Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

After seeing the team assembled during OTA's name three things that make you feel optimistic about Saints football in 2016.
Now name three things that make you pessimistic about Saints football in 2016.

Optimistic:
Rankins brings the right work ethic and attitude to the team.
Laurinitis looks like he's healed and ready to lead this defense.
PJ Williams(projected 3rd rounder) head shouldn't be swimming after a red shirt year.

Pessimistic:
John Jenkins has hugely disappointed me after his initial upsurge.
Lelito has never lived up to the love Payton gives him.
Barth/Forbath don't have all the qualities or stats I want in a kicker(the great Dane).

Bold indicates the player who is highest on my list. :bng:

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

Lots of young talent in all the right places. Lots of cheap depth where we needed it.

The thing that concerns me the most is the O-line and the defensive scheme and whether DA can use the the pieces we have the right way.

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

The offense looks to be great again. The uncertainty on the line will work itself out. Armstead, Peat, Unger and Strief are all solid. That leaves one guard out of the rest to be serviceable at worst. That will happen.

The defense has to be better. The veteran LB's will help. The DT rotation is better with some possible, much-needed pressure type guys coming in. The secondary could be lockdown with PJ and Bell finding a role.

Barth will win the kicking job and those worries are gone.

The schedule on paper seems easier.

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

So a 3rd pick that is a nice rotational player is a disappointment and a undrafted guard never lived up to what you expected? And our kicker is not on par with the best of all time? Nonsense! They must all be cut and never be heard from again! Look, our hands are tied by a qb that wants to be the highest paid and horrible FA signings. The players we have is what we can afford.

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

Optimism: We have a much better and deeper roster, better coaches.

Pessimism: several of our most talented players are misfits in a base 4-3. Will we be flexible in our 3-4 packages, or will it result in predictability?

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

Optimistic: RR FIRED, Year 2 of some rookies that looked good. DLine could be better and quicker

Pessimism:Oline could be shaky. Lot of unproven players. That old guy that coaches LB's is still here

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

I am very happy with the pieces we've picked up. The O Line has plenty enough talent to go around now. The D Line and linebackers have been tremendously improved and without injury the secondary will be better than average.

Adding Fleenor and Thomas to the offense gives us 2 more powerful weapons that can only improve our offense.

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

Optimism comes from DA replacing Rob despite what Rob has to say about the matter.

Pessimistic is not in the vocabulary yet

when the season starts everyone has a 0-0 record. so let the show begin

till we are out of the playoff race there is always hope

once out of the race it is pride time on the field

when the season ends look for any positives you can

make the playoffs and/or win the division means i will probably be serving crow sandwiches at my place with a smile on my face..

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

pretty optomistic
O line probably good enough
D coaching a concern - we'll see. If they can become more aggressive up front - sky's the limit

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

I really just have one for each...

Optimism: Delvin Breaux and a healthy Keenan Lewis could be one of the best CB tandems in the league.

Pessimism: Other than left tackle and center our O-Line still doesn't look great. Lelito or Kelemete at LG and Peat at RG? Strief still starting at RT??

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

Optimistic:
We're going 19 & Eaux, Baby!

Pessimistic:
We'll barely miss the playoffs.

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

Optimistic: It suddenly starts raining Shrimp/Oyster Po Boys & Beignets, and we win The Super Bowl!!

Pessimistic: We only Win The Super Bowl.

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

These are my concerns. Legitimate or not they are what concern me the most.

Jenkins was supposed to be a dominant player in the 3rd like Armstead. He's shown flashes and then regressed. That's the hard part. Knowing that he could be better.
Lelito sold the coaching staff a bill of goods and never developed. I'm disappointed in his results not his draft status.
Neither kicker has the stats I want. No, I don't have to have Morton kicking but I'm tired of my blood pressure sky rocketing before every freaking kick!:jkool:

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

Maybe ... just maybe playing alongside players like Fairley, Rankins & Onyemata (one of my camp dark horses) will improve Jenkins overall game.

On paper that D front 7 (NF,Rankins,Kikaha,Jordan & LB crew) this season could be nasty.

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

John Jenkins played just fine last year. Not great, but certainly not bad.

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

Not a concrete observation as such but this year feels different. I get the feeling we are more organised and have more focus. I am quietly optimistic.

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

Give me a Top 20 defense and we're in the playoffs.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

yeah, drop us around 20 and absolutely agree

Re: Reasons To Be Optimistic And/Or Pessimistic
 

Reasons to be optimistic...

Improved talent on the Defense
DLine - Rankins and Farley should have a positive impact.
LBs - Laurinaitis is a tackling machine.
DBacks - PJ Williams and Von Bell add more talent than last season and Brandon Browner is gone (addition by subtraction) we should give up fewer first downs on penalties.

Reasons to be pessimistic.

Color rush uniforms - I just don't think solid gold is gonna look good.