Saints went from last to 4th in defense- So does that give us hope?

[theogt]

In 2013, the Saints’ opponents averaged 329 yards per game, which would make their opponents’ average about 24th in the league.

In 2012, the Saints’ opponents averaged 363 yards per game, which would make their opponents’ average about 9th in the league.

Only two of their 2012 opponents averaged less than their entire 2013 opponents’ average.

If we can have a huge swing in strength of schedule like that, we’ll definitely see some improvement in our defensive stats.

 

[Hoofbite]

If the Cowboys could find a way to hire their defensive coordinator, it would go a long way.

He managed to take the worst defense (by yardage) in the history of the NFL and bring them up to 4th in the NFL in a single year.

The guy is pretty much a miracle worker and is obviously talented and brilliant. A real up and comer.

Anybody know his name?

I don't know his name but he's coached for a lot of garbage teams like Cleveland and Oakland. I remember someone bringing up some stat about him never coaching on a playoff team and that was supposed to be a knock on him even though he was often sandbagged by a horrid offense.

Guess having an offense that doesn't hold you back makes a difference.

 

[percyhoward]

Aikman efficiency rankings had the Saints defense at #15.

http://www.aikman.com/AikmanEfficie.../62/Aikman-Efficiency-Ratings-2013-Final.aspx

While it may sound too simple to be true, the best way to measure offensive efficiency is to divide total offensive points by the number of drives.

The flaw that I see in Aikman's system is that it puts too much emphasis on 3rd down conversions. (There's really no reason to consider them at all.) Detroit's defense led the NFL with the lowest 3rd-down conversion percentage allowed, and that obviously catapulted the Lions to the #7 defense according to AER. But since they were only 20th in stopping conversions on all other downs, they actually gave up a lot of points, and were just the 15th-best defense in the league according to points per drive.

 

[Hoofbite]

In 2013, the Saints’ opponents averaged 329 yards per game, which would make their opponents’ average about 24th in the league.

In 2012, the Saints’ opponents averaged 363 yards per game, which would make their opponents’ average about 9th in the league.

Only two of their 2012 opponents averaged less than their entire 2013 opponents’ average.

If we can have a huge swing in strength of schedule like that, we’ll definitely see some improvement in our defensive stats.

The Saints had the 2nd hardest strength of schedule in the NFL in 2013. 11th in 2012.

 

[theogt]

The Saints had the 2nd hardest strength of schedule in the NFL in 2013. 11th in 2012.

By wins, yes.

 

[Doomsay]

Does anybody else see the irony in this thread? i.e. the guy we let go went from last to 4th with another team? How does losing somebody like that give you hope for the team he left?

 

[coult44]

Dallas played 11 games against teams ranked in the top half of the league in total yards. That included 8 of the top 10 teams in total yards. New Orleans played 10 games against teams ranked in the bottom half of the league in total yards. That includes facing Tampa twice who finished as the worse team in the league for total yards.

Aikman efficiency rankings had the Saints defense at #15.

http://www.aikman.com/AikmanEfficie.../62/Aikman-Efficiency-Ratings-2013-Final.aspx

Ever stop to think that those teams were in top total yards list because they played Dallas and raked up 14,246 yards against us.. Especially those teams that played us twice...

 

[joseephuss]

No matter how you calculate it Dallas faced better offenses than the Saints did this season. Dallas did not have a good defense by any means, but they did face more potent offenses.

 

[joseephuss]

Ever stop to think that those teams were in top total yards list because they played Dallas and raked up 14,246 yards against us.. Especially those teams that played us twice...

Yes, I did think of that. It still didn't matter. Those teams put up yards and points against most everyone they faced. They would have ranked highly even if you took out the games they played against Dallas. The same can be said for the teams New Orleans faced. Tampa didn't put up much offense against the Saints in the two games they played. They also didn't fair that well against the rest of the teams on their schedule. Denver carved up about every team they played as well as running up and down the field against the Cowboys.

And the Eagles actually played worse against the Cowboys defense than they did the rest of the league.

 

[coult44]

Yes, I did think of that. It still didn't matter. Those teams put up yards and points against most everyone they faced. They would have ranked highly even if you took out the games they played against Dallas. The same can be said for the teams New Orleans faced. Tampa didn't put up much offense against the Saints in the two games they played. They also didn't fair that well against the rest of the teams on their schedule. Denver carved up about every team they played as well as running up and down the field against the Cowboys.

And the Eagles actually played worse against the Cowboys defense than they did the rest of the league.

If we could have played with the same emotion, intensity, attitude, and enthusiasm that we played with against the Fecals,especially during the last game, we wouldn't be having this conversation...

 

[Ratmatt]

NO shaved almost 135 yards per game off of their 2012 average.

While I'm not goofy enough to expect a top-10 defense next season, could this defense get up to say middling of the pack?

Why should that give us hope?

 

[jobberone]

I don't understand what you are saying here, even if it is for the umpteenth time...

By "base defense", I was talking about the Saints going from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and us going from a 3-4 to a 4-3.

And you'd be right as it is the label that identifies a defense. Defenses are much more than that anymore. Even with the gang of scrubs we still played a lot of different fronts and there are many ways to play a 4-3 etc. Kiffin was going to play some defense like Seattle. It never panned out because we never had the personnel to run it. I'm not entirely sure what he meant by all of his remarks preseason. Maybe we'll get a glimpse this year. You can look up one of his quotes about playing different fronts. He talked about having 11 men on the field rather than talking about fronts.

 

[Picksix]

The Saints had the 2nd hardest strength of schedule in the NFL in 2013. 11th in 2012.

That SOS is based on a top-heavy schedule, skewed by a few teams with really good records (Sea, NE, Car, SF). They only played 6 games against teams that are considered "quality" opponents, one of them being Arizona, which didn't have all that good of an offense. Carolina, Seattle, and SF were great teams, but not exactly powerhouse offenses. NO also played TB and ATL twice, along with Miami, NYJ, Buff - all teams with bad offenses. And they played us, which according to many on this board, different have a good offense either. Yes, Rob did do a good job with that defense, seeing as how awful they were in 2012. But he had some help.

 

[Beast_from_East]

NO shaved almost 135 yards per game off of their 2012 average.

While I'm not goofy enough to expect a top-10 defense next season, could this defense get up to say middling of the pack?

Maybe we should hire their defensive coordinator and find out how they did it.................oh, wait.

 

[percyhoward]

In 2013, when the Saints were tied or leading in the game, their defense allowed a 79.3 rating.

When the Saints were trailing, it allowed a 102.5 rating.

That's a difference of 23.2 rating points.

In 2012, when the Cowboys were trailing, Ryan's defense allowed a 94.4 rating.

When the Dallas was tied or leading, it allowed a 94.8 rating.

 

[Hoofbite]

That SOS is based on a top-heavy schedule, skewed by a few teams with really good records (Sea, NE, Car, SF). They only played 6 games against teams that are considered "quality" opponents, one of them being Arizona, which didn't have all that good of an offense. Carolina, Seattle, and SF were great teams, but not exactly powerhouse offenses. NO also played TB and ATL twice, along with Miami, NYJ, Buff - all teams with bad offenses. And they played us, which according to many on this board, different have a good offense either. Yes, Rob did do a good job with that defense, seeing as how awful they were in 2012. But he had some help.

It didn't matter who they played in 2012, they were pissed on every single week.

I don't know why there's a need to water things down by nitpicking who they played. It's not like Oakland, KC, SD or Philly were offensive juggernauts in 2012 and they put up yards on that defense.

Every team plays some garbage, some good, and a whole lot of in between. I doubt anyone would take cracks at Seattle's defense for having played Houston, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, NY Giants, Tennessee, St. Louis twice, and Arizona twice. Not that Arizona was all that bad. Little better than average.

 

[Fredd]

2012 New Orleans TOP was 27th in the league (% of time with ball)
2013 New Orleans TOP was 3rd in the league

Keep the ball away from the other team and your defense is going to look better. (note: Dallas was 26th in 2013)


So, in 2014, if Dallas can control the ball longer and somehow, some way get healthy, then I think this defense as constructed will minimally be middle of the pack....with a few moves on the DL (draft and FA), the defense could be closer to top 10, I truly believe that....things would have to fall in place for them that haven't for a few years, but it is possible

 

[Risen Star]

Does watching the Saints defense have an immediate turnaround under a defensive coordinator we deemed a problem here and got rid of give me hope for the Cowboys?

Uh, not really.

 

[pancakeman]

Dallas played 11 games against teams ranked in the top half of the league in total yards. That included 8 of the top 10 teams in total yards.

Of course, the insane yards they gained against Dallas helped put them there!

 

[noshame]

While lm impressed l want to see where Rob's defense is after year two