70saintsfan

Spags had all pre season, All the game Tape of previous seasons. Did he think Bunkley and 3 new Linebackers would make a big impact? He had to know we had no pass Rush. Why no trade in Pre Season ?

pherein

Spags has been a HC for a number of years. Its possible that we do not have the players to run his type of defense , and he is no longer as good as he was, removed from being DC for so long. A Double wammy and The perfect storm.

Crusader

We can only thank Brees for that. If he hadn't been a little ***** about his contract all offseason Loomis and the boys would have known how much money they could spend on defence. The really were no room for any trades.

The basic talent level is too low or guys who was good are getting to old. Smith used to be great now he seems to have lost a step. Ellis is a never was but there is only so many things you can change in one offseason.

MatthewT

Yes, the so called defensive stars are getting long in the tooth. Trades, well they never really happen, and yes, Brees contract was a major issue. All of that aside, Spags was never hired with the intention of turning the defense into a top 5 unit, at least not immediately. All he was pretty much asked to do is make the unit competitive. Bunkley and the 3 new lb's is obviously not enough, but there is already enough there to not stink as bad as they do. Remember, this group is on pace to give up over 7500 yards this season. That is unheard of. It is a major miracle the Saints won 2 games at this point. With all the money thrown over the years, via trades, draft picks, free agents, you would have to think Spags could at least get something out of them. At a bare minimum the Saints defense should be able to make at least a few stops per game with the guys they have, and at least be maybe 5-2 with that so called potent offense? Look at the stats, there is like a 50 yard gap between the 32nd and 31st defense. To me, so far, Spags looks like a horrible hire for this team. Maybe he figures out a way to get something out of these guys, but I am not holding my breath.

Beastmode

It won't continue. If we remain the worst defense of all time he's gone. He's getting paid to make it an avg/sub avg defense and he's completely missed the target. It's beyond bad. It's a disgrace.

dizzle88

Trade for wade Phillips from the texans and go defense in the draft, wade is an awesome DC

Texans went from 31st in D to second in just one offseason

iWho_Dat

The defense. Actually looked good on preseason. Jenkins got a INT Kolb was sacked. P Rob contested EVERYTHING that was thrown to Andre Johnson. And that was supposed to be the "vanilla" look??? Oh yeah and wasn't Brady sacked a couple times to?? Idk what happened. But I saw a VERY promising defense during preseason.

TheOak

Not exactly so... The front office knew what Drew wanted, they knew what they could do with the salary cap by structuring Drew's contract. Its basic business management and financial forecasting. It probably wasn't not dead on accurate down to the 0.01 but they had a damned good idea.

Drews contract had nothing to do with Ellis and Smith.. The front office knew Ellis would cost them 7.3MM in 2012 and Smith would cost them 5.3mm in 2012.. They knew what they had to play with...


As far as Drew getting 100mm.. Which he is worth the bigger problem is Smith was given a 61mm contract and Ellis was given 33mm.

Drews 100mm is by far a better investment than 94mm for Ellis/Smith.

TheOak

preseason doesn't tell you a whole lot, and years of tape in a different scheme doesn't tell you how they will preform in yours. Look at me post above this one... Who is going to give that $ for Smith or Ellis? No one... We are stuck with them until theur contracts are up. If you just cut them you still take the hit on the cap.

SaintsBro

Oh I think he saw it coming and probably knew it -- that's why they were selling the "it takes time to learn Spags' complex system" and the "remember the '07 Giants started slow" Kool Aid to us so hard, they trotted that line out and that was their way of selling this defense to us from pretty much right back at the very beginning of the season. I think he knew, or had an inkling of what he in for, that it was going to be a seat-of-the-pants defense. But I honestly don't think he forecasted that it would be THIS bad.

It's like he came to New Orleans and bought a house with termites; and he keeps ripping stuff out and finding more problems and more tunnels and nests, and right now he's got to the point where he's just standing there in the driveway looking at it with his hands on his hips, saying Holy Crap.

He's probably not going to blow a gasket and have a meltdown at the podium and say what he really feels (at least I don't think he will) but you can tell his is perplexed and frustrated.