The Dude

Everybody complaining about how Payton's play calling has become predictable. It was obvious during the Rams game that Payton still has the ability to put a pretty unpredictable and even edgy offensive plan. That kind of play calling is high risk/high reward. We have been a top offense year in year out. If being predictable puts you in the top 5 every year I will take it . Why go high risk/high reward when you can be predictable and still get high reward. He may be predictable but with Brees most defenses cant stop us. That's the whole point right?
I know it's not as exciting as it once was but the offense is getting the job done none the less.

"Where life had no value, death, sometimes, had its price. That is why the bounty killers appeared."

foreverfan

The problems are simple

#1 Too many new players, youth and injuries on defense.
#2 Very few turnovers on defense.
#3 Costly special teams mistakes eliminating playoff chances.

Can't find too many other problems. Defense and Kicking should only improve.
If Brees plays like usual, the team should only improve...

Draft DL, OL, CB or QB with first pick. Stay tuned for an impressive off-season.

Rugby Saint II

Payton becomes predictable when he doesn't have all his chess pieces. When he has a Reggie type of player, a Pierre Thomas, a Jimmy Graham, a Devery Henderson to stretch the field and an offensive line that can pass and run block then he's brilliant. After he loses a few chess pieces he has less to work with and begins to force the ball and become somewhat predictable. None the less he is a brilliant offensive mind........unfortunately he sucks at evaluating defensive talent.

foreverfan

Maybe even Danny Abramowitz would be a great OC with that lineup.

WillSaints81

Which of course, those lack of chess pieces, holds back Brees when there probably is a quicker solution.

gulfgambler

Apparently what's predictable is our defense. Opponents attack it w/ no regard, especially on 3rd and 10 or more. We don't create turnovers which makes it easy for opponents to look at risk as opportunities.

Danno

It amazes me that our offense finishes best in NFL, and our defense finishes near worst in the NFL and some people still want to point the finger at the offense.

It truly amazes me.

hagan714

Yeah he is bit more standard in his play calling but it is truly amazing ever with SP straining at the bit. Yet he is putting up top 5 offense numbers year in and year out with Drew at the helm.

To your point i have to agree.

A Reggie/Sproles type of player keep SP from using all the plays dancing around his head.

A Reggie/Sproles - Christian McCaffrey of course. He adds to offense without cutting into playing time of other starts. Icing on the cake?

a Pierre Thomas - The saints keep trying to repeat that late UDFA success

Travaris Cadet has come a long way but blocking is a work in progress still
Danny Lasco is injured to often to judge
Marcus Murphy experiment is pretty much over I think

Jack-of-all-trades players. still pondering this one.

Wayne Gallman RB Clemson 6002 215 4.52 #9 rJr
Matthew Dayes RB N.C. State 5085 203 4.47 #21 Sr
Jeremy McNichols RB Boise State 5093 212 4.55 #13 Jr
Corey Clement RB Wisconsin 5102 227 4.53 #24 Sr
Justin Davis RB USC 6005 200 4.53 #22 Sr
Jahad Thomas RB Temple 5095 189 4.47 #5 Sr
Justin Jackson RB Northwestern 5106 190 4.52 #21 Jr
Marlon Mack RB South Florida 5106 205 4.54 #5 JJr
Chris Carson RB Oklahoma State 6005 215 4.52 #32 Sr

Food for thought? Christian McCaffrey proves to be solid as a blitz pick up 3rd down RB. You kill 2 birds with one stone and get a Reggie/Sproles/Thomas player all rolled into one. Blocking is the only thing i question.

a Jimmy Graham - OJ Howard is possibly the closest thing to him i have seen in a while. But can OJ catch as well? We know he is a better blocker. besides we have a big ticket TE to fill in now. Still ponder later in the draft

a Devery Henderson - Cook is too talented for such a basic role. But he is all we have. Yet another 1st on a streaker? grrr so lets try a

2nd - *Isaiah Ford WR Virginia Tech 6012 190 4.49 #1 Jr
others
Taywan Taylor WR Western Kentucky 5115 195 4.39 #2 Sr
Devon Allen WR/KR Oregon 5112 185 4.33 #13 rJr
Jamari Staples WR/KR Louisville 6026 195 4.45 #2 rSr

Taywan Taylor was highly productive and sits a top my watch list for the post season beauty show. Rumor has it he is going to blow peoples minds with his overall athleticism. 11'5 broad jump, a 39.5" vertical and a 4.33 40.? I am waiting to see.

SP has all the basic ingredients to keep pace with any team in the NFL

Add the final ingredients and the rest of the NFL will trying to keep up with the saints once again.

The best thing for a poor defense is an offense that dictates the pace of the game. Making the other offense one dimensional. That is the difference in the past few years.

keeping pace Vs setting the pace

Need to get back to setting the pace.

Pinch here and a sprinkle there and SP can be back in fully stride.

"We may have lost the game, but you'll be hurting tomorrow." Doug Atkins

MatthewT

Think about this, Drew Brees had a 70.00% completion percentage. He achieved these numbers by completing 92 passes to Michael Thomas, 78 to Cooks, and 72 to Sneed. Then there is a big drop off, 50 to Fleener, 46 to Ingram, and 40 to Cadet. Bottom line IMO, if your QB is completing 70% of his passes, and the majority of these passes is being hauled in by WR's, that means there is a nice downfield push and not a lot of predictability in the play calling.

AsylumGuido

I was listening to an interview on NFL Radio a couple of weeks ago. I can't remember who it was, but I believe they played for the Steelers. They were talking about predictability with the offense. He said that in one game their offense ran the exact same play something like eight times in a row and like over 25 times in the game and averaged eight yards per attempt. He said it doesn't matter how predictable an offense is if it can't be stopped.