WhoDat

Whew... don't know what to say about this one, except thank goodnes we won it. Here's what I think this week.

The Good
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The first props have to go to John Carney, whose aging leg won this game for the Saints - hey Jim maybe you shuold think about using him earlier.

Second, team character gets an A. Two weeks in a row the Saints were down real late and battled back to win. Maybe, just naybe, they are finally starting to believe. Ugly, close, I don't care just win baby. Keep it up boys.

Third, the offensive line gets major props for turning things around this week. They were good in pass protection and finally better in the running game. They still weren't dominating, but they opened holes for the first time this season.

Fourth, to Aaron Stecker who showed he can play as a starter in this league. Let's not anyone start thinking there's a controversy here. I saw a few plays where I thought Deuce would have bounced off a guy and gone for big gains where Stecker got tackled for minimal gains or losses. Still, the guy played well and made the Rams pay when the line opened holes. At least we have a capable fill in for Deuce and maybe now Deuce will start playing like Deuce again if he feels some heat.

Fifth, to Aaron Brooks. This was not his best game. He missed some wide open throws that would have been TDs and put this game away early - that really disappointed me b/c you get so few opportunities like that in this league you have to capitalize when you get them. However, he played poised and smart and made plays when it mattered. He captained this team with Deuce out and a defense who couldn't help him out. He gets props.

Sixth, to Charles Grant who has me saying Darren who?

The Bad
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The defense is still just bad. Say what you will about not allowing a whole lot of rushing yards but the Rams really didn't test them. Even with good pressure the secondary left people so open I could have hit them. Further, why does this feel a whole lot like deja vu? Anyone remember the 2002 season? The defense hasn't held a team under 20 yet and they collapse in the second halves of games always giving up the lead late and forcing the Saints offense to bail them out. With this weak schedule there is no reason this team cannot be 6-2 after 8 - exactly their record 2 years ago before they tanked to 9-7 finish as the offense just couldn't keep bailing the defense out and scoring 30 every week... and hopnig to have the ball last ot win.

The Ugly
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Jim Haslett you get this honor again. What the F are you thinking not kicking either tim eon 4th down in the first quarter? Carney makes one of those two and it doesn't take OT to win that one. AB and John Carney may have saved the season and saved your job today - but you don't deserve it.

Also to you Venturi. Where are all those clowns now who were talking about Venturi being head coach now? Your defense is allowing an average of close to 25 points a game and they came into todays game with the Rams ranked 29th in the league. This defense is just flat horrible and you better get it together or you will be the downfall of this team.



Overall I thought the win was a great one. The offense and special teams looked great. The run D, what little we saw looked better, but I don't know how much you can say about that. I love that the Saints are playing mistake free football, but it also scares me. I wonder if they can keep it up. If the offense starts turning the ball over or those near misses start mattering in games, we're screwed. This defense gets worse as the game wears on and gives up yards, points, and the lead like it's their job. It feels a whole lot like '02 to me right now. The good news is, this team can and should be 5-3 or 6-2 at the break.

themightyduck

Once again, the coaches prove that they, not the players, are the problem with this team.

Imagine how good we\'d be with an average coaching staff.

LordOfEntropy

No doubt about it. I think there is no question whatsoever.

Now if McCarthy would just read that post, perhaps these guys might actually get a sporting chance. But I don\'t think he will. I feel awful for the talented group of professionals that are stuck under his leadership.

Raw talent can only get you so far. Bad coaching and poor play calling will overcome it. Eventually. Inevitably.

I think the players earned the win today. I don\'t think the coaches did.

McCarthy

I read it .

What\'s it mean ???

LordOfEntropy

Now THAT\'s a classic.

Puddinhead

I disagree completely with you guys\' assessment of the coaching job today. I can\'t comprehend how someone could have watched that game and not seen that the Saints coaching staff in general, and McCarthy in particular, forced the Rams to play the entire game at their (the Saints\') pace, rather than the pace at which they want to play games. Much like the job they\'ve done game-planning against the Bucs three out of the last four times, they forced the Rams to defend a multi-dimensional attack while essentially reducing the Rams offense to a single dimension. Although Mike Martz\'s pigheadedness undoubtedly had a lot to do with the Rams completely abandoning the running game as they essentially did.

D_it_up

I\'m kinda riding the fence on the coaching effort for the game. Haslett\'s bonehead choices to go for it on 4th down, not once, but TWICE, left my fiance\' doing her normal exercision of me because she thinks I\'m possessed for swearing that much. As far as McCarthy\'s playcalling, it seemed improved over the first couple of weeks, because he didn\'t really know what he had with Stecker. He had no option but to start with the pass to try and open up the run. It worked to the Saints advantage, as Stecker had a great game. The Saints milking the clock on offense as much as they did was pretty darn smart. It forced Martz to abandon the running game, to try and score quickly through the air. And when you take out the top receiving threat out of the picture in Torry Holt as the Saints did, What other options are there besides Bruce and Faulk? Venturi\'s defensive scheme still sucks, though. When will Haslett get a clue about this guy?

People shouldn't be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.

spkb25

here is the problem. the saints did the right thing by setting up the run with the pass and ive been saying that for a while now. n no we dont put stecker in for half the carries for deuce. he can get some carries no problem to rest deuce but deuce is our guy. also his two biggest runs were with the full back in and we need to go more towards that.
but the problem is that when deuce gets back mccarthy will go back to setting the pass up with the run. thats what sucks