USA Today/Saints Wire: Sean Payton doesn't excuse Falcons loss with lopsided officiating
 

Re: USA Today/Saints Wire: Sean Payton doesn't excuse Falcons loss with lopsided officiating
 

Good for him, we lost in the trenches.

The hands to the face calls and the roughing of the punter were all legit.

Re: USA Today/Saints Wire: Sean Payton doesn't excuse Falcons loss with lopsided officiating
 

Re: USA Today/Saints Wire: Sean Payton doesn't excuse Falcons loss with lopsided officiating
 

Of course he can't, but it was clearly a contributing factor. They say injuries (or sickness) is not an excuse, but they sure can be reasons.

Re: USA Today/Saints Wire: Sean Payton doesn't excuse Falcons loss with lopsided officiating
 

The play calling was awful... we ran the ball 10 times all game??? Even when it was close we didn’t run. We continue to depend on a QB to make plays, when it’s been the scheme and play calling that’s made us successful.

No running attack and not adjusting the protection for chips when the pressure was getting to Brees just confused me... Sean is the one to blame here, team came out flat and sloppy and the play calling was bad the entire game. Drew has turned into a a negative for the team as play calling gets predictable with him vs Teddy/any other QB.

Re: USA Today/Saints Wire: Sean Payton doesn't excuse Falcons loss with lopsided officiating
 

Officiating did not determine or contribute to the outcome of the game. We didn't score a TD. At home. Against a 1-7 team.

We deserved this loss.

Re: USA Today/Saints Wire: Sean Payton doesn't excuse Falcons loss with lopsided officiating
 

I feel like Payton is trying to help Brees pad some of his stat since he missed so much of the season. We need to be balanced. Even the Cardinals game we were somewhat balanced. Running the ball 10 times with no big play potential is a recipe for disaster.

Re: USA Today/Saints Wire: Sean Payton doesn't excuse Falcons loss with lopsided officiating
 

I agree. Because we didn't run the ball, the defensive line just pinned their ears back and ran through our o-line.

But holy hell...that offensive line was awful. And the defensive line wasn't much better.

Atlanta had huge long drives. 17 plays, 13 plays. Mean while, we just kept our kicker warmed up.

Re: USA Today/Saints Wire: Sean Payton doesn't excuse Falcons loss with lopsided officiating
 

Agree with the comments, especially about our D line. Our D line was the strength of the team, stuffing the run and pressuring QB's. Yesterday, they did neither. So far this year Matty has been subjected to a beating, yet somehow we could barely lay a hand on him.

Re: USA Today/Saints Wire: Sean Payton doesn't excuse Falcons loss with lopsided officiating
 

Those huge long drives were penalty aided. They were stopped repeatedly by the defense, but given reprieves on automatic first down defensive hands to the face on four occasions. Prior to this year that may have been a call that would be seen once a year at most.