lumm0x

Short field or long field, with our defense it doesn't matter. We can't stop anyone. It's ridiculous how few 3 and outs we generate and our turnovers both for and against are a joke. This defense overachieved last year and we all (including them) thought they were as good as their ranking. The players liked the change up of scheme and personality but become complacent. After a few losses they lost confidence and the effort and ability to play proper technique and fundamentals left with it. They are a bunch of broken men. And the message from coaching has gone stale and on deaf ears.

I truly don't know whether booting Rob Ryan is the answer. He can't get anyone to step up right now but players at this level, age and salary should be responsible for themselves. They shouldn't need someone to force them to know and perform the basics. That to me speaks of issues with the players themselves. The only starting caliber guys I see personally performing a solid effort are Lewis (and he gets more props because he is fighting through injury), Lofton and Jordan. There are other guys but they are depth players and should not be starters. Guys like Gallette, Hicks, Jenkins, Hawthorne, Harylson, Vaccaro are just mailing it in. I would keep Vaccaro, Jenkins and Hicks only because I think their upside can be realized during good times and it's worth risking on them. The rest can be replaced with better, younger and cheaper alternatives.

On the offense I think we all know that our scheme is being disrupted by pressure up the middle. We have always been an offense that is built on the foundation of letting Brees step up in the pocket to a clear throwing lane. Grubbs, Goodwin and Evans are the problem here. We are completely disrupted by the inability to give Brees a step up pocket. It's not like defenses suddenly know to attack this. They have always known and we dictate the play by solid interior line blocking that thwarts the opponent. This is diminishing rapidly. Grubbs and Evans are deteriorating as their pay increases and Goodwin is comical. The three are aging and becoming less effective by the game. We need serious attention to the interior of that line. I think it would immediately open up and return everything else we have. We need to continue to develop WR prospects to overcome the fact that Colston may soon be gone. Stills and Cooks are nice weapons but we must add a new big #1 to the mix. I am fine with Ingram departing. We have an eye for RB talent and will always play the by committee stable of backs.

I think we would be foolish to allow Payton to leave. Fans are quick to forget how hard it is to find a good head coach and offensive mind. I am 100% behind trying to stay the course and recapture what should be our window of opportunity in this league. If we ever lose one or both of our HC-QB combination we will quickly recall what a decade of futility looks like. Stem the panic that is this season and get back to the plan with some smart personnel decisions and character guys.