SmashMouth

Saints coach Sean Payton goes for it on fourth down far more often than any of his colleagues around the NFL.

In fact, in 2014, Payton went for it on fourth down more than twice as often as an average NFL coach would have, when faced with the same circumstances. FootballOutsiders.com analyzed every fourth-down decision in the NFL in 2014, adjusting for the distance needed for a first down as well as where the team was on the field and the score of the game (filtering out times when a coach goes for it because his team is getting blown out), and found that Payton had an Aggressiveness Index of 2.01.

Many statistical analysts say that NFL coaches should be more aggressive about going for it on fourth down, but Payton says he relies less on statistical analysis than on gut feeling. Payton explained during the 2014 season that when the Saints face a fourth down, he usually just makes his decision based on whether he has a feeling that the Saints’ offense can call a play that will work in that situation.

“Fourth downs maybe is sometimes a feel, and a lot of times it is not having a play,” Payton said. “There are some times where you have got a play you cannot wait to run, so you would be more apt to be aggressive.”

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billyt81

I believe a lot of that stems from the Saints being so bad on defense. Payton was probably thinking he'd rather Drew Brees decide the outcome than rely on the defense to get a stop.

Seer1

Don't forget us being continually plagued by peg-legged kickers...

vpheughan

Whose fault is the "peg-legged" kicker?

jeanpierre

st thomas

its because we can't convert a fourth and inches

hagan714

practice makes perfect?

Rugby Saint II

What no one has mentioned yet is that when Payton goes for it on fourth down it is quite often when we are fourth and goal. If we don't make it the other team has to go 99 yards to get a TD.

If our defense was a little better Payton would have a winning strategy. Instead we have to watch the other team march the length of the field on our pathetic defense.

Not to mention Payton apparently has zero faith in our kicker.

Audiotom

Well Most of the time it is'nt when we are in a critical time of the game unlike Mike Smitty Smith who would call a critical 4 for the win, a terrible play then stop the clock for the other team

We must have had half our loses due to our d not being able to hold a lead with three or less minutes left

darksoul35

Even if we had a great d I love the fact that Payton lets them hang. His aggressiveness is what makes him my favorite coach. < Plus he is the coach of the Saints.