Payton I think he will make a good head coach, but I think he made 3 terrible decisions this year that will make this team end at 8-8.
1)Knowing your kicker has a pulled groin and not getting a replacement or at least not counting on him for any production. I think that cost us that Carolina game.
2)Tampa Bay game trying to hold onto the lead by doing a double reverse flee flicker statue of liberty whatever it was. Even if it worked I think it would still go down as an unnecessary risk. I think that cost us the Bucs game.
3)Why challenge that pass to Patten on the 1 ft line? I think in a situation like that I would want my team to go no huddle run up to the line try a qb sneek or hand off to whoever is in the backfield. I think you give an advantage to the defense by giving them a rest and they can bring in the goal line defense with 6 dlinemen. Dont know how that series or the game would have ended up but if the defense wants to substitute goal line personnel I would make them call a TO and not just give them a chance to do it on a questionable challenge.

BoudinSandwich

I like the 3rd point in the above post. That challenge was ridiculous. We killed all of the momentum we had. We had the defense on the ropes and then we let them recover.


At first, I thought Sean Payton had an aweful lot of confidence in this football team. Throwing it 80% of the time, going for it on 4th down with the ball on our own 30-yard line, etc. Now, I'm starting to think the opposite.

Maybe he has no confidence in his team. Maybe that's why he thinks he has to run trick plays and try to fool teams every game. Maybe he doesn't think this team can just line up and perform.


And, yes, I also agree that the defense is the biggest concern. It should be the main concentration in the off season. That said, we still need another playbook - or atleast add twice as many plays as we have now.

Season Ticket Holder Since 2005

wheelman

First of all, I can't believe people are complaining about one of the highest scoring offenses in the league. Succeeding in spite of coaching? Sure, if this was college football. It doesn't work that way in the NFL. There are too many great athletes on even the worst of teams for that to happen. The only way any side of the ball can succeed in professional football is through good coaching and playcalling. Sure, coach Payton had a couple of brain farts this season, but even all time great coaches have those. Don't believe me? How long did Kordell Stewart start in Pittsburgh?

Secondly, why does everyone single Payton out when talking about the team's free agency failures? Last time I checked, he isn't the general manager. Last year everyone was praising one Mickey Loomis for bringing in a great free agent class. Yet all of a sudden, now that we see this years signings have grossly underperformed, it is Payton's fault? Come on, people.

Thirdly, yes picking Robert Meacham in the first round turned out to be a bad pick. And yes, that does fall on Payton because head coaches usually have the most say so when selecting in the first two rounds of the draft. But after that, it is primarily the front office doing the picking. Guess who should get the blame for this year's bad draft after the first round? That's right, it's Mickey Loomis again. Not only did he draft horribly when his turn to bat came up, but he traded out of the second round when there were some good cornerbacks still on the board.

And finally, you guys should know better. We've had horrible offseasons like this one to throughout Mickey Loomis's tenure with this team. Last year is probably the only good off-season we've had under him. He drafts the same way every year. He signs the same kinds of free agents every year. Yet somehow, some way, Sean Payton is responsible for his mediocrity.

Proponents of higher-order theories of consciousness argue that consciousness is explained by the relation between two levels of mental states in which a higher-order mental state takes another mental state. If you mention this to Chuck Norris, expect an explosive roundhouse kick to the face for spouting too much fancy-talk.

Budsdrinker

Good points wheelman. I believe Sean Payton will be a great coach. He just needs to learn a little more about play calling in the NFL. When to use gadget plays and when to use hard nose football plays. He's been here for only 2 seasons after inheriting an awful team. Everyone just needs to take a look around the league and see how long it's taken for some other coaches to come in and make their teams winners in a short time. What's Marvin Lewis doing? Romeo Crennel finally has a winning record but they are not in the playoffs yet. Herm Edwards? Any coach that goes to the Cardnials. It is tough to win in the NFL just ask Cam Cameron. Sean Payton will figure this out and the Saints will have a good stretch run for the next 5 years making the playoffs every year and winning the division at least 3 times in the next 5 years. The one person we are forgetting about in this is Benson's granddaughter Rita. She is being groomed to take over as owner and I don't think she wants to be the owner of a loser. She will get with Loomis and give him the money to make this team a winner so it is up to him to get the correct talent evaluators and players for this team to succede.

bobad

Well, I'm not 100% in Payton's camp, but I think he gets a bad rap for some of his play calling and his "unusual" offensive scheme. I don't defend his gambling, but I do defend his "trick" offense... for now.

I think Payton is doing the best he can with the personnel he has. I think he would love to play smash mouth ball, but how are you supposed to do that with Reggie, Aaron, and a weak OL? When you run up 28 points and still lose, how bad is your offense, really?

This team's needs were so great when Payton took over that he had no choice but to adjust to his personnel. Dominant offensive and defensive linemen are almost as rare as a great QB. It takes at least 3-4 years to collect a good assemblage of players when you start from basically zero. So unless he implodes next year, I'll support him for 2 or 3 more years.

One more condition on supporting Payton next year: Save for a maybe a dominant run blocking OL, he better not draft offense!

FrenzyFan

I'm not certain it makes a difference which side of the ball we draft for this year. Talent evaluation appears to be a weakness for our team. Additionally, Payton does not appear to play the best player at a position, but rather a "Payton" guy (see Simoneau, David, et all).