We've been in the "transient phase" far too long. SP's record the last 50 games is 21-29. Saints aren't even competitive & we look like little leaguers on Sundays. I actually thought we would take advantage of Pats short comings who were missing Amendola, Donte' Hightower, Edelman etc. One of our only play makers is the punter .

Not sure if you caught Tony Romo's analysis on how our D was giving out so many different looks in coverage, yet there were repeated mental lapses. It's a bad sign to see KV benched this early & Vonn B has been just as suspect.

We are already close to "wait until next year mode". Outside of Cam, Brees and a few others, I don't see guys playing with any heart.

No, we're seeing better use of the draft with more and more of the draft being turned over to Ireland...

We're seeing much better drafts than we were three, four, five years ago...

Does the team still need organizational change, no doubt; but we've got better talent and better coaching than we had three years ago...

But things are transitioning and while emotions are rightfully running high after two nationally televised embarrassments, things are going to get better...

But things are transitioning and while emotions are rightfully running high after two nationally televised embarrassments, things are going to get better...[/B]

JP,

With all due respect, it's been 3+ years (see record) of sub par play performances, not just the first two nationally televised games. This team has been bad for a while.

Major, keep asking these questions and all here need to ask themselves...

Consider if Sean Payton, three years ago, would have fired Vitt, Johnson, McMahon?

Is the coaching stafff better than it was three ago?

Consider our defensive line, linebackers, cornerbacks, are they better deeper than three years ago?

Is the personnel better than it was three years ago?

Consider our kicking game, specifically our placekicker...

Is that position better than it was three years ago?

Look, many of these changes were looooong overdue, Payton was slow to do them and only having been the only guy to deliver a Lombardi and a 92yo owner gave him that time...

You've responded, liked/disliked my posts as much as anyone and you know how critical I've been of Payton the GM, Loomis the YesMan, and the Front Office needing to restructure...

So things like extended Nick Fairley without a more intense cardio workup with knowledge of him having cardio anomalies...

And the Saints Front Office and Payton acknowledged they screwed up and it's saved a life - Jon Dorenbos...

There's two (2) things that I'd say I'd be critical of at this point that Payton needs to address, and quickly if he's to save this season, and likely his job...

First, he's got to make a decision by the BYE week if D.A. is his man or if it's time to move on; don't think Payton didn't bring in Mike Nolan just to coach LBers - he's the backup plan...

Second, we screwed up shifting every two years between schemes, and I'm not sold on Rankins (Hicks, now with Chicago looks better)...

It may be time to put Rankins in a part-time role (like Fairley) and rotate those D-Lineman, giving them all a chance to eat, and be fresh for for 4 quarters...

We may just have to let Payton and this team regurgitate the remnant poor play and poor decision making to get that groove back...

And though the losses were embarrassing, they weren't against division foes, so lets let the first quarter of the season play out...

Bro you don't get to claim that the new coaches were the fix and then turn around and spin it to be they would have fixed it if they had been signed earlier.

No matter how anyone spins this the man at the top is SP. He gets the blame after this many season and now 50 games of failure.

Spike, spin? No. Fact is I had been arguing, posting that changes had to be made to the coaching staff (for my part, specifically it was Vitt). Payton's fault, clearly stated then and now, was his reluctance to make those changes.

Spike you've been so f*cking negative with your blinded lust that pound of flesh for the disappointment the team has given all of us, you can't separate the progress and growing pains that's been made from the Payton/Loomis' failures to act or their misguided failures from a lack of not looking at themselves...

The real problems with this team started when Payton won a Superbowl and everyone, and I mean everyone, threw out careful organizational checks and balances, threw him on their shoulders and exalted him the king-dictator...

The team and its fanbase is simply paying the price for that hubris and we have to wait while a man now has to share (give up) that authority across the franchise with new, competent people in the organization...

It may be that by season's end that Payton has to go, but don't tell me that the team hasn't been making better moves the past two years...

Spike, spin? No. Fact is I had been arguing, posting that changes had to be made to the coaching staff (for my part, specifically it was Vitt). Payton's fault, clearly stated then and now, was his reluctance to make those changes.

Spike you've been so f*cking negative with your blinded lust that pound of flesh for the disappointment the team has given all of us, you can't separate the progress and growing pains that's been made from the Payton/Loomis' failures to act or their misguided failures from a lack of not looking at themselves...

The real problems with this team started when Payton won a Superbowl and everyone, and I mean everyone, threw out careful organizational checks and balances, threw him on their shoulders and exalted him the king-dictator...

The team and its fanbase is simply paying the price for that hubris and we have to wait while a man now has to share (give up) that authority across the franchise with new, competent people in the organization...

It may be that by season's end that Payton has to go, but don't tell me that the team hasn't been making better moves the past two years...

Find a way to win!

While I don't share the same disdain for SP as Spike. Or the hope that we tank the season so he is fired or even the thought of moving on from Brees. I can certainly sympathize with his negativity and frustration. After 3 straight 7-9 seasons, the Saints open up this season at 0-2. Not close losses. They were flat, disorganized, uninspired and uncompetitive.

I think some people are tired of waiting until next year.

Do I think there has been some improvements? Absolutely. The ones you named were great examples. And I'm sure there's more. But unfortunately, the bad outweighs the good at this point in the season. The defense has given up a ton of yardage and is pace to break it's own record. And the offense has been a bit stagnant and can't seem to score inside the red-zone.

I used to get pissed when all I heard was negativity regarding our team. I don't right now because I think the product on the field warrants the complaints.

I certainly hope that the team turns it around and SP finds a way to get back to winning. Until then, there isn't much to be positive about. The only thing I'm positive about is that I'm positive this team has underwhelmed and underperformed, and people are tired of it.

And yes, I know what the team used to be. I've been a fan for almost 40 years and I've seen a lot of losing. But the expectation is higher now for SP and the Saints.

Find a way to win!