TheOak

How did we get pressure with Greg Williams? Yea... Blitz

Haven't seen much improvement? You haven't seen much of anything, we have only played preseason... Base defense for a grand total of 5.5 quarters.

What it sounds like is someone needs to visit nfl.com and refresh their memory on the top and bottom of the piles.

2012
defensive rankings 32nd Saints, 31st Giants, 25th Pats, 24th Falcons.

2011
Defensive rankings 32nd Packers, 31st Pats, 27th Giants 24th Saints

2010
Defensive rankings 25th Pats

2009
Defensive rankings 25th Saints

Pats haven't had a top 24 defense since 2009 and then it wasn't top 10 which is top 1/3rd.

DISPLACEDFAN

Again why so combative we are on the same side you know

I want a defense plain and simple they can have any ranking stat wise i don't care as long as they get off the field on 3rd and 6,7,8,9 without allowing some weak arse crap over the top would be ok with me but it gets old watching my team sucking arse on the defensive side of the ball yr in and yr out

a sack or two would be nice
a interception,fumble something other than a high school defense

SaintsBro

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thebdj

I see what you are getting at here with wanting more on defence. Sure, we all want that. Maybe starting the thread alluding to who we will be replacing Rob Ryan with after 1 year if things don't work out, was a little out of kilter.

With everything as it is now, Rob Ryan is absolutely safe for more than just a year as long as we show 'some' sign of progress. If we break our own NFL worst records then maybe there is a discussion to be had. But as all the pieces are back, we are in huge transition and there are personnel shifts, it is a learning curve.

As regards what Oak is saying, I couldn't agree more with him. In the days of Salary Cap, typically you have a team who is very good on offence OR very good on defence OR reasonable across the board.

It is very easy to get suckered in to the Seahawks and the 49ers at the moment. They both have lights out Defences. The thing is, because they have QBs coming off of one season of running about like idiots and they are the current darlings of the NFL, everyone thinks they have outstanding offences. They simply do not. The receiving corps for both is pretty weak (with the exception of Harvin who is injured, always, anyway). They both have solid ground games but my lord do they need that working to get points on the board.

The one possible exception on paper is Denver who do look solid across the board. Once again though, let's see how they copy for 6 games without Miller and how many times does Champ Bailey get burned this season? Their backfield by committee is anything but stellar.

In reality, we could have a more balanced team but it would likely come at the expense of the offence. As things stand, I have more than enough confidence in my offence that if we can keep the points conceded to under 24, we are in with a shot of winning every single game. And I think that is achievable without putting too much pressure on the offence and without asking too much of the defence at this point.

spkb25

Well... I'd like to see how it pans out first. I was hoping for Romeo, but since RR is here I am routing for him. Get it done Rob

SaintFanInATLHELL

...Doublechecking the calendar... Isn't it Labor Day? This sure sounds like a after the season discussion, not a before the season one.

Like most defenses in the NFL today, the Saints defense this year only needs to do 4 things:

1. Get off the field on 3rd down.
2. Take the ball away. Occasionally is good. Often would be great.
3. Defend in the Red Zone and try to hold the opposition to field goals.
4. Most important: DO NOT GIVE UP THE BIG PLAY!

Surprisingly the Saints were in the middle of the pack (15th) last year in the first category. The Red Zone defense was adequate. It's point #4 that was the killer. If the defense can cut out that single factor and force teams to drive the field, then the defense will instantly be better.

The team gave up 28.4 points per game last year (454 pts in 16 games). Note this included blanking Tampa Bay last December, so it's really over 30 PPG in competitive games. In the previous 7 years the offense has scored no less than 23 PPG (28.8 PPG last season). So it's just simple arithmetic. If the Saints defense can cut down on the big plays and slow scoring a bit (24 PPG would be enough, 20-21 PPG would be outstanding) then the team will be fine.

SFIAH

Super Bowl Championships: New Orleans Saints:1, Carolina:0, Atlanta Chokers: STILL ZERO

Only Atlanta choked in an unchokable situation... Life is definitely good.

Euphoria

I think Ryan needs to be here 2-3 years at least.
-You can't build a unit in one year.
-He isn't a bad coach.
-You have to have some consistency

The big down fall he is facing is our team isn't building to win in 2-3 years.
We are built to win now. We don't have long before Bree's is done. Cap is a problem.

DISPLACEDFAN

What difference does it make if its 30 years or 22 years really come on its not the point.

My point is baring some unforeseen miracle I don't see how our defense is going to be any better than we have been yr in and yr out. Maybe our scheme may change but we still have the same players with the same lack of ability to get to the QB

I'm sorry I even started this thread because its obvious you all are satisfied having a lame A-- defense as long as we have a epic offense

SaintFanInATLHELL

And we had basically those same players the three years before that. Yet the Saints averaged 34 sacks a year from 2009-2011. The scheme changed last year.

The Saints were a top 10 defense less than 3 years ago. And this is with the same base personnel.
I understand your frustration. I don't think that it is satisfaction. I believe it's understanding the reality of the constraints of today's NFL. As I pointed out before literally to get the defense you want, we would have had to not resign Brees to his $100+ million contract. That would have a catastrophic devastation for the franchise.

At the end of the day, the objective is neither to have epic offense or defense. The objective is to be the team hoisting the Lombardi in the end. Pittsburg has been #1 or #2 in scoring defense for the last decade. Yet they have not won every SuperBowl, have not won it in 5 years now, and did not make the playoffs last year.

Same for offense. Saints were #2 in both scoring and yards last year, and have been in the top 5 virtually every year of Payton's tenure. Yet we only have one trophy so far to show for it.

So my question isn't do we have epic offense or epic defense. My question is do we have the elements to put together a run to the trophy this year?

Ryan's scheme is closer to William's. The 3-4 looks fits our existing personnel better. The defense has time to gel as the offense pretty much starts the team with a 24 point lead on a consistent basis. If the defense can simply succeed in holding the opposition down in scoring, and get a couple of takeaways per game, then the team will be successful.

SFIAH

Super Bowl Championships: New Orleans Saints:1, Carolina:0, Atlanta Chokers: STILL ZERO

Only Atlanta choked in an unchokable situation... Life is definitely good.

thebdj

I don't think any of us are satisfied with having any part of our team that is 'lamea--'. We are however just establishing that it is impossible to have a team where every area is stellar. Put really simply, the way the cap works, we can improve our D at the expense of our O.

There was a great comment further up about how the league is leaning towards being a point scoring game. It certainly is. So why invest in a D which has to tread on eggshells when you have the best O in town who are not only awesome but will get calls work in their favour as well!

I am certainly more comfortable with having our amazing offence at the expense of a less than amazing defence. I do also reckon that we have some great pieces in place now to make that defence more than adequate. Cameron Jordan, pound for pound, may turn into one of the best D players in the league.