Saints' coaching moves could be just the start of changes on Airline Drive
 

Something had to be done. The status quo was no longer going to cut it on Airline Drive.

You can sell stability when you win. You can't sell the "same old, same old" when you go 7-9 four times in five years.

In some respects, Black Thursday at New Orleans Saints headquarters shouldn't have come as a surprise.

You knew someone in the Saints organization was going to pay the price for three consecutive 7-9 seasons. The question wasn't if heads would roll but which ones would be chopped.

A simple exercise in deductive reasoning could have led us to the answers. Through the process of elimination we could have predicted the firings of Bill Johnson, Stan Kwan, Greg McMahon, Joe Vitt and James Willis.

http://image.nola.com/home/nola-medi...906-mmmain.jpg

It wasn't going to be Tom and Gayle Benson. You can't fire the owners, as San Francisco 49ers owners Jed York so smugly noted on Wednesday.

Sean Payton wasn't an option. You can't fire the head coach, who just signed a lucrative five-year contract extension a year ago.

And Mickey Loomis wasn't a consideration. Loomis and president Dennis Lauscha are the most secure employees at Saints headquarters.

That leaves players, scouts and assistant coaches. The players will know their fates in the weeks ahead. We know a few of them will not be back, even some with multiple years remaining on their contracts.

Ditto the scouts, who are typically under contract through the NFL Draft in late April. Payton has already hinted that changes potentially loom in the personnel department.

The only heads left to roll in the wake of the disappointing season were those of the coaching staff.

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Re: Saints' coaching moves could be just the start of changes on Airline Drive
 

Let's face it. The Saints won Super Bowl XLIV because of their defense. Yes, Brees and the offense were great. Brees was the SBMVP. But Brees has been putting up as good or better numbers since the '09 season and we have been consistently going down hill.

The difference has been on defense. In '09 the Saints had a top 10 defense that collected 39 turnovers (2nd ranked) with 13 fumble recoveries ( 5th ranked) and 26 interceptions (3rd ranked). Only Green Bay was better with 40 turnovers. Contrast that with '16 --- 31 turnovers with 9 picks (27th) and 12 fumble recoveries (5th)...and '16 was an improvement over prior years when we set records in futility...literally.

So, D has been consistently bad with a revolving door on the field and at D-coordinator. The only stability on D has been at key assistant coaching positions. It's just sad that B&G has been screaming this for years.

Re: Saints' coaching moves could be just the start of changes on Airline Drive
 

I agree. Fix the defense and ST, and as long as Brees plays at the same level, we're inmediate SB contenders for the next 2-3 yrs.

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Re: Saints' coaching moves could be just the start of changes on Airline Drive
 

These guys weren't scapegoats. These make bed were made as a direct result of their performance. The decision to fire them wasn't a PR move. It was a move that needed to happen

Re: Saints' coaching moves could be just the start of changes on Airline Drive
 

Bring training camp back to Airline Drive as well!

In 2009 the Saints total defense rank was 25th; 26th against the pass & 12th against the run.

2009 NFL Team Defense Statistics | The Football Database

Re: Saints' coaching moves could be just the start of changes on Airline Drive
 

I am with you on this. I dont care what anyone says. Practicing in the 60-70 deg temps compared to the mid 90's is a big difference. The move to the country club and our recent records are not a coincidence.

Re: Saints' coaching moves could be just the start of changes on Airline Drive
 

The contract at Greenbriar finished last season. As far as I know they won't be holding training camp there this season.

Re: Saints' coaching moves could be just the start of changes on Airline Drive
 

http://image.nola.com/home/nola-medi...906-mmmain.jpg

Lookit all those guys standin' there tryin' not to laugh.

Re: Saints' coaching moves could be just the start of changes on Airline Drive
 

Want to fix the defense?

Stop changing your mind and what defense your running.

Williams actually ran no real style of defense. 43 works but he was the mad hatter of DC.

Spags was a child banging square pegs into round holes. Ridged 43 purest after Williams was a mistake,

Then Rob comes in and goes 34 and while he is a wiz in lala land dreaming up things he was inept as a coach in real life.

Now enter Dennis and back to a basic 43 mad hatter approach to defense. Yes he has the IR excuse and the players inherited to fall back on this year. His first draft is a grade of an I. His FA signings were dead on so he gets a an A there, Talk about milking a penny for as much as can get. heck of a job.

Now stop switching all around and build on system based on players brought in to fit that system.

Just go back and look at players brought in and exited stage left with the hiring of a new coach. There are the playoffs games thrown out the window. What a pool of talent dumped all for a new HC and their system This is directly reflected in special teams play.

Make matter worse we are right back with Greg "The Madd Hatters" Williams #1 apprentice at the helm.

One huge circle bring us right back to where we began with this story. grrrr.

Re: Saints' coaching moves could be just the start of changes on Airline Drive
 

In short... pick a system, draft players that fit that system.

It really is that easy.