TheOak

I saw this game as a win for me. As a life long fan and in regards to "issues" this season, I am happy with the outcome of this game. I have yet to read many of the other threads so this is my unbiased take.

Offense: Any time you put up 27 points in the NFL the offense did it job as "expected"... 40 burgers are beyond expectations and I consider those excellent outings. 27 points is a good outing.

Defense: Considering weeks 1/2/3 this defense is coming together.

Penalties: We need to clean this up.

Dropped passes: We need to clean this up.

Sacks : We need to get more pressure

I dont care to hear crap about calls going their way... That is in every game some go our way, some go the opponents way. The non call on Colston's catch was not a flagrant PI and the refs let them play. The holding call at the end was either Thomas holds BOTH OF THEM (watch the play his arms are spread eagle trying to handle the double team) or one of them blocks the kick. The BS I am reading that the hold negated the kick is not the true story, the truth is that with out that hold, it would have been blocked.

The Packers are the first benchmark to compare the performance between last years team and this years team. Early season game, defense developing.

Last year compared to this year.

2011 Score Saints 34 - Packers 42 (8 point margin) .... 2012 score Saints 27 packers 28 we only lost by 1 point.
this year. The difference between last year and this year - 1 punt return for TD last year.

Offense:
Brees 2011 32/49 419 yards 3 TD.... 2012 35/54 443 yards 3 TD (wash)
Rushing 2011 81 yards - 2012 45 yards (wash)
Average Passing Play - 2011 7.6 - 2012 7.7
3rd down 2011 52% 2012 64%
Sacks - 2012 - 2 for 17 yards | 2011 3 for 23 yards

Defense:
Pass defense - 2011/ 312 yards 3 TD no interceptions| 2012/ 319 yards 4 TD 1 Interception (wash)
Run Defense - 2011 103 yards (ave 3.8) | 2012 102 yards (4.1)
Sacks 2011 2 for 16 | 2012 0 sacks (d-line didnt get to him this year)



So - In summation the 2011 Saints showed up in Green Bay yesterday and I am willing to bet that if there were a poll before the game between which team fans would want to play that game the 2011 Saints or the 2012 Saints it would have been 100% 2011 Saints and everyone would have been good with that.

Most thought last night would have been a BLOWOUT and Matthews would have blown up Brees all game long... neither happened.

Be happy today, we have come a LONG way in the last 7 days. We have the talent.. it is starting to gel now.

saintsfan1976

O line played up to expectations.

Receivers did not.

Must convert FG's to TD

Payton would have sniffed out the fake punt.

TheOak

Hell.. I told my wife to look for the fake punt... Purely out of I couldnt believe Green Bay wouldn't have gone for it with Rodgers.

The fumble rule at the end of the game I do not see as the wrong or bad call... There was a fumble, but there was no clear evidence of who recovered it, and the ball changes hands a few times at the bottom of the scrum.

There was no clear visual proof that the Packers recovered it, and all that happened was the Saints did not lose possession because of it.

TheOak

Football Zebras.com | A look at the NFL's officials and the calls they make
"5:10 of the third quarter. Excellent work by the officials digging to the bottom of the pile after a Packers fumble. That was the proper way to handle a fumble scrum as opposed to this."

winmill1

The refs had no choice but make that call. Green Bay should not have used that first challenge on that obvious call just because the play clock was running out. That is there fault.

winmill1

I think Dline Moore Sproles and Hartley-disappointed.