Folks, since I have a little bit of extra time this week with the end of the 2nd season of the Five Minute Drill, I figured I'd type up some of my game notes for the Pool... First up, Saints-Falcons.
1st Quarter
The Saints come out right away and go for the jugular with a deep play action pass to Devery Henderson... intercepted. Chris Houston did a good job letting his man (Colston) go on the underneath route and getting deep to front Henderson, and Erik Coleman did a tremendous job playing the ball, undercutting Henderson. In fact, Coleman showed much better ball skills than Henderson, who was fading away from the ball and did not seem to locate or judge the ball correctly at all. The Saints wanted to set the tone in this game with this bold call on the first offensive play of the game, and they did, but not the way they intended.
Clancy and Ellis were stout against the first down run, and then the Falcons took a 15 yard penalty on an illegal block, so Coleman's good return was nullified. The Saints got a 2nd and 4 after a pass underneath to Moore, but Brees decided to go deep to Henderson again, challenging Dominique Foxworth this time, and Foxworth made the play. Babineaux got great penetration on the 3rd down run, forcing a punt, and the new NO punter, Pakulak, outkicked the coverage, allowing Harry Douglas to return the ball to midfield, although Pakuluk made the tackle.
The Saints were stout against the first down run again, but this time the Falcons answered by attacking the edges of the defense, with two successful mid range outs to White and Jenkins. After a Turner run set up a 2nd down and 5 at the 16, Ryan hit White for the TD on a five step drop with an ever so slight hesitation at the top of the drop. White got inside of Randall Gay on the skinny post, and Kevin Kaesviharn could not get over in time to stop the completion. With Mike McKenzie out for the season, this should become a familiar sight against the Saints secondary.
On the next drive, the Saints attempted to use play action again early, this time Foxworth made a nice aggressive play to break up the pass to Moore. Colston then made an excellent full extension catch on a high ball - looking like the old Colston. Aaron Stecker then got the ball across midfield on a nice run showing good vision and burst - it's too bad he ended up hurt again. The Saints then tried to run Deuce wide, but he showed his age and reconstructed knees. Colston made another nice extension catch on a high ball from Brees, and the Saints were in business, down to the 23. The Saints converted a short third down in the red zone, but it took a scramble from Brees, after he had time to throw, but no one was open. Chauncey Davis made a nice play to disrupt the 2nd down and short run after Jeremy Shockey put a half-hearted "block" on him.
On first and 10 from the 10 and half, Colston successfully got inside on Foxworth by bursting out of a light jog he went into at the snap, and Brees delivered the ball on time, but Foxworth made another very aggressive play. Colston got both hands on the ball, but Foxworth was up to the task. The Saints tried to run out of a three wide on 2nd down with Stecker, but guess who... Foxworth made a nice stick on the outside to hold him to a minimal gain. On third down, Brees had some time, but not much, and the play took too long to develop, and he had to throw as he was hit by Abraham to an open Moore, who had to go to the ground to catch the ball, ending the threat. Field Goal Saints.
Scott Fujita shot the gap and got Turner in the backfield on 1st down on the Falcons next drive (although it still took Ellis and others to actually get Turner down), and Turner then ran over Roman Harper to set up a third and five. Will Smith got great pressure, but it was because he anticipated the snap count a little too well, and let's also point out that Ryan made a nice play feeling the immediate pressure and stepping up to get the ball to Norwood on an improvised toss. The first quarter ended with another strong play against the run by Ellis
Second Quarter
After a decent outside run by Norwood, Ryan showed his arm strength is more than adequate for the NFL with a nice pass to the long side of the field to White. Mike McKenzie was giving White such a cushion that when he throttled down, McKenzie was still closing when the ball arrived, and missed the tackle, allowing White to get to midfield. Ryan worked the outside of the field again on a curl to Jenkins, and again showed no problem getting the ball there on a rope. Bobby McCray made a nice play to thwart Turner after a first down offsides made it 1st and five, but Ryan came back and attacked the Saints corners again, this time Aaron Glenn on an intentionally underthrown ball that Jenkins adjusted to. Turner easily converts the TD and it's 14-3.
Sean Payton continued with aggressive play calling, this time, Henderson led off the next drive with a 30 yard end around, showing more speed than anyone on the Falcons D. Colston made a nice block to spring it, and MLB Curtis Lofton of all people was the guy who forced Henderson out of bounds way downfield.
Pierre Thomas made a typical hard Thomas run to set up 2nd and short, and Brees used some misdirection to cross up the D on another pass play downfield, this one to Moore. The Saints were in business with a second and short after a productive dump off to Deuce, but Grady Jackson blew up the second down run to Thomas, and John Abraham turned the corner like only he can do and made a shoestring sack on Brees to force the field goal. The Rookie Hartley made his second field goal, and the score was now 14-6.
The Falcons come back and right away string together some plays. Norwood with an 8 yard run outside even though the Saints DL continued to control the middle. Ryan on a rollout had Jenkins and White both open and took the longer pass to White. NOW, Turner finds some room to run on first down, and eventually sets up a 3rd and short. When he gets the ball on 3rd down, Turner breaks it outside when the middle is clogged again, for a 20 yard gain. Ryan overthrew White on a long pass on first, and the Saints again stopped the run inside on 2nd down, but Norwood BURNED Kaesviharn on a pattern out of the backfield, and Ryan put it right on his hands 15 yards downfield. First and goal. More good play against the run by the Saints, and a good breakup by Randall Gay on what would have been WHite's 2nd TD forced a FG.
The Saints O comes alive on the two minute drill. A pass to Colston. Two underneath to Shockey. Colston goes up to snag yet another high ball to get them in FG range... but alas a holding penalty. Brees improvises on 2nd and long, and hits Moore who shows great field awareness by catching a ball that over the sideline and keeping both feet in and down before falling out of bounds. But Babineaux flushed Brees from the pocket on first down to force a scramble. Colston and Brees had a miscommunication for an incompletion on 2nd down. Davis deflects Brees pass on 3rd down. Curiously, Payton passes on the chance to pull within one score, and goes for it on 4th and 4 at the 28. Maybe he didn't trust the rookie Hartley. Brees made a good enough throw, getting it to Colston, who had position on Chris Houston, but Houston got his hand in there to break it up... giving all the momentum to the Falcons going into the locker room.
So...
Key first half observations:
- The Saints front four is doing the job against the run. We saw them shut down AD earlier this year, so it should come as no surprise
- The Falcons were moving the ball by attacking the Saints corners
- The Saints seemed a little overconfident in their O, going for some low percentage plays instead of just dismantling the Atlanta secondary with short and intermediate stuff
- The Falcons corners stepped up in a big way, playing very aggressive, on their toes and very physical.
More to come as I get time...
1st Quarter
The Saints come out right away and go for the jugular with a deep play action pass to Devery Henderson... intercepted. Chris Houston did a good job letting his man (Colston) go on the underneath route and getting deep to front Henderson, and Erik Coleman did a tremendous job playing the ball, undercutting Henderson. In fact, Coleman showed much better ball skills than Henderson, who was fading away from the ball and did not seem to locate or judge the ball correctly at all. The Saints wanted to set the tone in this game with this bold call on the first offensive play of the game, and they did, but not the way they intended.
Clancy and Ellis were stout against the first down run, and then the Falcons took a 15 yard penalty on an illegal block, so Coleman's good return was nullified. The Saints got a 2nd and 4 after a pass underneath to Moore, but Brees decided to go deep to Henderson again, challenging Dominique Foxworth this time, and Foxworth made the play. Babineaux got great penetration on the 3rd down run, forcing a punt, and the new NO punter, Pakulak, outkicked the coverage, allowing Harry Douglas to return the ball to midfield, although Pakuluk made the tackle.
The Saints were stout against the first down run again, but this time the Falcons answered by attacking the edges of the defense, with two successful mid range outs to White and Jenkins. After a Turner run set up a 2nd down and 5 at the 16, Ryan hit White for the TD on a five step drop with an ever so slight hesitation at the top of the drop. White got inside of Randall Gay on the skinny post, and Kevin Kaesviharn could not get over in time to stop the completion. With Mike McKenzie out for the season, this should become a familiar sight against the Saints secondary.
On the next drive, the Saints attempted to use play action again early, this time Foxworth made a nice aggressive play to break up the pass to Moore. Colston then made an excellent full extension catch on a high ball - looking like the old Colston. Aaron Stecker then got the ball across midfield on a nice run showing good vision and burst - it's too bad he ended up hurt again. The Saints then tried to run Deuce wide, but he showed his age and reconstructed knees. Colston made another nice extension catch on a high ball from Brees, and the Saints were in business, down to the 23. The Saints converted a short third down in the red zone, but it took a scramble from Brees, after he had time to throw, but no one was open. Chauncey Davis made a nice play to disrupt the 2nd down and short run after Jeremy Shockey put a half-hearted "block" on him.
On first and 10 from the 10 and half, Colston successfully got inside on Foxworth by bursting out of a light jog he went into at the snap, and Brees delivered the ball on time, but Foxworth made another very aggressive play. Colston got both hands on the ball, but Foxworth was up to the task. The Saints tried to run out of a three wide on 2nd down with Stecker, but guess who... Foxworth made a nice stick on the outside to hold him to a minimal gain. On third down, Brees had some time, but not much, and the play took too long to develop, and he had to throw as he was hit by Abraham to an open Moore, who had to go to the ground to catch the ball, ending the threat. Field Goal Saints.
Scott Fujita shot the gap and got Turner in the backfield on 1st down on the Falcons next drive (although it still took Ellis and others to actually get Turner down), and Turner then ran over Roman Harper to set up a third and five. Will Smith got great pressure, but it was because he anticipated the snap count a little too well, and let's also point out that Ryan made a nice play feeling the immediate pressure and stepping up to get the ball to Norwood on an improvised toss. The first quarter ended with another strong play against the run by Ellis
Second Quarter
After a decent outside run by Norwood, Ryan showed his arm strength is more than adequate for the NFL with a nice pass to the long side of the field to White. Mike McKenzie was giving White such a cushion that when he throttled down, McKenzie was still closing when the ball arrived, and missed the tackle, allowing White to get to midfield. Ryan worked the outside of the field again on a curl to Jenkins, and again showed no problem getting the ball there on a rope. Bobby McCray made a nice play to thwart Turner after a first down offsides made it 1st and five, but Ryan came back and attacked the Saints corners again, this time Aaron Glenn on an intentionally underthrown ball that Jenkins adjusted to. Turner easily converts the TD and it's 14-3.
Sean Payton continued with aggressive play calling, this time, Henderson led off the next drive with a 30 yard end around, showing more speed than anyone on the Falcons D. Colston made a nice block to spring it, and MLB Curtis Lofton of all people was the guy who forced Henderson out of bounds way downfield.
Pierre Thomas made a typical hard Thomas run to set up 2nd and short, and Brees used some misdirection to cross up the D on another pass play downfield, this one to Moore. The Saints were in business with a second and short after a productive dump off to Deuce, but Grady Jackson blew up the second down run to Thomas, and John Abraham turned the corner like only he can do and made a shoestring sack on Brees to force the field goal. The Rookie Hartley made his second field goal, and the score was now 14-6.
The Falcons come back and right away string together some plays. Norwood with an 8 yard run outside even though the Saints DL continued to control the middle. Ryan on a rollout had Jenkins and White both open and took the longer pass to White. NOW, Turner finds some room to run on first down, and eventually sets up a 3rd and short. When he gets the ball on 3rd down, Turner breaks it outside when the middle is clogged again, for a 20 yard gain. Ryan overthrew White on a long pass on first, and the Saints again stopped the run inside on 2nd down, but Norwood BURNED Kaesviharn on a pattern out of the backfield, and Ryan put it right on his hands 15 yards downfield. First and goal. More good play against the run by the Saints, and a good breakup by Randall Gay on what would have been WHite's 2nd TD forced a FG.
The Saints O comes alive on the two minute drill. A pass to Colston. Two underneath to Shockey. Colston goes up to snag yet another high ball to get them in FG range... but alas a holding penalty. Brees improvises on 2nd and long, and hits Moore who shows great field awareness by catching a ball that over the sideline and keeping both feet in and down before falling out of bounds. But Babineaux flushed Brees from the pocket on first down to force a scramble. Colston and Brees had a miscommunication for an incompletion on 2nd down. Davis deflects Brees pass on 3rd down. Curiously, Payton passes on the chance to pull within one score, and goes for it on 4th and 4 at the 28. Maybe he didn't trust the rookie Hartley. Brees made a good enough throw, getting it to Colston, who had position on Chris Houston, but Houston got his hand in there to break it up... giving all the momentum to the Falcons going into the locker room.
So...
Key first half observations:
- The Saints front four is doing the job against the run. We saw them shut down AD earlier this year, so it should come as no surprise
- The Falcons were moving the ball by attacking the Saints corners
- The Saints seemed a little overconfident in their O, going for some low percentage plays instead of just dismantling the Atlanta secondary with short and intermediate stuff
- The Falcons corners stepped up in a big way, playing very aggressive, on their toes and very physical.
More to come as I get time...
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