Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

2theadvocate.com | Sports | Mickles: Saints excel at protecting quarterback — Baton Rouge, LA

While they often don’t get a lot of credit, the offensive line of Jammal Brown, Jamar Nesbit, Jeff Faine, Jahri Evans and Jon Stinchcomb has allowed a league-low 13 sacks.

That’s impressive considering the Saints lead the NFL with 592 pass attempts. If they give up one sack or less today, they’ll set a club record for fewest sacks allowed in a season. The mark is held by the 1992 team, which gave up 15.

The starting unit gave up 18 sacks in the first 15 games last year before the backups allowed five in the meaningless season finale for a total of 23.

Re: Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

The offensive line does deserve a lot of credit. The biggest reason for this stat is Drew Brees is a very intelligent and gifted QB. He is has a very quick, decisive delivery. If the Saints had a QB with a slower release, those sack numbers would easily double at the very least.

Re: Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

Yep we have man power on the OL to be good. But once again we are this close to being great. Ok have I official beaten that into the ground?

Re: Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

And from the last 5 weeks, we've shown that we're capable of effectively run blocking. Besides those first 4 or 5 games of the year, our line has rebounded and performed quite well. I'm sure a lot of us will have to agree to disagree on this matter.

Re: Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

I agree to disagree...

Re: Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

How many changes should be made to the offensive side of the ball? Last year we were 1st in the NFL for yardage per game. This year we end up 4th in the NFL for yardage per game. Is this just another stat, does it actually mean anything? The three teams ahead of us arent playing football this weekend either. Of course all three will play the week after because they earned a 1st round bye like we did last year. And by the way the team ranked 5th also got a 1st round bye.
After two solid years from the offense if you think we need to rebuild the o-line you might need to accept the fact you never will be content in life. Offensively we can hold our own and compete with anyone. Defensively we got issues. One area they tried to address just didnt pan out(Jason David) but we knew it was a problem last year and I'm sure they know it is still a problem.

Re: Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

And let the congregation say... AMEN!

SFIAH

Re: Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

Right now two moves are needed. A starting LT must step up from the group we drafted or be added. So Brown can move back to RT. LG needs youth. I am stil counting on Andy. But if it takes another year or two before he is ready I would like to see an addition made there in FA. OK thats 3.
Backups we need a T/G type badly. It is the one thing we do not have.

Re: Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

=============

Not to pull hairs here, but did you see the great run blocking on the gaol line the last two weeks? We succeed running the ball in spite of our line, not because of it. We do have a player or two that can somewhat run block, but when the whole unit cannot do it, we get blown up like we did on the goal line against the Eagles and Bears.

Re: Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

Just doesnt seem to be a very appreciated group of guys. They give up a sack every 40 passing plays and our slashing qb deserves all the credit. The running game looks good at times inspite of the work of the o-line. It wouldnt matter if they were pro-bowl material someone else would get the credit. One last defense of the o-line we rank 28th running the ball because we rank 26th in attempts. The only way to get more consistant and gain more yardage on the ground would be to run the ball more. However when the 4th string rb gained 105 yards on 20 carries the coach called 60 pass plays. That is why we rank so low on rushing yards most teams that ran the ball alot also ranked pretty high for rushing totals for the year.

Re: Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

==========

I have seen the offensive line not get ANY push on 1 yard to go situations this year to think they are anything but average to below average run blockers. How many good offensive lines do you see stacked up as many times as the Saints were this year? Not only were they stopped numerous times, the runner was dropped for a loss quite a few of them.

Great, for the most part(as a group, not individually) at pass blocking, you cannot say they aren't if you watch the games. However if you also watch the games you cannot say they are above average run blockers. Of course PT and others gashed some good gains running the ball, we threw it more than any team. Defenses are going to continually be ready for the pass. Peyton and co are not stupid enough to try and run the ball a ton, they do not have the talent for running it any more than they do.

Re: Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

But I never said they were great. I didn't catch the Bears game as I was hung over but yes... when we needed it the most during the Eagles game, we got stuffed at the goal line. It doesn't change what I said about how our line rebounded quite well after the first 5 games. Do we need improvement upfront? Yes definately... we're 7-9 and there's room for improvement everywhere. But is it fair to say our line needs to be completely blown up as some consistently imply? I don't think so. Why is it so hard to acknowledge our line played better after a very rough start?

Re: Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

==========

I acknowledge we were very good as a pass blocking unit. We didn't get that much better as a run blocking unit. Did they do a better job as the year went on? Um, yes, any idiot can see that, yes even me. However when teams always think you are going to pass running the ball is easier, which made us look better as a run blocking group. However when they know we are gonna run we get smacked around, if we had tried to be more balanced on run/pass ratio our season would have been that much worse.

It does not need to be blown up, Brown needs to go to RT, Faine (well you know what I think about him), Stinchcomb needs to be a back-up, Strief needs to step up or maybe be moved to Guard for Nesbit and we need a mauler at LT. Maybe it can be Strief, maybe not. I truly think we can get better with possibly some shuffling and maybe only replacing one or possibly two lineman with outsiders(meaning people not currently on the team), not a major blow up and start over.

Re: Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

That's pretty much all I was asking for... a little credit for the line. They've taken a hell of a beating during the season from fans... more than they deserved imo.

dasaints26 you made a lot of good points. :cool:

Re: Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

===========

Do you think they are a good run blocking team?

Re: Saints excel at protecting quarterback
 

I'll start with this point that dasaints26 made...

I'm not trying to dance around a yes or no answer but I think we can be an effective run blocking team if we wanted to be. I wouldn't call them good or bad given that we have a pass happy offense and we didn't run the ball enough. So it's really inconclusive for me... if anything, average?