4th Downs

[morat1959]

You don't do things to make it easier on them. If it's 4th and 1, that's different than the 4th and 3 you mentioned, and on our 40 is different than on their 40. I understand your premise, and don't disagree that we will likely need to take some chances, but those chances have to be calculated and looked at individually. Making a blanket decision to go for it on every 4th and 3 or less between the 40's isn't being smart.

I agree but I don’t trust our coaching staff to make the right calls no matter the down or distance. After 9 years, we still can’t manage timeouts in a half of football. Making the calls you refer to are way out of their realm.

 

[Flamma]

I don't care about being "embarrassed." I want to maximize the chances of winning. In this game, that means adopting high-risk high-reward strategies. Yes, it increases the chances that they'll get blown out, but it also increases the chances that they'll win. Playing straight up against a stronger team is a recipe for a "respectable" loss with very little chance of victory. To heck with that.

Dude I am with you on the bold. There is no such thing as a respectable loss. I've seen that way too often and it pisses me off. All I am saying is that they are not a stronger team. They are more consistent, that's it. Disrupt them and play our game.

 

[EST_1986]

Time to call a double reverse.

with a fake jet sweep

 

[Pompey-Cowboy]

2016 we succeeded by constructing long slow clock eating drives. We need to rep!icate that tonight.

 

[Direwolf63]

4th and 1. Maybe depending on game situation. Don't freak out and give them the ball at the 45. Saints are good but Dallas isn't playing Jesus. Play our game. Control TOP and dont give them short fields.

The Saints can just as easily go 85 yards as they can 50 yards. Short fields. Long fields. It makes little difference to this offense.

Garrett has to be aggressive on 4th downs tonight. They have to keep the ball away from Brees as much as possible.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Dude I am with you on the bold. There is no such thing as a respectable loss. I've seen that way too often and it pisses me off. All I am saying is that they are not a stronger team. They are more consistent, that's it. Disrupt them and play our game.

Well, that's a very optimistic view. Dallas plays close games against middle-of-the-road teams (HOU, ATL, PHI, WAS). Since around week 4, NO has been destroying those kinds of teams (PHI, WAS, ATL) and beating the best the league has to offer (LAR). They're the stronger team.

 

[ShiningStar]

I ll raise you something safer. Tell Garrett "if it works, stick with it"

This isnt the game to play to your opponents, its a game that you win however you have to. If EE is running all over them, you keep runnig. If Rod is having a great day, or Amari, you play to it. Dont force the ball, dont give up the sacks. do whatever it takes to keep the offense going.

Its the little things that kill us.

 

[OmerV]

When has this coaching staff under Garrett’s tenure, done anything that’s “smart.”

They have done plenty that is smart, Unfortunately they have also done plenty that is wrong, and there have been too many not so smart decisions mixed in.

In any case, with regard to going for it on 4th down, their MO has generally been to be too conservative, although in the last several games they have been more willing to go for it than in the past. Unfortunately that was more from the realization that the season was slipping away, and not from playing aggressive before it got to that point.

My point is just that it doesn't make sense to go from not being smart out of an over abundance of caution to not being smart by throwing caution to the wind. The "smart" thing is something in between.

 

[OmerV]

I agree but I don’t trust our coaching staff to make the right calls no matter the down or distance. After 9 years, we still can’t manage timeouts in a half of football. Making the calls you refer to are way out of their realm.

I'm not saying they will make the right choices, although I will say they have done a very good job making decisions on when to go for it the last several games. They were forced to be more agressive - the season seemed to be slipping away. I just hope they don't go back to being overly conservative now that the season is trending in a better direction. I'm only saying each situation needs to be considered individually, and in light of all variables (down, distance, score, field position etc ...).

 

[Willfreedom909]

I feel like any time we have the ball between the 40s and its 4th and 3 or less, we have to go for it.

Inside their 35 if its 4th and 1, we have to go for it.

We need TD's tonight.

(Obviously the score dictates if we kick a field goal in some situations.)

Even if it's 1st and 1 we need to pass. Dak is coming out tonight.

 

[flosho]

If it's 4th and 1 yard, you have to go for it if you're within 50 yards of the goal line. Period.

BUT.. you have to know that they will stop us at least one time. This team should convert "4th and 1" nine times out of 10.

We need to break from our tendencies. Double moves, good play action calls, multiple deep throws and for goodness sakes.. let Zeke eat!

 

[catiii]

4th and 1. Maybe depending on game situation. Don't freak out and give them the ball at the 45. Saints are good but Dallas isn't playing Jesus. Play our game. Control TOP and dont give them short fields.

 

[phildadon86]

Post of the day

 

[CF74]

Inside the 50 maybe, outside no way unless it’s the 4th quarter and we are down a few scores..