Next Week Will Be A Huge Measuring Stick

[Beast_from_East]

We are 2-1, feeling pretty good. However, both of our wins have come against teams not considered playoff caliber in the Titans and Rams.

However, the Saints is a different story. Despite their 1-2 start, most of the media still considers them to be a playoff caliber team. This team is the same team that put 40 first downs on us last season.

If we can get past the Saints and with the Texans on deck, we could be looking at 4-1 start to the season. How many teams that start 4-1 make the playoffs? Probably 80% I would imagine, that bolds well for the Garrett backers.

I have said it from day 1, if Garrett can somehow just qualify for the playoffs (even if we lose in the first round), Jerry will give him an extension because "progress is being made". A 4-1 start would almost guarantee qualifying for the playoffs.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

I don't mind Garrett staying head coach if we make playoffs this year. He has almost rebuilt this entire team, we are young, will make mistakes but we will get better

 

[cml750]

We are 2-1, feeling pretty good. However, both of our wins have come against teams not considered playoff caliber in the Titans and Rams.

However, the Saints is a different story. Despite their 1-2 start, most of the media still considers them to be a playoff caliber team. This team is the same team that put 40 first downs on us last season.

If we can get past the Saints and with the Texans on deck, we could be looking at 4-1 start to the season. How many teams that start 4-1 make the playoffs? Probably 80% I would imagine, that bolds well for the Garrett backers.

I have said it from day 1, if Garrett can somehow just qualify for the playoffs (even if we lose in the first round), Jerry will give him an extension because "progress is being made". A 4-1 start would almost guarantee qualifying for the playoffs.

Agree about next week. Still have major doubts about Garrett but will gladly eat a huge dose of crow if he proves me wrong. So far he hasn't been terrible this season but it will be interesting when we get into a game where clock management is important. Who knows maybe he might actually do better managing the clock now that all his offensive duties are taken away.

 

[Hoofbite]

I think every week is its own measuring stick for this team. They're so wildly inconsistent that no particular week is actually helpful in determining how well the team will or won't play.

You were close about 80% playoff chance at 4-1. 77% according to this site:

http://i5.***BLOCKED***/albums/y188/thehoofbite/21AD7FF3-1BAB-4B18-BC3F-17CE26709EB1.png

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features...o-go-andrew-luck-and-a-must-win-for-the-pats/

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Its no measuring stick IMO. It means nothing if they lose. If they lose next week than go on a 10 game winning streak does the game matter? Aint's are 1-2....we BELIEVE they are underachieving. They still have Drew Brees and a solid offense. Its going to be a test but if we lose its just another loss.

 

[Doomsday]

The way Dallas is struggling to cover TEs, this is the last guy you want to see coming to town. Hopefully the defense can step up and get the job done.

 

[Corso]

Agree about next week. Still have major doubts about Garrett but will gladly eat a huge dose of crow if he proves me wrong. So far he hasn't been terrible this season but it will be interesting when we get into a game where clock management is important. Who knows maybe he might actually do better managing the clock now that all his offensive duties are taken away.

I can get with what you're saying.
Garrett now has all the tools to manage the Game better than he ever had.

If he can't by now- it's time to move on.

I think he'll do fine.
Now as far as the total talent on the team to make a real run...

That I'm not so confident about.
Hopeful, but not confident.

 

[Hoofbite]

I don't mind Garrett staying head coach if we make playoffs this year. He has almost rebuilt this entire team, we are young, will make mistakes but we will get better

I wouldn't say he's rebuilt the entire team unless you simply mean having changed players.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

I wouldn't say he's rebuilt the entire team unless you simply mean having changed players.

Has ALMOST rebuilt team. Still need some pieces yes but we are very young. I know people are down on guys like Claiborne and Wilcox etc. But neither one has had 3 years in the league yet. Claiborne going on his 3rd and Wilcox only 2nd year. They will get better and have gotten better.

We were a mess, 1-7 team. ... over paid old vets.... remember. Have lost young prospects to career ending injury.... Holloman for example. Injuries are big part as well, hard to rebuild team with no talent when new players are injuried. ...D Law for example.

The arrow is only pointing up for this team. Romo really the only concern, can he stay healthy, is his back problems going to linger for entire season. Overall we have changed ALMOST the entire team. Need chemistry, experience, scheme changes both offense and defense. This team is learning how to win against adversity. I don't care if people think Titans and Rams are terrible, those wins are good for team bonding. I see them fighting even when down 21 points.

I'm not saying this team is perfect, they will lose games, make mistakes but they will get better

 

[Beast_from_East]

Its no measuring stick IMO. It means nothing if they lose. If they lose next week than go on a 10 game winning streak does the game matter? Aint's are 1-2....we BELIEVE they are underachieving. They still have Drew Brees and a solid offense. Its going to be a test but if we lose its just another loss.

I disagree, beating a quality team that pounded you a year ago does mean something.

Let's be real here, if the only teams we can beat are the Titans and Rams, then we have a major problem

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Let's just hope it is not a repeat of the last game vs the Saints when they put a beat down of epic proportions.

Even if they only do half as well as they did last time it would still equal a spanking.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

I disagree, beating a quality team that pounded you a year ago does mean something.

Let's be real here, if the only teams we can beat are the Titans and Rams, then we have a major problem

We can beat Washington, Philly, NY as well

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I do not see us winning this week.

I know people are going to say oh the Saints are 1-2. That's fine. I don't care. They're going to have all kinds of miss match problems for us.

We can't cover TE's hardly anyone has even heard of so what do you think Jimmy Graham is going to do to this team? It's going to be ugly.

A couple of decent QBs (nothing special about them) made plays on this team so what do you think Drew Brees is going to do? With our lack of pass rush Brees is going to have all day back there and he's going to light up Mo with his WR's and Jimmy over the middle. It's going to be so ugly for us. The Saints are a match up nightmare for this defense.

This is a game that we are very likely going to lose by 20. I just don't see how we do anything to slow them down and unless this offense plays absolutely perfect we're going to have a hard time matching them scoring.

 

[xwalker]

I think every week is its own measuring stick for this team. They're so wildly inconsistent that no particular week is actually helpful in determining how well the team will or won't play.

You were close about 80% playoff chance at 4-1. 77% according to this site:

http://i5.***BLOCKED***/albums/y188/thehoofbite/21AD7FF3-1BAB-4B18-BC3F-17CE26709EB1.png

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features...o-go-andrew-luck-and-a-must-win-for-the-pats/

That is a cool chart.

 

[TheRomoSexual]

I do not see us winning this week.

I know people are going to say oh the Saints are 1-2. That's fine. I don't care. They're going to have all kinds of miss match problems for us.

We can't cover TE's hardly anyone has even heard of so what do you think Jimmy Graham is going to do to this team? It's going to be ugly.

A couple of decent QBs (nothing special about them) made plays on this team so what do you think Drew Brees is going to do? With our lack of pass rush Brees is going to have all day back there and he's going to light up Mo with his WR's and Jimmy over the middle. It's going to be so ugly for us. The Saints are a match up nightmare for this defense.

This is a game that we are very likely going to lose by 20. I just don't see how we do anything to slow them down and unless this offense plays absolutely perfect we're going to have a hard time matching them scoring.

Oh give me a break. Graham is a TE but he won't be covered like one. We've been burned by TEs because we have inexperienced LBs covering them. Graham will be covered by a DB.

 

[CATCH17]

Its no measuring stick IMO. It means nothing if they lose. If they lose next week than go on a 10 game winning streak does the game matter? Aint's are 1-2....we BELIEVE they are underachieving. They still have Drew Brees and a solid offense. Its going to be a test but if we lose its just another loss.

When is the last time we beat a team with an elite QB?

If Breese comes out and has his way with us then it just shows that its going to be impossible to win in this league with this defensive scheme.

 

[romothesavior]

Oh give me a break. Graham is a TE but he won't be covered like one. We've been burned by TEs because we have inexperienced LBs covering them. Graham will be covered by a DB.

Cover Graham with one of our DBs? That doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

 

[Idgit]

I do not see us winning this week.

I know people are going to say oh the Saints are 1-2. That's fine. I don't care. They're going to have all kinds of miss match problems for us.

We can't cover TE's hardly anyone has even heard of so what do you think Jimmy Graham is going to do to this team? It's going to be ugly.

A couple of decent QBs (nothing special about them) made plays on this team so what do you think Drew Brees is going to do? With our lack of pass rush Brees is going to have all day back there and he's going to light up Mo with his WR's and Jimmy over the middle. It's going to be so ugly for us. The Saints are a match up nightmare for this defense.

This is a game that we are very likely going to lose by 20. I just don't see how we do anything to slow them down and unless this offense plays absolutely perfect we're going to have a hard time matching them scoring.

Saints were never going to be an easy-out, it doesn't matter what their record is. They're a matchup problem for everybody. But it's worth noting that they were a particular problem for us last year when Sean Lee went down and we were stuck playing Drew Brees in mostly zone coverage with no rush. That's a recipe for disaster. Especially since we had *nobody* who could cover the backs underneath. And we were playing in NOLA, the year after we released our DC and he went to NOLA.

The Saints in Dallas, without Sproles, with our secondary and LBs back (Rolando is a big question mark for this game), and with our ability to lean on the run to avoid the bad pass, and some of the defensive problems they've been having this year...it's going to be a different story. I'm still expecting them to win, but it's not out of the realm of the possible for us to beat them heads up. At the very least, I don't think they toy with us the way they did last season.

 

[Stash]

I think the 'measuring stick' was yesterday.

Against a league bottom-feeder.

And they had to 'rally' from a 21-point deficit to win.

And they made a nobody QB look like Peyton Manning along the way.

I give them no chance to beat a good Saints team, whether the 'Kool-Aid Krowd' likes that or not.

They'll rant and they'll rave about the Cowboys' great chances, but they won't back up anything they're claiming by actually standing behind those claims. But that's par for the course...

 

[Staubacher]

I think the "ugly" win vs the Rams sets this next game up nicely.

The defense got the rude awakening they potentially are no better than last year and need to step it up.

Romo got loosey goosey again and, as Dez said, is "doing what he do".

Murray feels like he had a bad game despite the hundy he put up and will run like a man possessed next Sunday.

Harris is due for a bust-out return.

The team overall will go into this with the fighting underdog mentality. There will be no undue overconfidence.

I expect the 'Boys to play a really tough game win or lose and it will be close.