Yea but they didn't have to score 50 to beat alot of teams this season and the O failed them. And I guess I've just come to expect Drew to go for 350 and 4 touchdowns every week, but the last few games were just offensive failures. Now granted New York was lost on special teams and field position, but the O was out of sync. The Saints need to ditch Ingram and beef up the line, add a receiver in free agency, and just add some linebackers. I like Akeem Hicks, and Cam Jordan is getting better also, and ditch Harper too, fuck draft TM7 to replace him, I would love to see that, but that's a pipe dream.
It's felt like a down season for Brees, because he's had some terrible games, and the season overall is a failure. But....with 220 passing yards vs Carolina, Brees will become the first QB to throw for 5,000 in back-to-back seasons, and the first to do it three times. No other QB has done it more than once. He needs 304 to break Marino's mark - again. And with one TD pass, he'll become the first QB to ever throw 40+ TD passes in back-to-back seasons. And yet he's never won the MVP award. He should have two; they gave Manning his first one and Rodgers his second. Why? Because the things other QB's do that make them MVP material, Brees does as a matter of routine.
Those passing numbers also speak a little, IMO, to how quickly and routinely we go away from the run. Hard to argue with SP's offense, but this year in particular, the Saints abandoned the run far too often. I remember Ingram had a 35-something yard run, then a 5-yarder, then we throw it the next couple of plays vs Tampa. Yes, we did score and yes, we did win 41-0. I just think a back like Ivory and Ingram need to get in a rhythm. I don't think a run game is something you can just "turn on" when you get in the 4th and need a time-consuming drive or need to take some time off the clock, or when the weather changes in the playoffs. Even when(hopefully) SP comes back, we need to committ to the run more often and for longer stretches of time. Hopefully wear the D out and then hit-em over the top. I don't know, just my .02. What'd ya'll think?
Can't really argue with you, ehusson. That's the Sean Payton mentality, and obviously it extends to Carmichael's and Brees' way of thinking as well. They believe in attacking opposing defenses with the pass first. I've always felt this offense uses running backs poorly, shuffling them in and out of the game too quickly, never giving one guy the chance to develop the "hot hand." But I wouldn't go so far as to say Brees puts up big numbers only because of how often we throw the ball. He gets more opportunities than he might in another coach's offense. But its his accuracy, his preparation and his quick-decision making that allows him to be so successful so often. By the same token, a handful of QBs in the NFL might put up similar numbers in this offense, but not many.
