Slimy Saints’ Offense “Not Sustainable”
October 31st, 2021
Beware of Bucs.
What are the slimy Saints trying to hide, that they have no receivers?
Joe’s good friend Mike Tanier of Football Outsiders wonders what the end-game here is for Sean Payton and the Saints. Tanier goes into a long explanation as to why the Bucs not only have one of the best offenses in the game, but it is an offense the rest of the league aspires to be.
The slimy Saints? Tanier believes that’s like someone wanting to have the same offense as the Bears or Texans.
Tanier said Payton’s shell game may work against average or below-average teams, it doesn’t work against good teams.
Generally, strong overall teams execute a high number of offensive plays: their offenses sustain drives, then their defenses get the ball back quickly so they can run more sustained drives. The opposite is true for weak overall teams. There are other variables in the function, including the design of the offense: the Vikings are built for prolonged drives (as were the Saints of the late Drew Brees era), while the Seahawks (and Buccaneers) are built for quick strikes, which is why those teams end up near the opposite poles of the plays-per-game spectrum. But in general, every team wants to be up among the Buccaneers and Cowboys, not down among the Bears and Texans.
That’s a long, roundabout way of saying that what the Saints have done this year is not sustainable. Sure, they can tumble into a wild-card berth with defense, hide-the-Jameis tactics, and tight wins during cyclone bombs; now that there are 14 playoff teams, lots of zany things are possible. But their tortoise-and-hare tactics will only work against the league’s top teams if they manage to build an early lead, preferably against a second-tier defense, allowing them to play turnover ball.
The Saints surprised the Packers in Week 1. They won’t surprise the Buccaneers this week. And they are unlikely to surprise the Cowboys, Bills or, heck, maybe even the Titans in the future. Buccaneers 26, Saints 17.
As stated in Joe’s “Gameday Tampa Bay” preview, this game hinges on the Bucs’ offensive line. If the Bucs, as Tanier suggests, have sustained drives, that’s just less time for the slimy Saints to try to rev up their K-Car offense out of the garage and get it rolling down the road.
The Bucs’ offensive line hasn’t let down the team yet this season. Joe doesn’t expect them to this afternoon.
October 31st, 2021 at 7:42 am
I’ll take Tom Brady, and the Bucs over Winston, and the Saints.
October 31st, 2021 at 8:11 am
I know what Belichick would do and that is take away Kamara. The short passes from Winston shouldn’t scare D but Winston can throw deep and I don’t know what Buc DB can keep up with Harris. I hope Bucs do NOT let them take a lead, whip their arses and take it into the bye week.
October 31st, 2021 at 9:10 am
Sherman has been helping out with the DB coaching, and he’s playing in this one. That will be interesting to listen to how the DBs play. Payton cheats and you can bet the Aints will get away with a few.
October 31st, 2021 at 9:15 am
The Bucs offense shouldn’t be the issue of this game, it is their defense that has to play well and it certainly has since the loss to the Rams which they gave up 34 points.
Over past 4 games Bucs defense has only been giving up an average of 15 points a game while scoring an average of 31.5 points.
Saints defense has allowed an average of 19 points a game over past 4 games while scoring an average of 22 points.
The least amount of points Bucs have scored in past 4 games was only 19 in a rainstorm in Foxboro. All the defense has to do in New Orleans is keep the Saints at 20 points or less. I expect a good defense from Saints but Brady will lead 3 touchdown drives and a couple of field goal drives.
28 points for Bucs.
Jameis/Saints offense vs Bucs defense will get a couple of touchdowns and a FG.
17 points for Saints.
Based on past performance Bucs are 10 points better than Saints but add in the Superdome noise it may be closer but if Buc defense keys on Kamara and forces Winston to look elsewhere, expect the Saints to be held down below 20 points.
Only way Saints win is if Bucs play sloppy and let Kamara get 175 yards of total offense. Hold the guy to 50-60 yards catching and 50 yards on the ground and make Winston try and beat the Bucs. Jameis will not succeed if JPP, Shaq, White, Vea and JFS apply the heat that they have shown past 4 games.
October 31st, 2021 at 9:20 am
Another reason the Saints offense is unsustainable is that it’s all built around Kamara, and he isn’t Derrick Henry. There’s no way he can take a pounding like he did in the Seattle game and make it through a 17 week season. I was watching him at the end of that game and he moved like he was injured a little bit. I think that’s why they brought back Ingram.
October 31st, 2021 at 9:23 am
Just keep Sean Payton away from Chris Godwin. Don’t want him whispering sweet nothings in his ear about long term deals and WR1 glory. Can’t friggin stand the Saints and I hope they wipe the Super Dome floor with these fools today. Go Bucs!
October 31st, 2021 at 9:31 am
Agree the Bucs OL is a critical element.
BTW, Brady did not have over 200 yards against the Saints in the playoffs, but Lenny and Royo racked up over 130 yards on the ground. It was the running game and defense that was the formula.
If the Bucs pull out a win today, it will be the same formula.
October 31st, 2021 at 9:41 am
The offensive line has got to play their A game today and the defense had got to stop the run. If not we are going to be in for a long afternoon. Not to mention we have to play penalty free. Tall order but it is what it is. Goooo Bucs!!!!
October 31st, 2021 at 10:00 am
The team that wins the LoS will win.
HUGE game for the OL. If the Bucs keep Brady clean and mount a respectable ground game, they will win.
If not, could be a long day.
“Simple as that.”
October 31st, 2021 at 10:28 am
Totally agree, Cobra.
October 31st, 2021 at 11:04 am
The Bucs are not designed as a quick strike offense. It is a facet of the game we have, a philosophy.
We do have the capability of sustaining drives, and that should be our focus today. We do not know which Jameis we will face, so we need to just keep the ball away from him.
We need to score the first points and methodically add to that lead. Make Jameis play from behind and his flaws will rise to the surface.
October 31st, 2021 at 12:24 pm
Payton has, thus far this year, done a masterful job of getting the most from his team, especially Winston. Watching their games it’s obvious he doesn’t trust Winston at all (with good reason) and they really only have one good offensive skill player. Yet he has them right in the thick of things. We need to stomp them and wrap up the division before the bye. Go Bucs!
October 31st, 2021 at 9:24 pm
Figures you bucs panzees would say something like that maybe you should go back to the orange and white uniforms …. hahaha
October 31st, 2021 at 10:01 pm
Read all your post
November 1st, 2021 at 8:21 am
This article aged like milk….and in only 1 day