Re: Brees killed us with his INT
 

After 6 games this is what I've noticed this year. In all our losses except to the cowboys we lost those game because we couldn't finish. It's just that simple. Whether the offense didn't cap off a drive with a TD, the defense gave up a late score, The coaches made a bad playcall. We were up in the ending minutes of the Falcons, Browns and Detroit game. And while we all want to blame someone it won't matter until this team figures out how to finish games. Period

Re: Brees killed us with his INT
 

Teams that are able to finish games get there due to the grueling days at camp

All I heard our players say is how much they enjoyed training camp because it was so relaxed, there's you f'ing problem, the players have become lazy.

Re: Brees killed us with his INT
 

I don't necessarily believe that. I believe it's a mental thing. If we were getting crushed in all our losses I would agree with you but we were in winning position 3 out of 4 games. So they were lazy for only the last 3 minutes but not the other 57? They just need to dig deep and the leaders need to step up and make plays at the end of games. Whether do that or not is up to them.

Re: Brees killed us with his INT
 

That's kind of the point I was making, I worded it a little wrong

Mental toughness is gained through tough situations and overcoming them

Our training camp was so relaxed, the players have no mental toughness to come through when it really counts.

Re: Brees killed us with his INT
 

There's 3 sides to the end game, in our control:
Mental toughness
Not making errors
Good play calling.

I am not so sure the last factor is something we can be sure about.

Meanwhile the other is there to stop us performing.

Re: Brees killed us with his INT
 

Lazy camp and coming out of it expecting to win maybe??? Possibly.

I also see the football IQ is down as well than in previous years...

Re: Brees killed us with his INT
 

Remember how last year against the Eagles they changed the Gatorade flavor and changed everything around, switched it up, did everything different, opposite of what they were normally doing? That week they went up there to Philly and they played one of the best, most complete games of the entire 2013 season, in all phases: offense, defense AND special teams. They were running the ball powerfully. Brees threw a wild pick or two, because that's what Drew does, but he was still looking sharp overall and had that laser focus intensity about him. The whole team had that sparkle, like we're used to. And they had guts and toughness.

I think they're in a rut.

It's not Drew or Payton or any ONE specific thing. It's just the whole thing has gotten STALE.

Has anybody seen Drew's pregame chant lately? It's still the same old thing he's always done, it doesn't pump anybody up anymore. It's like they barely pay attention to it. Guys are like yeah whatever let's get this huddle thing over with, where's my helmet.

But think back about that Eagles game -- compared to what we saw at the tail end of yesterday. Night and day difference. And that (the Eagles win) was the ONE game where they did everything different from whatever they normally do, which was what we saw yesterday and Cleveland and Atlanta and St. Louis and everywhere else!

This team is in a rut. They desperately need to change stuff up. I don't think it's any one thing.