Quote:
Originally Posted by rubecube
I really can't get a good read on the Saints this year. I think they're a good team, but not a great team. That secondary has been lit up a few times, and they still have trouble closing out games on the road. They've been great at home, but the teams they've played there aren't great. Chicago and Houston are decent teams but I thought they were lucky to get by a Houston team that also struggles on the road, and they caught Chicago with their pants down. The game against the Giants is going to be their first true test.
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Agreed about them not being elite right now due to the Jekyl & Hyde-ness, and I don't think anyone in that locker room would disagree. They're just a completely different team at home. Don't even get me started on the D, I could write a book about how much Gregg Williams angers me right now. "Hey how about sending the house at the QB for the 100th time! ...oh wait, a 6 yard quick slant just went for 65 yards and a TD. Guess I should've seen that coming, seeing as it happens every game."
The key to lighting up the Saints on D is quick short plays and screens, because they're so ridiculously over-aggressive. That and the underneath middle zone has been wide open all year (this week's example, Harry Douglas 133yds all on checkdowns), if Payton doesn't address our huge whole at OLB this off-season I will snap. Also, the secondary hasn't been recovering the ball like they did in '09, unfortunately FS Malcolm Jenkins hasn't made the big jump to star player this season like many predicted he would. He's only in his 2nd year at the position though (ever, converted from CB) so it will take some time. Jabari Greer is so underrated though, I can't figure out why teams try to pick on him every game instead of Porter. It never works.
Over-all though, I still think they can make some noise come playoff time and have to be considered a threat, this same roster did it just 2 years ago. They are 7-3, currently hold the 3rd seed in the NFC, and never seem to be out of a game, no matter who they're playing. Maybe it wasn't pretty, but at the end of the day, out of Green Bay, Houston, Chicago and Atlanta, they're 3-1, with the only loss coming to the champs which went right down to the very end. And like you said, this week against the Giants will be a big test. At home, I like our chances.
PS- This was longer than I was intending. That's what happens when I get talking about our D. Belive it or not I cut this down.