"The Lull"

SaintsBro · 12-06-2010, 05:29 PM

Serious question here. Does it look to YOU like this year's team routinely comes out in the first quarter looking like one of the greatest football teams EVER ASSEMBLED, then seems to take a nap in most of the second and third, only to wake up startled in the 4th, and then has to pull some magic pixie dust out of their collective offensive/defensive backsides to win the game at the last possible moment?

Last year it was like, we owned the 4th quarter. At the end of the 3rd quarter, whatever the score, I could turn to my friends and say, "who plays lights out in the 4th, fellas?" and they'd all smile knowingly. You could FEEL the defense ratcheting it up all through the game, you could SMELL the greatness of the offense percolating like coffee.

This year, it's like we own the FIRST quarter, maybe a two minute drill before the half, and not much else. Then the last four minutes of the 4th, we will suddenly look SCARY GOOD again, but it's entirely nerve wracking, gut-wrenching, and sometimes tremendously unpleasant to sit through. Even when we win!

What are you folks seeing. What are your impressions. I want to know what people think about WHY this year's games all sorta look like this, with the LULL in them, where the other team hangs around or claws their way back in. It has to be something more complicated than just "Payton takes his foot off the gas" because I dunno. Is he really taking his foot off the gas? That just doesn't seem like something he would do in the second quarter... I think it has to be something else, or a combination of things, but I don't quite know what that IT is.

Thoughts? Theories? Ideas?

CashAndFlash · 12-06-2010, 05:32 PM

There was a stat yesterday that said that we're the number 1 first possession team.

AsylumGuido · 12-06-2010, 05:36 PM

Our opponents shift into "nothing to lose" mode. They start taking chances. Going for it on 4th down. They start playing over their heads. It speaks to the greatness of the Saints' that they have been able to fight off these attacks and still pull out a win.

|Mitch| · 12-06-2010, 05:41 PM

We are getting everyones A+ game this year. And especially for teams like Dallas and Cincinnati, two good football teams talent wise. Two desperate teams with nothing to lose can and proved they can be very dangerous.

But great teams find ways to win and we're proving that over the last half of the season.

st thomas · 12-06-2010, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by |Mitch|

We are getting everyones A+ game this year. And especially for teams like Dallas and Cincinnati, two good football teams talent wise. Two desperate teams with nothing to lose can and proved they can be very dangerous.

But great teams find ways to win and we're proving that over the last half of the season.

TOTALLY RIGHT ON

Beastmode · 12-06-2010, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido

Our opponents shift into "nothing to lose" mode. They start taking chances. Going for it on 4th down. They start playing over their heads. It speaks to the greatness of the Saints' that they have been able to fight off these attacks and still pull out a win.

Totally agree. You can tell teams really get up to play the Saints this year. Nobody called trick plays on us last year and without PT and Bush it simplified things for defenses quite a bit. But the Dallas and Bengals game you can tell that fight is still there. As far as Saints seasons go this is actually a very good one. Nothing can top last year but another SB win and they are still on track to do just that just not as pretty as last season.

papz · 12-06-2010, 06:52 PM

We don't have that killer instinct in my opinion. Once we have the lead, we stop attacking and do a little more ball control. We need to punch them in the throat when they're down... not let them catch up. As soon as it gets close, we start playing more uptempo and score at will. Play aggressive football 4 quarters long... keep the pedal to the medal.

WHODATNJ · 12-06-2010, 08:10 PM

Sometimes we look asleep at the wheel. We should be blowing teams away and it seems like we get lucky to get the win.

lynwood · 12-06-2010, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by papz

We don't have that killer instinct in my opinion. Once we have the lead, we stop attacking and do a little more ball control. We need to punch them in the throat when they're down... not let them catch up. As soon as it gets close, we start playing more uptempo and score at will. Play aggressive football 4 quarters long... keep the pedal to the medal.

I agree with this.

niteadept · 12-06-2010, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by papz

We need to punch them in the throat when they're down... not let them catch up.

Thought it was just me, but once we start we need to finish it and finish it quickly and early. These fourth quarter games are causing too much stress. The other teams might have talent and definitely have nothing to lose, but we have better talent and much more to lose.

12-06-2010, 05:29 PM	#1
SaintsBro Site Donor Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: in line with my ridiculous CLEAR PLASTIC BAG Posts: 3,650 Blog Entries: 3	"The Lull" Serious question here. Does it look to YOU like this year's team routinely comes out in the first quarter looking like one of the greatest football teams EVER ASSEMBLED, then seems to take a nap in most of the second and third, only to wake up startled in the 4th, and then has to pull some magic pixie dust out of their collective offensive/defensive backsides to win the game at the last possible moment? Last year it was like, we owned the 4th quarter. At the end of the 3rd quarter, whatever the score, I could turn to my friends and say, "who plays lights out in the 4th, fellas?" and they'd all smile knowingly. You could FEEL the defense ratcheting it up all through the game, you could SMELL the greatness of the offense percolating like coffee. This year, it's like we own the FIRST quarter, maybe a two minute drill before the half, and not much else. Then the last four minutes of the 4th, we will suddenly look SCARY GOOD again, but it's entirely nerve wracking, gut-wrenching, and sometimes tremendously unpleasant to sit through. Even when we win! What are you folks seeing. What are your impressions. I want to know what people think about WHY this year's games all sorta look like this, with the LULL in them, where the other team hangs around or claws their way back in. It has to be something more complicated than just "Payton takes his foot off the gas" because I dunno. Is he really taking his foot off the gas? That just doesn't seem like something he would do in the second quarter... I think it has to be something else, or a combination of things, but I don't quite know what that IT is. Thoughts? Theories? Ideas?

12-06-2010, 05:46 PM	#5
st thomas Site Donor 2018 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: lafayette Posts: 7,753	Originally Posted by \|Mitch\| We are getting everyones A+ game this year. And especially for teams like Dallas and Cincinnati, two good football teams talent wise. Two desperate teams with nothing to lose can and proved they can be very dangerous. But great teams find ways to win and we're proving that over the last half of the season. TOTALLY RIGHT ON

12-06-2010, 06:03 PM	#6
Beastmode 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 9,126	Originally Posted by AsylumGuido Our opponents shift into "nothing to lose" mode. They start taking chances. Going for it on 4th down. They start playing over their heads. It speaks to the greatness of the Saints' that they have been able to fight off these attacks and still pull out a win. Totally agree. You can tell teams really get up to play the Saints this year. Nobody called trick plays on us last year and without PT and Bush it simplified things for defenses quite a bit. But the Dallas and Bengals game you can tell that fight is still there. As far as Saints seasons go this is actually a very good one. Nothing can top last year but another SB win and they are still on track to do just that just not as pretty as last season.
Beastmode 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 9,126

12-06-2010, 08:33 PM	#9
lynwood 1000 Posts + Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hockley, Tx Posts: 1,515	Originally Posted by papz We don't have that killer instinct in my opinion. Once we have the lead, we stop attacking and do a little more ball control. We need to punch them in the throat when they're down... not let them catch up. As soon as it gets close, we start playing more uptempo and score at will. Play aggressive football 4 quarters long... keep the pedal to the medal. I agree with this.

12-06-2010, 09:11 PM	#10
niteadept Site Donor Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 520 Blog Entries: 1	Originally Posted by papz We need to punch them in the throat when they're down... not let them catch up. Thought it was just me, but once we start we need to finish it and finish it quickly and early. These fourth quarter games are causing too much stress. The other teams might have talent and definitely have nothing to lose, but we have better talent and much more to lose.

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12-06-2010, 05:32 PM	#2
CashAndFlash Banned Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: 30 miles from Paradis Posts: 602 Blog Entries: 1	There was a stat yesterday that said that we're the number 1 first possession team.

12-06-2010, 05:36 PM	#3
AsylumGuido 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bossier City, LA Posts: 26,229	Our opponents shift into "nothing to lose" mode. They start taking chances. Going for it on 4th down. They start playing over their heads. It speaks to the greatness of the Saints' that they have been able to fight off these attacks and still pull out a win.

12-06-2010, 05:41 PM	#4
\|Mitch\| 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Alexandria, La Posts: 11,303	We are getting everyones A+ game this year. And especially for teams like Dallas and Cincinnati, two good football teams talent wise. Two desperate teams with nothing to lose can and proved they can be very dangerous. But great teams find ways to win and we're proving that over the last half of the season.

12-06-2010, 06:52 PM	#7
papz Problem? Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New Orleans Posts: 11,744	We don't have that killer instinct in my opinion. Once we have the lead, we stop attacking and do a little more ball control. We need to punch them in the throat when they're down... not let them catch up. As soon as it gets close, we start playing more uptempo and score at will. Play aggressive football 4 quarters long... keep the pedal to the medal.

12-06-2010, 08:10 PM	#8
WHODATNJ 100th Post Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Lafayette Posts: 109	Sometimes we look asleep at the wheel. We should be blowing teams away and it seems like we get lucky to get the win.