Before you get too excited about the Saints

[pherein]

Definitely a fan of Pherein, thank you for posting your Saints knowledge and being very upfront and non confrentational.

I expect this game to be close, quite possibly coming down to who has the ball last. I think in order for the Pats to be successful in this game we need to establish a run early, similar to what we did against the Colts. This will open up the passing game down field. On the defensive end I think we need to get pressure on Brees. TBC and Burgess need to come to play. The Saints are a very good football team, but definitely have their weaknesses that can be exposed

Thank nice to talk a little ball. Pressuring Brees might be a mistake, but all the other points make good sense. We cant cover your short pass , saints have to pick and choose their poison for handling brady. We need to cover the long and pressure your weak left TE I think.

I have to tell you thou, no ones been able to rattle Brady for 5 years, we need to do that, I just done see that happening, Brees on the other hand is human and our team is way more emotional and talent than professional and experienced like the Pats.

This is going to be a hard game for us.

 

[mayoclinic]

Pherein gets the win for representing the Saints fans with class.

I'll second that.

I don't really get the comparisons of schedules. There really isn't a very good way to determine which record you use when bringing it up. The Giants were 5-0 and the Saints exposed them. The Ravens were 3-0 and the Patriots exposed them. Both teams have struggled since. Bringing up strength of schedule doesn't really mean a whole lot, because a team's momentum rises and falls. When Denver beat the Pats, they were riding high, but I guarantee you that in a rematch today, the Pats would probably make fairly easy work of them. The same is obviously true regarding the Jets.

Your point is extremely valid: a team's record at one point in time doesn't necessarily reflect how they were playing at another point in time.

It works both ways. The Pats got hit by the Jets, Ravens and Broncos when all 3 teams were hot. But the Pats caught the Titans when the Titans were in disarray. Pats should still beat the Titans, but they're a different team than when we played them. New Orleans faced the 3-0 Jets when they were hot, and the 5-0 Giants when they were hot, and trounced both. Just because both teams have struggled since then doesn't take anything away from the Saints' accomplishment - they soundly beat 2 teams that were playing extremely well going into those games.

I think it's fair to say that the Saints have played some very weak teams (Lions, Rams, Bucs). But Pittsburgh lost to Oakland last week, and Cincinnati lost to KC.

Overall, I agree that "strength of schedule" is meaningless. I wouldn't put any store by it.

Bringing up schedules is foolhardy. All you can do really is look at the matchups and the Xs and Os to get an idea of how these teams really compare. I'm too busy to do that stuff, so I'll leave it to others to examine, but it seems that on the surface, this is going to be a very good game. In fact, I foresee another one of those late game bouts of high-blood pressure coming next Monday. I see the Pats jumping on the Saints early and then watching as the Saints try to comeback in the second half.

The matchups should be nice. The Saints defense is very average if you measure it in terms of PPG (14th), YPG (17th), rushing YPG (20th) and passing YGPG (15th). But it's exceptional if you look at turnovers created (1st), points scored by the defense (1st), opposing completion % (1st, 53.2%), opposing passer rating (1st, holding opponents to a 57.8 rating, largely because of all of the turnovers and completion %), and red zone defense (5th). So the yards and points are somewhat deceptive. The Saints give up yards and points, but make big plays and turnovers, and score points off of their defense. The Pats will have to avoid mistakes and turnovers, which they have done well this season, ranking 2nd in turnover differential (the Saints rank 4th). I'd like to see more running and play action, and less shotgun.

The Pats defense matches up very well. 6th in YPG and passing YPG and 2nd in points allowed. 3rd in turnovers created, 3rd in opposing completion % (56.0), 4th in opposing passer rating (73). The big concern for the Pats is their ability to get pressure on Brees, and the ability of their 15th ranked rushing defense to stop the Saints' 5th ranked rushing attack average over 153 YPG. But I don't think the Saints have faced a defense as complete as the Pats' this year, nor one as physical. The Pats have faced fairly stiff defenses in the Jets and Indy, though they haven't faced one which makes as many big plays as the NO defense. The key for the Pats on D will be to stay aggressive and physical and not be afraid to give up the occasional big play. Play BBDB and the Saints will carve us up.

I actually think that the biggest advantage that the Pats have over the Saints is that we played Indy 2 weeks ago. We've already been battle tested against (and burned by) one of the greatest QBs of all time, and while the Saints' offense has more diversity than the Colts, I don't think our defense will wilt after having been tested by Manning and company. On the other hand, I don't think the Saints have faced an offense remotedly comparable to the Pats so far this year. It will be interesting to see whether they're defensive scheme continues to make key turnovers, or just gives up too many yards and points to the Pats.

At any rate, both of these teams are capable of winning the SB, regardless of who wins next week.

 

[Ice Cold Bruschi]

Not that it really matters but we've won 17 straight against NFC opponents. Just an interesting side note. (not counting SB 42 :bricks: )

 

[PatsFan24]

I think scheduling is a little bit overrated, you can only beat who you play and the Saints have done that. They have crushed most of those teams, and a couple times made a big comeback.

you know what.....**** this ****


BRING ON THE AINTS *****ES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[patsfan-1982]

Lions
Eagles
Bills
Jets
Giants ..Good win

Dolphins
Falcons
Panthers
Rams
Buccaneers

They may beat us and they may not BUT; up to now they have not had a difficult schedule.

the pats have yet to beat a team with a wining record every team they beat is 500 or worst and the colts are the only playoff team out of all the team's they played so far

the saints have beat Giants and Eagles

2 team's that are better then the ravens and falcons the best team's the pats beat this year and both of them set at 5-5 and out of the playoff's

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Only 1 team with a winning record, but the majority of their games have been against teams with records around .500. They have played a bunch of average football teams. This a big test for the Saints, in probably the biggest of the season thus for for them.

We'd better be careful what we say by that standard. As of this morning, none of the teams we've beaten has a record better than .500. With the Jets on both lists, the teams we've beaten have a combined record of 21--38; the teams to which we've lost have a combined record of 24--10. While the latter is admittedly distorted by the undefeated Colts, nonetheless the point stands.

Message: let's stop talking and take care of business on Monday.

 

[Amnorix]

I haven't bothered to read this entire thread, but as someone may have mentioned -- the Patriots have LOST to the ONLY teams with a winning record that they have played this year (Colts and Broncos), so the premise for this thread is a bit misguided.

This sure isn't 2003 or 2004 -- whichever year it was that we were 10-0 against teams with 10 or more wins. An unbelievable stat.

 

[olschool]

Really...Let's see, on the road, night game, undefeated team, in a dome.

Sounds familiar...hmmm.

Saints 35-34 ?

 

[chrisfx811]

I can't believe we're having this discussion, especially after week 9.

One of the things that concern me, is if Brady goes back to the mini-Hail Mary to Moss, Darren Sharper will make him pay for it.

 

[Seacoast Fan]

Actually you have played two teams with winning records right now so I guess you can't read or do arithmetic. BTW you also lost to both of those teams.

It is fans like you that make it real hard to ever root for your team. You are nothing but an arrogant wannabe that doesn't even know their own team.[/QUOTE]

What is arrogant is for you to come onto this forum and think we care what you think, or that you may never root for the Pats.

 

[Kontradiction]

The bottom line is that if we do not win this game, we have to go into Miami next week where a wounded Dolphins team could make this division race a lot more interesting with a win in Miami. I'm not ready to call this game a "must win", but it's pretty damn close.

 

[makoute]

:disagreement:

I agree, a truely dominant team is a very rare occurance in the NFL today. I just dont think the Saints are an undefeated team. Brees has has some below average games and so has the defense, but you are what your record says you are and the Saints are 10-0.

What's there to think they're 10 and 0. They are undefeated.

 

[The Dynasty]

We'd better be careful what we say by that standard. As of this morning, none of the teams we've beaten has a record better than .500. With the Jets on both lists, the teams we've beaten have a combined record of 21--38; the teams to which we've lost have a combined record of 24--10. While the latter is admittedly distorted by the undefeated Colts, nonetheless the point stands.

Message: let's stop talking and take care of business on Monday.

Whats the point of even having a message board if we cant talk about an upcoming game?

I know scheduling doesnt mean that much, but heres a look at common opponents:
Buffalo: Pats W 25-24 NO W 27-7
NY Jets: Pats L 16-9, W 31-14 NO W 24-10
Miami: Pats W 27-17 NO W 46-34
Atlanta: Pats W 26-10 NO W 35-27
Tampa Bay: Pats W 35-7 NO W 38-7

By these games it should be a very even game this week. The Pats lost to the Jets in week 2, and the Saints beat them 24-10 in week 4. That is the only difference in the 2 teams common opponents, and I wouldnt look too much into that game. This should be a very competive game this week and could come down to who has the ball last

 

[The Dynasty]

:disagreement:


What's there to think they're 10 and 0. They are undefeated.

That with a few plays that didnt go their way they could very easily be 9-1 or 8-2. I am saying that just because they are undefeated doesnt mean that the Pats should be afraid of them.

 

[Sivy]

I'll take Tom Brady over Drew any day, no question about it. I dont care where the game is played.

and also...wes welker MVP.

 

[WhoDat]

I expect this game to be close, quite possibly coming down to who has the ball last. I think in order for the Pats to be successful in this game we need to establish a run early, similar to what we did against the Colts. This will open up the passing game down field. On the defensive end I think we need to get pressure on Brees. TBC and Burgess need to come to play. The Saints are a very good football team, but definitely have their weaknesses that can be exposed

I dont think it will be as close as who has the last possession. Our Oline is not a weakness. Rushing TBC will leave one of the remaining two LB to cover the RB out the back ( bell, thomas or bush ). We may see more slip screens if that is the case. Or you can go nickel and try to cover up, but then who guards Shockey/ Thomas in a 2 te set?

The one thing the Colts/Pats game showed was that by the 4th Q, your D was gassed. Could have been due to the magnitude of the game, could have been due to sustained drives or could be that aside from Wilfolk, you guys are not that "heavy" on the Dline and rely on LB to get pressure on QB. I dont watch enough Pats games to really know.

But one thing I do know is the way our team is set up (offensively ) is to play 60 min. We run the ball with consistency ( 3rd in per game rush yds in NFL with around 151 ) and get alot of good looks off play action. That can wear down a defense over 3 quarters and into the 4th where our team is really good at closing games.

Our one weakness is againts drive-sustaining teams. Limit the number offensive possessions which inturn, makes every possession CRITICAL and you guys will make a game of it. It puts more pressure on Drew and Co. to make drives count.

I think it will be a good game. Too early for prediction, but if pressed to give one, end score something like 28-17 or 30-21 Saints.

 

[ausbacker]

This is an enticing match up. What I hope is that out defense plays well enough to restrict Brees and the Saints to a score our offense can compete with.

I get the feeling whoever wins the turnover battle wins this game.

 

[The Dynasty]

The bottom line is that if we do not win this game, we have to go into Miami next week where a wounded Dolphins team could make this division race a lot more interesting with a win in Miami. I'm not ready to call this game a "must win", but it's pretty damn close.

I wouldnt go that far... Very, very unlikely to happen but lets just say the Pats lose their next 2 and the Dolphins win their next 2, they would be tied with 7-5 records going into the last 4 games of the season. Look at the schedules, the Pats have a much easier schedule than the Dolphins. They have to play at Jacksonville (will be battling for a wild card), at Tennessee (playing very well as of late, could possibly be fighting for the wild card as well), Houston (wild card potential as well), Pittsburgh (fighting for seeding). The Dolphins play 4 playoff contenders in the last 4 weeks, while the Pats only play 2 playoff contenders and look at what BB coached teams have done in December.

 

[WhoDat]

Whats the point of even having a message board if we cant talk about an upcoming game?

I know scheduling doesnt mean that much, but heres a look at common opponents:
Buffalo: Pats W 25-24 NO W 27-7
NY Jets: Pats L 16-9, W 31-14 NO W 24-10
Miami: Pats W 27-17 NO W 46-34
Atlanta: Pats W 26-10 NO W 35-27
Tampa Bay: Pats W 35-7 NO W 38-7

By these games it should be a very even game this week. The Pats lost to the Jets in week 2, and the Saints beat them 24-10 in week 4. That is the only difference in the 2 teams common opponents, and I wouldnt look too much into that game. This should be a very competive game this week and could come down to who has the ball last

so the one game, where we beat the Jets who come to us 3-0 just upsetting you, is discounted? Excellent logic. If anything, what you shouldnt do is discount that game. We beat the Jets handily. It was a game that started thier slide. The score was not even close to being indicative of the struggles they had with us.

Then you also point out two division rivals, one of which is deep-rooted ( Falclowns ). Yet I assume you to say the Jets/Miami/Bills game was divisional as well. And I can live with that. But we havent lost to a division rival.

Also throw in that you are 1-3 oon the road this season. It will be tough Monday night, dont discount the Dome on Monday. It will be quite loud.

 

[makoute]

That with a few plays that didnt go their way they could very easily be 9-1 or 8-2. I am saying that just because they are undefeated doesnt mean that the Pats should be afraid of them.

That can be said about any team, that could be said about the Colts, the Pats in the 07 undefeated season (shoot the ravens basically gave a game away to them). They've played 10 games, and they have won all 10 of them, they've won some of those games with defense, some of them with offense, and I'm sure they've won some games due to to their special teams play, but that's football. The pats don't have to be afraid of them, but they're a better team than the Pats right now. I think the Pats have a great chance of winning this game, but some of the fans on this board are just going overboard.