The Sky is Falling
 

I've read all the posts about how bad this defense is going to be. I've read all the posts about how bad of a coach Venturi is. I've read all the posts about how bad our record is going to be this year. I've read all the posts about how our offense is going to struggle this year.


Now let's look at what all you people have to support your gloom and doom stuff with:

-----------------------------------> PRESEASON GAMES<-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's all you got. Three preseason games. If you break down the amount of time the starting defense has been on the field it might add up to 4 whole quarters and at no time have all the starters been on the field at the same time!!

This might be the worst defense to ever step on an NFL field, and to hear some, that's exactly what we have.

You've got your mind made up before they ever play their first game, based off what? That's right- 3 preseason games.

Beleive me when I tell you that I have concerns just like you, and anyone that doesn't is crazy. But having concerns and preaching the sky is falling are two different things.


While all you "chicken littles" are running around telling everyone the sky is falling. I ain't buying it just yet.

The Sky is Falling
 

Good boy Billy,that\'s what I\'m talkin bout ! I\'m gonna stay behind them boys regardless what these panick proned pessimist think ! They\'ll be changin their tune come mid season !

The Sky is Falling
 

whoaa..at least some ppl aren\'t jumping ship before the freakin season begins.(billy) I bet if the saints won all 3 preseason games yall would be saying the saints are gonna go 16-0 give me a break with all this crap about how terrible the saints defense is yes i agree they haven\'t looked good ..but at least wait till the reagular season starts to jump ship!!

The Sky is Falling
 

Your so-called \"Gloom and doom\" surfaces because I and probably many others have ZERO confidence in this coaching staff to get this team to perform as it should. The team underacheived last year and they are showing no signs of changing that this year.

Do you think this team will win more games they are suppose to lose this year OR will they lose more games than they are suppose to WIN? I see the later scenario as most likely.

[Edited on 25/8/2003 by FWtex]

The Sky is Falling
 

Looks like Pro Football Weekly might think the sky is falling too.

New Orleans

The Saints had seen this act before. New Orleans blew up in its first preseason game, getting ripped early before bouncing back late in a 27-17 loss to Philadelphia. Head coach Jim Haslett did his best to quell fears that the Saints had not improved on the defensive side of the ball during the offseason, pointing out that 17 players missed the game due to injury or to give younger players a chance to perform, but insiders say it isn’t that simple. The Saints’ “D� is faster this year, and additions to the secondary are supposed to cut down the number of big plays allowed, but we’re told that it doesn’t look like the defense is going to come together for quite some time. Sources say all the new faces on defense — including seven new starters — have come along slowly and will be better from midseason on. The problem, of course, is that in the tough NFC South, the Saints really can’t afford to take half a season to get in sync.

The Sky is Falling
 

Like I said- All of you are writing the defense off this year when you\'ve only seen them play for about 5 quarters and all the regular starters have not been on the field at the same time yet.

You really have nothing else to base your \" gloom & doom\" theory on.

There is a conspriacy going on here, but it ain\'t from the coaching staff- it\'s from some of the fans, and here it is:

Most of you have already made your mind up about the coaching staff and the QB long before this season ever got here. You\'re convinced that they couldn\'t get to the playoffs if they were coaching some of the great dynasty teams, like the 49\'ers in their superbowl years.

Y\'all are like a bunch of rabid dogs-waiting to attack-at the first sign of trouble. The hate has you blinded. It has blinded you so bad that preseason games and performances are the standard by which you live by.

You can\'t wait for Aaron Brooks to flop. You are completely convinced it\'s gonna happen. You guys have scanned the internet for articles that side with your opinoion and it just adds fuel to the fire.

But I ain\'t buying what ya selling. I\'ve been watching preseason too long to be fooled. Sure your theory may come true. Anything\'s possible, but I\'ll stick to waiting for the real games to be played before I convince myself--

In the famous words of Jim Mora- \" You don\'t know nothing. You think you do, but you don\'t and you never will\"

The Sky is Falling
 

All we know is the history ........

Last 2 seasons Haslett has flopped .......

For those who say otherwise : In the famous words of Jim Mora- \" You don\'t know nothing. You think you do, but you don\'t and you never will\"


To quote Haslett on the current team :\"We haven\'t stopped the pass in three games. We\'ve got to get coaches and players working on it. I don\'t know why we\'re not doing it.\"

Inspiring words from the Head Coach ..........

The Sky is Falling
 

To learn from history-You must know all of it-and quit letting the hate blind ya!!

Haz took over a team that went 3-13 and went to the playoffs and the Saints won their first playoff game ever!! Now, I know you haters don\'t want to hear that, but I speak the truth. Quit telling half the story and be like Paul Harvery and telll us \"The Rest of the Story.\"

Haz has a better record than Mike Holmgren since he\'s been with Seattle. Contrary to belief, Haslett has been rebuliding this team. Rome wasn\'t built in a day. Has he been perfect? No. Should we be tossing in the towel? No!!

We gonna be pretty damn good this year. I\'m beging ya!! Stop the madness. Hate will eat you up inside. The truth shall set you free.

The Sky is Falling
 

Billy, you\'re not worried when your head coach openly states we are stinking defensively and we don\'t know why?

I don\'t care....at all....about our preseason record. I care that we are not practicing what we plan on playing, I care that we can\'t execute football basics on defense, I care that the coach says he can\'t explain why the players and coordinators can\'t get it together.

What would worry you?

By the way, our offense has at least moved the ball, Brooks has nice stats, Deuce has ran well, etc... our defense is stinking.

The Sky is Falling
 

LummOx,

You bet, I\'m worried. You would have to be a damn fool not to be worried. Am I ready to say the defense is going to play like that when the season get\'s here? No!! This ain\'t the first time I\'ve seen an offense or defense play terrible in the preseason-only to have them be damn good when the first real game rolls around.

Like I said-It\'s nothing wrong with being worried about how our defense is going to play but to write them off like a lot of people are is premature and foolish.

The Sky is Falling
 

How would you you react to this version of your post? You come in mighty strong when it comes to matters of opinion. You might be right but so might someone else and while you pay lip service to this concept, your message says otherwise.

The Sky is Falling
 

For the record- I\'m just playing around with those guys. I\'m worried too. But I am serious when I say that it\'s too early for all the gloom and doom.

saints5221- Nice job with the post by the way. Don\'t ever do that again... ;)

[Edited on 25/8/2003 by BillyCarpenter1]

The Sky is Falling
 

As much as I knock Rick Venturi, the problems that I watch are not attributed to him. Defenders that aren\'t wrapping up on tackles, linemen allowing the jump through, ends losing containment angle to a blocker...... that stuff bothers me because it is position basics. Venturi shouldn\'t have to be telling a defensive lineman how to react to a fold block or to not get reached by the guard. A player should have that beaten into his head since he was twelve. Some individual players are giving inexcusable performances in the most rudimentary of positional skills and that is what scares me. I\'m sure that\'s why Haslett is baffled, because it\'s not a lack of scheming that is causing the problem, but a lack of ability to do the basics.
Why add to a players list of responsibilities on a play when he can\'t even get past step one.
I really think we have a wealth of skilled players on this defense. I know Haslett has and can create unique and effective schemes, and that Venturi is a good person to vocalize these ideas to players. There are so many can\'s and if\'s, but when players of this caliber are so off-page this early it makes me wonder when they will get it together. I just don\'t want to see the early winable games slip through our fingers and hope that something special is going on in practices right now. Miami will be another test as they have been moving the ball effectively and really spreading defenses out, forcing individual matchups.

The Sky is Falling
 

1. I honestly don\'t recall a single post started since the preseason that was about AB. All the AB I have seen has come from someone trying to make a point to cover for another weakness. And BTW, that argument does not hold water. AB is not going to be the problem this year ... at least not by himself.

2. I could care less what mike holmgren is doing or has done. this is about the saints

3. Maybe the only reason the saints got to the playoffs on haz first year is because he was playing with a bunch of DITKA players. Sure there were new HAZ players but as he has brought in more of HAZ players they have not played as well. HMMMMMMMM.

[Edited on 25/8/2003 by FWtex]

The Sky is Falling
 

- .

Here\'s just a couple of comments in the last few days about Brooks- And I beleive one of them is yours?

There\'s nothing wrong with some criticizm but the problem is you guys never say anything positive about him.

The Sky is Falling
 

With all due respect-- It is fairly obvious that you have absolutely no faith in the coaching staff. As a matter a fact-you said those very words earlier.

Now is there anything about this team that you like?

[Edited on 25/8/2003 by BillyCarpenter1]

The Sky is Falling
 

When a former linebacker turned defensive coordinator , turned head coach make a statement like :

We haven\'t stopped the pass in three games. We\'ve got to get coaches and players working on it. I don\'t know why we\'re not doing it.\"

I am not sure he can find the bathroom without a road map .

In fact that statement seems pretty much like he is saying \" I am clueless what is going on and we need to get someone who is qualified in here \".

Haslett has only made his living on defense his whole life until New Orleans and now they rank 27th in the league .

Blind faith is for the blind , step into the light and see the truth .........

The Sky is Falling
 

saintzo8-

I had some of the same problems with haslett also. The one thing that should make us both feel better about his coaching decisions is the fact that he got rid of Jake Delhome and the fact that he\'s about to get cut by the Panthers confirms how wise Haz is.

Step into the light with me....

The Sky is Falling
 

I said there has not been a post started since preseason that was about AB. You keep bringing him into these post when he is not the subject.

QUOTE:
\"You can\'t wait for Aaron Brooks to flop. You are completely convinced it\'s gonna happen. You guys have scanned the internet for articles that side with your opinoion and it just adds fuel to the fire.\"

I think you are the one going out looking for negative comments about Brooks. I have said it at least once before and I am saying it again ... you can\'t take one stat and base an opinion off it while you ignore the other stats. If you are going to state stats about a player, give us them all. What about 3rd down effeciency rating? And before you jump on this as Brooks bashing remember you are the one who brought it up. Most of the comments about AB have been facts. If you can\'t handle the facts then stop puting them out here.

On HAZ and this coaching staff ... give me one reason I should have any faith in them. ... and don\'t give me that playoff year crap.

[Edited on 25/8/2003 by FWtex]

The Sky is Falling
 

OK...I\'ll play that game. You tell me who you would want at QB and let me evaluate him on the same basis.





Your kidding me right? I don\'t have to look for negitive remarks about Brooks. I trip over one any way I turn.


.

If you can\'t deal with facts. Quit asking for em\'. But heres some other reasons.

1. He hasn\'t had a losing record since he\'s been here.
2. Has assembled a very good team since he took over a 3-13 team, that was the laughing stock of the NFL.
3. Just might take the Saints to the Super Bowl this year.

The Sky is Falling
 

Glad you liked the post Billy I could\'nt resist ,thanks for serving up such a nice one.LOL

The Sky is Falling
 

YOUR kidding me RIGHT????

Why do you want me to bring up other QB\'s? That is childs play. Fact remains I have still not seen one post since preseason where anyone is saying Brooks will be a problem this year. Is this the only argument you have?

You have said before you are constantly scouring the internet for saints information ... I think you are confusing this board with others or you are having dillusions because the Brooks bashing has been extremely tame on this site lately.

QUOTE:

\"If you can\'t deal with facts. Quit asking for em\'. But heres some other reasons.

1. He hasn\'t had a losing record since he\'s been here.
2. Has assembled a very good team since he took over a 3-13 team, that was the laughing stock of the NFL.
3. Just might take the Saints to the Super Bowl this year.\"


I can handle the facts as long as you give us all the facts. I think you have a problem with facts.

1. He hasn\'t had a losing record since he\'s been here. NO, BUT HIS TEAMS ARE LOOKING WORSE AND WORSE EVERY NOVEMBER/DECEMBER WHEN GAMES COUNT. CHRIS BERMAN WILL REFERR TO HIM AS JIM \"HAZ CHOKED TWICE BEFORE\" HAZLETT THIS YEAR.
2. Has assembled a very good team since he took over a 3-13 team, that was the laughing stock of the NFL. ASSEMBLING A TEAM IS NOT THE SAME AS COACHING A TEAM. MAYBE WE SHOUDL MAKE HIM THE PERSONELL GUY.
3. Just might take the Saints to the Super Bowl this year. KEYWORD HERE IS ... MIGHT. I MIGHT WIN THE LOTTERY, BUY THE TEAM, THEN FIRE HIS AZZ. THAT MIGHT HAPPEN BUT IT MOST PROBABLY WILL NOT.

The Sky is Falling
 

LOL- You kill me dude.

I see neither one of us is going to budge.

Here\'s something I think we can both agree on-- Regardless of who the coach is we want the Saints to kick ass and take names this year!!

GO SAINTS!!!

The Sky is Falling
 

Billy - let me ask you a question - what do you have to base your optimism on? The promises of the coaching staff? Name a single instance ever when a coaching staff said in the preseason - \"we\'re not going to be very good.\"

My \"doom and gloom\" as you call it is based on much more solid ground than your optimism. Wanna hear it AGAIN?

We have one of, if not the, worst D coordinator in football. The guy who was our backup last year at MLB, our biggest area of need on D, is now our starter. Do you believe that Darren Smith got THAT much better this preseason - or is it simply that our talent level dropped off that much when Clemons left?

Allen and Hodge have shown me nothing. Not last year IN REGULAR SEASON PLAY, and not this year in preseason. Not one time did I sit up and say, wow, nice play.

Our corners are terrible. What do I base that on? LOOK AT THE STATS! Yeah it\'s preseason - find me stats that shown that ANY TEAM IN THE LEAGUE has faired worse against the pass then us this preseason. If we\'re not that bad, then why do the stats say that we are? It\'s preseason so our guys aren\'t trying? That\'s a bigger problem then. I played corner about a million years ago at a much lower level, and you know what it was about then - manning up. You think it\'s any different now? The \"vanilla\" defensive scheme you keep talking about includes MAN-ON-MAN coverage in the secondary. What does that tell you?

Go ahead, be optimistic. That\'s great. But you are the one not dealing with reality, not me.

The Sky is Falling
 

This one is too good too pass up .

Let me be the first to say that Brooks inability too complete passes with any touch or the deep balls with any accuracy is going to be a problem this year .

Safeties are gonna cheat up all year long and dare brooks too burn them deep , Brooks will take a couple token shots but most will fail miserably .The poor mans Michael Vick is going to find it harder to complete inside routes because opposing defensive coordinators now know his tendenacys .

You base Hasletts wisdom on releasing Delhomme , a quarterback who understood the Saints system well enough to make other teams think he could be their starter and signed another quarterback to a 1 year deal who does not know the system and has so far struggled in it .

If Brooks goes out in game 1 , Haslett is gonna look like a real brain surgeon .........

Of course that does kind of follow that train of thinking like \" We can add 6 new starters on defense and they will be ready by game 1 \" . That seems to be working real well so far ..........

The Sky is Falling
 

But 08, it\'s preseason!! Don\'t you know that Brooks magically starts playing better when the season starts? Obviously he won\'t throw the ball to receivers\' feet when the season starts - that only happens in preseason. Haven\'t you heard that we got all these new starters on defense?! Of course they\'re going to be better! Haslett is a defense-minded coach, duh! Look at how much better the D has gotten every year since he got here. I think you\'re basing all of your thoughts on one play! A preseason play at that!!!!!


... I shouldn\'t have to say this, but knowing the brain surgeons on this board, yes, that was sarcasm.

The Sky is Falling
 

WhoDat-

Would it be fair to say that Brooks will throw 27-TD\'s this year and have 3,500 plus yards?

Would it be fair to say that we will have the #! scoring offense in the NFC?

Would it be fair to say that we will have the #! special teams unit in the NFL?

Would it be fair to say Duece has a chance to lead the NFL in rushing?

Would it be fair to say that you could be just as wrong as you could be right about the defense?

AND?????????????

The Sky is Falling
 

Sure you COULD say any of those things Billy, but I COULD slip and fall walking down the street and land on your mom. Hey it COULD happen.

But let\'s evaluate what you said, and think about it realistically.

1. Yes, he SHOULD do that.

2. Won\'t happen. We lack the ability to change our gameplan when our opponents do. Someone will outscore us. In fact, we may not be the highest scoring team in our division.

3. Yes, and they should be.

4. Nope, no chance. Ricky probably will lead the league again. Portis will outrun Deuce, Faulk probably will, Tomlinson, Holmes - hell, the guy we face in week one very may outrun Deuce.

5. No, it\'s not fair to say that. This defense has to move up 12 spots to be average. They have to move down 5 spots to be worst in the league. How much you want to bet that they are a below average defense this season?

Now, how about this Billy - I\'ll use your logic:

Is it FAIR to say that the defense will be 27th in the league this season?

Is it FAIR to say the defense will get worse (as they have every previous season since Haslett got here)?

Is it FAIR to say that they will choke in December?

Is it FAIR to say that we won\'t make the playoffs?

Or how about this...

Is it FAIR to say that Brooks will NOT be in the top 20 in COMPLETION PERCENTAGE or EFFICIENCY RATING?

Is it FAIR to say Deuce will get hurt?

Is it FAIR to say Donte will hurt his Hammy?

Is it FAIR to say that our left tackle will let us down one way or another?

Is it FAIR to say that Jim Haslett will continue to answer every question about why his team get their sh-t together with, \"I just don\'t understand it\"?

Want more, there\'s plenty where that came from.

I do find it interesting that you completely shifted the focus though. You didn\'t give reasons to be optimistic, you just shifted the focus from all of the many reasons I gave to be pessimistic. You didn\'t make one statement in that post. C\'mon Billy, you can do it. I\'ll start for you, you just finish. I am optimistic b/c...

The Sky is Falling
 

Billy I agree we both(and everyone else) just want the saints to kick a_s. I agree we will not agree on how or when the saints will get to that. Our handicap is still on the sideline and up in the box. If there was a competent asst coach on this team I would predict a mid season firing.

The Sky is Falling
 

I am optimistic because:

1. Aaron Brooks threw for 27 TD\'s last year and over 3,500 yds.

2. We led the NFC in scoring last year and with a years experience in the system for some players we should be even better.

3.We have Michael Lewis returning kick-offs and punt and he can take it 2 da house at any time.

4. Duece led the NFC with 1,300 yds in is first year as a starter and he was injured in 4 of those games. If he stays healty there is a very realistic chance he will lead the NFL this year.

5. There\'s no reason to for me to panic about the defense yet.

The Sky is Falling
 

Very good Billy. We didn\'t lead the NFC in scoring - see end of season offensive meltdown for more on that - but hey, those are decent reasons.

Now, let me ask you this. Did Aaron or Deuce\'s play lead us to the playoffs last year? Did Michael Lewis\' kick returns? See, what you haven\'t said is, \"The defense got better.\" That is the ONE thing that NEEDED to happen for us to contend seriously. In my opinion, right now, the defense is worse. So it confuses me that you\'re optimistic. What was the problem with this team last year? Name the top two or three?

Defense, coaching, inability to play consistently well down the stretch.... does that sound about right? Well, we won\'t know about that last one until December, but those first two haven\'t changed for the better.

The Sky is Falling
 

Let me say this. I think it\'s very fair to say the offense will be as good as last year. Hell, I think it\'s fair to say they should be better this year.

I think it fair to say the special teams won us a couple of games last year and should this year also.

Now to address the rest:

Melt down- True we did do that the last 2 years. Will that happen this year. Who knows. I think it\'s more liikely it won\'t. At least there is no scentific reason that you can show me that it will.

Aaron didn\'t get us to the playoffs but he didn\'t prevent us from getting there either.

Defense- I\'m going to say it\'s a 50/50 chance of the defense at this point. You have to at least give them the benifit of the doubt unitl you see them in a real game.

Coaching- I think there have been mistakes. I\'m optimistic they have learned from their mistakes and they won\'t happen this year.

That\'s as honest as I can be.

[Edited on 26/8/2003 by BillyCarpenter1]

The Sky is Falling
 

You\'re obviously young Billy. Only a young person is this naturally optimistic.

Yes, I will agree that the offense SHOULD be better - but with our history and a coaching staff that has proved tima and again that it can\'t adjust, I wouldn\'t be surprised if they played worse b/c they\'re using the same plays in the same order that they did last year. Defensive coordinators do eventually figure that kind of stuff out you know?

Will they collapse? Probably not. They won\'t be good enough to collapse in my mind.

What I don\'t understand is why you think we have to give the defense the benefit of the doubt. I\'ve seen nothing from the Haslett run Saints that says the defense will get better. I\'ve seen nothing from this defense in preseason that shows me that there\'s hope. So why do you feel that you have to give them the benefit of the doubt? Again - leap of faith - which is a hope not based on fact.

Coaching - well, we\'ll see. There have been mistakes, and there will be more. Haslett has only gotten less direct from what I\'ve seen with him in the media. I can\'t speak to his behavior in practice or meetings, but let me say this - THERE ARE NO EXCUSES. This is HIS team. If they don\'t do it this year, he should go. How long can you continue to squander this talent? How long can you believe that a change is coming when there\'s been no sign of it for years? In fact, there have only been signs of the opposite.

Be optimistic Billy, go ahead. I just now know that that optimism is based on little hard evidence and a whole lot of hope. That\'s fine, there are always people like this. Just don\'t try to argue and tell me why I\'m crazy for being a pessimist, but honestly, I\'m pretty close to reality, not pessimism.

Isn\'t this the point when you call me a fag? ;)

The Sky is Falling
 

First of all I\'m 35 years old. Second, being optimistic has nothing to do with age. It has to do with life experiences. Some people go through life looking at the glass as half empty and some half full. My glass in life is half full.

Third- As much as you KNOW the defense is going to be worse. That\'s based on preseasn games. You have pointed out NOTHING. Let me repeat this one more time for you. NOTHING- No hard facts just a gut feeling and some preseason games. Fact- you do not know and cannot know if the defense is going to be better before you even see them in their first game. Now there\'s some reality for ya.

Now- I\'ll keep it as real as you want to but yor\'re not preaching the gospel here. Even the so called experts get it wrong more than they are right.

Did you pick the Patriots to go to the Super Bowl or the Ravens.. Sure ya did. Right????

The Sky is Falling
 

New Orleans

A month ago, the Saints were concerned that DT Grady Jackson wouldn’t be effective enough to keep a spot on the roster. After battling a weight problem all last year and having only limited contact with the team during the offseason, nobody was quite sure where Jackson’s head was when it came to football. But he has answered that question loud and clear. We’re told that Jackson has won his starting job back from Kenny Smith and will be joining rookie Johnathan Sullivan on the interior of the line. Jackson had been demoted to second string when he showed up to camp a bit overweight, but he battled his way back into head coach Jim Haslett’s good graces by working hard on and off the field and simply making more plays than Smith. Sullivan’s struggles also figure to make Jackson more valuable. The Saints were counting on Sullivan to be an impact player this season, someone who could improve the team’s run defense and provide another element of speed from the DT position. Sullivan, however, has been slow developing, and although he has shown signs of progress, the fact that he still isn’t where the team would like him to be made having an experienced starter in the lineup at tackle that much more important. Haslett will keep a close eye on Jackson’s play, and Smith could be inserted back into the starting lineup if Jackson falters, but for the time being at least, one-half of the “Heavy Lunch Bunch� still is clogging the middle in the Big Easy.

The Sky is Falling
 

How can you tell who\'s starting?
1st it Kenny at the 3, and Sullivan at nose, Grady 2nd string
Then its Grady at nose and Sullivan at the 3, Kenny back-up
Then its Kenny at DE, and then, heck, I forget…

The good thing is Kenny Smith probably pushed 3 DL to step up their game.
Kenny will see a lot of playing time, especially since he\'s shown he\'s really stepped up his game and can play all 4 spots pretty good.

The Sky is Falling
 

WhoDat- I read this post several times, just to make sure I\'m on the same page with your reasoning and one thing is VERY OBVIOUS to me. You do not like this coaching staff and you had your mind made up about them a long time ago. Now, let me take some of your comments and show everyone and hopefully you why your OPINIONS about the performance of the Saints this year is biased because of your hate for the coaching staff!!

Fact- they adjusted enough to beat the Bucs twice last year, beat the 49\'ers(playoff team), Green Bay(playoff team), and we had one of the highest scoring offenses in the NFL.

Do you understand what BIASED means? It means that you always talk about the negitives of the coaching staff and NEVER give them credit for anything. You will probably respond to the above comment by saying.

Yeah, they beat those teams but they lost against the Lions, Bengals, and Panthers-when all we had to do is win one of those games to make the playoffs. But then you wouldn\'t bring up the fact that Aaron was playing hurt, Duece was hurt, Donte was out, and Paython was hurt. Those injuries are irrelevant to you because you want to blame everything on the coaches.

In your eyes, nothing else matters why they didn\'t perform up to your expectations. It can only be the coaches fault.



Why give them the benefit of the doubt huh? Well, unlike you, I don\'t hate the coaching staff and I don\'t think preseason is the BIBLE on how the defense is going to play. But here\'s the big reason: They haven\'t lost a game for us yet, so until they do I will give them the benefit of the doubt. Big leap of faith huh?

There will be more mistakes huh? More BIASED assumptions. To hear you talk about Haslett you would swear we were the Bengals. Let\'s fire the coaching staff and take all this talent to the super bowl. I hear ya!!

Optimisim not based on facts huh? The fact is there have been no games played yet and just because the defense hasn\'t looked good in preseason doesn\'t automatically mean they will be bad. That\'s your GUESS!! You got facts? Where they at?

No this is the point where I ask you to point out the postives about the coaching staff?

[Edited on 26/8/2003 by BillyCarpenter1]

The Sky is Falling
 

Coaching staff: I give them credit for working out a game plan that utilizes the strengths of this team (especially on offense). But this really is the \"show me\"-season for McCarthy. The games against the Bays were won because they had a good game plan and the opposing defenses hadn\'t figured out yet how to defend this offense.
The adjusting part is a major concern. Adjusting means you make the most out of what you have if a player is injured (see Philadelphia) and you can react if plan A doesn\'t work. Of course injuries played a part in the collapse last season, but it is obvious to me that coaching played a role too. Defensive coordinators had more tape available to cook up a strategy of how to defend against this high-powered offense. And McCarthy didn\'t have any answers.
Same goes for the defense although a little less. Once the weaknesses were apparent, opposing offenses had a field day exploiting them. And Venturi had no idea what do to. I say a little less because he just didn\'t have the players to stop certain plays. Pretty hard to stop the run if your DTs get beat on every down in the 3rd and 4th quarter.

Look at the Bengals game and tell me again it\'s not about coaching. They had problems adjusting, that\'s a fact. Hopefully this will change this year and they come up with the right schemes late in the season, exploiting weaknesses of opposing teams. But there\'s not much to base this hope on.

The Sky is Falling
 

Fact #1. tha saints defense was crap last year. Fact #2. the saints defense has not shown they will be any better this year. Fact #3. the saints have the same coaches this year. Fact#4. the saints never adjusted once during last season. They had the same game plan for each game and they never changed the game plan during the game. Hazlett himself said many times they thought they had a good gameplan and stuck with it.

Why is it this coaching staff has to have the hardest playbook for players to understand? they have said this many times. How long has the organized football been played now? 70+ yrs? this coaching staff thinks they have reinvent to game? Here is a clue. It is not about tricking up the game, its about having disciplined players who know where they are suppose to be and get there. It is about getting into your opposing coaches head and predicting what he is going to do and having a plan to counter that.

Fact#5. two years ago failure was blamed on not having the full coaching scheme implemented. Fact#6. Last year failure was blamed on young players and Brooks injury. How much do you want to bet this years excuse will be the new players on defense did not have enough time to gell.

I have never heard the word \"gell\" so much in all of football as much as I have heard it from the saints this preseason. This is nothing but an excuse.

I am not a titans fan but I am going back to them again for an example. I saw on another board where they are starting rookie LB\'s, and a new defensive backfield themselves. They don\'t seem to be having problems \"gelling\". Excuses have no place in football and this coaching staff makes more excuses then I have ever seen in my life.

Yes I am out on this coaching staff. My eyes, my ears, and my insticts tell me HAZ is a fake. The reason everything is a secret is becasue he doesn\'t want to show his ignorance. Best way to cover up ignorance is to not say anything.

The Sky is Falling
 

I\'m not convinced he\'s a fake yet, but I am a bit more skeptical now. If they go 7-9 or worse this year I\'ll be on board with ya Bro\'.

This is an 11 win team talent wise. Parcell would give his left one for this much talent in Dallas. He\'d win 12 with this team, no question.