While not being as expert as you or your overload cohorts I did spend this evening watching the all 22 from the Saints game and I had a takeaway I wished to share with you. Shockingly I am not sure the defense actually played as badly as they are being made out to have played. While the stats remain poor it seems to me that the issues they have range through a couple of key areas:
1 - The team is overly aggressive: It is almost as if they are trying to be heroes on every play. They are not letting the tackle come to them and instead are over pursuing at times. Brooks shot past Kamera on at least one key play and it seems like the entire defense was over pushing on the last Taysom Hill run. I left them completely exposed with no one in the back being a true Safety. I am not sure Diggs missed the tackle as much as they were just out of position on the play.
2 - Some of the defensive play calling is also too aggressive: The double linebacker blitzes seem to backfire more often and certainly did on the long Kamera screen pass.
3 - This was a game of bad circumstances on top of bad habits. The Metcalf Fumble combined with the Rugby, Brainfart punt put the defense in some rough spots and between that and what seems to be as being overly aggressive they ended up almost ‘overplaying themselves out of the game.”
4 - Somewhat unrelated, the last 3 down conversion for the Saints looked like Ryan Neal was way out of position but I am unclear if I am seeing that correctly. Certainly seemed like there was man v zone confusion out there.
Curious on your thoughts
Also, Fant was open on Geno’s big sack at the end and Walker was open on the two point conversion and I think he missed both of them.
Thanks for the great comment! Will have a film piece landing Friday.
We will be recording the film podcast covering these topics at 6.30pm PT on Thursday, live on YouTube and would love to have you join the conversation in the comments. If not, the edited pod will land Friday!
1. Agree, trying to force the issue and playing outside of their jobs. Leads to bad things as you said.
2. Agree, trying to force the issue too much! Although one of the linebackers was supposed to blitz Kamara there to keep him in/peel with him. The cross-the-formation release tricked them. Trying to force the issue again!
3. Agree.
4. Are you talking about the last 3rd down, the run? If so that's just it looking funky because it's cover 3 with the safety down to the Y and an initial slot formation.
Or if you mean the passing 3rd and 4 late, that's a beater for Seattle's new-for-2022 way of playing cover 3. The slot defenders basically play man on their players deep and outside. You're right Neal should have passed his guy off underneath (like Bryant did) but he incorrectly thought the stem was vertical and match-suitable, so the mesh opposite came open.
Fant was kinda open! Seattle hit stick off this motion earlier in the game versus cover 3. Unfortunately, they got press here. I think if Geno opens and throws that to Fant, it *could* get jumped. That defender is in excellent, controlled position, outside leverage ready to break.
Walker didn't turn soon enough for Geno on that 2 point play, rookie error.
Thanks once again for the great comment. Please keep it coming!
Hi Mr. Brown,
While not being as expert as you or your overload cohorts I did spend this evening watching the all 22 from the Saints game and I had a takeaway I wished to share with you. Shockingly I am not sure the defense actually played as badly as they are being made out to have played. While the stats remain poor it seems to me that the issues they have range through a couple of key areas:
1 - The team is overly aggressive: It is almost as if they are trying to be heroes on every play. They are not letting the tackle come to them and instead are over pursuing at times. Brooks shot past Kamera on at least one key play and it seems like the entire defense was over pushing on the last Taysom Hill run. I left them completely exposed with no one in the back being a true Safety. I am not sure Diggs missed the tackle as much as they were just out of position on the play.
2 - Some of the defensive play calling is also too aggressive: The double linebacker blitzes seem to backfire more often and certainly did on the long Kamera screen pass.
3 - This was a game of bad circumstances on top of bad habits. The Metcalf Fumble combined with the Rugby, Brainfart punt put the defense in some rough spots and between that and what seems to be as being overly aggressive they ended up almost ‘overplaying themselves out of the game.”
4 - Somewhat unrelated, the last 3 down conversion for the Saints looked like Ryan Neal was way out of position but I am unclear if I am seeing that correctly. Certainly seemed like there was man v zone confusion out there.
Curious on your thoughts
Also, Fant was open on Geno’s big sack at the end and Walker was open on the two point conversion and I think he missed both of them.
Thanks for the great comment! Will have a film piece landing Friday.
We will be recording the film podcast covering these topics at 6.30pm PT on Thursday, live on YouTube and would love to have you join the conversation in the comments. If not, the edited pod will land Friday!
1. Agree, trying to force the issue and playing outside of their jobs. Leads to bad things as you said.
2. Agree, trying to force the issue too much! Although one of the linebackers was supposed to blitz Kamara there to keep him in/peel with him. The cross-the-formation release tricked them. Trying to force the issue again!
3. Agree.
4. Are you talking about the last 3rd down, the run? If so that's just it looking funky because it's cover 3 with the safety down to the Y and an initial slot formation.
Or if you mean the passing 3rd and 4 late, that's a beater for Seattle's new-for-2022 way of playing cover 3. The slot defenders basically play man on their players deep and outside. You're right Neal should have passed his guy off underneath (like Bryant did) but he incorrectly thought the stem was vertical and match-suitable, so the mesh opposite came open.
Fant was kinda open! Seattle hit stick off this motion earlier in the game versus cover 3. Unfortunately, they got press here. I think if Geno opens and throws that to Fant, it *could* get jumped. That defender is in excellent, controlled position, outside leverage ready to break.
Walker didn't turn soon enough for Geno on that 2 point play, rookie error.
Thanks once again for the great comment. Please keep it coming!