The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

We all want the Saints to repeat obviously, but what other positions do we need to fill in order to repeat as Super Bowl Champs this upcoming season?

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

we always got burnt on the olb position, a speedy one is my suggestion

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

LOL...who voted QB...

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

DT is the answer

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

+1. We have GOT to be able to stop...no, slow the run...at the very least.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

100,000,000 000 mil cozillion agree

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

I agree!! LB or DT. I couldn't split my vote so I voted for LB. However the need is just as great for a DT. I have faith in the front office, but you know the turds and the queens are just sitting back looking at our picks and licking their chops. They can't wait to get the ball in the hands of their RBs.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

actually when the poll has little boxes, you can check more than one

you cant check more than one when its a circle

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

:doh:

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

I believe that what we desperately need is an elite DT.

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I voted QB. Brees goes down we do not have a quality backup(so-far) to make it back to the superbowl which answers the poll question.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

We need a OLB and a Safety until Sharper is signed.... But can he hold up for a season?

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

LB or DT in my opinion. I think we already have the talent at LB, but they are raw. We can get by with the DT's we currently have.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

I also voted QB. But it is for a different reason. I think that Canfield beats Brees in minicamp and starts. Then Brees gets traded to KC and Brunell retires to Pensacola Beach. Daniel doesn't make the roster so we really need a backup QB to Canfield.

Who Dat!

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

Blasphamey!!!! Heritic!!!! you are the ANTI BREESUS!!!

Now Choupiqe you are authorized to REVOKE fanhood!!!! LOL

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

I think that I am the missing limk and I will leave my avatr as is until Coach Peyton finds me.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

YOUR ALL A BUNCH OF DOUCHEBAGS GO ROOT FOR THE FALCONS...IM REVOKING ALL UR FANHOODS AND AWARDS........LOL

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I think Sharper will be back, and if not we are ok as long as our Line plays up to par. We need D line help, I would love to see someone on the interior to help Ellis and an Elite DE opposite Smith.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

Roman Harper
Chris Vaughn
Malcolm Jenkins
Usama Young
Chris Reis
Pierson Preiloux
Ryan Hamilton
Harry Coleman
Darren Sharper


Getting a bit crowded back there.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

Some of them will be moving on..

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

Additional run stopping support and situational pass rush help. The teams in our division and most that we play (if they can) will try to run the ball as effectively as possible and limit our offense's opportunity to see the field. Many teams tried it last year and it did not consistently work, but looking at some of the games we lost and some of the close games.

Week 8 vs Atl - Turner 7.6 ypc
Week 10 vs Stl - Jackson 5.0 ypc
Week 15 vs Dal - Cowboys TOP 36:26 to 23:34
Week 16 vs TB - Williams 5.4 ypc
Playoffs vs MIN - Peterson 4.9 ypc
Super Bowl vs IND - Addai/Brown 5.5 ypc

We gave up 100+ yd rush games to M. Turner (151), D. Williams (149), S. Jackson (131), C. Williams (129), J. Stewart (125), and A. Peterson (122).

The strategy against teams trying to run clock on us and slow the game down would be to score early and make teams throw the ball to catch up or stay in the game. With our improved secondary, that plan works for us but keep in mind that we did give up 300+ pass games to K. Kolb (391), J. Campbell (367), C. Redman (303), T. Romo (312). B. Favre (310), and P. Manning (333) not to mention M. Ryan (289), M. Bulger (298), and J. Freeman (271). Granted injuries were a contributing factor to alot of these stats and I would take Drew in a QB duel all day, every day, but additional pass rush on the QB will help. While I think our defense will be improved next season and will still create plenty of turnovers, I am not sure they can continue to do so at the torrent pace they did last year if they are not able to force teams to throw the ball more more often out of 3rd and long and pressure the QB to let our talented secondary make plays.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

thats not even taking into account all the teams we played with multiple running backs.....look at the panthers who have 2 great running backs.....the dolphins who have 2 great running backs

we couldnt stop the run period......and like you said we gave up too many 100 yard games to single rushers......but dont forget all their complimentary backs that also went for significant yardage

we gave up over 100 yards to arizona on only 14 carries

we gave up 132 rush yards to the jets

we gave up 140 rush yards to the dolphins with 128 of it coming from ricky and ronnie

188 rushing yards to the panthers

and 145 rushing yards to the cowboys

it wasnt a late season problem...it was an entire season problem

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

I just put this in another reply, but based on our schedule we face more run oriented offenses and/or top notch RBs than QBs.

MIN - Adrian Peterson
SF - Frank Gore
ATL X2 - Michael Turner
CAR X2 - Jonthan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams
CIN - Cedric Benson
STL - Steven Jackson
BAL - Ray Rice
DAL - Barber, Jones, Choice

Also, with young, unsettled, or just coming off suspension QB situations, I would imagine ARI, CLE, TB X2, and PIT focusing on running the ball. SEA also just spent 4 draft picks to upgrade their backfield situation.

Granted in some of these games, we should be able to stack the box and force the inexperienced or just plain bad QBs to try to beat us, but the run defense needs to depth to play at a high level throughout the season. Another big run stopping body in the rotation would go a long way in helping this defense.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

our division plays the AFC north which is arguably the only division that runs the ball more than our division

we have our hands full...plus like you mentioned again, our other conference games against dallas, st louis, and san fran

look out for rashard mendenhall and jerome harrison this season....cleveland and pittsburgh both have come out and said they are going to look to run the ball this season

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

I agree with the numbers in your post but however look closely at these teams all around can you out run a plane in a car. we will put on areial displays and drag these run first teams into a shootout of whodattian proportions. Upgrade would be good in run deffense but in new orleans. Breaking scoreboards is our run deffense.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

look at the games last year

teams figured out how to beat us

even some of the games we won, we won only because we were truely better

teams that are just as good or better will crush us

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

Id gladly take our offense against anyone in a shootout.

But you can out run a plane in a car if the plane never gets the opportunity to take off. Teams know that there is not a clear defensive solution to stopping our offense. So instead, they will try to not let our offense get on the field and get going.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

Or perhaps since we know teams need to air it out to beat us, we play the pass more than we play the run. Therefore teams found success with draws and traps against a defense that was expecting pass.

End result... Saints 13 / Opponents 3

We played against 12 teams in the top 18 in the NFL rushing the ball and we were 10-2 versus those teams.

So who exactly is gonna crush us?

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We need a power back. Short yardage situations are crucial. We need someone to get into the endzone on from the goal line no matter what shoes he's wearing.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

Ever seen Pierre Thomas?

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

the problem is that you looked at the end result

saints 13/ opponents 3

the saints could've and should've lost a few more games but by the grace of breesus we managed to pull those games out of our butts

games like dallas, st louis, washington, miami, minnesota, etc all were able to move the ball against us fairly well if not at will

teams like the colts and the pats couldnt beat us because our pass defense was solid but we didnt have to worry about the run AT ALL

is it possible that we played the pass more often....yea in fact im sure it happened because we were almost always in the lead

however, the games that were close, that is an absurd statement because there is no reason to assume a team will pass if they have managed to keep the game close

especially if they hold us to 17 points.....no need for our opponents to panic if they hold us to 17 points

i think lots of things are possible....but it just wasnt the case unfortunately

12 teams in the top 18 in rushing and we let them run on us....that needs to stop

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

what everyone is saying is a great concern in 2010, but i look what took place in the draft and whats going on in the front office now, seems coach payton and mickey don't seem worried at all. all i can say is that our offense better fire with no coughs are sperts because we do have the bulls eye planted on our backs. and on defense G.W. has been re-evaluating the de-line for a different approach.

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And certainly they know better than we. Im not advocating the need for additional players if the FO thinks we have those players in house. I would like to see the run defense improve some as well as their be additional pressure on the QB both from the blitz schemes and from the DL. If the FO feels that we have the players in house (and based on the draft, it seems they do) to continue to improve, then Ill take it.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

John Henderson is the answer.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

To Quote a Saints great coach " Woulda Coulda Shoulda dont mean SH**... I mean Spit. LOL"

We are the CHAMPIONS of the World.... WHO DAT!!!

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

Do more homework

Against us...
Dallas 4.0 YPC - that average would rank 25th in the NFL
Washington 3.5 - that average would rank 30th in the NFL

We could use some improvement no doubt, but its not as pathetic as you present. Also, we completely shut down several teams running game in the 2nd half, after they gouged us in the 1st half.

We'll be better this season.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

We will def be better this season. But in addressing the spirit of the thread of what needs to happen for us to repeat and based on the schedule and teams we play this season, I think the run defense has to play at a very high level for us to ideally win the division or make the wild card and advance through the playoffs.

I dont think it was Dallas' YPC that got us as much as the time of possession 36:26 to 23:34.

If I am a coach and I have to devise a strategy to try and beat the Saints, I am going to rule out a shootout when playing the best QB in the NFL, the top offense in the NFL, and a defense that lives and thrives off of turnovers and has one of the best up and coming secondarys in the league. Im going to try to pound the football to control the clock and get short, manageable 3rd downs and keep the offense off the field all the while knowing that the running game is going to open up some play action opportunities for a few possible big plays (ala what the Panthers try to do vs us).

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Agreed, I like the combination of Thomas and Hamilton for short yardage. If we can find a short yardage specialist who can also contribute to special teams effectively, then use an active roster spot on them. If not, then I think the backs we have are more than good enough to get the job done. Keep in mind that even when Mike Bell was healthy as the season went on, Hamilton was taking short yardage carries over Bell.

Re: The Missing Pieces for a Rep
 

guess what.....36 rushes averaging out to 4 ypc is still a first down every 3 plays......did we give up big gains? maybe not...but big gains are also the fault of a secondary and LB corps....

the 4 yard gains.....those are the fault of the defensive line......while it may be an average stat......it still shows they could move the ball

if my team gained 4 yards every time i ran the ball, i wouldnt do anything else the entire game

but maybe its not me who should do the homework

games like st louis......we gave up 4.5 ypc

we gave up 4.7 ypc to miami

we gave up 4.7 ypc to minnesota

we gave up 5.2 ypc to indianapolis

we gave up 6.7 ypc to atlanta the first time we played and 4.2 ypc the second time we played when michael turner and matt ryan were hurt

we gave up 5.1 ypc to carolina the first time and 4.9 ypc the second time with our backups in

we gave up 5.2 ypc to tampa the first game and 5.2 the second time

thats 10 games in which we gave up more ypc than average and thats the only games i bothered to look at.....should i look at the other ones? or is this enough to rest my case?