(USA At the moment Sports activities Pictures)
When individuals say they anticipate New Orleans to be a contender once more, after one off yr, I get it.
Coach Sean Payton is again on the Saints’ sideline, and Drew Brees is without doubt one of the all-time great quarterbacks. That half makes sense. But it surely ignores that the defense was miserable last season, easily the worst within the league. And now it has taken on a pretty vital injury.
Will Smith, a longtime defensive finish who was transitioning to be an outdoor linebacker in a brand new three-four scheme, is done for the season with a knee injury. Pro Football Speak was the first to report the news.
That’s sixty seven.5 profession sacks subtracted from an already-bad defense.
Last year, New Orleans allowed 6.5 yards per play, worst in the league. No person else gave up greater than 6 yards per play. That means even if the Saints shaved a half-yard off that common, they would have nonetheless been tied for last.
Maybe a brand new defensive coordinator in Rob Ryan helps (critically, what occurred to Steve Spagnuolo, last year’s coordinator? Did he just neglect the right way to coach?). Maybe the new scheme is an efficient match and 2012 can just be chalked up to a bizarre 12 months with the bounty scandal. However there is a lengthy, lengthy solution to go simply to be a barely below average defense, and now they do not have their most dependable go rusher.
The Occasions-Picayune mentioned Martez Wilson and Junior Galette might be asked to do more with Smith out, however they’ve additionally been banged up within the preseason. However they are both younger players who have had some promising NFL moments.
Maybe the Saints will not miss Smith much, and the defense will take a huge leap with a brand new coach and scheme. If that’s not the case, Brees and Payton might not even be sufficient to save them.
Will Smith out for the year, as the Saints’ defensive situation looks even worse
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