Benching Underachievers
 

Should see plenty of disagreement here, but what do y'all think of doing the following with the opening series "defense" in the Dome Sunday vs the Bucs?

Deaderick, Starting NT...bench Bunkley. BB has been manhandled more often than he has been doing the manhandling, and his play has directly affected Hicks and Jordan with them having to picking up BB's slack.
R. Powell, Starting OLB...bench Haralson. Parys hasn't been consistent in run support, something he was brought here to specifically do.
V. Sunseri, Starting SS...bench KVac. Don't think KVac is fully healthy, but he's becoming a liability in run & pass defense. Yes, bench a #1st round draft pick, especially if he is not 100%.
K. Edebali, Starting OLB...bench Galette. Wake & shake Junior up from his contract coma. Yes, bench the Captain in the Dome.

I do realize you can't keep this line-up going throughout the game, but replacing these starters who are underachieving with the young guys who might just overachieve and make those incumbent starters nervous about their jobs. Start pulling these young guys when they show signs of not being able to handle it, and leave them in if they are making plays individually and/or the defense is making stops. The NFL is littered with rookies making an impact for their team, even (gasp!) starting.

Who cares if the coaches make an underachieving millionaire mad...you don't perform, you get replaced by somebody who actually wants to perform.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

Junior is definitely not worth what we paid for him

One dimensional player, and he even sucks at that dimension this year

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

I like it.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

At least your focusing on the right side of the ball.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

I said at halftime of the Dallas game something pretty close to this, out loud, and my kids can confirm it:

Send this team a Mike Singleterry-type message. It's okay to get beat, but it is not okay to fail to show up - it is not okay to fail to play with passion and a sense of urgency. They don't owe us much of anything, as fans, but they do owe us that much.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

The starters look tired, even after getting a breather. At least start rotating. Certainly can't hurt anything.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

That cush training camp in VW made them too soft.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

Forget Deaderick, lets get John Jenkins back into the mix.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

In John maddens voice BOOM, he's nailed it!

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

I wanted to put Jenkins in that spot, but I ain't got a clue about his status as of Oct 1st @ 4:35 pm. Most definitely put Jenkins in there...Bunkley's play has made Hicks and Jordan look less-than-average. I mean, dang, Hicks is a better fit at NT than Bunkley, in my opinion. Hicks is a freakin' monster in the middle, and pretty sure he'd have held his own against the Boys' interior better than Bunkley did.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

Call up Vilma... hell it can't get much worse at LB....

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

Both sides need it. bench Colston, graham, and brees cause he ain't exactly setting the world on fire either.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

I like the idea of benching the under achievers but I wouldn't suggest a mass benching until the Saints are out of playoff contention. Maybe target one or two of the worst to show the rest they're serious.

After the Saints are out of it, bench em all. Let the back ups get some experience cause these starters will have shown they're not the future.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

It's too bad when players get their pay day, their performance falls off. What the H..l is the answer?

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

For your benching premise to work out it assumes those benched actually care and respond by being better. That's a suckers bet at best right now.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

Graham? Why Graham? He's on pace for another monster season.

And RG4 or McCown over Brees?

Not getting that one.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

This is ridiculous.

I still think coaching is the problem.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

Honestly don't see the offense having nearly as many underachievers as the defense does. You may could make the case for Grubbs being in that group, since he ends up on his backside far too often for a starting NFL Guard.

This defense, however, is just littered with underachievement. And coaching is the problem when coaches allow players who are not performing to take snaps away from those players who can make this team better with their effort and with their play within the system.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

I wouldn't mind seeing more of Sunseri in the starting SS rotation simply because of what is between his ears. I like KVacarro but he seems to be one step behind so far this season. Don't know if he is out of position but playing like a corner is not working.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

I think if we just used him as you know, a strong safety with a clear, defined role, he could succeed, but whatever just keep using him to cover up deficiencies in the defense in roles he's not exactly suited for, like linebacker. I mean he does well for what he's used as which is a swiss army knife, but I feel we could do better if we just addressed the problem via FA, trades, or the draft.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

Sunseri should see the field. Either in the role Vaccaro played last year or let Vaccaro play the role where he looked worthy of being a first round pick and have Sunseri take his spot.
Go to a base 3-4 with Jordan, Hicks, and Foster on the line with PH, Humber, Lofton and JR at LB. Let JR rush and stunt ALOT with Sunseri or KV to play the rush or pass behind him.
Press and bump the recievers more. They're getting free releases and it's simple pitch and catch with the QB. And if you're going to play zone , they have to occasionally try and jump a route. I had rather see them get burnt jump a route than just letting them catch it in front of them the whole game.
Please bring in a new kicker. Any kicker. I don't care.
Robinson or PT. Cadet does not need to see the field at RB.
Throw out of the run formations and run out of the pass formations some. Way to predictable.
The little screen to Cooks is being defensed or horribly executed. New routes please.
For goodness sake, if something isn't working on either side of the ball, try something different. Adjust. Adapt.
If you go down, go down swinging.
In next years draft, get some football players. Some mean ones would be nice. Leave the pretty, flashy, stop clock heroes, and weightroom warriors to someone else.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

You already benched an underachiever when you benched Robinson. If that doesn't set an example, what will? You can't bench everybody -- that's madness.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

And then it goes too far. Bench these offense guys in favor of who? I'll give you Hill has been playing well thiss season when given the chance.

Agree with benching some of the ineffective defense, hell it can't be any worse.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

No, you can't just bench everybody since it is a group of folks on defense who are just getting a game check without putting in the effort. PRob was and still is a head case and needed to be replaced ASAP.

Honestly, we get effective NT play, we're all gonna see a better defense. Defense starts in the front...if one defensive lineman continually gets washed-out or can't get off blocks, the rest of the D suffers.

Wow...flashback to 2012 Sedrick Ellis just happened there.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

How do you say "Don't like"?. Bench Drew Brees? You need your dose adjusted.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

Barry, I like it. My Dad used to say the same thing about incumbent politicians, "Vote the bums out".

This team needs a shake up from the bottom up.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

Flashback to 2008-2012 sedrick Ellis, he was complete garbage from day one.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

Great analogy. If there is no threat of losing your starting job or playing time, it is very easy to not work as hard. That's why deep teams of any sport play at a high level for so long...there's always someone looking to take your job and your snaps.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

Yes. And, we already know Mickey Loomis and SP are FA fans. But, I wouldn't want the coaches job right now. It must be a fine balancing act to know what type of "encouragement" to use, and when to use it. And, every eye twitch is second guessed by the world. It's awesome when you are winning though.

Re: Benching Underachievers
 

I approve this message!