THE MASTER PLAN: Slowing down Drew Brees
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) rallies teammates in a huddle before taking on the Atlanta Falcons in an NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009. (Associated Press Photo/John Amis)
FLOWERY BRANCH – New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is still pretty dangerous, but his play has dipped some this season.
His passer rating of 93.5 is well below the 109.5 he had last season while guiding the Saints to the Super Bowl.
His touchdown percentage of 5.4 is below the 6.6 mark he had last season.
Safety Thomas DeCoud "congradtulating" Saints quarterback Drew Brees on Monday Night Football on Nov. 2. The hit led to a Falcons touchdown.
Brees has also thrown a career-high 19 interceptions and has been sacked 21 times. He was sacked just 20 times last season.
While there are signs that Brees is not invincible this season, the Falcons are still high on him and consider the reigning Super Bowl MVP in the top echelon of quarterbacks.
“His completion percentage and his ability to distribute the ball has just been unbelievable,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “He’s a great fit for head coach Sean Payton’s offensive scheme and what they want to do. He’s almost completing 70 percent of his passes and last year I believe he was over 70 percent if I’m not mistaken.”
(Coach Smith is always on top of his stats. Brees is completing 68.5 percent of his passes after completing 70.6 last season.)
In basketball, when playing a team with a high scorer sometimes you try to take away the high scorer. But if he’s too good, then you have to take away the lesser players and see if the high scorer can beat you by himself.
Against the Saints, the Falcons have to decide if they want to take away Brees, who controls everything or try to eliminated some of his weapons. He has so many weapons that it’s nearly impossible to take all of them away.
Here’s how the Falcons can take away some of Brees’ vast weaponry.
Reggie Bush breaking loose against Arizona. (Associated Press)
ATTACK BREES: The defensive line must get to Brees and take him out of his game. They call it moving him off his spot.
The Falcons got two sacks and four quarterback back hits in the previous matchup. The defensive line has eight sacks over the last three games.
They need to get more than two sacks and many more than four hits on Brees to knock him off his game.
“We’ve been effective recently in our pass rush and better in pressure,” defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder said. “Our speed and pressure has been better the last couple of games. It’s still an area where we are constantly talking about and working on and emphasizing. But I thought last week out in Seattle it was outstanding especially in the third quarter when we
Rams wide receiver Laurent Robinson (19. right) is tackled by Atlanta Falcons safety William Moore (25) during the first quarter. AP
came out and affected the quarterback and had three straight takeaways. All of that was a big result of pressure to the quarterback.”
STOP BUSH & THE RUN GAME: Rookie LB Sean Weatherspoon needs to shut down Reggie Bush on the screens and swing passes out of the backfield. He’ll have to be a sure tackler and not go for Bush’s smooth fakes and stutter steps.
The Falcons held the Saints to 43 yards rushing in the last matchup.
“If you’ve played them as much as we have, we’ve had a number of games where they’ve been very effective running the football against us,” VanGorder said. “We always start our defense there. Let’s concern ourselves with stopping the run and we certainly have had a number of games where we haven’t played very well against the run with New Orleans. That’s where we start our day.”
TAKE AWAY SHOCKEY: Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey caught eight passes for 78 yards and one touchdown in the last meeting.
Second-year safety William Moore was making his second start against the Saints on Sept. 27.
Let’s just be kind and write that he was taught a few things about covering tight ends in the league in that game.
Brian Williams had an impact in his first game. (CURTIS COMPTON/AJC)
“We play them a little different each time we line up with them,” VanGorder said. “Every game has been a learning experience with them. They are a handful. . . they are always a great, great challenge for everybody in the NFL.”
Moore has been coming along nicely.
“I like where he is in terms of his study habits right now and his attention to detail,” VanGorder said. “I’ll be quite frank with you, he’s done a better job than even I had anticipated early on as he entered our lineup and that’s a credit to him. . . he’s going to make mistakes, but we look forward to him really playing through some of those mistakes.”
Also, safety Erik Coleman, who lost his job to Moore, has been a professional about the move after being the team’s second-leading tackler over the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
“Erik is tremendous,” VanGorder said. “He’s very knowledgeable. He’s a good solid man that has been extremely helpful to William through this process.”
(Feel free to come up with your own ways to slow down Drew Brees and the Saints’ sixth ranked offense. Nickel back Brian Williams should do a better job on Lance Moore. He didn’t play in the first game, either.)
–D. Orlando Ledbetter
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179 comments Add your comment
Cajun crap talker
December 27th, 2010
1:06 pm
First time in, first time win, baby.
Hey Trey!!!!
December 27th, 2010
1:07 pm
“When I read “geaux” I think of the sound of the Hershey runs.”
Oh so you’re that guy that sits in the men’s bathroom listening to other guys using the crapper!!! You really need to get some help for that!!! LMAO
Chop Buster
December 27th, 2010
1:08 pm
Here comes the trolls! We WILL put your team in position to miss the playoffs beginning tonight. The Bucs will complete the process by ending your season next Sunday. Now to Who Dat!
Trey
December 27th, 2010
1:08 pm
Goodness, many Saints fans think they are so great after one Superbowl victory. When y’all get more than the Patriots and Cowboys then come and talk smack.
Trey
December 27th, 2010
1:09 pm
Hey Trey!!!, oh yeah how mature. Talking crap about the city that took you dirty people in.
Have some
December 27th, 2010
1:10 pm
aints no prime and cajun crapper: you’ve lost 45 times to the team from Flowery Branch.
Trey
December 27th, 2010
1:10 pm
Chop Buster, you have trolls everywhere. I don’t know what is worse; Phillies fans in baseball or ignorant New Orleans Saints fans.
Don't forget the Panthers bird watchers!!!!
December 27th, 2010
1:13 pm
After the Saints come and show the NFL how to cook tweety birds tonight, John Fox and his Panthers will come in next week and help his friend Sean Payton will the Division.
The Joker...
December 27th, 2010
1:14 pm
MY PIONT EXACTLY!!!!
December 27th, 2010
1:02 pm
LOL!! Samuel Jackson is/was one of the best actors in the history of Hollywood, so in reality you are saying that WE are Winners!!!!!
SKYROCK
December 27th, 2010
1:17 pm
Keep our Offense on the field.. thats how its going to be won!! GO FALCONS!!!!
Sure
December 27th, 2010
1:20 pm
Panthers will come in next week and help his friend Sean Payton will the Division and we will all be given ten million dollars and the ability to fly by saying “whodat” and…
LMOA at The Joker....
December 27th, 2010
1:32 pm
You say the funniest things!!!! This goes right with your Samuel L Jackson theory!!!
Please read what was written about your idol:
Washington, Dec 3 (ANI): Actor Samuel L. Jackson has topped a new online poll of Oscars’ Sore Losers from the last 17 years.
Jackson, who was clearly heard saying the word s**t when he missed on a Best Supporting Actor Award for the film Pulp Fiction in 1994, has earned the top spot on GoldDerby.com’s new list, reports Conatcmusic.
Sorest Loser sound like what Tweety Birds are going to be after the Saints put that @$$ whoppin’ on them tonight.
So their goes your Winner theory about Jackson and don’t worry the whole city of Atlanta will feel the same way Jackson felt about losing the Oscar.
So practice this line all day “s**t because you’ll be saying it a lot tonight!!! LMAO
gadome
December 27th, 2010
1:41 pm
The Falcons will knock the Aints blocks off tonight and next week the Bucaneers will prevent the the Aints from going to the bowl games. This is not a prediction. Fact.
Dave
December 27th, 2010
1:47 pm
The loss will be so bad that the Atlanta Pigeon’s Toothless Gutter Skank Cheerleaders will have to go back to their old red light jobs and the Atlanta Pigeons will continue to be what they are ………………………………..PRETENDERS!!!
WHO DAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Trey
December 27th, 2010
1:49 pm
“Who dat”, a common unintelligent response from those that come out of the sewers of the United States.
Chop Buster
December 27th, 2010
1:50 pm
Dave you corn ball! Oh that’s real original.
fl.falcon
December 27th, 2010
1:53 pm
WE DAAT!!!!!!!!!!!
Mi kal V ic
December 27th, 2010
1:55 pm
The fall Cons need to get a man like Mi kal to lead this second tier team.
Plain Talk
December 27th, 2010
1:56 pm
Dear Mr. LMAO at the Joker,
I found your post incredibly far reaching and inane. Therefore, I’d ask you to give up this effort to relate Samuel L. Jackson’s award winning career to the Falcon’s prospects against the aints this evening. It is a known fact that the two have nothing but awesomeness in common.
Dave
December 27th, 2010
1:59 pm
Trey Your 6th grade edumacation is showing again……..But then again one would need to be a little slow to root for the inferior pigeons
gadome
December 27th, 2010
1:59 pm
Bulletin: The AInts end their season and defense of the Lombardi trophy with a three game losing streak. They are out of the bowl games way to go chumps not champs.
Trey
December 27th, 2010
2:00 pm
Dave, my education level is much higher than anyone from New Orleans. At least I’d leave my city if I knew something were to happen.
Dave
December 27th, 2010
2:02 pm
Correction: The WORLD CHAMPION SAINTS WIN the NFC title against the Pigeons in the
Ga.y DOME and go on the beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl
Hey Dave
December 27th, 2010
2:03 pm
Maybe New Orleans won’t lose THAT bad.
Dave
December 27th, 2010
2:03 pm
Trey….I would leave your city too!!!! Even with good weather!!!
Trey
December 27th, 2010
2:04 pm
Dave, one World Championship the won. Win more than the Cowboys before bragging.
Dave
December 27th, 2010
2:05 pm
Trey how many has the Pigeons won? Oh yeah 0-1…..OUCH!!!!
Trey
December 27th, 2010
2:05 pm
Dave, Atlanta is much better than New Orleans. At least the people who moved here were smart enough not to move below sea level.
Trey
December 27th, 2010
2:06 pm
Dave, doesn’t bother me. Saints still play in New Orleans.
Trey
December 27th, 2010
2:07 pm
Pigeons? Seriously? You can’t even think of something more clever? Two completely different types of birds. You wouldn’t know that; all the good schools in New Orleans were lost.
Dave
December 27th, 2010
2:08 pm
Trey I would love to continue this but I am on my way to the airport to catch a flight to your city.
It should be a good game. My prediction Saints 34 Falcons 24
Trey
December 27th, 2010
2:10 pm
Dave, we shall see. It is going to be a good game.
gadome
December 27th, 2010
2:20 pm
Hey Trey it’s N.O. Aints not Saints cause they Aint gonna win any more championships.
The Joker...
December 27th, 2010
2:51 pm
LMOA at The Joker….
December 27th, 2010
1:32 pm
You say the funniest things!!!! This goes right with your Samuel L Jackson theory!!!
Please read what was written about your idol:
Washington, Dec 3 (ANI): Actor Samuel L. Jackson has topped a new online poll of Oscars’ Sore Losers from the last 17 years.
Jackson, who was clearly heard saying the word s**t when he missed on a Best Supporting Actor Award for the film Pulp Fiction in 1994, has earned the top spot on GoldDerby.com’s new list, reports Conatcmusic.
Sorest Loser sound like what Tweety Birds are going to be after the Saints put that @$$ whoppin’ on them tonight.
So their goes your Winner theory about Jackson and don’t worry the whole city of Atlanta will feel the same way Jackson felt about losing the Oscar.
So practice this line all day “s**t because you’ll be saying it a lot tonight!!! LMAO
*HAHA* (in my joker voice)…So Samuel Jackson was voted as one of the biggest sore losers on some dang poll 17 years ago…Who cares? I bet a aints beatdown that those same people who did that poll would also vote him as one of the best actors of all time…..
tbuck
December 27th, 2010
3:12 pm
Dirty bird makes some pretty good gumbo.
BigTimeTECHFan
December 27th, 2010
3:20 pm
Are you ready for some football?
DrJ
December 27th, 2010
3:21 pm
No more 3-man rushes against Drew, got to get a lot of pressure; and I think Spoon is going to have his Big Day!
lookin at the roof and the turf
December 27th, 2010
3:34 pm
That’s Brees —– Drew Brees
Unknown Hinson
December 27th, 2010
3:41 pm
The only good thing to ever happen in New Orleans was Katrina.
Luv 2 Hate Me
December 27th, 2010
3:52 pm
Aint fans remember the brown paper bags with the holes cut out. Get ready to pull them out again. Can you say 1 season wonder!
FalconsFan284
December 27th, 2010
3:57 pm
In all his many forms we have been exposed to the ignorance that is SeenThisB4!!!! It doesn’t matter what he calls himself today, or any other day for that matter, this guy couldn’t put together a goherent sentence explaining why the Saints have a real chance tonight. Perhaps it’s because the educational system in Louisiana is amongst the worst in the country? Maybe it’s because the state would elect a man like David Duke (former grand dragon) to represent them? Or maybe it’s because Saints fans can’t see that their team is a poor impersentation of last years Superbowl champions? But these Saints have consistently had trouble defeating teams that look to run the ball and use play action passes against their defense? I would ask all Saints fans to go back and look at what their team has done to Arizona, Baltimore, Atlanta and Cleveland, this season, in watching those teams test the heart and character of New Orleans only to find that wasn’t a beat!
FalconsFan284
December 27th, 2010
3:58 pm
Should be, only to find there was no beat!
BLACKNGOLD
December 27th, 2010
4:24 pm
Seriously,,,THAT RISE UP (LAME A$$ SONG) Just put me too sleep!!!!!!!!!!!
BLACKNGOLD
December 27th, 2010
4:27 pm
The patriots are 12-2 also….You dont see them bragging and putting other teams down..THATs the difference between ELITE and WANNABEEESSS!!!!!!!!!!
BLACKNGOLD
December 27th, 2010
4:30 pm
Hey everyone check it out, I don’t know proper grammar. I say “too sleep” because I am a hurricane survivor and have nowhere to go to school. Plus I lost my pet cats in the flood and resorted to pedophilia as a coping mechanism. But hey anyway, Geax Aints!
BLACKNGOLD
December 27th, 2010
4:36 pm
THIS IS A BLOG IDIOT!!!!!!!!!
BLACKNGOLD
December 27th, 2010
4:36 pm
And it shows how CLASSLESS you bandwagon fans are!!!!
BLACKNGOLD
December 27th, 2010
4:37 pm
Really? (ON DA KATRINA JOKES)
#1AtlantaFan
December 27th, 2010
4:40 pm
Hey 2 all my fellow Atlanta Fans:
BLACKNGOLD is right in a way..
We have 2 prove ourselves,,As you can see, no one is taking us seriously, So until we can get that RING,,Lets be humble (roddywhite) and just keep playing FOOTBALL…The better team will win tonight……….
BLACKNGOLD
December 27th, 2010
4:40 pm
Seriously bloggers, don’t think of me any different because I think kids are cute. Who Dat, dem done be dem dat duh Saints is who we be and iz in dis mug when we dattin dat who.