JKool

Five things that would make us better right now: a challenge to the board.

Ok, so a few weeks ago, I stated a bunch of things that I thought would make the D better right now. However, I've been thinking, what could make us better overall right now (aside from a change in coaching)?

Here are my top five. I look foward to hearing all of yours.

1. Brown becomes our second starting CB, after McKenzie (who looked pretty darn good last game). Brown looked great last game (and he has good size), with the exception of tripping over the paint in the endzone.
2. Defense implements more run blitzes. Too often our guys are getting too deep in the offensive backfield to stop the run - they are after the QB and they are failing to control the line.
3. Focus on our fundamentals on the O-line. We have good to great players on our line - regardless of how they look these days. These guys need to get it together and now. If we eliminate the false starts, we earn an extra 20 to 40 yards a game.
4. Eliminate the two TE set. It is a bust. Our TEs are merely ok and not getting any better. I love Boo, but he's not getting it done - but, worse than that, NONE of the other guys are either. With a FB set, we'll get an extra 10 to 40 yards a game.
5. WRs need to catch the ball. We have guys running moderate to good routes. Our QB has not looked all that bad. We need to focus on the catch AND then on getting yardage. These guys are all too interested in making the highlight reel. Just catch the freakin' ball!

Cheers.

St.Shrume

JKool, good observances.

I think though the key to our defense is our LB play. Over and over this year, I see that as our problem. Sure, our D-line (other than Grant)can\'t pressure anyone that much and forget stopping the run with these guys... But our LB\'s seem to be the key to stopping the big runs and blitzing and have not really shown up most games.

I also think our Defensive scheme is either too complicated or our players are not very intelligent (football-wise). I sometimes feel Venturi is out thinking himself and we end up beating ourselves on a lot of plays, with people trying to remember what their duty was on each play.

I think our O-line is our biggest problem by far on Offense. More than the WR drops, or Brooks and Deuce fumblitis, or anything. AB seems to have little time on many plays to get things going. And their dam penalties are just killers. So many drives we have killed due to our O-line. Sickening.

I would maybe start fining them for each false start. Holding just happens on almost all downs, but no reason to false start this many times already in a season. It just shows our guys are getting over matched.

saintswhodi

I agree with your 5 points, but my question is how do we accomplish them with the same players? Like number 3 and number 5. Receivers dropping balls, well we have the same receivers, can\'t get new ones now. And false starts, well it will be the same guys starting who committed them. You 5 ways can be condensed into one, coaching change. Bring in someone who makes players accountable cause this staff doesn\'t.

ScottyRo

WRs should catch 50 passes after practice for each unforced drop they commit. That may effect a change immediately. For false starts, as said above, fine the offender $500 each.

The biggest problem is the o-line and the entire D are just plain confused out there. Oakland got a sack on a 3 man rush. Thomas couldn\'t decide who to cover. Boo lined up incorectly on a 3rd down rushing attempt and had to be put in place by Lamont Hall. It\'s these sort of things that should not be happening.

D_it_up

My 5 points to ponder on how this team could improve, if only slighty, for the rest of the season:

1. Keep Fahkir Brown in the starting line-up- We all saw how well he played against the Raiders receivers. He and McKenzie were a heckuva duo. That\'s been the biggest bright spot I\'ve seen in the defense all year, besides Charles Grant. Gave me a little hope for a defense that is downright hideous.

2. Get some of the younger guys on the field (i.e. Bockwoldt, Mitchell, and Stinchcomb)- I\'ve stated this before in another post, and I\'m sticking to my guns. Mitchell does absolutely nothing but MAKE PLAYS on special teams. Put him on the field more to spell Tebucky or Bellamy. A 3-safety rotation would be good, because it would keep fresh legs in there. Bockwoldt has the heart of a lion, and I think he could be a damn good player if given the chance on the field. Finally, Jon Stinchcomb needs to seriously be given the chance to start. He was way too high of a pick to be riding the pine behind Victoria Riley. I think he would be a shot in the arm for the right side of the line.

3. More 3 receiver sets- Pathon had a heckuva game against the Raiders when put into the starting line-up. He complemented Horn nicely on the other side. Hopefully this will light a fire under Stallworth to work on his catching. Put them all in there, and there are not many trios in the league that could be more dangerous.

4. 2 TE set must go- I agree with JKool on this like I do about Fahkir Brown. Mike Karney MUST BE AN EVERYDOWN FULLBACK. He lays more lumber than the guy at Ace Hardware. His playing time has steadily increased, but I will not be happy until he\'s busting guys in the chops on ever play. Utilize him more in the passing game as well. He has good hands and can run as well.

5. STOP THE FREAKIN RUN!!!- For the Saints to even come close to their predicted 10-6 and winning the division, they better learn how to stop the run during the bye week. Haslett was a defensive coordinator before, so why doesn\'t he see that Venturi isn\'t doing his job and step in to make the calls himself. This has been an on-going thing since Zook left. Be a man, Haz. Take the reigns. Your job is on the line. Do whatever it takes to improve this run defense so that they aren\'t the laughing stock of the league. It\'s only your career that you have to think about.

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

ScottyRo

The two TE system should be used as a great weapon, but not be our base system. I\'d like to see Karney in 60% of the time with at least a couple passes thrown to him each game. I also agree the Mitchell needs to spell the safeties but McCarthy needs to realize that Deuce needs to be spelled too. He doesn\'t need to be in there every play until he gets hurt.

Bottomline is McCarthy has the imagination of a 60 year old man that\'s been doing the same job the same way his entire life and doesn\'t see why he needs to change. The sad part is...I just described Venturi.

dberce1

1. Romeo
2. Crennell
3. From
4. New
5. England

JKool

Nice work DitUp2.

I couldn\'t agree with you more on your point 3, and your point 5 I find very interesting - hopefully, others will have something to say about this.

As for getting guys in the line-up, I don\'t know what I think about that. From what I\'ve heard, Stinchcomb will never be a T in this league. Maybe he should get some work at G? As far as Buckwoldt - I agree that he\'s looked great on ST, but it isn\'t clear to me yet what he can do at a full time LB spot. Does he play WLB or SLB?

I agree that the linebackers are critical, so here is my assessment of them so far:

Watson - this kid will be a GREAT WLB and an ok MLB in this league.

Ruff - serviceable MLB on running downs only.

C. Grant - done. I don\'t even want to hear about him next year. He can play ST for the rest of his career IF he recovers, otherwise trade him for a puck bag.

Rogers - serviceable WLB. He\'s getting old, but he\'s a good backup with experience.

Hodge - I really don\'t know what to say about this guy. Every once in awhile you get the feeling that he\'s fine, then he disappears for three or four plays. WTF? I\'d like to hear others thoughts on this.

Allen - absolutely stinks. I hate this guy. I\'ve only seen two of the games this year and both times on at least two plays the RB just ran past him. Maybe he could play ST if we didn\'t already have a bunch of good players there. I hate this guy.

Buckwoldt - a complete mystery to me, aside from his very fine ST play. I like him, and I say keep him, but I don\'t really know what he can do.

Basically, I think we still need a MLB and probably a SLB. Hmmmm? This sounds like what we needed last year. On the plus side, we\'ve gained a guy in Watson. I think he\'s going to be something.

"... I was beating them with my eyes the whole game..." - Aaron Brooks

JKool

Whodi,

I don\'t think we need new WRs. I suspect, though, of course, I can\'t know this, that their practice schedule is not as it should be. They should get more time with the QB and less time with machines with respect to catching. Our WR coach ought to go out and find out what they did with those Bronco\'s WRs and Packer\'s WR I mentioned earlier.

I like people\'s suggestions regarding fines for the OL.

I also don\'t think that a coaching change is the only way to cure these problems. Sometimes just a change in coaching strategy will do.

"... I was beating them with my eyes the whole game..." - Aaron Brooks

saintswhodi

JKool,

While I don\'t really disagree with you, the coaches have changed their strategy each year they have been here. None have worked. So I stand behind the coaching change being the only way toward improvement.

Fining linemen though is a great idea. Why can\'t the coaches figure that out?

And when Michael Lewis was blowing up on kick returns his first year, in the offseason didn\'t they have him catching balls off a throwing machine daily to improve his ability as a receiver? Are our other receivers above this training? We may not need to change the guys, and I agree the method needs to change, but I do not think you will see it with this staff. There is no personal accountability for how the players under them play by any of the coaches, except maybe John Pease. The d-line with the exception of Sullivan is always hustling, although they may get beat. They don\'t give up on plays though. The lbs are really letting them down.