Post by Frosted on Sept 19, 2014 14:12:33 GMT -6
Interesting weekend! I won't touch on any of the weirdness that happened, other than to say, I think we can all agree it sucks to lose, especially when you lose the way we lost Sunday. Hope that doesn't happen again. As we prepare for this week, a few thoughts:
I don't know how well we'll fare this week, against a team that can pile up the points, especially at home, and likely a bit desperate at 0-2. I will say, a win would be HUGE. A loss will hurt, even though I kind of expect it. Hopefully the guys pull together and dig down deep in the wake of this week's weirdness. I am excited to see how our defensive backs hold up against this offense. They will be without Mark Ingram, who has started the season off pretty well, FWIW. We'll see Robinson and Thomas more, I would expect, or Payton will just let Brees spin it all day, more likely.
Here are the opposing fan forums for this week:
Black & Gold
blackandgold.com/saints/
Saint's Report
saintsreport.com/forums/f2/
Who Dat Fan Zone
whodatzone.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=1
Football's Future
www.footballsfuture.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=26
What they're saying:
Go Vikes!
- I thought our defense played somewhat well on Sunday, given the circumstances - they were put in some bad spots by the offense. They held the Pats to only 142 passing yards. That's actually quite good. They did give up 150 rushing yards, but 4.1 yards/carry isn't awful. We also held the Pats to 5-14 on 3rd down - it was nice to see, considering that was one of the things that frustrated most of us a season ago. That said, they will need to get a lot more pressure on Brees than they did on Brady. Additionally, we'll need to create some turnovers if we want to slow the Saints down.
- The offense stunk. Badly. The offensive line stunk, Cassel stunk - the playcalling smelled too. Hopefully something changes this week. Whether that is improved play from Matt or Ted getting into the game, I don't know. All I know is the offense stunk.
- Harrison Smith is still the real deal.
- Anthony Barr was all over the field again - the biggest surprise for me so far has been how well he has played in coverage. Knock on wood. If any week will test him, it'll be this week, in the Superdome, against the Saints.
I don't know how well we'll fare this week, against a team that can pile up the points, especially at home, and likely a bit desperate at 0-2. I will say, a win would be HUGE. A loss will hurt, even though I kind of expect it. Hopefully the guys pull together and dig down deep in the wake of this week's weirdness. I am excited to see how our defensive backs hold up against this offense. They will be without Mark Ingram, who has started the season off pretty well, FWIW. We'll see Robinson and Thomas more, I would expect, or Payton will just let Brees spin it all day, more likely.
Here are the opposing fan forums for this week:
Black & Gold
blackandgold.com/saints/
Saint's Report
saintsreport.com/forums/f2/
Who Dat Fan Zone
whodatzone.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=1
Football's Future
www.footballsfuture.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=26
What they're saying:
Anything less than a stomping of the Vikings at home will still have me pissed off. God I hope we see something, ANYTHING that could be viewed as an improvement. I hope Payton doesn't use Ingram being out as an excuse to abandon the run game. He is so hard headed, if everyone else in the world knows we would be better off running in certain situations why doesn't he seem to get it? The way we have been running the ball one could make an argument that we would be better off as a hard hitting run first offense with short passes to big receivers and shots at Cooks when the run opens up the pass. Don't get me started on the defense. All I will say is we better win the turnover battle. Not to mention actual tackling.
If we give them more than 20 points, i'll be pretty mad. Especially without AP. If we don't win in every facet of the game it will be disappointing. This game is as big of a freeby as it gets for the rest of the year. Should be a good confidence booster if this team is what we thought it was.
I hate the Vikings. 62-0, that is my prediction.
A.P. is out indefinitely and Minnesota doesn't have a huge arsenal of fast players that can change the game. A.P.'s replacement, Matt Asiata, is a large strong runner. Not quick by any means, think what Steven Jackson will look like in 3 years quick. Greg Jennings has 1-100 yard game with the Vikings since signing with them in 2013. Kyle Rudolph is the poor man's Jason Witten without the smarts. The fastest and most dangerous player on this team is Corderrelle Patterson. 6'3" 220 lb. 4.4 speed. We isolate Patterson's big plays and keep him in front of us then we coast just like the Patriots did. The Vikings will definitely run the fly sweep with him, throw him screens, and put him over the top.
Asiata reminds me of Tolbert in Carolina. I'd say Jennings would be a bigger problem because of an over emphasis on stopping Patterson from the getting the big play. I'm not confident in our ILB's against Rudolph if the Vikes test them.
Vikings are gonna get blown out. Our offense will move the ball at will and the crowd noise will resurrect our pass rush. 41-10 book it.
Stop the jet sweep and WR screen and he will be a non factor. Truth is, he is very average as an actual WR.
He wont be a problem on deep balls because Cassel, the most pressured QB in the league wont have time to take shots deep with our pass rush at home.
My innovative computer software is showing every indication of a blow out on Sunday.
I'm not worried about this team at home.
He wont be a problem on deep balls because Cassel, the most pressured QB in the league wont have time to take shots deep with our pass rush at home.
My innovative computer software is showing every indication of a blow out on Sunday.
I'm not worried about this team at home.
The Vikings defense is very good. The score from the Patriots game is not at all indicative of the way they played thanks to poor special teams (including a blocked kick TD) and 4 interceptions. The Patriots average starting field position was around the 50 yard line.
As long as you shut down Cordarralle Patterson and put any pressure at all on Cassel the offense isn't going to do anything. Cassel seems to crumble once things start getting tough, so the deck is already stacked against him playing in New Orleans. He doesn't handle pressure well, so I can see another 4 INT performance if the Saints start hitting him early.
TLDR; take the Saints to cover the spread.
As long as you shut down Cordarralle Patterson and put any pressure at all on Cassel the offense isn't going to do anything. Cassel seems to crumble once things start getting tough, so the deck is already stacked against him playing in New Orleans. He doesn't handle pressure well, so I can see another 4 INT performance if the Saints start hitting him early.
TLDR; take the Saints to cover the spread.
I'm not worried about Ingram. Khiry has looked just as good, our run game won't miss a beat. My concern is does Sean Payton abandon the run after the Ingram injury?
Go Vikes!
... and neither is this Chris guy.