Observations After Texans Game
 

Here ya go... Three preseason games in the books. Unload here.

This was the first preseason game I was actually able to watch so I'll start:

- Kikaha is the real deal. Fantastic pressure.

- Stephone Anthony looks like a rookie. It's going to take some time for him to maximize his potential.

- Brandon Coleman doesn't look like he deserves to be anything more than our #4 WR.

- Snead on the other hand is fantastic and should be our #3 WR.

- Finally, I fear that we wasted a lot of money on Spiller because Murphy is awesome.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

This was the only game I was able to see. Three games into the preseason and I am doubting we will be better than last year. I hate to see Drew playout the remainder of his career without making the playoffs. We will be lucky to win 1 of our first 5 games. I hope I am so wrong!

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

So we're going to lose to a confused bucs, a hurt Carolina, and a cowboys team without Murray? Our offense looks great and our starters were not all playing on defense. I am only concerned about Atlanta because of their defense, because Carolina and TB are not overcoming that OOD schedule.

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Carolina is always hard to beat no matter what. Atlantas line is going to get Ryan killed. Even our weak pass rush will get to him.

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The Saints should beat the Bucs easily. Carolina will be a fight because it always is. The Cowboys may have lost Murray, but their defense looks better and the o-line can open holes for most backs. Atlanta will be a challenge as well. The Saints can beat all those teams, but the defense until it proves it on the field still worries me.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

Im taking one game at a time. Offense looks to be on track. Brees looks alot better than last year. OL looks better. I think spiller will be the best scat back we ever had. I wanted to draft him. We have alot of talent options on offense.
Defense looks better, but again they can Not get teams off the field, and thats the teams Achilles heel. Teams beat us by keeping the offense off the field,interceptions, and penalties at the wrong times. Penalites are really really concerning, 11 is ridiculous. #1 offense 2014 and 7-9. :p

On a side note the Cardinals OL looks horrible, running game is not good, and palmer doesnt look up to speed. Barely has 3 seconds to throw vs raiders. I dont think they will get it together in time for our 1st game.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

The good ...

Murphy - really good vision and burst, will be a game breaker.
Snead - soft hands, ran good routes today and can block.
Kikaha - he is starting to build momentum with his technique & rush.
Our offense will be good again as long as Brees has time in the pocket.
Swann - his confidence is building every game. I have him as #4 corner on the depth chart.


The bad ...

Lack of a consistent pass rush.
Getting off the field on 3rd down is still a problem.

I'm still waiting for Breaux to showcase his talents in actual games and not just practice & shorts. Side note on the cornerback play ... Kyle Wilson could be in the first wave of cuts. A couple of holding calls & gave up a TD today. Not good.


Brandon Coleman - I know he is still developing but he needs to use his size to his advantage.
Jenkins - he is too big to be so soft.
McCown - he was bad and his time is about up.

Lastly I'm not worried about Stephone Anthony ... young, inexperienced yet extremely talented. He'll get a lot better as the season progresses.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

Level of effort is the main thing I see this PS as opposed to last. 16 plays to get to pay dirt, I can live with that with backups and more than 2 players making tackles. Totally different attitude out there.

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I wonder what kind of meltdown is going on over at that other big board.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

W.


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Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

And just as I thought there is a thread by a guy asking about Byrds progress. Followed by 5 pages of people making smart ass comments, belittling him for being a moron and several jokes from family guy ad nausium. Not one legitimate answer. Im so glad I got banned when Reggie Bush got drafted and I said he would never be an every down type of back.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

I didn't get to see the early part of the game and only saw a little of the last half of the 3rd quarter and a little bit of the 4th, but what I did see was another outing with a lackluster effort. A few splash plays here and there but nothing consistent or sustained. I don't have a very good feeling about the season but that's why they play the games so we'll see.

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Defense is not instilling any confidence whatsoever. Our #1 corner got bullied today and our D line is getting no push. Maybe it was just rust for Lewis but I am starting to temper my expectations.

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I think all of our draft picks this year make the team.

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It could be worse; we could have an O-Line as bad as the Cardinals...

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

lol yeah they are really bad, might make our LB's look like the Dome Patrol. Its the worst OL I have seen in preseason. I dont see Palmer surviving the season.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

Pick No. 13
OT Andrus Peat, Stanford
Make team/ probably be inactive most of the time unless develop for ST

Pick No. 31
LB Stephone Anthony, Clemson
Will be starter but he need to develop quickly. Really need a lb coach for his development


Pick No. 44
LB Hau'oli Kikaha
Starter/ nicely developing

Pick No. 75
QB Garrett Grayson
Developer that will be inactive for the season

Pick No. 78 (from Miami)
DB P.J. Williams, Florida
Pup list or IR

Pick No. 148
LB Davis Tull, Tennessee-Chattanooga
ST starter

Pick No. 154 (from Kansas City)
DT Tyeler Davison, Fresno
Back up / ST


Pick No. 167
CB Damian Swann
4th corner

Pick No. 230
RB Marcus Murphy, Missouri
ST/ will be used like Sproles

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

Right. And maybe...juuuuuust maybe, if our defense can go against a weaker team and actually get to the QB once or twice they'll learn to like it and work harder for it.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

Observation: Keep Brees healthy, time for McCown to journey somewhere else. Griffin and Grayson are better choices in the back-up role.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

Um, after last season I am not going to be cocky and say we are beating anyone easy... The simple fact is we did not use yesterday as a means to gauge our first team. Most of the first team, both sides, did not play much.

I have no doubt Lewis will be fine. This was his first action in a while, and truthfully he was only beat on one play. The end zone play was a garbage call. He was in great position, looked back at the ball, ad the wideout climbed all over his back. If anything it was not a penalty on either player.

Breaux did not look too great. Let's hope he is knocking off the cob webs. I think Swann will eventually start for us...that dude is the best first year cornerback we've had in a long time. Can only hope he continues to grow.

SJB- still needs to grow, but I can see him doing well as the season goes on and especially next season. He is getting there. He is better, at this point, than Corey White ever was for us.


DLINE scares me. Again, have to hope we are showing nothing and come first game we get a different lok and attitude. Wait and see, but right now I don't think we are world beaters... but looking at the preseason Seattle doesn't look good, neither does the pack, either do the Pats...basically it is meaningless

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

We made Brian Hoyer look like Otto Graham.
Ryan Whoever smoked us too!

Imagine how much our Defense is going to suck vs. actual Starting NFL QB's.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

I tuned in after kick-off assuming "the third preseason game is the closest to a regular season game" and thought the same thing, SP must have some more evaluating to do. Kind of wanted to see Brees' mechanics, McCown was already in, so I watched sparingly, #shrug.

Willie Snead stood out, as did Kikaha (that guy's gonna' be problems for opposing teams), don't recall reading too much about Hightower on this board & he seemed to be getting a fair amount of work, and McCown seemed to be looking for Coleman a lot.

McCown doesn't look comfortable out there, JMO. Grayson does. Must of dozed off when Griffin was in there.

Sometimes the push was there for the d-line, sometimes not, but the main thing I thought about the defense was they looked a little more cohesive than last season. O-line looked good, IMO ... young, a few missed assignments/adjustments, but promising. I liked Kelemete's effort/presence, him & Peat are gonna' be good O/L.

It'll be enough to beat the Lions in the Dome, in December, #sigh.

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Bobby said w/ a straight face we'll be doing a "great accomplishment" to win 10 games.

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I hope we can put up 30 every game this year...

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If the penalties don't stop we will lose 3 games we could have won.

Poor coaching/personnel choices.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

Spot on - couldnt agree more on your assessments. Brandon Coleman especially is a big disappointment. I was hoping he'd become our next Colston. The guy's big, but that's about it. Unreliaboe hands, and he moves his body slowly (i.e. turns slowly. Jumps slowly etc).

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Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

I think a lot of people tend to read too much into these pre-season games. They are pretty meaningless for the most part, basically a way for the rookies etc to learn the ropes and show what they can do to the coaches.

I'm based in the UK so I can only watch the game on the NFL game pass set up but I have to say it does surprise me to see how many people actually go to the pre-season games!! Still a good day out for the family I guess!

You are not going to see hardly any starters play as the coaches are worried about injuries and one of the comments on NFL.com was "The only thing you needed to take to this particular Saints game was a pillow" :-) Sort of sums it up really!

I think we will be ok once the regular season starts as long as we keep penalties to a minimum and stay injury free and play with good intensity.

Drew deserves another crack at the playoffs and I hope we can get there this season as he, IMO probably only has a few seasons left in the NFL.

Things that need to be fixed are PENALTIES! . . . . POOR TACKLING, AGAIN! . . . . . PASS RUSH!!!
Those are obviously defence related.

Offence wise its hard to comment as not a lot of the starters are on the field for long.
I'm not that impressed with McCown.
Hightower looked better and Murphy and Snead looked excellent! Watch this space!! :-)

GEAUX SAINTS!!!!!

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

Marcus Murphy looks like he could be awesome for us.

I know not to read too much into preseason but he's almost making the CJ Spiller signing look like a waste of money, obviously that depends on how CJ looks when healthy.

Still Murphy looks dangerous anytime he touches the ball and impressed me by running North and South when given carries at RB.

Glad SP is so high on him.

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Soooo many penalties it gave me a headache. The Raiders/Cardinals game was full of them too so maybe the refs were just calling the third preseason game very tight but still....not going to get very far with too much of that happening.

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I'm interested in what you are using to make your assessment. This wasn't close to a standard "dress rehearsal" 3rd preseason game. The first team offense played one series in which they marched the ball straight down the field in a 6 minute drive. The defense doesn't have anywhere close to the starting secondary playing. While the two plays that Hopkins made over Lewis may be some cause for concern, at least at the beginning of the season there's no worries that folks like SJB and Swann will be starting in the defensive backfield.

By the end of the week, half of the players that played in the game will be on the street.

I don't think there will be a true assessment of where the Saints are until the end of the first quarter of the season.

SFIAH

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

Even Sean Payton said this was an evaluation game. Not the typical 3rd preseason game approach.

But that hasn't stopped some from the typical "sky is falling" approach.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

After the first half of the first quarter, essentially, these games are meaningless. Brees looks good, o-line looks good, running game looks good. Defense looks better, but if we just have a mid-league defense we'll be very competitive.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

- McNown is a veteran and has a big arm, but he's just not good. I want to go with Griffin and Grayson. Payton won't.
- Grayson is a work in progress. Lacking touch and accuracy.
- Ingram is ready.
- Murphy makes the team easy. Specialist with RB skills.
- Hightower contributed on special teams. Deserves to make it. Numbers game.
- The Saints don't have 5 WR's worthy of making the team. Colston, Cooks and Snead are clearly the top 3 with Coleman making it on potential and Morgan for his speed. If someone gets cut the Saints really like, Morgan is gone.
- The OLine is solid. Kelemete and Peat provide good depth.
- The TE's are hit and miss.

- Kikaha is solid with potential.
- Anthony hasn't show much yet. Has the skills though.
- Lack of pass rush is still concerning. It will have to be created rather than naturally happening on ability.
- Lewis, Browner, Breaux, SJB and Swann are solid.
- The safety position is not impressive. The loss of Sunseri hurts. Byrd showing anything would be huge.
- I wish the Saints could keep both kickers in case one stumbles. Both deserve to be kicking in the NFL.

I know it's just preseason, but this years team strongly resembles last years less than stellar group. It lacks play makers and fire. That could change when the season starts. It's possible. I just have my doubts. The offense will have to control the clock and win games. The defense will have to not lose games. The talent is there. The coaches have to get it out and the players will have to take responsibility. WHO DAT!

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

Never take the opportunity to LOSE, decisively, a nationally-televised game whether it is pre-season or not.

Not good for morale or the Saints Organization.

I had hoped we would show up to win at all cost.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

No kicker love? Hocker squared up on those balls really well.

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Here in Houston, local news did a poll. Something like 90% of Texas fans put no real meaning in the game. Seriously, most of these guys will not be on the field anyway. I understand the winning but they have all won at some point. We had a Saints team that went undefeated in PS only to get crushed it the RG. What I like to see are players we drafted or those on the bubble making their mark. That is a great sign and I think we have that this PS. This draft is looking better than average.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

We looked extremely sloppy and unmotivated on defense. On offense we didn't open the big holes I was hoping for.

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

I think I need to channel my inner Allen Iverson:

http://www.azquotes.com/picture-quot...-110-82-96.jpg

How exactly how we as fans supposed to feel if Brees plays deep into the 3rd quarter "to win at all costs" and gets his clock cleaned?

We're talking about practice.

Or if Byrd or Browner, who are a little nicked up, play "to win at all costs" and end up with a severe leg injury?

We're talking about practice.

Should we really trot out Khiry Robinson, who has not practiced, or Ingram, or Spiller, to expose them to harm in a practice game "to win at all costs"?

The preseason serves a few purposes:

1. Give some prep work in a real game scenario, for veterans to get prepped for the season.

2. Evaluate talent. Murphy isn't going to be starting running back. He's going to be on the team as the 4th back and ST returner. Let him, and Grayson, and Peat get some work at game speed even though they'll have minimal contributions relative to the starters once the games actually count in the standings.

3. The most important thing: DO NOT GET HURT!. There have already been over 25 season ending knee injuries in the league this preseason. That's a number that we as Saints do not want any part of.

Win at all costs? As far as I know, no one was seriously injured. So for a preseason game, win, lose, or tie, that's a definite win.

C'mon man! We're talking about practice.

SFIAH

Re: Observations After Texans Game
 

We need to practice gettin a pass rush