Strategy puts heat on Brees

[RamWraith]

By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
11/12/2007

NEW ORLEANS — For three quarters, Rams defensive coordinator Jim Haslett reveled in his return to New Orleans. "It was awesome," he said. The fourth quarter, though, "wore me out," Haslett added.

The Saints scored three touchdowns in the final 11½ minutes Sunday. But it was too little, too late for the team Haslett served as head coach from 2000 to 2005.

The Rams' 37-29 victory provided a happy homecoming for Haslett, who hadn't been back to the Big Easy since he was fired after a 3-13 finish in 2005 in the wrenching aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

He spent the bye week in Pensacola Beach, Fla., "sitting in the sun, drinking margaritas" and trying to ease the sting of the Rams' 0-8 start.

When Haslett returned to Rams Park last week, he concocted a defensive game plan that was heavy on aggressiveness. "The Saints have an explosive offense tailored around (quarterback) Drew Brees, who's just been playing brilliant," safety Oshiomogho Atogwe said. "We felt that if we could just get some pressure on him, collapse the pocket a little bit, we'd have a better chance to make some plays.

"We attacked them, and it worked out for us."

Brees piled up impressive numbers during the four-game winning streak the Saints brought to the Superdome: a 71.5 percent completion rate, an average of 311.5 yards per game, 11 TDs and one interception.

Plus, he was sacked only once in that span and a league-low five times all season.

But, defensive tackle Adam Carriker noted, "Nobody had really pressured them. That was our approach, just to bring the heat and get in his face."

The Saints cruised 73 yards on four plays and took a 7-0 lead on their first series. But their second lasted just two plays, Atogwe picking off a pass after Brees was pressured.

After the Rams made it 7-7 on the ensuing possession, blitzing linebacker Will Witherspoon's sack of Brees forced a three-and-out. The Rams moved in front 14-7, and then, with linebacker Brandon Chillar bearing down on him, Brees was picked off again, linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa leaping high to snare the ball.

"We got after them," Tinoisamoa said. "There were just a lot of big plays that were made."

Tinoisamoa made another when he stood up running back Reggie Bush on fourth-and-1 midway through the third period. The Rams took over at the Saints' 47-yard line and scored five plays later on Marc Bulger's 9-yard pass to wideout Isaac Bruce.

After three quarters, the Rams had a whopping time-of-possession advantage of 32:57 to 12:03. "At times I was actually feeling a little bit stiff; I had to run around a little bit," Carriker said. "That's a nice problem to have."

The Rams took their biggest lead, 34-7, early in the fourth quarter. At that point, the Saints had mustered a mere 95 yards. Brees was nine of 14 for 68 yards. "I never felt like we had a chance to get in any kind of a rhythm," Brees said. "When we did get our chances, we didn't take advantage until the fourth quarter."

The Rams perhaps turned down the wick slightly early, going with three-man fronts and deep drops most of the final period. Brees hit on 16 of 22 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns the rest of the way.

But the Rams had built too much of a cushion to be overtaken.

"It was fun," said Haslett, who received a game ball. "I thought we were in control the whole game; I thought we did exactly what we wanted to do. We got turnovers, we got sacks, we pressured (Brees).

"That's what we have to do the rest of the way to try to salvage this thing."

[TekeRam]

Oh, so maybe we should have tried to bring the heat sooner? You know, week 1?

That'll do, Haslett, that'll do.

[laram0]

Oh, so maybe we should have tried to bring the heat sooner? You know, week 1?

That'll do, Haslett, that'll do.

Exactly....We should be pressuring the opposing qb in every game. No matter what it takes.

[Rambos]

You need your starter to do that from week one, no Brown and then we lost Hill. Bothe these guy can cover will little help.

[txramsfan]

Good point Rambos. It's easier to blitz when you have confidence in your secondary to at least cover the WR.

[moloch41]

Good point Rambos. It's easier to blitz when you have confidence in your secondary to at least cover the WR.

I'm under the belief that if you have a shoddy secondary, you really don't want them having to cover forever. Our front four gets absolutely no pressure on opposing QBs whatsoever and as Haslett showed yesterday by going with 3 man fronts, that's even worse. It was a terrible idea to move into a prevent that early in the game and he almost blew a 34-7 lead with that decision. He should feel lucky today. How devastated would this team have been had that lost that one yesterday because a coach gets soft like that?

[TekeRam]

Somehow, someway, I actually agree with Moloch for once. Pass defense comes in two forms, coverage and pressure. If you can cover(Broncos), you can afford to wait for your front four/three to get to the QB. If you can't cover(Saints), you need to bring extra pressure to throw off timing and make him throw before he wants to.

Now, Haslett was thinking that if he dropped 8, then the 8 could adequately cover the 5 receivers for enough time that the three man rush could get there. Against Rex Grossman, that would work. Against Drew Brees, he tears your zone to shreds. We don't exactly have Champ Bailey and Ed Reed in the secondary, and while I do like Brown and Hill, they aren't all-pros, and they need pressure to help them out.

[txramsfan]

Well, I've always heard it's easier to blitz when you have a good secondary. Guess it's who you listen to.

[Rambos]

That game was over, over when we pulled off the dogs. Lets not forget about the Offense giving the ball back.

Lets look at the first three quaters, with our starting DB, we brought the blitz with Chillar and Spoon. We did that because we had Brown and Hill man on man.

He dropp 8 because of the lead and the time left in the game. He did not want to give up a quick score. As long as it took time off the clock we would win and we did.

[Fat Pang]

That game was over, over when we pulled off the dogs. Lets not forget about the Offense giving the ball back.

Lets look at the first three quaters, with our starting DB, we brought the blitz with Chillar and Spoon. We did that because we had Brown and Hill man on man.

He dropp 8 because of the lead and the time left in the game. He did not want to give up a quick score. As long as it took time off the clock we would win and we did.

Exactly, although some would have you believe that its coaching incompetence rather than playing prevent with a big lead.

[Goldenfleece]

I'm sure you're right, but letting them get within a touchdown is cutting it a little closer than I'd like. It's just a little unnerving when a team reduces a 27 point deficit to an 8 point deficit in the final quarter.

[moloch41]

Exactly, although some would have you believe that its coaching incompetence rather than playing prevent with a big lead.

It's coaching incompetence to call that type of formation for the entire 4th quarter when you see your huge lead disappearing before your eyes. If those onside kicks bounce differently, we might have lost that game. That's coaching incompetence and coaching irresponsibility.

[mde8352gorams]

Which is why this coaching staff must go!

Go Rams1