Rell&Gold

The offense started badly dropped passes missed blocking assignments, no separation, no trust. Holding the ball too long.

gosaints1

Started badly? It ended just as badly also. 3rd down conversions plays for the Saints (chronological order):

1) 3rd & 5 Incomplete Short left
2) 3rd & 5 Int Short right
3) 3rd & 4 Incomplete Deep right
4) 3rd & 7 Sacked
5) 3rd & 10 COMPLETE Deep right
6) 3rd & 13 Incomplete Short right
7) 3rd & 2 Incomplete Short left
8) 3rd & 8 Incomplete Short middle
9) 3rd & 6 Incomplete Deep right and Intentional grounding penalty
10) 3rd & 5 Incomplete Short Right
11) 3rd & 2 Incomplete Deep right (Drive was continued by a successful 4th & 2 pass Deep middle immediately the play after, I felt it was important to note that.)

1 of 11, a sack, an int, intentional grounding, and one (1) successful conversion the entire game is not just “starting badly”. It’s much worse than that. What’s most unnerving to me is the only reason we were still in that game is bc of DB#9 taking deep shots. YaY! He CAN actually throw deeper than short right and left, so naturally his completion rate is down (below 50%) and it concerns him enough to say the following after the game:

“I took too many deep shots, I need to check down more”. Oi vey, Mr Brees, you’re completion percentage is COMPLETELY irrelevant, unimportant. Pass the heck out of the ball if the defense allows it. And my guess is every defense that faces him will “beg” him to beat them deep. A 44% completion rate with a Win in the column is ALWAYS better than an 78% completion rate and a Loss.

Oof. That comment was a gut shot to my confidence in the Saints as an offensive unit.

Sustaining drives is critical to controlling games. It was an abysmal failure offensively, in that respect. 6 of the 11 3rd down plays were short routes, five incompletes and one interception. KC took away the short routes! You can’t check it down when your high percentage is completely covered but you’ve got a chance over the top with a running free Sanders. Take the shot.

Drew Brees made some surprisingly good throws and then he says he needs to check it down more. This team is best when DB#9 is the most dangerous weapon on the field, and not a game manager. Much to my chagrin, he’s more commonly associated with the latter.

Again..., Ooof.

Bottom line, stats don’t win games..., playmakers do. Be a playmaker once again Mr. Brees. That guy I would fall on my sword for. Check Down Brees though? Not so much.