Hi, folks. Sorry about the delay with this post- it's been a bit of a weird week, with an organic chemistry exam today and a car to pick up later this week.
Anyway, as of this afternoon, John Carney and DeShawn Wynn have been cut, and replaced with safety Matt Giordano (no idea) and former Seahawk Julius Jones. This would seem to indicate that Pierre Thomas' ankle is in worse shape than we realized, and that Reggie Bush may not be back to action as quickly as hoped.
So let's settle down and review this cluster (expletive deleted) of a game...
First of all, Max Hall didn't beat anyone. He threw a pick, fumbled twice, and went 17 of 27 for 168 yards and a pick. The Cards' running game didn't beat anyone- they had 41 yards on 27 carries, and the only semi-offensive touchdown they had was a Levi Brown recovery of a Max Hall fumble in the end zone.
The Saints' defense kept the Arizona offense out of the end zone, even when given the ball at the Saints' 3-yard line. Touchdowns were scored on two fumble recoveries and an interception returned for a TD.
The defense did its job, pure and simple. Four sacks, five QB hits, and an interception. That said, four fumbles were put on the ground within reach of the defense, and nobody got to them. Yeah, the ball didn't bounce in their direction, but...
No, this game was lost in two phases: offense and special teams. Let's do the special teams first...
John Carney is gone today because he blew a 29-yard field goal. That FG would have given the Saints the lead at 16-13, and changed the complexion of the game. It also more or less counts as a turnover- a scoring opportunity was thwarted. As before, 29 yards needs to be automatic. Anything less is simply unacceptable.
The kickoff coverage team yielded two 50-plus-yard returns to LaRod Stephens-Howling. Each one led to a Jay Feely field goal. The punt coverage teams did their jobs.
And then there's the offense, and this is really the story...
Ladell Betts tipped a catchable ball at the Saints' 2-yard line directly to Arizona LB Greg Toler. The resulting touchdown tied the game at 10. For an encore performance, he fumbled the ball straight to Kerry Rhodes, who cheerfully scooted into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.
Drew Brees threw three INTs on the day. The first was on the aforementioned tip, and the second and third were when he had to press with the Saints down ten-plus points. The third was the Domonique Rodgers-Cromartie return for a TD while the Saints were (on paper) still in position to tie the game.
Again, we come to drops... Colston dropped a couple of drive-extending passes, Betts had his great tip, Devery Henderson... you get the idea. Part of the problem is that teams don't respect the Saints' running game at all, and drop 8 into coverage. There were and have been remarkably few receivers uncovered or in single coverage. The one time there was that situation was when Robert Meachem got behind coverage late for a 38-yard desperation heave that turned into the Saints' second TD.
It is worth asking whether the interior line is capable of blocking anyone at this point. The bottom line is that there are no longer any even probable wins left on the schedule. Tampa Bay looks like they're for real... Cleveland nearly knocked off Atlanta... nobody really knows what to think of Seattle or St. Louis, and the other AFC North teams appear to be quite real.
So now what in the short term? Well, the Cardinals could see the bread-and-butter screen passes coming, and Brees often threw the ball away in those situations. In any event, the three field goals kicked by the Saints were red-zone field goals. Until they correct their red-zone offense, wins will be tough to come by. Looking at the upcoming four games (at Tampa, vs Cleveland, vs Pittsburgh, and at Carolina), it's hard to feel good about any of them.
The rushing game is carrying the day for most teams this season, and it will now be up to Sean Payton to adapt his offense to what the defense is allowing: short and middle passes until the defense tries to take those away. It will also require Reggie Bush to do something he has to date been unable to do: run effectively with 20-25 touches in a game until Pierre Thomas returns.
The Saints are 3-2, and trail Atlanta by two games and Tampa by half a game. The playoffs are still a possibility, but unlikely until significant offensive and special teams adjustments happen.
