2014 Saints offense
 

Just wondered if anyone was thinking the same thing as me about our offense

It really looks like SP is abandoning the whole 5 wide offense (maybe not completely) to a more traditional balanced offense - I say this with three moves as my examples

The trade of sproles - his cap hit was too high and I think he was noticeably a step slower and much less elusive than in years past anyway

The signing of Erik Long - Mauling run blocker that completely destroyed our LB's in week 2 vs tampa, if you watched the tape that was posted (I believe by danno?) You noticed that doug martin ran wild on us due to the huge holes that were made once Long got to the second level

Not re-signing jed collins - one of paytons most versatile pieces on offense

now I may be wrong and come draft time we might go for a sproles type player but at the moment it looks to me by letting go of sproles like Payton is trying to abandon that gameplan in favour of the plan that worked in the playoffs - ingram and khiry with a bunch of carries, opening up for the young wide receivers to make some plays

Has anybody else noticed or thought about this sort or thing?

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

I wouldn't call Collins one of Payton's most versatile pieces of his offense. He may have been the least versatile.

He's a better blocker and a better receiver out of the backfield.

I do think we'll see a Sproles-ish type RB acquired before the season starts.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

I agree that we seem to be moving towards a more balanced offense with a power run game and Drew still slinging the ball. Personally I like it. I want to see what Robinson and Ingram can do being fed the ball more often and having Thomas in there for the screens and the run. And like Danno said we will see a Sproles type RB brought in because SP likes them.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

It's LORIG, Not Long. Easy mistake to make I guess. But I think he is much more versatile than Collins - he's got the height to play tight end and looks pretty quick getting out in the flats for passes from what little I've seen in the highlights. He reminds me a lot of David Thomas.

But I agree with you it looks like a much more traditional run-heavy offense. All that could change though, if they pick a Sproles-type replacement in the draft. Seastrunk or D. Thomas would be too intriguing to ignore, IMO.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

Yeah I completely agree with your way of thinking. I'm in favor of a balanced offense. It's less predictable. The play action used to be our best play, but since we pass so much nobody is afraid of it. But as you noticed we had a couple big plays from the play action when Ingram and Robinson were getting there touches. I've been waiting for Sean to make this move for a while. I can only hope that he sees it as we do.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

I hope we don't pick up a Sproles-type of player ang go power run game all the way.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

We can still run screens and be efficient out in space with the players we have.
I will be excited to have a power running game and hope that we have the players to execute it. Loomis looks good so far.:love:

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

Sproles wasn't on the team when we won the Super Bowl. Sproles was supposed to be a Reggie Bush type player. That was who he was supposed to replace. Unfortunately, Sproles doesn't strike the same fear in opponents hearts as Reggie did. Bush was a ridiculous decoy. He demanded way more attention then Sproles.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

The power run game is useless on 3rd and 12.

You gotta have a shifty speed guy for those 3rd and long packages.

And if you're playing a big mauling defense without much sideline to sideline speed in their front 7, I'd sure like to have that guy who can turn the corner on them all game long, and destroy them with screens, pitchouts, draws and delays.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

I'm not exactly sure what defines a "power run" game, but I do think the Saints would like to be able to sucessfully run the ball. A successfull run game keeps linebackers and safetys honest and set up the play action.

That being said...Just my guess but I think that as long a Brees can throw the ball accurately, the Saints will favor the pass.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

That would be what the 49ers did with Gore when Alex Smith was still the QB; run it down your throat or try....

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

I don't think we need to add anything offensively. I have posted before that there is only one football, and the way we spread it around we have never overworked a player or had somebody get too many touches.
Collins and his 30 touches will be a memory quickly.
We will miss Sproles, but if that means our current 3 backs getting 3-4 more carries or receptions each, they can certainly handle that

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

I must be missing something. (Please bare with me, it happens a lot)

Those were some terrible offenses.

Offensive ranking:
2006 - 26th
2007 - 32nd
2008 - 23rd
2009 - 27th
2010 - 24th
2011 - 26th

Why would we want to transition to something like that? Is there an advantage to it?

And wasn't San Fran always looking for a complimentary back to Gore, small quick guys like Brian Westbrook and Kendall Hunter?

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

Big run blocking offensive linemen and a brutal running back, better resemblance is the Lynch run against us in the 2010 playoffs

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

Seattle's offense with Lynch isn't a lot better than the Smith/Gore offense of the 9ers.

Seattle's offensive yardage since Lynch got there;

2010 - 28th
2011 - 28th
2012 - 17th
2013 - 18th

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

I just think we need somebody with game breaking speed. It doesn't have to be a scat back. I always felt like overall, we aren't a very fast team. Especially at running back, DB, and WR. Now when Meacham and Henderson were younger and we had Reggie...slightly different story offensively. You gotta respect speed defensively.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

Unless your front line can out muscle their front line. 3rd and 12 or 3rd and 22 are passing situations anyway. The way I see it a power run game you should be in a much better position than 3rd and 12 maybe a 3rd and 1 or a 3rd and 2, much better odds than a cute screen when they know your going to run but can't stop it + their D should get tired much easier having to exert more energy. Win, win in my book. Off of play action Brees kills.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

2013 Superbowl.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

Speed on offense is overrated. Even with "slow" RBs and WRs you can get 7-8 yards at a time when your offense is a well-oiled machine. I'd way rather have those 15-play, 90-yard drives that kill 8 or 9 minutes off the clock. That's way more demoralizing to the other team than the quick strike, and it keeps your own defense fresh.

That doesn't necessarily mean we have to go ground-n-pound, but you gotta have the ability to get those 3rd and 2's running the ball. Otherwise I like the general structure of our offense, which is still ball-control offense despite so many passing attempts because of the very high completion percentage.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

It doesn't have to be all over the field at every position, but you have to have some. You have to be able to stretch the field at some point. We saw our Super Bowl blue print. Explosive plays. Good running game that we used to close out games. Just enough speed in the right places. Converting on 3rd down. Scoring in the red zone.

It's not so much the big play as it is the defense having to always be prepared and change coverage to protect themselves from the big play. I like seeing this 90 yard drives too, but coming from a guy who played in the secondary, giving up bombs destroys the mind of db's. That **** is embarrassing. They'll do anything to stop themselves from getting burned or Moss' d.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

We dont need a "power running game" we need a RESPECTED running game so the PA is open. We ran the ball very well in 2009 but we still threw it all over the field. The key is not letting the D sell out on any one aspect of your game. This is the type of complementary football we need to play and i think SP is building the team for it now.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

Precisely.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

Don't we already have someone? His name escapes me but he's been here a while and just got an extension. God I hate it when this happens.
I agree with the OP. I think Payton is building our offense to be able to compete with teams like Seattle with big talented cornerbacks. A finesse type offense just cannot compete with those guys and I think we are building bigger and stronger and more balanced.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

Oak already said last week Drew is not going to be a game managing QB.

2014 Saints offense
 

Top end speed 40yd is over rated, burst and cut quickness is rarely ever mentioned but is the driving force behind a players elusiveness and ability to evade tacklers.

Oh, BTW..... The ball carrier has to duck, dive, and dodge defenders before he can run 40 yards.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

I disagree. Speed isn't as lethal as it is on the college and high school levels, but you still need it on your team. You have to be able to stretch the field, even if it's only as a decoy most of the time.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

Follow me here. I never said it wasn't needed.

I said "over rated", that 40yd time is what nearly everyone focuses on.....

Please tell me when your Center runs a full 40?

A QB getting from the pocket to the sticks is all burst and cut.

Your example of stretching the field accounts for how many players and positions on the team? 1 position WR, maybe 2 players?

Seattle proved that if you can't get around the corners you can't stretch the field.

Re: 2014 Saints offense
 

Simplified...

Football speed >>> Track speed

2014 Saints offense
 

I suppose that could be read a few different ways.

My definition of a "game managing QB" is one that does what he is told, executes the play called from the side lines the majority of the time, doesn't take the high risk shots, the opposite of a "play making QB".

Brees, Manning, Favre, QBs that make things happen will never be game managers.

Alex Smith is a game manager, very good QB but takes no risk, follows the game plan with very little improvisation.

The running game has nothing to do with either.

Added in edit:

There are QBs that are game managers because of personality... Alex Smith.

Sometimes the coach turns them into one by limiting what they are allowed to do... Both Kaepernick and RBIII were told to stop using their legs so much in the first 3/4 of the season.

Then there is Mark Sanchez..... Someone should have limited his arse a long time ago.