Fansided
Who Dat Dish
Home/Saints News

6 areas that will make or break the 2016 New Orleans Saints

hispandrix
Jan 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) walks toward the field before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) walks toward the field before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 7
Next
Nov 8, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Tennessee Titans defensive end Angelo Blackson (95) celebrates after a sack of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) during the second half of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Titans defeated the Saints 34-28 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 8, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Tennessee Titans defensive end Angelo Blackson (95) celebrates after a sack of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) during the second half of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Titans defeated the Saints 34-28 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

Pass protection

From one line to the other, we can’t go without addressing the 31 sacks on Drew Brees last season, which went up from 2014’s total of 29. When it was bad, it was horrible. In just a mere four games against Tennessee, Philadelphia, Dallas, and Tampa Bay, Brees was sacked 16 times. What stands out from 52 percent of the 2015 sack totals in those four contests is that 11 of them were at home. That just isn’t normal, or is it?

Since 2012, Brees has been sacked more at home (69 sacks) than he has on the road (54 sacks). Here’s the brief breakdown:

  • 2012 – Home (20), Away (6)
  • 2013 – Home (17), Away (20)
  • 2014 – Home (16), Away (13)
  • 2015 – Home (16), Away (15)

I’d also be remiss in not mentioning the Houston game or citing the Week 2 game against Tampa Bay, where Brees was essentially made into a rag doll from Zach Strief‘s struggles.

Arguably, the offensive line played much better down the stretch. However, it wasn’t enough to keep Bret Ingalls, who was fired in mid-January while Dan Roushar was returned back to his familiar position.

Teams that have found success in isolating Sean Payton’s lethal offensive attack start with frustrating and disrupting Drew Brees, and that’s an area the Saints have to get much better at in 2016.

Next: The locker room

facebooktwitterreddit