Saints short-yardage problems.
 

Is the Saints in-ability to convert a 4th down & short because of a problem with O-line, is Ingram not seeing where to run, or is it something else?

This failure has already been responsible for the Saints tying, and potentially winning, one game.

Saints failed to pick up some other short yardage situations yesterday as well.

If this isn't fixed ASAP, it will cost the Saints some games during the season.

P.T should get the carries in those situations..and dont for get the Hammer Ivory will be back...you know he will get them..

Our interior Linemen need to do a better job.. Maybe it's the lack of playing time together, maybe it's because the 2 teams we have played have good defenses.. Which we have torched pretty well. Except for the short yardage situations.. But this is an area we need to get better at.. There are going to be more games this year where we are going to need that 4th and 1. This week coming up against the Texans is one of them.. Now a 4th and 1 might not seem important to some people.. But this could be very important. 1 being team morale, if not successful could give other team momentum.. 2. that one 4th down and 1 we don't succeed in may cause us positioning come playoff time. Now I know it's kind of early to be talking about the playoffs. But the way this season is going anything may happen.. And that one 4th down we don't convert on may contribute to a loss, which in turn could determine playoff positioning or Home field advantage.. So one little 4th and 1 could turn out to be huge in a teams season.. So get the job done!!!!

GEAUX SAINTS!!!!

IMHO...I also think it has a lot to do with playcalling. Not a big fan of Sean's play book. Needs tweaking big time. O-line is a bit suspect (especially in passing situations) and the RB's are indecisive at times, but I dig horrors every time thinking about what high school play will he send in now.

RB are indecisive because they don't get enough work during the game. I hate when he comes out throwing on 15 of the first 16 plays. Then now it's 3rd 1 and you run it. Duh, my wife knows you're going to run it and that ain't good.

But I guess that's why I "coach" from the "couch", huh?


WHO DAT?!!!!!!!

Im not convinced we have a problem yet. I saw a huge improvement is Ingram's running against the Bears. I think with 2-4 more games he is going to be a force, once he settles down and is used to the speed.
You could see his hammering power in this game, he is an excellent short yardage RB and Im not sure he even needs very good blocking for 1-2 yards. I think he can literally take defensive player out to make 1-2 yard after he gets comfortable.

I still think the O-line is the main problem. It seems on every short yardage attempt our RB (any/all of them) get hit a yard or two behind the LOS.

We aren't getting any push at all.

I didn't get to watch the game...did they spread the field? or did they stack everybody and their momma up front and hope for the best?
3rd down effficiency was 2/12 16%. 4th down coversions were O-fer.
How did they try to do it?

On one play Ingram took a toss play..if he cuts back he gets the 1st...but he is young ..he will learn..we did spread em out on the Meach TD..and it worked to perfection.

I disagree that it's a playbook issue. I feel Sean has mixed it up pretty well so far. Up the middle, toss to the outside, play actions, spread em out by the goaline as well yesterday. It's an execution issue. If you can't block for one yard, play call doesn't matter much.

We also had a 3rd and 1 and tried a 12 yard pass in the endzone instead of a quick throw for the first.

Frustrating for all. I'm sure Ingram is ready for his breakout as well.

All this talk about Ingram, but there's SPROLES. Holy shat!!! He runs like a Hall of Famer should run.

If he can stay healthy and we can spread him some ball a little more often, we'll be going places for sure.

Alaska

I'ts the line, and it's not a new problem.

Hopefully the O-line will gell some more as the seaon goes on.

Our line has been an issue here. I don't think Kreutz is as good a run blocker as he is in diagnosing where he should be in pass protection. Nicks and Evans need to step it up too.

I have a suggestion... Whats wrong with training one of our 300lb + Tackles to pull a Refrigerator on those 3rd/4th and shorts. I'd love to see someone stop a 300lb guy bulldozing through the line of scrimmage. Just pick a spot and plow through.. If I was on defense I'd make sure I wasn't in the way LOL.

I think that in the end the lack of success has to come down to play calling and design. SP knows where the weaknesses are in the O-Line and peripheral blocking, so he should call the plays that put the players in the best place to succeed and where their weaknesses are limited.

I know it might feel like a cop out to blame the play calling/design for the lack of production by the players, but ultimately that is where the responsibility must remain. Now, if a player isn't performing up to par - then either work on it with him in the practices or replace him with someone who can get the job done.

I agree with you. There isn't a problem yet... people are still looking at the first game and saying there is a problem. You have to realize 11 players on the other side get paid to stop Ingram as well, and sometimes they are going to do the job.

There is one thing one has to realize about the run game and that is you typically don't just say you're a run team and run. You have to establish it and run it and run it and run it. Its just like the passing game it takes time to develop. We essentially didn't have a power run game last year so we are way behind what everyone expects us to be at this point. It will come around.

Also, there is a big difference between run blocking and pass blocking.

"On one play Ingram took a toss play..if he cuts back he gets the 1st...but he is young ..he will learn..we did spread em out on the Meach TD..and it worked to perfection."

Agree totally

Ingram is da best!

To me it seems like Ingram is tougher to take down once he gets a head of steam. I like the way PT has been running the ball and hitting the hole with power...and in the future if I were going to be running to pick up 1, I'd be handing it to PT...for now.

With all that being said, it is nobody's fault but mine that they are struggling to pick up 1 on 3rd and 4th down. I have noticed that any team on the planet that I want to pick up that 1 yard never does.

It’s a mentality

Don't care if its a friggin insecurity complex, its a problem, and has been a problem for a very long time.

they get man handled and under cut end of story

You need to get one of these LB...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2771/...655f11a001.jpg

Let's hope the redzone tightens up and it's not a problem...

LOL...

I had one...well, my wife had one...and we were in Haiti...what a story that was but I will spare you guys another boring one.

Is that thing holding a yellow condom? :jkool: