Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve

Attached Thumbnails · 09-11-2015, 07:30 AM

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.

foreverfan · 09-11-2015, 09:16 AM

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

Cruize · 09-11-2015, 09:16 AM

It can't not improve.

Seer1 · 09-11-2015, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by Cruize

It can't not improve.

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

SmashMouth · 09-11-2015, 01:05 PM

QBREES9 · 09-11-2015, 01:09 PM

It can only go up.

RailBoss · 09-11-2015, 01:16 PM

Wait don't forget RR is still here.

jnormand · 09-11-2015, 02:17 PM

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.

Rugby Saint II · 09-11-2015, 02:31 PM

I'll believe it when I see it.

halloween 65 · 09-11-2015, 04:22 PM

Contract year for Hicks. He better play hard.

09-11-2015, 07:30 AM	#1
Threaded by hagan714 LB Mentallity Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 15,870 Blog Entries: 68 Rating: (0 votes - average) 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. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Halo; 09-11-2015 at 12:04 PM..
Views: 5001

09-11-2015, 09:16 AM	#2
foreverfan 12,000 BS Posts Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Metairie, LA Posts: 13,457 Blog Entries: 5	Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve We had 11 sacks last pre-season, I feel a lot better now. jlaw8920 likes this.

09-11-2015, 09:16 AM	#3
Cruize 1000 Posts + Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 4,457	Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve It can't not improve.
Cruize 1000 Posts + Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 4,457

09-11-2015, 01:04 PM	#4
Seer1 Site Donor Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Bayou Bayfield CO Posts: 4,722	Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve Originally Posted by Cruize It can't not improve. I didn't not see what you didn't not do there.... saintfan, jnormand, RailBoss and 1 others like this.

09-11-2015, 01:05 PM	#5
SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 38,123 Blog Entries: 29	Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve

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09-11-2015, 01:09 PM	#6
QBREES9 Moderator Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: New Haven Ct Posts: 23,985	Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve It can only go up.

09-11-2015, 01:16 PM	#7
RailBoss 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: South Of The Mason Dixon Line Posts: 7,113	Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve Wait don't forget RR is still here.

09-11-2015, 02:17 PM	#8
jnormand 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Free State of Idaho Posts: 5,660	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. brees84 likes this.

09-11-2015, 02:31 PM	#9
Rugby Saint II Bounty Money $$$ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5800 Airline Dr. Metairie, LA. Posts: 24,052	Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve I'll believe it when I see it. NOLA54 and halloween 65 like this.

09-11-2015, 04:22 PM	#10
halloween 65 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Grand Haven, Michigan by way of a little Mississippi River town in Louisiana Posts: 5,893	Re: Akiem Hicks confident pass rush will improve Contract year for Hicks. He better play hard.

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