Haslett has serious concerns about DBs
 

http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0308/25/s05.html

August 25, 2003
Haslett has serious concerns about DBs

The Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Saints, with seven new starters on defense, showed little sign of jelling in the team's next to last preseason game.

New Orleans lost to San Francisco 27-12 Saturday night as the 49ers erupted for three touchdowns in the second quarter, shredding the Saints for chunks of yardage seemingly at will.

The fact that most of the damage occurred when the Saints' first-team defense was on the field was all the more troubling for Saints coach Jim Haslett and defensive coordinator Rick Venturi.

New Orleans starters saw their most extensive action of the preseason, playing for most of the first three quarters.

In Thursday's exhibition against Miami the starters are expected to see little playing time as coaches try to prevent injuries with the season looming. That means that Saturday night's game was the starters' final chance to produce before the regular-season opener against Seattle on Sept. 7.

Judging from Saturday's performance, the defense looks like it can use all the work it can get.

It didn't matter whether it was Pro Bowl starter Jeff Garcia or third-string rookie Ken Dorsey, San Francisco quarterbacks riddled the Saints. Four 49ers quarterbacks combined to complete 24 of 26 passes for 264 yards.

"We've got to get better," Haslett said. "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."

On the first two series, the Saints allowed 28 yards in 10 plays. On the final three series, they allowed 194 in 20 plays. The 49ers gained 7 or more yards on 12 of those 20 plays. On those final three series, Garcia and Tim Rattay completed 11 of 13 passes for 150 yards.

"We need to get more pressure than that on the quarterback and keep stopping the run," said Kenny Smith, who started in place of Darren Howard at right end. "Everybody was ready to get off the ball and anticipating what was going on and trying to make progress on rushing the quarterback."

Smith was one of the few bright spots, dominating while starting in Howard's spot at right end. Smith sacked Garcia for a 7-yard loss to kill the 49ers' second drive. Later in the half, tackles Derrick Deese and Kwame Harris were called for holding penalties while trying to block Smith.

If Smith didn't get there, though, Garcia and company had a field day.

Former Ole Miss running back Deuce McAllister was sharp in his most extended action of the preseason. He gained 76 yards on 15 carries and caught three passes for 20 yards before leaving midway through the third quarter.

Haslett has serious concerns about DBs
 

I AM SO F_CKING TIRED OF HEARING THIS \"I don\'t know why we\'re not doing it.\"

Note to Jim Haslett - if you can\'t figure it out by now, you don\'t deserve to be an NFL coach. Here\'s a hint - Dale Carter is NOT the \"best cover corner\" in the league. He\'s old with tendonitis in his knee. Thomas is too small, slowing, and not that great anymore. Ambrose hasn\'t been good for a while. Your defensive coordinator is probably the worst in the league. Your front four aren\'t getting enough pressure and your linebackers are too lost to blitz effectively. Get it? That\'s why you\'re not stopping the pass. I know that and I\'m sitting here. Figure it out or my vote will be to kick your a$$ out.

Haslett has serious concerns about DBs
 

Yeah, what he said!! I think the Saints call to the Redskins on Smoot was saying -
\"Holy crap, everyone said our db\'s were old and slow, I guess they were right - now what do we do?!?\" Gee, is it really that hard to figure out that we needed to upgrade our DB\'s? Good thing we traded those two first rounders for one guy when we could have picked up a starting corner as well! Hindsight is certainly 20/20, but I about threw up on draft day when they did that.

Haslett has serious concerns about DBs
 

Me too Buf. I was against it before the draft, I was against it on draft day, and I\'m still against it. Dumb move.

Haslett has serious concerns about DBs
 

Whodat and Bufford, you are feeling my pain. I was not that upset they passed up on Marcus Trufant in the 1st rd but to not pick up any corners in the draft :casstet: (2nd rd Rashean Mathis 3rd rd Dennis Weathersby) :casstet:

LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE: The saints will be able to pick up a great defensive back next year

Haslett has serious concerns about DBs
 

Dammit, I was. Pissed my girlfriend off in the process. Who cares, the ***** dumped me anyway.
Weathersby is not really fair, though, most thought he would fall farther than he did.

Haslett has serious concerns about DBs
 

Lets hope we get a great CB next year. I believe Gamble and Jackson will come out early and be the top corners, Strait will also be great. The real strength will be in the 2nd and 3rd round. There will be a lot of tall, fast CB there. It is too early to think about the draft but I bet we still draft a OL in the first 2 rounds.

Haslett has serious concerns about DBs
 

Alright ,
I know this is a reach but does anyone else get the feeling Haslett is setting Venturi up as the fall guy for the defensive collapse . Earning himself a brief side stepping of the axe when Benson comes looking for a head at the end of the season ???

It seemed draft day with 2 no. 1 \'s , Cb and Dt would have been the way to go or at least Cb and Lb would have solved some issues . At 17 and 18 Woolfolk , Williams and Bailey are all still on the board .

Too me for a defense that finished 28th , to go after 1 man and hope he picks up your system , it seemed like Haslett pulled a Ricky Williams type move . Draft report I was reading had Sullivan listed as a second rounder .

Haslett has serious concerns about DBs
 

saintz08-


You\'re right. That is a reach. I always find it interesting how you skew the facts. Let\'s look at the following statement and break it down.


Why did you have to throw in \"hopes he picks it up\"? Defensive tackle is probably the easiest of all the positons to pick up. Here\'s a beter conspiracy theory for you. Maybe Haslett purposely drafts stupid players so that they won\'t expose him for being such a terrible coach.

I would have liked to have seen a CB drafted also, but why do you have to throw out \"would have solved some issues?\" Seems to me that the biggest problem the Saints had last year was stopping the run. By drafting a defensive tackle I think that went a long way toward solving an issue.


Show me those draft reports. There is no way Sullivan was going to fall to the second round. There was no way he was going to fall to the Saints if they wouldn\'t have moved up in the draft.

Now, it\'s always easy to second guess a coaching staff and you are a master of this. The fact is that the Saints had many weaknesses to address in the draft. If he would have taken a cornerback and linebacker in the draft-What would he have done about the defensive tackle position?

I think it\'s a proven fact that you build a great defense by having a great defensive line. You don\'t build a defense around defensive backs. I promise you that a great pass rush from the defensive line helps the secondary out more than the secondary helps out the defensive line.

I know the defensive tackle position isn\'t as glamoros as the cornerback and linebacker position, but get over it!!

Haslett has serious concerns about DBs
 

Just to admit something off the top, I\'m not sure what Sullivan played in Georgia as far as a DT position. NT is a very simple position to play. If he was a straight up single gap DT then that is also very easy. If he has never played the 3 technique spot before and is being asked to here, that position is very complicated in it\'s scope. Most in-play defensive adjustments on the line revolve around the action of that spot. If you work from the DL backwards, nearly every different coverage, run/pass blitz, trick play defense, etc. has a different or adjusted action by the 3-tech. If he\'s never played it, he has a larger learning curve than you\'d think for a DT. I\'ve played and coached both DT spots and it is 10 times the understanding of the defense to be the 3.

Haslett has serious concerns about DBs
 

http://www.sportingnews.com/voices/d.../20011023.html


Breaking them down with the 3


Norman Hand and La\'Roi Glover of the Saints are defensive tackles like Abbott and Costello were comedians. Partners in the same routine with different roles.

Hand is a nose tackle. He usually is shaded to the inside shoulder of the center and takes on a lot of double-team blocks from the center and guard. He\'s a stout wide body who is expected to stand his ground.

Glover plays the \"3 technique,\" the in-vogue term for the tackle who lines up on the outside shoulder of either guard. He is a one-gap lineman responsible for the hole between the guard and tackle.

The 3 technique tackle usually is lighter and quicker and more of a playmaker. \"You want your 3 technique guy to get upfield, cause havoc in the backfield and hopefully put pressure on the passer,\" says Rams defensive line coach Bill Kollar.

More and more teams are successfully implementing a player in that role. In addition to the Saints, the revitalized Rams defense is using a 3 technique tackle; Brian Young and rookie Damione Lewis have been sharing that position so far this season. Among the other 3-technique tackles are the Buccaneers\' Warren Sapp, the Broncos\' Trevor Pryce, the Seahawks\' John Randle, the Jets\' Shane Burton and the Packers\' Santana Dotson.

Keith Millard, who played for the Vikings from 1985-91 (and later with the Seahawks, Packers and Eagles), might have been the prototype 3 technique tackle. A first-round pick out of Washington State, Millard was a part-time defensive end as a rookie in 1985 in the Vikings\' 3-4 defense.

The next season, Floyd Peters became the new defensive coordinator and the Vikings switched to a 4-3 alignment. Peters moved Millard inside to tackle.

\"He thought that because of my initial quickness I\'d serve better in there,\" recalls Millard. \"He explained it to me that it was almost like playing a defensive end position but you\'re inside. You lined up on a shoulder and basically took off on the snap of the ball.\"

But Millard never heard the term \"3 technique\" until recent years. When he played, the Vikings simply called the position -- and still do -- the under tackle.

Millard, who had a team-high 11 sacks playing as a part-time end as a rookie, led the Vikings with 10 1/2 sacks in his first season as a tackle. In \'89, he erupted for 18 -- a mark that still stands as the unofficial NFL record for most sacks by a tackle.

Tackles who play the 3 technique usually are considered pass-rushing threats. Last season, Glover (17) and Sapp (16 1/2) ranked 1-2 in the NFL in sacks, and Pryce (12) was tied for ninth.

Millard was like the driver of a dragster waiting for the green light. As soon as the ball was snapped, he shot the gap. When he watches 3 technique tackles today, he sees a different game.

\"I\'m seeing a lot more gap control as far as getting their hands on the guards,\" Millard says. \"They\'re engaging and controlling before they penetrate, whereas I slipped past the guards and penetrated immediately.\"

The 3 technique tackle and nose tackle often flip-flop sides during games, depending on the offense\'s alignment. The middle linebacker makes that call. If he waits too long, it can lead to trouble. For example, there have been instances when the two tackles have run into each other while trying to trade sides. \"It looks pretty bad,\" Kollar says.

That\'s called the kids-don\'t-try-this-at-home technique.

Dennis Dillon is a senior writer for The Sporting News.

Haslett has serious concerns about DBs
 

It\'s that side gap control that determines the action of the backers and can influence intermeiate zone coverages. On a blitz , the reaction of the \"3\" determines the gap a LB becomes responsibile for, chipping of the tackle on a combo block, determines LB blitz gap, etc. It becomes much more involved that the NT choice of A or B gap control.

My point was that if Sullivan has never played in the 3-tech spot it would delay his grasp of his role a bit and may account for his lack of apparent performance.

Haslett has serious concerns about DBs
 

Sullivan has played in the 3-tech spot before (more than the nose tackle spot in Georgia). But in the off-season he has practiced solely as a NT, so he had to switch back when they moved him on his second day.
Haslett at the draft said that he would start at nose tackle and he got ready for it. THAT was the time when he should\'ve said \"I don\'t know.\"
Anyway, it\'s his fault he\'s underperforming. Apparently he was surprised at how quick everything goes in a pro league and couldn\'t quite keep up. Holding out is not something I like to see, holding out as a rookie is even worse and when you come in after the contract is signed and look like you should have started training camp a week before everyone else did you just look stupid. He will be a good DT for us, but in the first few games he won\'t play up to his potential.

[Edited on 28/8/2003 by nocloning]

Haslett has serious concerns about DBs
 

That\'s the impression that I got when they didn\'t immediately got rid of Venturi after last season. So that Haslett could fire him if the defense once again was one of the worst units in the NFL. He could take over as defensive coordinator and get somewhat of a fresh start in 2004.
However, I don\'t think he wasted draft picks on purpose to make the defense worse and kill the team. A team that missed the play-offs by one game and arguably only needs a few good players on defense to be a real contender - when that happens he won\'t have to worry about his job. Do you believe Haslett enjoys losing? After all, it\'s not like he\'s the only one who makes this decisions.
I still like what they did on draft day, by the way. Let\'s wait and see how Bailey, Trufant or Woolfolk turn out. Defensive tackle was the biggest need because it had the biggest ifs written all over it. Does Grady get his weight down? Norman was already on his way out of town, Kenny Smith surprised at camp and Martin Chase - we\'ll see if he is a legitimate starter. They had 1/2 starter at the position and we all remember how painful it was when mediocre rushing team ran all over us. They had to move up this high to get him because none of the teams 7-12 were going to trade with the Saints. A bargain? Certainly not, but also not a total waste.
The one other defensive tackle from this year\'s class I will be watching closely is William Joseph. I think he would have been there at No. 17 and I was pretty high on him as well.

Haslett has serious concerns about DBs
 

Everything is much better now. Venturi said after the game that Mel Mitchel was a project at safety but now they will have an experienced verteran duo at safety with Bellamy and Tbuck.

I know they have to stay positive but come on.