Random Thoughts™ on the Saints playoff game

[tom sawyer]

 

[kearly]

I think the better team definitely won this game (despite the box score), and I also think the Saints caught a ton of lucky breaks to even make it look as close as it was. It felt like Payton was outcoaching the pants off of Carroll in that second half though. All of those matchups we owned going into the game, so few them actually ended up mattering. Hats of to Payton for coaching a hell of a game.

Wait, so we're knocking Lynch for scoring a game-salting TD and we're knocking Harvin for being concussed by intentional head shots?! I must confess, I don't get it. Of all the things to focus on...

I don't get what your are even saying on the second part. On the first part, Lynch would have guaranteed a win by sliding. By scoring, he gave the Saints a very small chance of making a comeback, which to our terror, came alarmingly close to actually happening.

 

[ivotuk]

Nice work once again. I had to take my blood pressure medicine and my heart was racing.

Even one of the coaches patted Bush on th he chest after that hit. It looked like Jenkins left his feet and launched in to Percy on the ground. I think Percy will be back though.

The holding on Breno was BS as his hand was down near the waist and inside the pads. I have never seen one of those called before.

The non fumble was legit and was why Pete didn't challenge.

Some of Russell's throws were off, behind Tate, behind Lynch, and low and behind Doug.

I think they targeted Tate because he was shaking his head and "tapping out"after that play.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

More negativity. Bleh.

You can tell the Kool-Aid drinkers are at the height of their Baghdad Bob-like behavior when they start knocking Kearly for being negative.

That was beautiful, Bro, beautiful. And accurate...

As was Mr. RT™

Hmmm kayyyy.

Seriously, I'm not saying Kearly is a bad writer but every paragraph in hispost contains a negative opinion or statement. It might be Random Thoughts doesn't mean he didn't focus on the "negativity" compared to the weighted "positivity" that happened in this game.

So what I said wasn't wrong. I'm super drunk, and I forget Kearly has his bodyguards.

Carry On and Go 'Hawks.

 

[kf3339]

I don't have a problem with Lynch scoring his second TD. Our defense should not have let Brees so easily move down the field on them for their second TD. I also don't get why they wouldn't know that Coulsen is his favorite WR and do a better job taking him out of the game.

I appreciate the comments though Kearly. Do you have anything specific to say about what is happening with Wilson the last few weeks. Is it a sophomore slump? Is it Bevell? Is it our WR's?

 

[SeatownJay]

Wait, so we're knocking Lynch for scoring a game-salting TD and we're knocking Harvin for being concussed by intentional head shots?! I must confess, I don't get it. Of all the things to focus on...

Problem was, the TD didn't actually seal the victory. It gave the ball back to Brees and Co. so that they had a chance with a score and a recovered onside kick.

If Marshawn goes down at the 1, we can run off the last 1:11 just by kneeling. Saints were out of timeouts; game over. Admittedly, it's not as dramatic as the TD, but it does secure the victory.

Nice thought, but there was 2:40 left when Lynch scored, not 1:11.

 

[pmedic920]

More negativity. Bleh.

Maybe some can't handle the truth. I've always found Kearly's write ups to be fair, objective, and mostly spot on, even if I didn't like it.
I'd be interested in what you disagree with in the OP. Maybe I'm blind.

 

[BobcatHawk]

Wait, so we're knocking Lynch for scoring a game-salting TD and we're knocking Harvin for being concussed by intentional head shots?! I must confess, I don't get it. Of all the things to focus on...

Problem was, the TD didn't actually seal the victory. It gave the ball back to Brees and Co. so that they had a chance with a score and a recovered onside kick.

If Marshawn goes down at the 1, we can run off the last 1:11 just by kneeling. Saints were out of timeouts; game over. Admittedly, it's not as dramatic as the TD, but it does secure the victory.

Nice thought, but there was 2:40 left when Lynch scored, not 1:11.

My bad. That was the drive length. Looked at the wrong number.

 

[kearly]

I just call it like I see it. This was an ugly game where Seattle narrowly avoided maybe the biggest disaster in their history, and it happened because of some extremely painful missed opportunities and mistakes. I'm not being negative, being negative would be talking about how we are screwed going forward. You'll notice I never said anything like that. It was an ugly game and painful to watch though.

 

[Sarlacc83]

Wait, so we're knocking Lynch for scoring a game-salting TD and we're knocking Harvin for being concussed by intentional head shots?! I must confess, I don't get it. Of all the things to focus on...

Problem was, the TD didn't actually seal the victory. It gave the ball back to Brees and Co. so that they had a chance with a score and a recovered onside kick.

If Marshawn goes down at the 1, we can run off the last 1:11 just by kneeling. Saints were out of timeouts; game over. Admittedly, it's not as dramatic as the TD, but it does secure the victory.

Nice thought, but there was 2:40 left when Lynch scored, not 1:11.

run would've taken the clock to 2 minutes. Another 2 runs leaves 45 seconds and time for a FG, and with another first, it's victory formation.

 

[kearly]

If Lynch slides in bounds the clock would have reached the 2 minute warning. The Saints had no timeouts. 1st, 2nd, 3rd down. 3 knees. 2 minutes off the clock. Game. Another first was not needed.

Watching the play again, it sure didn't look like that defender was all that interested in making the tackle. The defender knew what was up.

 

[General Manager]

I'll take the TD.

 

[Missing_Clink]

I'll add my own random thought if that's allowed:

Count me in the minuscule "do not pay Tate" group. Tate's disappearing act in crucial games is wearing really thin. Dude was useless once Harvin got hurt. He is not worth the $6+ million per year that someone is going to pay him. Let's get a WR with some SIZE. Tate has to have a better WR than he is on the field with him to truly be effective.

 

[HunnyBadger]

Wait, so we're knocking Lynch for scoring a game-salting TD and we're knocking Harvin for being concussed by intentional head shots?! I must confess, I don't get it. Of all the things to focus on...

Problem was, the TD didn't actually seal the victory. It gave the ball back to Brees and Co. so that they had a chance with a score and a recovered onside kick.

If Marshawn goes down at the 1, we can run off the last 1:11 just by kneeling. Saints were out of timeouts; game over. Admittedly, it's not as dramatic as the TD, but it does secure the victory.

Nice thought, but there was 2:40 left when Lynch scored, not 1:11.

that would just accentuate the point that scoring would have given Saints more time to work with.

 

[sedrohawk]

i think alot of blame has to go to russell wilson. its hard to run an offense when the qb is scared to stand in the pocket for more than 2 seconds. everyone knocked kap for his early

 

[sedrohawk]

1 read or bust ,but that has been wilson lately.

 

[HunnyBadger]

If Lynch slides in bounds the clock would have reached the 2 minute warning. The Saints had no timeouts. 1st, 2nd, 3rd down. 3 knees. 2 minutes off the clock. Game. Another first was not needed.

Watching the play again, it sure didn't look like that defender was all that interested in making the tackle. The defender knew what was up.

i really think that peyton had coached his defense to allow the TD if they got burned on a play.

 

[Abach]

Disagree with OP... I don't think it would have mattered if marshawn knelt down or not on that run. Saints still would have been down 10 with SOME time left to score.

 

[rjdriver]

Here's a my random thought.

Really grateful that the Saints burned ALL three timeouts unnecessarily. Two on imminent delay of games and one on a unsuccessful challenge.
I'm sure the twelves had something to do with the first two.

I agree that we lose this game in the dome, playing all year to win HFA was crucial for us today.

 

[VivaEfrenHerrera]

I think the better team definitely won this game (despite the box score), and I also think the Saints caught a ton of lucky breaks to even make it look as close as it was. It felt like Payton was outcoaching the pants off of Carroll in that second half though. All of those matchups we owned going into the game, so few them actually ended up mattering. Hats of to Payton for coaching a hell of a game.

Wait, so we're knocking Lynch for scoring a game-salting TD and we're knocking Harvin for being concussed by intentional head shots?! I must confess, I don't get it. Of all the things to focus on...

I don't get what your are even saying on the second part. On the first part, Lynch would have guaranteed a win by sliding. By scoring, he gave the Saints a very small chance of making a comeback, which to our terror, came alarmingly close to actually happening.

Look, scoring a TD to go up 15 with so little time left is fine. It's fine. It really is. How on earth is someone, at the end of a play like that, supposed to remember to stop doing what he's done *all his life*? Just because a bunch of fluky stuff and timely calls/no-calls helped out the opposition doesn't make it that bad a play. If he goes out, fine. If he scores, fine. Really not worthy of singling out the heart and soul of the team for criticism, IMO, especially after a huge win.

...Last thought- I know today just adds more fuel to the haters that say Percy is made of glass. For the record, I've always thought that Harvin would get dinged more than most...

My apologies. On first read, it looks kinda like you're knocking Harvin. Still kinda does on second read, but I guess it's squishy enough. If the Ain'ts make actual football plays on Harvin instead of hockey-goon horse crap, he's still playing and again, everything's fine.

Calling out Percy for getting concussed instead of calling out the Saints coaching staff for obvious intent to injure seems bass-ackwards to me, is all. How many players in this league could just shrug off head shots like that?