Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve
 

There's a question of just how much a team can take away from the preseason. Sometimes teams hold back to save some of the playbook for the regular season. Starters only play certain series. The point isn't to even win, but to see who should make the 53-man roster.

That's one of the reasons New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton said he throws the stat books they get each week in the preseason "in the garbage". The stats aren't always what they seem, particularly because of all the different personnel groupings that they use.

So what does that mean for the pass rush?

The Saints ability to get to the quarterback as anemic at best in the preseason. They only had two official sacks, all of which came from second and third-team rookies.

"It's up for speculation, but I know and I'm sure what you guys know what we bring to the table as far as the defense and the amount of pressure that we can put on a quarterback," said defensive end Akiem Hicks. "We're not very worried about this past preseason."

Hicks pointed to their 3-1 record in the 2014 preseason as an indication of how things can vary. The Saints had 11 sacks that preseason, then struggled once they got into the regular season.

The pass rush that year was a struggle at times, with only two sacks in the first two games, and 30 overall (down from 37 in 2013)

New Orleans Saints defensive end Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve from preseason | NOLA.com

My biggest worry is against the run.

Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve
 

We had 11 sacks last pre-season, I feel a lot better now.

https://media.giphy.com/media/f2fVSJWddYb6g/giphy.gif

Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve
 

It can't not improve. :)

Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve
 

I didn't not see what you didn't not do there....

Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve
 

Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve
 

It can only go up.

Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve
 

Wait don't forget RR is still here.

Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve
 

Improve? God I hope so. Maybe try to "try" to do your job for a few snaps a game. Right now they'd have more pressure from a empty tube of toothpaste sitting across the LOS.

Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve
 

I'll believe it when I see it.

Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve
 

Contract year for Hicks. He better play hard.