Opportunity lost for now, Saints still have Super potential "The thing that I will take from it, we'll probably all be a little regretful about what could have been," said Morstead. "Because we had everything we needed here to go all the way."
How much should Drew Brees make? - NFC South Blog - ESPN Bottom line: Brees should get more than Vick and something similar to what Brady and Manning got. The structure is open to creativity. But I think it’s safe to say Brees can expect to average somewhere around $18 million per season and the Saints can count on his yearly cap figure starting off somewhere around $15 million.
Officials stay in the background - ESPN Q: I have a question about the New Orleans Saints' defense. I'm a little confused why everyone is calling it "bad" -- specifically the pass D, because they are decent against the run. The Saints have played 6 games against top 10 passing teams, and 4 against top 5 passing teams. Of those 6, they won 4 by 14-plus -- and three of those games were three-possession blowouts. The only passing team they fell to was the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 after no offseason camp. I wouldn't say that the Saints have a great defense, and obviously they aren't capitalizing on turnovers, but I haven't seen anyone touch on these facts. I don't think you can call the Saints defense great, and sure it feeds off the offense, but I think they are better than at least 16 other defenses.
49ers' ugly fan element Euphoria was the takeaway of the day for the vast majority of fans who saw the 49ers ' thrilling double-comeback playoff victory over the New Orleans Saints. They came, they tailgated, they cheered wildly and witnessed...
Superdome Super Bowl raises stakes in Brees’ contract talks | ProFootballTalk With a contract that will expire in just a few weeks and with no progress made during the 2011 season toward a new one and with a record-setting season in his pocket and with a late-game performance against the 49ers that should have been enough to deliver the first road playoff win in franchise his...
Apparel shops take bitter pill after losses by Saints, LSU - New Orleans Saints Football NFL News - NOLA.com On any given afternoon inside the Black & Gold/Purple & Gold Sports Shop in Covington, fans looking for Saints or LSU gear usually can watch ESPN or the NFL Network while shopping to find out the latest sports news and catch a highlight or two. Three days after the Saints' heartbreaking defeat at San Francisco and eight days after...
Everyone's predictions about the Saints @ 49ers Divisional playoff made this past Friday have finally been tallied, analyzed and formatted accordingly. They can be found in their entirety following the jump.
There will be no need for a vote this week. We had only one member get all three predictions correct, so I am automatically crowning him our winner. That would be none other than metryman. So congrats to metryman for being the only one to not suck this week. Most of you can thank the Saints running game for screwing up your predictions.
Look over the results and enjoy! Thanks to everyone for playing this season. We will have one more for Super Bowl XLVI in a few weeks.
CSC Member
Predictions
Analysis
metryman
1.Brees over 300 passing yds. 2.A Saint WR has a TD catch of 30 + yds. 3.Saints D gets at least 1 TO, and at least 3 sacks.
Yes
Yes
Yes
David "Satch" Kelly
1. 49ers will score first and have more points at halftime 2. Jimmy Graham will score 2+ TDs 3. Frank Gore rushes for less than 100 yards but scores a TD
Yes
Yes
No
sammasaaron
1) Saints have more rushing yards than Niners 2) Saints have even or negative TO differential but also intercept Alex Smith at least once 3) Niners convert no more than 1/3 of their 3rd downs
No
No
Yes
singlebow
Niners won’t score Saints run for 150+ yards Saints pass for 350+ yards
No
No
Yes
Jimbo03
1. Justin Smith forces/causes a safety. 2. Alex Smith is responsible for at least 3 turnovers. 3. Aldon Smith is responsible for at least 1 turnover (forces a fumble, gets an INT, etc.)
No
No
No
Grumps
1) Brees throws for two TD’s over 300 yards and is picked once or fumbles once. 2) Sproles has a rushing TD and averages over 5.5 yards per touch (catch or rush). 3) Saints secondary forces two turnovers.
No
No
No
cajuncommando58
Saints will gasp, much to the 9’ers disbelieve, win the turnover battle.
Drew will not throw a INT and will throw for at least 350 yards and 4 TDs
The Saints running game will shred the 49’ers D for at least 150 yards.
No
No
No
hakimdropstheball
1. Saints D finish with more sacks than the Niners D. (BOLD!)
2. Drew Brees finishes with LESS THAN 280 passing yards. (BOuLDER!)
3. Saints finish with more rushing yards than the Niners. (BOLDEST!)
Yes
No
No
BlackandGold4ever
1. Brees throws for 350+ yards and 3+ TDs 2. Saints run for 125+ yards 3. Saints get 3+ sacks and at least one turnover
Yes
No
Yes
Nabb1
1. Jimmy Graham is not shut down by Willis, scores at least 1 TD/sick dunk. 2. Brees throws for over 300 yards, no INTs 3. Sproles has over 100 all-purpose yards
Yes
No
Yes
jeff.l.b
1. Brees throws at least 1 pick and the team commits at least 2 turnovers. 2. SF does not turn the ball over. 3. Alex Smith finishes with a higher completion percentage than Drew Brees.
Yes
No
No
shipgoalie05
1. Jimmy Graham gets 100+ yards 2. Frank Gore held under 80 yards 3. Saints score one rushing td
Yes
No
No
VASaint
1. Pierre Thomas leads the Saints in rushing and has a rushing td! 2. Jabari Greer will have another INT 3. Vernon Davis will have more yards, but not more tds than Graham
No
No
Yes
Dan39465
1. Saints win turnover battle. 2. Brees throws for less than 300 3. Saints out rush Niners
No
No
No
Jrok3110
Brees throws over 300yards 2TD Saints break 100 rushing yards Defense holds Frank Gore to 0 TD and less than 100 yards
No
No
Yes
canu2u
1. By 5 minutes into the 4th qtr, 9er fans will be leaving the stadium faster than the Falcan’ts left the Ga. Dome in last years play off game.
2. Jimmy Graham will have 90 + receiving yards.
3. Sproles will return a punt or kick off to the house
No
Yes
No
BASAINT
1. Brees throws 3 or less TD’s 2. Saints rush for over 100 yds 3. Saints win turnover battle
No
No
No
cajuncreation
1. Saints trail at halftime. 2. Saints D holds SF running game to no more than 90 yards. 3. Saints running backs account for at least two TD’s.
Yes
No
No
bondcrash
1) Niners dont score a TD 2) Niners try a special team trick and fail (no 1st down or no possession as a result) 3) Saints out run the Niners
No
No
No
Realsaint
1. The saints will have at least 3 sacks. 2.Saints have at least one rushing Td. 3.Bress throws for over 400 yards.
Yes
No
Yes
iiAndyiiii
1) Sproles scores at least twice 2) no INTs for Brees 3) Graham has > 100 yds receiving
No
No
Yes
mississippisaintsfan
1.Saints have 2 rushing TD’s 2.Saints defense has 3 sacks 3.Graham has 8 catches
No
No
No
coldpizza
1. At least twice as many passing attempts than rushing attempts for the Saints. 2. At least two converted FGs for David Akers. 3. At least two sacks and/or a defensive score (safeties included) for Aldon Smith.
Yes
Yes
No
FriarBob
1) Drew has as many or more sacks+INTs as TDs, throws at least one pick 6 primarily because a receiver slips on the crappy surface. 2) At least one significant injury on BOTH teams from a player who came into the game healthy (i.e. did not spend any time on the injury report in the last three weeks). At least one of these injuries can be directly attributed to the crappy surface or the winds in some fashion (player slips while trying to cut and gets hit at a bad angle, player loses a fair catch to a gust of wind and gets injured in the dogpile going for the muff, something along those lines). 3) Saints drop at least as many INTs as San Fran catches, and win the statistical battle ONLY in total rushing yards given up (not even TOP).
No
No
No
nolanative
1. Drew does not turn the ball over. 2. Saints D has at least 3 sacks. 3. Sproles has over 125 all-purpose yards despite SF’s defense being focused on containing him.
No
Yes
No
CoachOfEarl
Saints rush for more yards than SF Niners attempt at least 4 FGs and miss at least 1 Saints get at least twice as many TDs as 49ers do
No
No
No
Philinwood
1) Saints and 49ers commit the same # of turnovers 2) Sproles has the largest combined number of yards from scrimmage (not counting returns) 3) Saints running games breaks 120 yds
No
No
No
whodatone
1. Brees passes for at least 350 yards. 2. The Saints never turn the ball over. 3. Sproles has a 90 plus yards TD.
Yes
No
No
Saint for life
1. Saints Defense holds niners to less than 300 yards of offense 2. Saints Defense record 2 or more sacks 3. Saints Defense forces 1 or more turnovers
No
Yes
Yes
saintsbrasil
1.The game will go to OT 2.Sproles has more catches than rushing attempts 3.Brees throws for more than 350 yds and 2+tds
No
Yes
Yes
Jimmy Star 00
1) Brees throws for 300+ yards, 2 TDs and 0 INTs (unless there’s a batted INT.) 2) Sproles has 200+ All- Purpose yards, with a big day on Special Teams. 3) 49ers have more FGs than TDs.
No
No
No
'09
1. Saints have more than 30:00 in Time of possession. 2. Saints get 2 turnovers and two sacks. 3. Drew Brees has 40 pass attempts as PT and DS dice and slap chop the 49ers defensewith a "running" game that consists of many short receptions
Yes
No
No
MissButterfly
1. Saints rush for over 100 yards – Pierre Thomas rushes for a TD 2. Brees throws 3 TDs – one each to Graham, Colston, and Sproles 3. Saints defense gets 4 turnovers
No
No
No
BRSaintsFan
1. Drew passes for over 425 yds. 2. The Saints defense gets an interception (shocking, I know!) 3. Pierre and Graham combine for over 200 total yds of offense
Yes
No
No
AJG
1. No Smiths sack Brees 2. Brees throws 400+ yards 3. 49ers win the turnover battle
No
Yes
Yes
Andrew Juge
1. Alex Smith throws for over 250 yards but at least one pick 2. Frank Gore held under 100 yards rushing 3. Devery Henderson has a touchdown reception of over 30 yards
No
Yes
No
Mavratron
1. No 49er’s recievers over 100 yards 2. 2 or more Saints recievers over 100 yards 3. Saints D gets 2 or more turnovers
No
Yes
No
WhoDatUpInYa
1) Graham is Saints leading receiver 2) Drew Brees continues streak of games with a TD 3) 49ers D has more sacks than Saints D
No
Yes
No
TAYDIGGA
1. Brees is rattled and beaten up a lot throws at least 2 picks 2. Niners have at least 3 sacks 3. Darren Sproles is contained to less than 80 yards (running and receiving only—excluding special teams yards)
Yes
Yes
No
Stilljreming
1) Colston leads all Saints receivers with 100+ yards
2) Drew throws 1+ INT, less than 300 yards, 2 passing TDs
3) Saints D has 1+ turnover
Yes
No
Yes
GobBluth
The Trio (Tusk, PT, and Sproles) combine for more than 200 yds rushing Brees has 2 TDs, but less than 300 yds passing Saints hold Alex Smith to less than 200 yards passing
No
No
No
saints fan in cowboyland!
1. Ivory scores first rushing td vs 9er D 2. P rob takes 1 to the house prime like 3. Devery scores a td of longer than 30 yds
no
No
No
Whodat28
1st) Brees will throw for at least 300 yards 2nd) saints will have more rushing yards than the 49ers 3rd) 49ers will not score a touchdown all field goals.
Yes
No
No
LI Saint
Gore fumbles twice Meechum=2 TDs Henderson=1 TD
No
No
No
Jee
1) Chris Ivory scores a rushing TD 2) Frank Gore scores the only TD 3) Brees passes under 350 yards
No
No
No
jc1111
1. Saints will sack 49ers quarterback twice. 2. 49ers will score first with a field goal 3. Brees passes over 300 yards.
No
No
Yes
BenDerDonDat
Niners kick at least two field goals
Saints throw for at least 300 yards
Pierre Thomas has over 100 total yards.
Yes
Yes
No
SaintsFanMD
1. Brees runs for a first down 2. Total of at least 6 sacks in the game. 3. Colston leads all receivers in yardage (Saints & 49ers.)
No
Yes
No
tmac641
1) Saints come from behind in second half to win 2) Saints score two fourth quarter TDs 3) Graham has 8+ catches
No
Yes
No
SaintBevo
Saints trail in 4th quarter
Colston over 100 yards receiving
Saints rush for at least 120 yards
Yes
Yes
No
Jurrjens' Surgeons
1. Martez Wilson continues his frantic speed rush and gets Alex Smith 2 times. 2. Darren Sproles has more total yards than Alex Smith has passing yards. 3. Saints hold Frank Gore under 60 yards rushing.
No
No
No
daisy117
1. Saints 3rd down conversion % is at least 2 times higher than the Niners 3rd down conversion %. 2. Sproles has over 100 yards from scrimmage. 3. PT and Tusk have more rushing yardage than Gore and Hunter.
No
Yes
No
Bayou Boyz
1. Saints throw for 300+ yards and run for 100+ 2. Saints score on a trick play 3. Sproles has 200+ all purpose yards
No
No
No
Doc Boudin
1) Saints get one defensive or special teams TD. 2) Brees throws for at least 3 TDs, and throws 2 picks or fewer. 3) Gore does not score a TD.
No
Yes
Yes
carolinian4thesaints
1. Saints have 350+ passing yards, 0 interceptions. 2. Saints defense holds 49ers to under 350 total yards. 3. Pierre Thomas rushes for over 100 yards.
No
No
No
LA_No1_SaintFan
1) SAINTS rush for more yards than 49ers 2) Payton goes for it on at least one 4th down 3) Alex Smith commits at least two turnovers
No
No
No
Northfan
1) BREEEEESSSSS!!!!! Throws for 300+ yards 2) Saints hold Niners to 270 yards on offense 3) Niners score touchdowns on 40% or fewer of their red zone trips
Yes
No
No
manraj7
1.Niners win TO differential 2. Aldon Smith sacks Brees at least once 3. Saints D does not sack Alex Smith once.
Yes
Yes
No
Cajun in CA
1. Saints D or special teams gets a score (not a field goal) 2. Higgins catches a pass 3. Vernon Davis scores for San Fran
No
Yes
Yes
Dan Kelly
1. Saints running backs have more total yards (rushing + receiving) than the Niners running backs do. 2. Two different Saints running backs score a rushing touchdown. 3. Saints win or tie the turnover battle.
No
No
No
tommy v
1. Pierre, Ivory, Sproles, Colston, Graham, Devery and Meachem all have at least 1 TD. 2. Gore has 90 yards or less rushing and is stopped at the line and or stopped behind the line at least 5 times. 3. Saints defense gets at least 4 turnovers
No
No
No
flannlv
Saints Defense at least 3 sacks Saints do not commit a turnover Saints win TOP
Yes
No
Yes
HansDat
1) David Akers ties playoff record with 5 made FGs. 2) Alex Smith scores lone SF TD on QB sneak. 3) Andy Lee punts at least 6 times.
No
No
Yes
JellyPhantom
1. 49ers win on a field goal with under a minute left 2. Brees has 300+ yards, but also throws 2 picks 3. 49ers gain over 400 yards on offense
No
Yes
Yes
DrZin
1. Saints D gets 2+ takeaways 2. Brees 3+ TDs 3. Saints rush for 120+
No
Yes
No
maybetoday
1. our defense gives up fewer ypc than theirs 2. we go for it on 4th and ?. we convert both 3. we win the take a way battle
No
No
No
Saintsfan75
1. Saints trail in the 4th only to have Breesus take the last drive to the house FTW. 2. Drew is thrown off his game and gives up at least one int 3. Saints red zone D limits the effect of Brees being thrown off his game and the 49ers only score 1 TD.
No
Yes
What?
HRP-SAINT
1. 49ers win TOP battle. 2. Saints go for it on at least 1 fourth down. 3. Saints are held to less than 80 yards rushing.
No
No
Yes
jray2000
Brees: 300+ yds and 3+tds Akers: miss a FG sproles: 100+ combined yds
Yes
No
Yes
PanheadCatahoula
1/Colsten, Graham, Sproles, Thomas, Ivory score
2/Smith intercepted once, fumbles once
3/Only one Morestead kick is returned all game.
No
No
No
drums7890
1/ Brees concussion 2/ Alex Smith 4td’s over 9000 yards 3/ Willis 14 tackles, 3 forced fumbles
No
No
No
Corb
1) Pierre, Sproles, and Ivory score TDs 2) Saints defense forces 2 or more turnovers 3) Saints win by 7+, despite a late meaningless TD by the Niners
No
No
No
Anthony_JK
Saints rushing team gets over 100 yards. Darren Sproles breaks a long punt return in the second half to break a close game open. Alex Smith cracks under the pressure in 4th qtr, throws a Pick-6 to Greer/Porter/PRob.
Pierre Thomas, Lance Moore, Marques Colston and Chris Ivory. What do they all have in common? They each entered the league as late round draft picks or undrafted free agents but beat the odds to become an integral part of the best offense in the league. They are perfect examples of the scrap-heap Saints team that Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton have brilliantly built together.
But again, those guys all play offense. How many players do the Saints have like that on defense? Jonathan Casillas and Jo-Lonn Dunbar were both signed as undrafted rookies, but do they really contribute to the defense as much as Colston, Thomas, Moore and Ivory do to this offense? I'd argue no. Players like Jabari Greer (undrafted) and Scott Shanle (7th round) are both crucial, but the Saints weren't responsible for discovering them first.
So if I wanted to make a broad, sweeping statement right now I might say the Saints just straight up kick butt at finding and developing long term offensive talent and depth yet suck balls when it comes to doing the same on defense. Until the team gets better at recognizing defensive aptitude, bringing in higher caliber talent on that side of the ball and creating more competition in training camp, they will forever be middling.
Enter: a new Saints defensive coordinator. I think most of us would agree this team needs a fresh perspective and a new scheme when it comes to this defense. You'll get that with a new coordinator and hopefully he'll also be able to maximize the talent already on the team. Which is great and all, but that can only go so far and last so long.
What this defense really needs is a master architect. A coordinator who can match Sean's and Mickey's offensive roster building prowess; who has a great eye for talent and always seems to find that diamond in the rough or make that sleeper draft pick. Just as there seems to be a never ending stream of quality wide receivers in training camp every year, I want the same to be true with linebackers. The ideal defensive coordinator will be able to build depth at every position, providing long term stability, instead of simply putting a patch on the problem areas.
Does Steve Spagnuolo meet these requirements? Does anyone? I have no idea. But whomever the Saints decide to hire for the job, he'd damn well better. Otherwise this big change won't be much of a change at all.
What a season, what a playoffs, what a game, what a final four minutes.
And now it's over. The last four minutes, the game, the Saints playoffs, and the Saints season.
It also means my Hot Reads season is over, once this story is completed.
Make the jump for my final Hot Reads analysis of the Saints 36-32 loss to the 49ers...
(Holy Crap! That sure was somber, wasn't it? It'll lighten up after the jump, I promise. I mean, we all know the news won't be good, but it'll at least be delivered with a bit more of my trademark levity and verve.)
What I'd Like To See: Protection schemes that are executed well and work against this powerful defense, giving up a couple of sacks at most. Brees will need to help this out by getting rid of the ball quickly, moving effectively in the pocket, and making smart decisions under pressure, as he won't have as much time as he usually does to survey the field.
Hoo, boy! Brees sure faced quite a bit of pressure for most of the game. Sometimes he handled it well, and other times not, on his way to a 462 yard, 4 TD day, which doesn't seem too bad, but that day also included throwing 2 INTs and absorbing 3 sacks and 11 hits. But, hey! At least he didn't fumble...
Hot Read: Failed
-
Checkdown # 1 - Ball Security
What I'd Like To See: A bowel-unclinching turnover-free game is what I'd most like to see, and if that can't happen, at least keeping the ratio to -1 or better will be required FTW.
Five turnovers, and Ivory even fumbled once and recovered it himself (but it didn't make the stat sheet). What kind of shape do you think my bowels were in during this game? We all saw the damage caused by those takeaways, and the one fumble recovery by the Saints only helped so much, so let's just move along...
Hot Read: Failed
-
Checkdown # 2 - Run With Abandon And Don't Abandon The Run
What I'd Like To See: Just enough attempts and yards to keep the 49er defense honest and from being able to key on the pass too much - 25 carries for 100 yards would be a good start (although I'd take less carries if they were gaining 5+ yards per attempt), just as long as they eclipse that century mark on the ground.
They totally abandoned the run and didn't even come close to running with abandon...14 carries for 37 yards. When the going got tough in the ground game, the Saints quit on it.
Hot Read: Failed
-
Safety Valve - Holster One Of These Weapons
What I'd Like To See: Keep Gore under 75 yards and out of the end zone, OR deny Davis a score and don't let him get more than 50 receiving yards.
As it turns out, these lethal weapons were pretty much pointed right at the Saints and inflicting maximum damage for the entire game.
Frank Gore carried the ball 13 times for 89 yards and added 7 catches for 38 (but he didn't get into the end zone, so take that, Gore!!!).
Vernon Davis...who's he? Did he even suit up? He suited up to the tune of 180 receiving yards and 2 TDs, as you probably already well know.
The Saints blew it on both counts here for a rather humongously FAILED Hot Read.
-
Bonus Hot Read - Take The Long Way Home
What I'd Like To See: Kickoffs for touchbacks or short returns only, and deep, booming punts that are mostly unreturnable, as the 49ers average starting field position is their 25-yard line. It would also help to not have any giveaways that gift them with a short field.
It was bad early (the first four 49er drives started on the: SF 2-yard line, SF 46, NO 4, NO 13), and got better as the game went on, but the average starting yard line of their 16 drives ended up being the SF 36-yard line - d'oh!! Three of the five takeaways gave them extremely short fields (NO 4, NO 13, NO 26) - double d'oh!!!
Hot Read: Failed
* * *
That makes it a clean sweep of Hot Reads Futility for the Saints this week. Nothing like ending on a positive note, right? It's no wonder the game ended as one of the most heart-rending losses in team history. Just goes to show you, don't eff with the Hot Reads.
Let's go ahead and take some time here in the comment section to agree with or refute the wisdom of the Hot Reads, because you won't see them again for a looong time. Although I was thinking about dropping in with some special editions during the offseason (maybe a Free Agency Hot Reads in February or March and/or a 2012 Draft Hot Reads in April? Let me know if you think those would be worth reading...).
Center Goodwin 'block of granite' on S.F. line The scariest moment of the 49ers ' playoff win Saturday had nothing to do with Saints quarterback Drew Brees or his two long touchdown passes late in the fourth quarter. It came much earlier in the game, when center...
NFL Videos: Things I Hated with Michael Lombardi What did Michael Lombardi hate about last weekend's divisional games? Find out what he had to say about the poor defense played by two of the best teams during the regular season.
NFL Videos: Saints devastated by loss What's the mood in New Orleans after Saturday's loss to the 49ers? New Orleans Times-Picayune writer Mike Triplett discusses how the Saints will respond after having their nine-game win streak snapped by the 49ers.
NFL Videos: Coaches Show: 49ers sink the Saints How was Alex Smith able to help the 49ers beat the Saints? Brian Billick and Dennis Green discuss why the Saints couldn't overcome the tough San Francisco defense.
Asked if the Saints ever offered Williams a contract, Payton responded: "We’re really putting the cart ahead of the horse. We never really got to that spot."
My one big regret that will stay with me for a long time from this game will be Gregg Williams' decision to leave man coverage when trying to seal the game while sending the house blitzing with under two minutes left and 85 yards to go. Given the Saints' complete inability to stop Vernon Davis all game long, that decision was shocking. And of course, that decision also had dire consequences.
What's incredible is how well the defense played all game until four minutes left in the 4th quarter when they had an epic meltdown to completely piss the game away. What's so hard to stomach about those last two 49er drives that went for 80 and 85 yards respectively is they only had a measly 242 yards of total offense leading up to that point. That means the 49ers gained 41.5% of their total offense in the game in the final 4 minutes of the 4th quarter. Sickening. What was a heroic performance for three-and-a-half quarters is thus completely ruined by a complete failure at the end.
For the last time this season, here are your very final player grades. The GPA's represent the player's performance in the playoffs only (2 games)
Will Smith: C- (2.00) He had 1 tackle and 1 qb knock down. He really faded down the stretch this season and had a very quiet game in this one. He has a huge contract and the Saints are so bad at end I doubt they will let him go, but you never know. After starting off fast returning from suspension he just didn't play that well down the stretch. In this game he struggled to do much of anything.
Cameron Jordan: B+ (2.50) It would be nice if this guy could rush the passer, but what we saw in this game was a fantastic job holding his block, and a superior ability in run support. His ability to shut down the run game on his side was impressive. Yes the 49ers rushed for 143 yards, but if you take away the 42 yarder by Frank Gore at the end of the game and Alex Smith's 28 yard touchdown run, they ran for 73 yards through more than 3.5 quarters. Jordan also did a good job getting his hands up to clog up passing lanes and he was able to tip at least one ball. He finished with a 6 tackle game. He was able to knock Smith on his behind once, as well. Solid game.
Junior Galette: C- (1.84) The pass rushing "specialist" spent a good amount of time on his rear end due to the physical nature of the 49ers' offensive line. He played less as the Saints remained totally committed to stopping the run, but he brought no value whatsoever when he was in.
Jeff Charleston: C (1.50) He had 2 tackles. He kind of sucks. That's pretty much all I have to say about him. I hope the depth at DE is better next year.
Sedrick Ellis: B- (2.00) He had just 2 tackles but I thought he did a decent job of getting pressure on Smith and he was helpful in run support. For a small statistical output he was really quite active. Still, this season has been by far his most disappointing. On a couple of occasions he got to the sack JUST after the blitzer.
Aubrayo Franklin: B (2.84) He had no stats but he controlled the interior line of scrimmage. His ability to plug the middle gave Jonathan Goodwin fits and it was instrumental in limiting the 49ers' run game. I'd be in favor of bringing him back at a similar price, I think.
Shaun Rodgers: B- (2.50) He had a tackle and a QB knockdown. Like Ellis is was quite active despite his low stat total, and like Franklin he was solid plugging up the middle. I can't complain at all about the interior's performance in this game. They put their teammates in a position to make plays most of the day.
Tom Johnson: C (2.00) He had 1 tackle and did fine. The 9ers were able to break one big run on a play he was in the game but it's hard to point the finger at him.
Scott Shanle: C (2.17) Probably the most frustrating play was the final Vernon Davis touchdown where he ran to cover the flat instead of undercutting the route to Davis. I realize you need to man up on the back but Smith was clearly going to Davis there. I guess I'm asking Shanle to ignore his assignment there, but sometimes that's what you've got to do when you have superior awareness like Darren Sharper (I miss him). He had 4 tackles and was mediocre in coverage mostly on Frank Gore. He'll be under contract again next season. I wonder if he manages to start yet another year under what will likely be a new defensive coordinator.
Jonathan Vilma: B- (2.50) He had four tackles, including one for a loss, and he recovered a fumble just before halftime. He laid one of the best hits of the game on Ted Ginn, too. Overall it was nice to see Vilma play a decent game. It will be interesting to see if he comes back next year. He looked like an old man this season due to injury and a bad knee, and he's scheduled to make ~$5 million next year. If this is his last game as a Saint he was a good one, and J-Vilma in his prime will be very tough to replace.
Jo-Lonn Dunbar: B- (2.17) True to form he was physical against the run but I noticed a loss of poise at times out there. He got caught off guard with how frequently the 49ers would throw or play action on 1st down. He did finish with 4 tackles, though, including one for a loss. He was solid in run support.
Jonathan Casillas: C (2.00) He had one tackle on a nice hit, but he wasn't a factor blitzing.
Martez Wilson: B+ (2.17) He had 3 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The Saints blitzed him frequently and he did a good job getting to Alex Smith. His speed for a linebacker is great and hopefully the seasoning he got this year will make him ready to start next season with a year under his belt and a full offseason in the program to improve.
Jabari Greer: C+ (3.00) Often matched up against Tim Crabtree, he did an ok job limited the damage. He was beaten once on a slant route by Crabtree for a touchdown, fairly badly, but he also broke up a big third down pass with good physical coverage. He had one tackle and wasn't tested very often by Smith.
Tracy Porter: B+ (2.00) The 49ers saw how bad he was against the Lions and so they attacked him quite a bit. What they got was solid coverage a good tackling from Porter. Night and day how he played. This could be his last game in a Saints uniform. If so, a decent way to go out. He had 4 tackles.
Patrick Robinson: C+ (2.17) He had 4 tackles and he was ok in coverage, but at times he left way too much cushion. A good season overall by P-Rob and he's a sure fire starter opposite Greer for next season. The only big regret he'll have from this game was an interception chance that ricocheted right into his hands that he wasn't able to hold onto in the 4th quarter. If he makes that pick the Saints probably win.
Malcolm Jenkins: D- (0.67) The only reason I don't fail him is I feel like at times he did a great job recognizing the underneath throw and tackling soundly. He led the team with 8 tackles and he also had a sack. So it wasn't all bad. Make no mistake though, the Saints trusted him to cover Vernon Davis man to man most of the game - including in the closing stages when the outcome was yet to be determined, and the end result was a loss and a 7 catch 180 yard 2 touchdown performance by Davis. Particularly bad was Jenkins diving to tackle Davis and taking out Roman Harper in the process to allow the first TD. The playoffs were a complete disaster for Jenkins, who will be labeled the goat of the postseason. I'm just not convinced this guy is any good. Major, major regressions in his second season with the Saints. I hope he rebounds, but the Saints may want to look for a better long term option at free safety if Jenkins can't cut it.
Roman Harper: B+ (2.83) Lots of chatter that Harper would be better utilized as a linebacker. We'll see, I'm not convinced. He'd have to add 20lbs at least, still be able to run as fast, be able to withstand more beating from linemen and stay healthy... there's a lot of variables there, that's not an easy move. This game was a microcosm of Harper's strengths and weaknesses. The times he covered Davis, he looked awful, and the times he blitzed he looked like a hall of famer. He had 8 tackles, a defended pass and 1.5 sacks. He was by far the most active player in the box and he was constantly wreaking havoc. His only liability was in coverage. On Davis' final touchdown you can't blame him for injuring himself trying to jar the ball loose with a devastating hit that Davis absorbed. He gave it his all. He also forced a fumble.
Isa Abdul-Quddus: C+ (2.00) He did a good job hitting Gore behind the line on a screen pass. He had 2 tackles. He's definitely not the long term answer at safety depth.
John Kasay: A (3.67) He nailed a huge 48 yarder to keep the Saints in the game. I was shocked he made that, but Kasay has been solid all year. He probably won't suit up for the Saints again and I'd like to be the first to thank him for what was a very solid campaign. The Saints are so fortunate he stepped in as a kicker off the street and didn't miss a beat.
Thomas Morstead: B+ (3.33) He did a mostly great job on kickoffs. On punts, he did take some risks and outkicked his coverage at times. He averaged 45.4 yards per punt on 5 punts with 39.6 net average. Still pretty solid, just not as good as he's been lately.
Courtney Roby: D- (0.67) When Pierre Thomas got injured, the Saints pulled Darren Sproles from kick return duty to not risk injury. At the time I thought it was a solid move since Roby is an accomplished returner. In hindsight, Roby hadn't returned all year and to put him in that position in those stakes with no reps was a bad move. He dropped a kickoff, picked it up, and them fumbled it as he was tackled. Shameful. That play killed the Saints. He averaged 7.7 yards on 3 returns. HORRIBLE. He also had a tackle.
Korey Hall: B (3.00) He had 3 tackles on special teams. Not bad! Although one of them was on Darren Sproles' fumbled punt return. Ugh. And clearly his blocking on returns was not good.
Ralph, Dave, and Kevin give the heartbreak by the bay one last look. Dave tells of bringing down the ban hammer and about a Canal Street Chronicles reader who asked to be banned. It will bring a smile to your face.
The guys also discuss if this was the worst loss in Saints history. Spoiler Alert: it was! They also try to figure out if a switch to the 3-4 defense is in the cards, what Marques Colston's value will be in free agency, if Atlanta will pay Carl Nicks billions and why the Saints seem to find offensive talent in the draft and off the street but are in year six of the search for a decent linebacker.
And the boys put a bow on the 2011 season.
Listen right now below, get the feed right here and/or download it on iTunes right here.
Reviewing this game one last time is truly painful but I feel it is my duty to close out by grading every game, true to form.
I will say the Saints, to me, lost this game on coaching. I think, offensively, the run to pass ratio was absurd. The Saints looked like the Lions a week ago offensively. I realize the 49ers are outstanding in run defense but the Saints never really even tried to attack them. Even down 17-0, the Saints got back in the game and the entire second half was close. 63 passes to 14 rushes is inexcusable in any football game, ever. We'll talk more about the defensive side of the ball when I grade that unit, but leaving Malcolm Jenkins on an island in single coverage against Vernon Davis was also insane.
In the end, I blame the coaches for this more than the players. Both Payton and Williams, the masterminds, had very bad days at the office. That doesn't mean the players won't get bad grades - some of them will - but I'd like to underline that they weren't put in a position to succeed. Particularly the safeties in pass defense and the offensive line.
Below are the player grades for the final time this season. Remember, the GPA's are for the playoffs only (so two games combined).
Drew Brees: B (3.33) He was 40 of 63 (!!!) for 462 yards, 4 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and one carry for 5 yards. He was hit 11 times (!!!) which by far more than he's suffered all season. Sean Payton really set him up to take a beating with the play calling. He was also sacked 3 times. You have to give Brees credit, for throwing 63 times he did the best he could. Still, he was way too risky on a number of throws. The first pick in particular was a bad mistake and it could have been even more costly if the defense didn't get a huge stop at the time. Still, I feel like Brees played well overall. It would have been tough for him to do much better but I would have liked to see him protect the football better.
Pierre Thomas: D (2.67) He had one catch for 5 yards and a carry for 6 yards. Unfortunately, on that reception he fumbled the ball on the 49ers' one yard line and he never saw the game again. I firmly believe if he scores there, the Saints win the game. Brutal grade for a guy who barely played and got hurt badly with a concussion, but that fumble was a gamechanger.
Darren Sproles: B- (3.17) He was atrocious on kick returns. On almost every return he was pinned well inside the 20. He also had a back breaking fumble deep in Saints territory on a punt return. For his special teams work, he deserves an F. On offense, he was huge in the passing game. He was Brees' safety valve and the one option he could always count on. He caught an NFL record 15 passes in the playoffs and those went for 119 yards, including a huge touchdown late. He also had 3 carries for 3 yards. A great as Sproles is the one weakness that we all know by now is he is completely incapable of breaking a tackle. Still, he's been a great addition and a consistently solid performer all season. I'd love to see him relieved of return duties by a better special teamer next year.
Chris Ivory: C- (2.17) He had 9 carries for 23 yards. He never really had a true shot to get going, but what I haven't liked about him is when the line collapses, he doesn't settle for the no gainer and sometimes tries to bounce it outside and loses 3-4 yards instead. In this game it was maximized when that happened because the Saints struggled on 3rd and long. A fairly poor job running the ball.
Jed Collins: C (3.00) He got no push when he was in and did a disappointing job blocking. He didn't really get enough reps to be fully criticized, though. He did contribute a reception for 8 yards and a first down.
Marques Colston: A- (3.50) He had a monstrous 9 catch for 136 yard performance with 1 touchdown performance. On a day where so many Saint players were screwing up, Colston stepped up huge. Still, he had one drop that cost the team 4 points. Right before John Kasay's lone field goal, he dropped a pass in the end zone that he should have had. Anticipating the hit, he gave a little bit of the ol' alligator arms. Too bad. Another play that could have made the difference. On his touchdown he did a fantastic job of keeping his feet in and in general he hurt the 49ers downfield all day long. If this is his last game as a Saint he went out with a bang. I really hope it's not.
Devery Henderson: B- (3.00) He still catches with his body instead of his hands, which isn't ideal, but he contributed with a fairly solid performance. He had 4 catches for 49 yards, most of which helped the Saints get big first downs. He's become a decent possession receiver, but he doesn't get open enough.
Robert Meachem: D (2.33) He finished with 3 catches for 18 yards in what was a pathetic contribution considering the Saints passed 63 times. Despite Lance Moore's absence he didn't make much of increased opportunity. Once again, he gingerly went out of bounds at least twice early to avoid getting hit. I'm sorry, but I have to wonder if this guy is fit for the NFL. He's clearly terrified of contact so I just don't see how he can be playing this sport. His contract is up and it's time to part ways.
Adrian Arrington: D+ (1.67) Surprisingly he got some opportunities and he just didn't take advantage. He had one catch for 14 yards despite being targeted 6 times. He was out-muscled underneath, ran poor routes, didn't secure the ball well and wasn't trusted by Brees. His lone catch was a big third and long conversion, so give him that, but otherwise I think the honyemoon phase needs to end with Arrington. I like the idea of Colston, Henderson and Moore sticking around, but otherwise I think it's time to get a fresh set of receivers on the roster.
Jimmy Graham: A- (3.50) Like Colston, there was a scary drop where he almost flipped the ball to Patrick Willis. He had another tough drop early down the sideline. When the play broke down and times and Brees went out of the pocket I also noticed Graham would give up on his route and not try to give Brees a new target. He's definitely a little lazy at times. Besides that his chips blocking were actually pretty good and he helped the anemic offensive line. He finished with 5 catches for 103 yards and 2 touchdowns. Both touchdowns were amazing, but none was bigger than the final touchdown which would have gone down as one of the biggest plays in team history if the Saints had won. He's only going to get better next year, he just needs to keep his focus and concentration. I think he so ridiculously good he has lapses in focus at times. That'll be the key to him getting to the next level. And yes, I believe there is a next level for this guy.
Michael Higgins: C (1.84) He played a good bit due to Graham being banged up and the Saints only having two tight ends. He had just one catch for 10 yards. His blocking was average at best. It'll be interesting to see if the Saints count on David Thomas coming back healthy next year or if they make an extra effort to grab depth at tight end behind Graham.
Jermon Bushrod: D (2.34) A sad and sorry performance by Bushrod, who was beaten consistently like a drum all game long. At one point, the 49ers rushed 2 and dropped everyone else into coverage, and Justin Smith bull rushed him into Drew Brees and got a knockdown and forced the incompletion. Bushrod was completely manhandled that way often. Despite getting help, he just wasn't up to the task. He struggled mightily with Aldon Smith especially, who was just too fast for him. He was responsible for a great deal of the disruption and was very poor blocking Brees' blindside. A game to forget for the "Pro Bowl" left tackle.
Carl Nicks: C+ (3.17) The best lineman on the day for the Saints, I guess. The Saints never ran, so he didn't get chance to show off his mean streak on the interior. One thing I noticed was the 49ers were able to do what no other team has: get pressure on the edge to force Brees to step up in the pocket, then cause disruption and congestion in the middle to really hurt Brees. Brees just wasn't able to step into a clean pocket.
Brian De La Puente: D (2.17) Like Bushrod he struggled mightily. Particularly with the audibles and 49ers' position shuffle, you could just sense his head was really swimming out there. At times he just looked lost. In the 4th quarter, Brees was taking a lot of time pre-snap directing the line shifts and audibles because it was clear De La Puente was in over his head. Who knows if the he's the long term answer or not. Over the course of the year he was a pleasant surprise, and this will definitely be a valuable experience for him, but we'll have to see if he can last as a long term starter.
Jahri Evans: C- (2.33) Normally pass blocking is his greatest strength, but Justin Smith abused him repeatedly. A disappointing showing for the Saints' superstar guard.
Zach Strief: D+ (1.67) Strief was by far the biggest pleasant surprise this year at right tackle, and he was also the most disappointing offensive lineman in the playoffs. Go figure. The few times the Saints ran they tried to go to his side and he just got no push at all. It didn't help that De La Puente sealed backside pressure on those runs horribly. In pass protection he got beat fairly often despite having lots of help.
Pat McQuistan: C- (2.50) He came in as an extra pass blocker mostly. He did not contribute anything notable and struggled to seal the edge.
The speculation that New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will reportedly join new Rams head coach Jeff Fischer in St. Louis continues today. ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that it's all but a done deal.
Technically the news isn't official just yet, so please keep that in mind, but I'm sure it's going to happen. Linebacker Jonathan Vilma tweeted this less than an hour ago:
Gregg williams is a great coach, I wish him luck in st Louis
I've always liked Williams and the attitude he brought to this team. This is clearly a sad day, as we watch such a key piece of the Super Bowl Saints leave town. He will be missed.
And to all those fickle fans that have mysteriously grown to hate Williams over the past few seasons despite his crucial role in bringing New Orleans it's first ever Super Bowl championship, I ask that you shut the hell up and show some damned respect because you're probably an idiot. You don't need to like him or his coaching style, but to read some of the crap I've seen since the 49ers beat the Saints, you'd think the man killed Drew Brees. Get a life.
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"I'm done being sad about Saturday, time to move on
