Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

Through the first 5 games of the season Jimmy had 593 receiving yards, that is 118.6 yards a game. Through that stretch of games we went 5-0.

Through the previous 9 games Jimmy has 478 receiving yards, that is 53.1 yards a game. Through that stretch of games we went 5-4.

I don't like relying on one single person to get the job done but that's what we need to do to win and be successful in the playoffs. Jimmy Graham is simply the key to games. I don't know why he is not seeing the field, is he still hurt? Are we trying to lower his pay day to keep him from getting big stats? Are we resting him for playoffs? Is it a lack of effort? Did teams learn how to cover Graham? Has Payton just completely lost his mind?

I have no idea what is going on in the front office but not unleashing Graham vs the Panthers is going to hurt us in the long run. If this guy wants a payday he better freaking preform out of his shoes these last couple games.

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

I think Talib put out the blueprint, that was embarrassing looking back at how a CB was able to blanket a tightend but not an aging wide receiver.

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

Graham is still hurt. His injury is nothing that heals quickly and especially not as long as he keeps running on it during the season.

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

Key to winning is protecting Drew Brees.

Jets, Seahawks, Rams.

Each game where the O line failed to do so, the team lost.

Plain and simple. Our O line was absolutely *****-slapped by all three teams.

Patriots loss was an early Xmas present.

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

The key to winning for the rest of the season is making Jimmy graham not the key to winning. If the rest of our receivers are playing their best games, shutting down Graham doesnt hurt us that bad. Colston is healthy and playing his arse off, Stills is clutch.

To say Talib put out the blue print to beating Graham ignores the fact that you have to have a Talib on your team to do it.

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

I agree with the rest of your post, but this ^^^ I'm surprised you're falling for that line, Oak. That's just more Payton speak, he's been lying to us and the league, he's been masking/hiding flaws in this team all year by saying things like that on the podium. The truth is that in most of the games we've lost, Graham has been shut down, essentially invisible, a non-factor, and the offense suffers. And that was done by several teams that don't have a Talib, not just once. Seattle does not have Talib....the Rams do not have Talib.....I could go on but mercifully I'll stop.

Maybe he is playing hurt, in fact I'm sure he is... I could certainly buy into that, but it still doesn't seem to stop him from scoring 2 touchdowns and playing lights out Jimmy football some weeks (usually at home) and then disappearing completely in others.

You have to be wearing black and gold goggles at this point to try and argue that he is not getting shut down by teams that "don't have a Talib." Exhibit A, 2nd half Seattle.

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

Like x 10.

Graham should just be the nail in the coffin as defenses try to stop let's say a more effective run game causing the ability to exploit him in a complete coverage mis-match.

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

No need to go getting all personal.

Your argument proved my point. Talib man on man shut Jimmy graham down by him self. Name another defensive back that did it alone and caused us to lose.

Graham had no TDs against Chicago... We won.
Graham had no TDs against SF... We won.
Graham had no TDs against Dallas... We won.

Of course any team can put 3 men on Jimmy all night and shut him down, but that is not the blueprint to winning, Drew just uses other weapons.

With out a Talib that can do it 1 on 1 the answer is not the same. And the blue-print of shutting down Jimmy Graham being the key to victory is flawed.

Seattle didn't shut him down he had 1 TD
The Jets didnt shut him down he had 2 TDs
St Louis kept Jimmy out of the endzone but Drew threw for nearly 400 yards.

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

Key to winning is protecting the football.
In 4 losses we had 8 turnovers and only 1 takeaway.

IMO we win 3 of those 4 games without the turnovers.

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

So the key to winning games is winning the turnover battle, protecting Drew Brees and keeping Jimmy Graham out of the endzone! :cool:

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

No, pretty much just the turnover battle.

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

And Drew.

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

And this red chair
http://www.ripthelifeiknew.com/wp-co...12/08/jerk.jpg

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

Games have two halves. Games are more than one drive, which is basically all we had that went right in Seattle was that one drive, thank God for Jimmy's TD, and it was ridiculously difficult for them just to get that. Obviously, if your definition of "shut down" is absolute zero catches for zero yards in a game, sure, technically no one in the league can shut Jimmy down...you win. I'm talking about whatever a team does, to make Jimmy Graham become a non-factor...I'm simply asking, looking back on the losses, JUST the losses, what does Jimmy produce in the second half, 3rd, 4th quarter, in those games where we are trailing or it's close this year, and we lose? Is he making any big clutch plays late in the day, in those games? Is he making any plays in the second half at all?

Yes, St. Louis kept Jimmy out of the end zone -- and Drew threw for 400 yards. But who won that game, I forget....

I guess I'm not really arguing the "Talib gave the blueprint" meme as much as I'm pointing out, in the games we struggle, Graham is quite often sorta disappearing, in the 2nd half of the games that we have lost this year. Whether Talib is out there or not. Maybe it's the other team making standard halftime adjustments, I don't know. And lately -- as in Seattle and the Rams -- he's there in the 1st half, doing stuff, and then very much NOT there in the 2nd.

Now that may not be a "blueprint" or "shutting down" to you, but it's definitely happening, and it's ended up with the end result the other teams want, of beating the Saints. To say that "nobody shuts down Graham" is squirrely and disingenuous. It's just PR at this point.

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

I think of lot of #80's issues right now are #80's issues. He looks completely out of sorts when he's getting physically beaten at the LOS. He get's alligator arms, doesn't fight for the ball, and honestly just looks scared to take a big hit.

/shrug

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

My point is the OP saying that JG is the key and someone saying that Talib laid a groundwork that any defensive back can use to shut down Jimmy Graham...

We have won a few games where Jimmy didn't do much and lost some games where he scored. There has been nothing consistent in our wins and losses to back up either claim. We can win with out him and we can lose with him.

What Jimmy does is not always Jimmy... Drew was pretty much part of the loss in Seattle and to St Louis.... I would argue more so than Jimmy.

When Sproles has 12 targets and catches 6 of them against the Patriots, that is as huge as anything graham does or doesn't do.

Graham had a monster game against the Jets... How did that work out for us?


There is no one player to key off of in regards to losing or winning. Not even INTs, we have beat teams with Drew throwing 2 and lost games with Drew throwing 2...

Re: Key to winning games? Jimmy Graham.
 

IMO patience is the the key to winning...if Drew can't stretch the field and find Graham open he needs to simply check it down to the RB or just get it out of bounds so we can avoid needless turnovers and keep our offence on the field.