ssmitty

please feel free to correct me if i'm, or you think, i'm wrong.........

with a simple offense in place, brooks should duplicate his rookie yr.
in fact, he should surpass it..............
we should not only be in the playoffs, but be the divisional champs....
we should at least tie division and go 3-3..........
my thoughts are we sweep at least 1 of em...........
tampa would be my choice...........
the more simple, the more wins.............
now, granted, we did not have in place the defense, nor the offense for that matter when brooks took over, however, i think we have at least the equivalent on offense and defense wise, we may actually surprise.....
what i'm saying, is if, brooks can have that rookie yr, with his experience now, all playoff teams will be afraid...........all of em..........
as i would have been if we had made the playoffs last yr........
i look for very good things to happen this yr, very good things...smitty

SaintFanInATLHELL

I think that there's the mistaken belief that the offense has been simplified. Everything that I've read indicates that the terminology McCarthy used to describe the offense has been shortened. So it's the same concepts, just using less words to relay them.

I've also read that Sheppard wants Brooks for make less reads. Now there's an upside and a downside to that. Typically routes are set up for the 3rd receiver and the TE such that by the time the QB is making that 3rd or 4th read, that those receivers will have made their breaks and be open. So if those reads are not being made, then it means that the QB isn't going to utilize those receivers. Big plays could potentially be missed. Think about Peyton's last TD of the season where Stokley hadn't even made his break when the ball was thrown as an example.

However, cutting down on the reads may get Brooks into a better situation as the play progresses. Pulling down the ball and running used to be one of his strengths. Buy with the delayed reading progression he didn't do it much. Also the dumpoffs to Deuce, Stecker, and Karney can move the chains. Brooks will make that dump earlier in the play now.

I still believe that's more dependant on the defense than the offense. Recent history has shown that the Saints as a team has been successful when the scoring defense has worked. The last time the team was in the playoffs they were a top 10 scoring defense.

I repeat. In 2000 when the Saints went 10-6, won the division, and won their playoff game, the team was 10th in scoring defense with 305 points.

They gave up 100 points more the next year, Brooks 1st full year as a starter.
This seems like another post that puts too much on the QB. Rothlisberger was very very very average last year. Yet the Steelers went 15-1. Why is that?

Defense and running the ball. You don't need a QB to do those.

You harken back to Brooks "rookie" days. First off he wasn't a rookie. Secondly, the team went 3-3 down the stretch. It really wasn't all that.

Brooks doesn't have to do anything spactacular this season. He needs to keep the decent numbers (yards, TDs) decent, improve the efficiency numbers (comp %age, QB rating) and cut down on the mistakes and turnovers.

Brooks needs to win on 3rd down and in the red zone. Ideally a 90+ passer rating in those situations.

But it's not all on him. The success of this team is going to come in the trenches. I think the O-line is going to be monster this year. Deuce will get 1600+ yards. Brooks will have time to get the ball downfield. Riley and his penalties are gone and I pray that no one else on the line has caught 5 yard-itis.

As usual I worry about the center of the defense. Our defensive strength is pass defense. We can get to the QB and se have a superior secondary from the look of things. But if a team can run roughshod over you, then why pass?

Stop the run. Run the ball. Have Brooks cut down on mistakes and be efficient.

That's the formula.

SFIAH

Super Bowl Championships: New Orleans Saints:1, Carolina:0, Atlanta Chokers: STILL ZERO

Only Atlanta choked in an unchokable situation... Life is definitely good.

spkb25

definitely have the formule right. we have to stop the run and we have to be ablke to run the ball. we can not get behind badly early. i thi8nk we have a shot at being pretty good this year. we also have the chance to be the same as before. so we will see but i am getting ready for this season and expecting it tobe a good one.

ssmitty

when we went to the playoffs with brooks, he was doing 2 things. 1,
looking down the field, and if the reciever was open, throwing the ball, and 2, taking off running if he was'nt. i do believe they will simplify the offense if just reducing the amount of plays. while we had to come from behind in a few games, we were never really out of it.....if the offense can keep us close by matching scores, we see somewhat of a repeat of that season. this is why defense DOES have to surprise....and if defense is kept simple as well, we should...........if brooks throws out the thinking part and starts running, i see the chains moving as well as the team down the field. i look for a very loose offense compared to the robots of last season..................smitty

joesaint1017

I have to agree with BOTH sides of the offense/defense debate. While I agree that defense wins championships, I do feel that only a very extraordinary defense can do it alone. Most champions are built on balance. What we need is an offense that can make those grueling 8 minute drives for a score. This will give the defense the ability to rest and to make the necessary adjustments to the opponents game. I do agree that the running game is a major contributor to those 8 minute drives, but without a passing game, opponents will just stack the line and smother the run. I think that simplifying the playbook (which it was simplified...not just the verbage but the plays themselves) will help AB put together more of the drives we need....this will in turn make our defense better...which will in turn allow our offense to relax and run more....extending drives....and in turn make the defense better...yada yada yada....now this is a slipery slope I'd like to materialize.

Just a side note on AB....I don't like him....I think he has some talent (bone-headed plays aside), but I do not feel he has the heart that comes with being a Saint. Being a Saint's fan is about being PASSIONATE. We have endurred more than any other fan base in the history of football. Yet we remain loyal and optimistic. Their is no such thing as a fair weather Saints fan! We've never had that kinda weather down here in Nawlins'!!! Yet we still hold onto our Fierce loyalty, our Passion to win, and our seemingly unending Hope for next year. AB made all of these things feel CHEAP.....with one simple smile....you all know the one.....While it may not be appropriate to condemn a player for his charactor....as a fan it is my perogative to do so. IMO I would gladly trade 10 AB's for one Kyle Turley (put back at RT of course....he couldn't handle the LT spot). It was the best 15 yd penalty I have ever seen!!!!

That being said, I DO think AB has the talent to lead this team deep into the playoffs this year.....guess we'll see.

TheDeuce

Nicely said joesaint, and welcome to the board. I completely agree with you about balance. I don't believe that our defense has to be great this season in order for the Saints to make the playoffs; but I do think they have to be at least in the middle of the pack. I am pretty sure with the revamping of the O-Line and the good health of Deuce that our offense will be vastly improved since last season and they should easily be top 10 in most major statistical categories this season in the NFL. That being said, IMO, it shouldn't be necessary for the defense to try and carry this team; the offense will do that. However, they do have to pick it up from last season's miserable performance.

And about Brooks... I have said this in a couple other threads, but I honestly believe that the biggest part of his game that has hurt us is not his poor decision-making, it's his UNWILLINGNESS TO TAKE OFF AND RUN. If you go and look at the stats since 2002, his rushing yards have been steadily declining each season. If he could start scrambling again like he used to do, then he would really capitalize on his best quality as a quarterback: his athleticism. And he would minimize the stress on a weaker part of his game: being a pocket passer.

ssmitty

totally agree............
once brooks takes off running, you completely break down a defense, and if he comes up positive in yardage and negative in injuries, the defense must come up with something to stop it. now here is the catcher....he must not, i repeat, must not do it all the time. vicks is a good example............ teams know he will do this and try to take him out the game....brooks on the other hand has shown under stress he can wait it out and deliver, but not nearly as much as we'd like him to. keep it simple, on a clear field, run...............on a cloudy one, throw it away..........and not to the opposition............by cutting the # of dumps and checkoffs, it's one , two, three, throw, run, get rid of it.......this is what i look to see................smitty

jnormand

I also read in an article that Sheppard is going to impliment more roll-out, bootleg, and option plays. I guess the idea here is to get AB to start using his versatility. I think when he was forced to be a pocket passer, he was also prone to "forcing the ball", resulting in stalled drives and errors. Hey, I gotta give it to AB, he can run the ball. So why not build the offensive plays around the athletisism of the QB (and Deuce of course.)?

saintz08

This year , where to begin ???

The first year Saint coordinator takes his turn at the offensive helm . Sheppard the one time coordinator who set up an offense for the potentially great Ryan Leaf , seeks to set the world on fire in the Big Easy . The new quarterback coach should help Brooks with the offense and play recognition as he did so well in Carolina with Chris Weinee Winke . Yes , this new offensive coaching staff has all the potential of a natural disaster .

Terminology seems to be the biggest setback on both sides of the ball . Which really makes you wonder , are the players stupid or are the coaches , because despite off season workout programs and training camp , the problem seems to take until midseason to correct and has become a yearly event on the defensive side of the ball .

The defensive coaching staff is lead by the returning Venturi , who certainly stunned Saints fans when he cashed his checks for the job he did last year .

The upside is that this is a contract year for Deuce and he will give it the extra to get the attention around the league before he refuses the Saints offer and bolts to the Dallas Cowboys .

Another up and down season projected for the Saints .....

SaintFanInATLHELL

Look. If Brooks cannot be successful with a fully installed offense after 4 full seasons in the league, then we'd be better off putting AMac in the game.

Simplifying the offense means that defensive prep for the opposition becomes easier. This means that the offense is easier to defense. This means that the offense won't be as productive.

Exactly what makes you think that Brooks has a problem with the complexity of the offense? Is he making the wrong handoff? Or throwing the ball into the stands?

I agree the guy can get better. He can complete more of his passes and make less mistakes that result in turnovers. However, those improvements may not reflect a lack of understanding of the offense. Sometimes failure to execute is just that: failure to execute.
I see a QB on IR. Brooks is out there to be successful with his arm. He doesn't need to be a Vick clone.

Well those robots were in the top half of the league in scoring. So it wasn't too bad.

SFIAH

Super Bowl Championships: New Orleans Saints:1, Carolina:0, Atlanta Chokers: STILL ZERO

Only Atlanta choked in an unchokable situation... Life is definitely good.