Week 15: Saints (7-6) @ Bears (7-6) 7:15 PM NFLN/WPWR LOCAL

[SpongeWorthy]

What did NO convert two 3rd and longs? I don't think it was that big of a deal.

 

From what I remember they would've been 3 for 3 on 3rd and 15+ if Brees didn't short arm a ball to Lance Moore when he was completely wide open. The other two were completions on square ins to Colston that were wide open as well.

[rawaction]

What did NO convert two 3rd and longs? I don't think it was that big of a deal.

 

From what I remember they would've been 3 for 3 on 3rd and 15+ if Brees didn't short arm a ball to Lance Moore when he was completely wide open. The other two were completions on square ins to Colston that were wide open as well.

 

So, you're confirming it was twice. Also, the Saints were 0-3 on 3rd and 9 or 10 (including one they went for and got on 4th down). They did convert a 3rd and 8, though.

[UMFan83]

What did NO convert two 3rd and longs? I don't think it was that big of a deal.

 

From what I remember they would've been 3 for 3 on 3rd and 15+ if Brees didn't short arm a ball to Lance Moore when he was completely wide open. The other two were completions on square ins to Colston that were wide open as well.

 

So, you're confirming it was twice. Also, the Saints were 0-3 on 3rd and 9 or 10 (including one they went for and got on 4th down). They did convert a 3rd and 8, though.

 

Yeah but they were using that across the middle route quite a bit throughout the game. The third down conversions just stick out in my mind.

[Guest]

Of course third down conversions stick in your mind. Just like hits w/ RISP sticks in your mind.

[NOLA]

I live in New Orleans and am surrounded by all things Saints, so I realize that I am not the most objective fan in the world. Alot of ppl around here are really concerned that this team is soft and will never win. Yes, we were close 2 years ago, but the makeup of this team is not built for a Super Bowl run. Can we just plug in some decent linebackers finally, maybe a big running back? WHY DID WE NOT DRAFT HOMETOWN GUY FORTE?!? Saintsland is divided about whether we really are a player or 2 away or we need a change of philosophy. Lots or rumbling about SPayton's play calling. I don't want to be just the dangerous team no one wants to play, I want a SUPER BOWL! Sorry, back to Bears discussion.

[SpongeWorthy]

Pierre Thomas is a good player. Bush could learn a thing or two from him. Almost 3 years in and he still doesn't want to hit the hole.

 

And it's not like Thomas has a huge size advantage over him. If you don't see the #23 you'd think it was Bush....their builds are very similar.

[biittner77]

I live in New Orleans and am surrounded by all things Saints, so I realize that I am not the most objective fan in the world. Alot of ppl around here are really concerned that this team is soft and will never win. Yes, we were close 2 years ago, but the makeup of this team is not built for a Super Bowl run. Can we just plug in some decent linebackers finally, maybe a big running back? WHY DID WE NOT DRAFT HOMETOWN GUY FORTE?!? Saintsland is divided about whether we really are a player or 2 away or we need a change of philosophy. Lots or rumbling about SPayton's play calling. I don't want to be just the dangerous team no one wants to play, I want a SUPER BOWL! Sorry, back to Bears discussion.

 

The disadvatange dome teams have is that they inevitably have to play in bad weather when it counts the most. Also, it seems like most dome teams are offense first, pass first. St. Louis proved that a dome team could win the superbowl but they could run the ball when they had to.

[UMFan83]

Of course third down conversions stick in your mind. Just like hits w/ RISP sticks in your mind.

 

No I'm saying I pointed out the over the middle 15 yard passes on third downs because they were clearest in my memory. But they were hitting that hole all game, especially in the 4th quarter.

[UMFan83]

I live in New Orleans and am surrounded by all things Saints, so I realize that I am not the most objective fan in the world. Alot of ppl around here are really concerned that this team is soft and will never win. Yes, we were close 2 years ago, but the makeup of this team is not built for a Super Bowl run. Can we just plug in some decent linebackers finally, maybe a big running back? WHY DID WE NOT DRAFT HOMETOWN GUY FORTE?!? Saintsland is divided about whether we really are a player or 2 away or we need a change of philosophy. Lots or rumbling about SPayton's play calling. I don't want to be just the dangerous team no one wants to play, I want a SUPER BOWL! Sorry, back to Bears discussion.

 

The disadvatange dome teams have is that they inevitably have to play in bad weather when it counts the most. Also, it seems like most dome teams are offense first, pass first. St. Louis proved that a dome team could win the superbowl but they could run the ball when they had to.

 

Didn't St. Louis prove a dome team could win the Super Bowl because they had HFA and played the Super Bowl in a dome as well? They went 8-0 at home, and 5-3 on the road, with 2 of their road wins coming at the Georgia Dome and the Super Dome. So they only played 6 non-dome games all year and went 3-3, while playing 13 dome games and going 13-0.

 

Oh and their 3 non-dome wins were against the 4-12 49ers, the 4-12 Bengals, and the 8-8 Panthers.

Edited December 12, 2008 by UMFan83

[Guest]

Well, the Colts won the Super Bowl outside a dome. In a driving rain storm.

 

:(

[Banedon]

I live in New Orleans and am surrounded by all things Saints, so I realize that I am not the most objective fan in the world. Alot of ppl around here are really concerned that this team is soft and will never win. Yes, we were close 2 years ago, but the makeup of this team is not built for a Super Bowl run. Can we just plug in some decent linebackers finally, maybe a big running back? WHY DID WE NOT DRAFT HOMETOWN GUY FORTE?!? Saintsland is divided about whether we really are a player or 2 away or we need a change of philosophy. Lots or rumbling about SPayton's play calling. I don't want to be just the dangerous team no one wants to play, I want a SUPER BOWL! Sorry, back to Bears discussion.

 

The Saints are not the only team that is kicking themselves over missing out on Forte.

[NOLA]

I live in New Orleans and am surrounded by all things Saints, so I realize that I am not the most objective fan in the world. Alot of ppl around here are really concerned that this team is soft and will never win. Yes, we were close 2 years ago, but the makeup of this team is not built for a Super Bowl run. Can we just plug in some decent linebackers finally, maybe a big running back? WHY DID WE NOT DRAFT HOMETOWN GUY FORTE?!? Saintsland is divided about whether we really are a player or 2 away or we need a change of philosophy. Lots or rumbling about SPayton's play calling. I don't want to be just the dangerous team no one wants to play, I want a SUPER BOWL! Sorry, back to Bears discussion.

 

The disadvatange dome teams have is that they inevitably have to play in bad weather when it counts the most. Also, it seems like most dome teams are offense first, pass first. St. Louis proved that a dome team could win the superbowl but they could run the ball when they had to.

 

True, this when this team was great in the early 90's, we had servicable Bobby Hebert at QB, but we had a great ground game in Dalton Hilliard and a number 1 ranked defense with The Dome Patrol LB core (Jackson, Mills, Vaughn, Swilling). It can be done. It seems we don't have any hardnose tough philosophy.

[brinoch]

He really needs to stop going conservative and, simultaneously stupid, with his play-calling.

 

You're calling for running the ball, possession football and lamenting too many passes and at the same time a conservative game plan.

 

No, I'm calling for him to not be simultaneously conservative and stupid.

 

It's fine to play conservative and run the ball when you are leading, have a good running game, and know you can take a large-ish amount of the remaining time off the clock. Throwing short sideline passes which run some risk of a DB jumping the route, have a chance at stopping the clock due to an incompletion, and are easy to stop for little gain in any event are stupid play calls. Running the ball -- which the Bears do well -- combined with a little play action would have been superior.

 

At the five minute mark, passing the ball (as the Bears did twice) for an incompletion and an interception was really dumb.

[UMFan83]

Well, the Colts won the Super Bowl outside a dome. In a driving rain storm.

 

:(

 

Yeah but they got to play against Rex Grossman.

[SpongeWorthy]

We need to find a legitimate backup running back this offseason. Peterson isn't serviceable in that role. It'd be great if we could find a guy who will give us a productive 8-10 carries a game and can play with Forte at the same time.

[Banedon]

Well, the Colts won the Super Bowl outside a dome. In a driving rain storm.

 

:(

 

You Californians have a different interpretation of what a "driving rain storm" is than I do....

[biittner77]

The last "drive" was particularly egregious. There were five minutes left in the game, and you're leading by 4. Run the ball, control possession. Instead, we get the usual crap...

 

Didn't they run on first down and get 2 yards? If they complete a 3 yard pass they have a chance to run for a first down. If they get that first down they can then run the clock down to nothing.

 

If they had run on 2nd down and wind up in 3rd & long, the Saints use their last timeout and get the ball back with plenty of time.

 

I really believe that the Bears staff didn't believe that the defense could stop the Saints again. In fact I'm fairly certain that if the Bears had lost the coin toss they would have lost the game.

 

As for the fake punt, are they not allowed to call illegal contact or pass interference on that play? Speaking of penalties, How could they not call interference on the guy that was all over Olsen? He was on him like a tattoo on a Sox fan.

[Guest]

The last "drive" was particularly egregious. There were five minutes left in the game, and you're leading by 4. Run the ball, control possession. Instead, we get the usual crap...

 

Didn't they run on first down and get 2 yards? If they complete a 3 yard pass they have a chance to run for a first down. If they get that first down they can then run the clock down to nothing.

 

If they had run on 2nd down and wind up in 3rd & long, the Saints use their last timeout and get the ball back with plenty of time.

 

I really believe that the Bears staff didn't believe that the defense could stop the Saints again. In fact I'm fairly certain that if the Bears had lost the coin toss they would have lost the game.

 

As for the fake punt, are they not allowed to call illegal contact or pass interference on that play? Speaking of penalties, How could they not call interference on the guy that was all over Olsen? He was on him like a tattoo on a Sox fan.

 

No, the play before Orton's second interception was an incomplete pass.

[Guest]

Well, the Colts won the Super Bowl outside a dome. In a driving rain storm.

 

:(

 

You Californians have a different interpretation of what a "driving rain storm" is than I do....

 

Semantics. It rained continuously throughout the game at a steady clip and Miami received over 2 inches of rain on the day.

[Soul]

Yeah, it was pass pass(int).

 

I heard that Orton said he never saw that LB. It's hard to sit here and judge because I'm not out there, but I could have sworn he was looking right at the guy and just tried to sneak it past him.

 

That one almost sent me running for the defibrillator, LOL.

[jersey cubs fan]

He really needs to stop going conservative and, simultaneously stupid, with his play-calling.

 

You're calling for running the ball, possession football and lamenting too many passes and at the same time a conservative game plan.

 

No, I'm calling for him to not be simultaneously conservative and stupid.

 

It's fine to play conservative and run the ball when you are leading, have a good running game, and know you can take a large-ish amount of the remaining time off the clock. Throwing short sideline passes which run some risk of a DB jumping the route, have a chance at stopping the clock due to an incompletion, and are easy to stop for little gain in any event are stupid play calls. Running the ball -- which the Bears do well -- combined with a little play action would have been superior.

 

At the five minute mark, passing the ball (as the Bears did twice) for an incompletion and an interception was really dumb.

 

Well I don't think they designed it to be incomplete then intercepted. That would be dumb. But there is nothing wrong with passing in those situations. You can't just run/run/run. They mixed it up, and they won. The only reason it was close was because of Rashied Davis and Olin Kreutz. Everybody can talk about stupid playcalling after the fact. New Orleans running a sweep on 4th down was probably the dumbest play of the month.

[brinoch]

He really needs to stop going conservative and, simultaneously stupid, with his play-calling.

 

You're calling for running the ball, possession football and lamenting too many passes and at the same time a conservative game plan.

 

No, I'm calling for him to not be simultaneously conservative and stupid.

 

It's fine to play conservative and run the ball when you are leading, have a good running game, and know you can take a large-ish amount of the remaining time off the clock. Throwing short sideline passes which run some risk of a DB jumping the route, have a chance at stopping the clock due to an incompletion, and are easy to stop for little gain in any event are stupid play calls. Running the ball -- which the Bears do well -- combined with a little play action would have been superior.

 

At the five minute mark, passing the ball (as the Bears did twice) for an incompletion and an interception was really dumb.

 

Well I don't think they designed it to be incomplete then intercepted. That would be dumb. But there is nothing wrong with passing in those situations. You can't just run/run/run. They mixed it up, and they won. The only reason it was close was because of Rashied Davis and Olin Kreutz. Everybody can talk about stupid playcalling after the fact. New Orleans running a sweep on 4th down was probably the dumbest play of the month.

 

Well, there's no argument on that score. That was a seriously dumb playcall.

 

As I said earlier, I thought the defense played very well. Sure there were miscues, but I really think the problem is the inability of the offense to sustain long clock-eating drives.

[Outshined_One]

Has anyone been able to find video of Kyle Orton's missed spike yet?

[bukie]

Has anyone been able to find video of Kyle Orton's missed spike yet?

http://buzzcuts.uproxx.com/sports/american-football/6135