Saints’ defensive jump has NFL foes on notice
October 1, 2013
LSU defense falters in tough road loss at Georgia
October 1, 2013
With three wins in as many games to open the season, the New Orleans Saints have gotten off to their best start since the 2009 season.
That was also the year the team began the season 13-0 and went on to win Super Bowl XLIV. You may have heard about that.
Anyone who follows football locally has an opinion on this year’s team and its resurgence under Sean Payton, back from a year-long suspension for his alleged role in the team’s infamous bounty scandal.
Some area high school football coaches are no different and each has their own perspective on the team after the first few weeks of the NFL season.
According to Ellender coach Terry Washington, the Saints’ hot start is reminiscent of the team’s Super Bowl-winning season four years ago.
“I think this team has even better talent than the year they won the Super Bowl, especially on the offensive side when you bring (receiver Robert) Meachem back,” Washington said. “Now they have that vertical threat again. Realistically speaking, I think they can make another (deep playoff) run.”
Like many other people, area coaches agreed that two things in particular stand out with regards to the Saints’ turnaround this season: the return of Payton, and the team’s new-look defense under first-year defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.
For starters, Payton being back on the sidelines has helped restore a sense of process and procedure to the Saints, said E.D. White Catholic coach Kyle Lasseigne.
“Having that familiar face, that head coach that’s there and runs the show day to day, there was just a lack of that last year,” Lasseigne said. “When you don’t have that coach there, there’s always some uneasiness. I think you see the difference now with everybody a little more comfortable with the system and the way things are done.”
Washington said he’s noticed the Saints seem to have a bigger sense of urgency and are more organized as a team with Payton back in the thick of things.
“It’s put the team a little more at ease with him being back on the sidelines,” Washington said. “Having Sean Payton back has made a big difference.”
Meanwhile, the change of play on defense in particular has been a welcome sight this season. A year ago, the Saints set an NFL record for yards allowed in a season. Through the first three weeks of 2013, the defense was fifth in the league in points allowed per game (12.7).
A big part of that is getting after the quarterback more and disrupting plays with pressure up front.
“The first thing that comes to mind is the dramatic turnaround of the defense,” Patterson coach Tommy Minton said of the Saints’ 3-0 start. “They’re getting takeaways, have been playing aggressive, and they just seem comfortable in the scheme.”
Lasseigne praised Ryan for bringing some enthusiasm to the defense. Ryan’s defenses have given offenses a plethora of different looks this season.
“He doesn’t stay in the same defense,” Lasseigne said. “They’re blitzing and coming from everywhere. Offensively, that’s tough to prepare for week to week.”
On the other side of the ball, the Saints’ offense has by and large been business as usual.
The Saints were sixth in the NFL in yards per game (404) after three games and fourth overall in passing with 318 yards per game.
One thing the Saints would like to get going, though, is their running game. New Orleans averaged just 85 yards per game on the ground through three games and has struggled to get any of its running backs into a rhythm.
“If they want to be a Super Bowl quality team, they’ve got to run the ball better,” Minton said. “I think they’ve got good running backs. I just think the talent level of the offensive line is down over the last couple of years. You lose (Jermon) Bushrod and you lose (Carl) Nicks, those guys were Pro Bowl caliber players.”
How far the Saints can go will ultimately depend on several things.
A lot of it is talent, sure, but teams always need some good luck to bounce their way over the course of a 16-game season, particularly with injuries and scheduling.
“I don’t know if they can get back to the Super Bowl,” Minton said. “There are a lot of quality teams in the NFC, but I think with Sean Payton, you’ve got one of the best offensive minds in football, and with Drew Brees, you’ve got one of the most competitive quarterbacks. That combination always gives you a chance to win.”
Added Lasseigne, “I don’t know how beat up they are at a lot of positions. Obviously cornerback is a big one. The receiving core is probably not as deep and experienced as it has been, and neither is the offensive line. I think the key is going to be staying healthy to make that long playoff run. You never know if that’s going to happen or not, but that’s one of the keys.”
Three members of the New Orleans Saints’ defense wrap up a Kansas City Chiefs ball carrier during a game this preseason. Local prep football coaches tout that they are impressed with the Saints’ progresses so far this season. The coaches also are impressed with the impacts that coach Sean Payton has had on the team since returning from a one-year suspension. The Saints started the year 3-0. They attempted to make the push to 4-0 this past Monday against the Miami Dolphins.
