A question to those who are dissapointed so far?

[Got_Spleen]

Garcia's passes didn't look sharp and at times, weren't even accurate. Our 3rd down conversion % was pathetic. I fail to understand why Gruden never tests the defenses deep. Would you not want to make the D at least think you'll go deep to keep them honest? He makes it so easy for opposing defenses to predictably defend.

[Madman]

I'll take 3 yards and a cloud of dust over this horizontal passing offense any day.

At least a running game has attitude. This is just boring. Even when Garcia had time (there were a few plays) he threw a checkdown to the flat or to some guy standing 4 yards away with his back to the defense.

[sammy8887]

He wanted to win a shootout and he made himself look like an idiot.

100% correct, he wanted to say on Monday "Well My passing offense won us the game". He needs to understand passing is not his strong suit, he is clueless when it comes to offense anymore.

You need to settle down...

[MiltonMack21]

He wanted to win a shootout and he made himself look like an idiot.

100% correct, he wanted to say on Monday "Well My passing offense won us the game". He needs to understand passing is not his strong suit, he is clueless when it comes to offense anymore.

[Madman]

Here's two reasons why the Saints win the division this year - QB, WR

Yeah, I miss the Aaron Brooks days. This Drew Brees guy is no fun.

[alldaway]

What you see right now is a blue collar, middle of the road average team in terms of talent level.

And that "average" team STILL hung right in with the "team to beat" Saints on the road, didn't they? It was a hard fought game in which the Saints needed a horrible no-call and a questionable incomplete past to get past a "middle of the road" team.

Not bad, in my opinion. So either, the Saints aren't as great as people think or the Bucs aren't as bad as YOU think.

You can't have it both ways -- the Saints can't be ALL WORLD while the Bucs are "average" -- because yesterday's game didn't show that.

The Bucs were not the only sloppy team on the field as the Saints were not exactly firing on all cylinders.  They were also missing some key defenders in the secondary.  This game shouldn't have been as close as it ended up being quite honestly.

But it is what it is.

[keeponbucn]

The game should not have been close, IMO.

The O didn't capitalize when it needed to, they should have been up 2 scores in the first half.

[acacius]

And if Graham got 20, Bennett got around 10 and Dunn got around 7 the team would have rushed for somewhere between 200-250 yards and would have had 35-40 minutes TOP and the defense would not have gotten burnt like that late in the 3rd and 4th qtr. That's just common sense.

I'm not saying I approve of the run/pass balance in yesterday's game.  I don't.  But that's unusually one-dimensional in the other direction.  It's quite emphatically not common sense that the team would have necessarily averaged 5.5+ ypc if they'd ran that much.

[alldaway]

Gotta win next week...our schedule only gets tougher...

Of course that is true but I do not view next week as a must win (maybe for divisional title hopes) for the Bucs. 

[SnookAU]

What you see right now is a blue collar, middle of the road average team in terms of talent level.

And that "average" team STILL hung right in with the "team to beat" Saints on the road, didn't they?  It was a hard fought game in which the Saints needed a horrible no-call and a questionable incomplete past to get past a "middle of the road" team.

Not bad, in my opinion.   So either, the Saints aren't as great as people think or the Bucs aren't as bad as YOU think.

You can't have it both ways -- the Saints can't be ALL WORLD while the Bucs are "average" -- because yesterday's game didn't show that.   

[sammy8887]

You want my honest opinion? If the Bucs lose this next week it isn't the end of the world from my perspective rather just confirms what I have felt about this team throughout the off season. Even if they start 0-2 I feel confident they can finish with at least a 9-7 record, but a divisional title may be out of reach if that scenario plays out.

Gotta win next week...our schedule only gets tougher...

How could we win 20-10 when we gave up 3 big plays for TD's?

Definitely was not our secondary's finest hour...

Gruden has crap at QB and WR and is acting like he has Manning, Wayne, Harrison, Gonzalez and Clark.

I don't think we have crap at either...I'm pretty sure you don't think that at QB -- you're just talking about the starter...

Ike was great yesterday at finding holes, Bryant showed his potential and we'll see if Galloway can get another year out of his legs...

Saints possessions 1-7
7 points, 4.5 yards per play

Saints possessions 8-10
17 points, 13.8 yards per play

Now did the Bucs defense all of the sudden decide to quit? Well besides Jermaine Phillips, no. They were out of gas. And being out of gas vs New Orleans is alot worse than being out of gas vs other teams because they were torch you.

Gruden could have decided to pound the hell out of them and limit possessions but he didn't. He made that decision during the week when his game plan didn't include Bennett. He wanted to win a shootout and he made himself look like an idiot.

That is not proof that the defense was tired. For example, what you just posted could just mean that the Saints offense was a little rusty coming into the game and began to click between the 8th and 10th possession. Or it could be that they figured our defense out because we were doing the same things, etc. OR that we had more favorable matchups at that time. On any count, what you posted is no proof at all to back up your claim.

Very true...

Secondly, Bennett not playing the game has nothing to do with the Saints offense beating the Bucs defense. Bennett could have played all game long and the Saints could have still torched our defense. Actually, assuming you think Bennett could have been such a difference maker what if we would have scored so quickly that the Saints would have had more possessions with which to score more points? Also, with so few carries being distributed to the RBs vs. passing plays as you have already mentioned that would mean that the game plan wouldn't have dramatically changed had Bennett have been in the game. I hear your argument that the game plan formulated throughout the week sucked, other than that you're wrong as usual and have no evidence like always to back up your claims. Try again.

JC could be right about that one...very puzzling not to suit up Bennett and if JG knew the passing game would get more prominence in this one that could have been the reason why...

[CurtR1995]

And Curt, Faine really did make a difference. He wasn't just blocking guys, he was embarrassing them. The running game has never looked that efficient. The only reason this team won't lead the league in rushing is because Gruden won't let them.

While I don't agree that I saw him embarrassing anyone, that wasn't the point.  The point is that the offensive scheme wasn't going to change or be more productive because we changed Centers. 

Both leading WR's had 6 catches with under 10 yards per catch - W/O their best cover corner.  Changing Centers wont change that. 

[OpTiOnMaStA]

Saints possessions 1-7
7 points, 4.5 yards per play

Saints possessions 8-10
17 points, 13.8 yards per play

Now did the Bucs defense all of the sudden decide to quit? Well besides Jermaine Phillips, no. They were out of gas. And being out of gas vs New Orleans is alot worse than being out of gas vs other teams because they were torch you.

Gruden could have decided to pound the hell out of them and limit possessions but he didn't. He made that decision during the week when his game plan didn't include Bennett. He wanted to win a shootout and he made himself look like an idiot.

That is not proof that the defense was tired. For example, what you just posted could just mean that the Saints offense was a little rusty coming into the game and began to click between the 8th and 10th possession. Or it could be that they figured our defense out because we were doing the same things, etc. OR that we had more favorable matchups at that time. On any count, what you posted is no proof at all to back up your claim.

Secondly, Bennett not playing the game has nothing to do with the Saints offense beating the Bucs defense. Bennett could have played all game long and the Saints could have still torched our defense. Actually, assuming you think Bennett could have been such a difference maker what if we would have scored so quickly that the Saints would have had more possessions with which to score more points? Also, with so few carries being distributed to the RBs vs. passing plays as you have already mentioned that would mean that the game plan wouldn't have dramatically changed had Bennett have been in the game. I hear your argument that the game plan formulated throughout the week sucked, other than that you're wrong as usual and have no evidence like always to back up your claims. Try again.

[JC510]

Saints possessions 1-7
7 points, 4.5 yards per play

Saints possessions 8-10
17 points, 13.8 yards per play

Now did the Bucs defense all of the sudden decide to quit? Well besides Jermaine Phillips, no. They were out of gas. And being out of gas vs New Orleans is alot worse than being out of gas vs other teams because they were torch you.

Gruden could have decided to pound the hell out of them and limit possessions but he didn't. He made that decision during the week when his game plan didn't include Bennett. He wanted to win a shootout and he made himself look like an idiot.

[alldaway]

ADW, this is not an average team in terms of talent. The talent is on the defense and offensive line.

I might buy that there is a lot of talent on the o-line but defense?  Linebackers sure?  Defensive secondary has some talent but it may be overrated by some.  But the defensive line is rather average no?  Unless Gaines/Peterson/Haye step it up this D-line is near its ceiling.