NFL: NFC South Week 1 Reaction - Saints Marching In

New Orleans Saints beat the Atlanta Falcons. Photo credit NFL 

by Chad Jones
          
New Orleans: Defense in Big Easy? 
Sean Payton's return to the Big Easy reignited the Saints to a 23-17 Win v. Division Rival, & presumptive Super Bowl contender Atlanta. The offense remained dynamic & lethal in Payton's absence; and churned out 419 Yards on Sunday. It's Drew Brees' show, a big strike passing game that complements intermediate precision passing, and mixed in running opportunities. The true week 1 takeaway was the vastly improved Defensive performance. 


Setting an NFL Record in 2012, the Saints allowed 7,042 Yards, finishing 31st in Scoring Defense in the process. Despite the offensive firepower, a middling 8-8 record resulted. Many attributed the issues to a leadership void, but it was a multitude of factors. Hired to lead the Defense was Rob Ryan, who I admit was was hesitant to support. Ryan implemented an attacking & multiple 3-4 Defense that 'Schemes' pressure without an accomplished edge rusher. In many ways, the parts in New Orleans fit well in the Ryan System, in particular former 2011 1st Rounder Cam Jordan & the linebacking corps. Continued success hinges on the Defense, and Brees being judicious with the football & not committing an egregious number of turnovers. But for the time being, New Orleans appears back to contending. 

Atlanta: Super Bowl Aspirations Remain Intact
Atlanta lost on the road, and that's to be expected in the NFL. uper Bowl aspirations should not be diminished, but the offense must improve to make the Big Game. The Falcons lost the possession battle & committed 2 turnovers; and the real issue was protecting Matt Ryan. With a new right side on the offensive line the concern, it was resigned Left Tackle Sam Baker that had an awful performance. Shoring up the offensive line will be vital, and Ryan must get rid of the ball quicker. On defense, Brees did just that, getting the ball out of his hands quickly to mitigate the pass rush. The secondary struggled as many do against New Orleans, but the Defense played quite well given the Time of Possession imbalance & the quality of opponent. 

Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton- 7 Points isn't Enough in the NFL
Scoring a mère 7 points won't win many games in this league, and a late DeAngelo Williams ended the Panthers chances. Cam Newton played well, but simply didn't have the opportunities to work down the field & make the necessary plays to win. Coaches are far too often blamed, but the lack of output should go on Mike Shula's shoulders to a degree. Also, due credit must be given to the tough Seattle Defense. The real takeaway from this game is it's eerily similar to the close losses of 2012. The Panthers Offense squandered elite Front 7 play by their Defense, and the loss has that feeling of, 'Here we Go Again.' 

Tampa Bay: Greg Schiano on the Hot Seat Early
Lavonte David's late hit on Geno Smith lost the game, but there were positives to draw from the Defensive unit & glaring concerns from the offensive side. Let's start with the bad- the Tampa Bay media went easy on Josh Freeman after the game, not questioning his overall leadership, as the question in Tampa remains his future. The offensive line looked anemic without Carl Nicks at Left Guard, and Head Coach Greg Schiano openly stated Gabe Carimi might not be their next week. The offense's inability to run the ball made it one dimensional, and the Jets overmatched their opponent. 

The 2012 Defense surrendered 297.4 YPG through the air & was the best Run D in the league, allowing 82.5 yards RYPG. Were teams simply exploiting the glaring weaknesses in the secondary? Besides Geno Smith scrambles, the run defense was up to the challenge. And the backend looked vastly improved with the arrival of Darrelle Revis & Dashon Goldson. The issue becomes the penalties, and personal fouls which Schiano attributed to his groups physicality. Addressing these issues will be critical, but the real concern going forward is the offense. 

Schiano's tenure in Tampa could come to an abrupt end at 2013's conclusion. His team looked unprepared & undisciplined, quite smiler to last years opening loss to the Giants at Met Life, but far worst. The early segments of the game after Mike Williams' catch made you wonder if the Buccaneers had Training Camp at all. 

Bottom Line: 
With the Saints appearing reinvigorated, the South becomes more interesting atop. I still project the Falcons to reach the postseason, and the Saints could join them if their Defense holds up. Though I'll be honest, I doubt New Orleans reaches the tournament. With Carolina, you have issues on Offense, as that unit seemingly wastes Tremendous Defensive performances from their Defensive Line constantly dating back to 2012. And with Tampa Bay, it's in disrepair. The Defense might be improved, but the Quarterback has a crisis of confidence. And rightfully so, the Head Coach is intending to make him the scapegoat in a disappointing season.