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Message: [QUOTE="Culhwch, post: 2877785, member: 1983"] Domefield advantage hasn't actually been a thing for a few seasons, now, unfortunately. There was a period where a home game was basically an automatic W (primetime games, home or away, were a bit like that as well), but sadly no longer. They've also got a patchy o-line (RT Strief went down yesterday, elite LT Armstead out for a little while yet), a decimated receiving corps (Cooks gone, Snead suspended, Fleener underproducing), and a largely young and inexperienced defense (three rookie starters, entirely new LB unit, plus a couple of key injuries in Breaux and Fairley). Given their relative youth, I expect the defense to get better with time this year. This isn't going to be a shut-out defense, but more of a bend-but-don't-break, opportunistic defense like we had under Gregg Williams. If they can be middle of the pack by the end of the season, that's an enormous improvement on what we've had recently. The problem is definitely the offense. Yesterday was a prime example - they got into the redzone four times, and settled for four field goals. That allowed the Vikings to play with the lead for the majority of the game, and they ended up putting the game to bed by converting their own chances. If the Saints had converted just a couple of those opportunities into TDs, the defense is suddenly looking at a much smaller margin. I think a huge turning point as well was in the two minutes before the half when Payton called those timeouts. Great, I love that you have faith in your defense, but man you out them in a hole you didn't really need to by doing that. The offense is definitely on the downswing. Brees is coming to the end of his Hall of Fame career - granted, he may play another four or five productive years, but unless he has the Denver-like defenses Peyton enjoyed, I don't think he's winning another ring. Mike Thomas is a stud, and I hope we hang on to him. I wasn't that sad that Cooks left purely because of Thomas, because Cooks has a skill set that is more common in the league (I'd have been far less sad if we'd gotten Butler in return). Ingram is a fine all-purpose back, but Peterson is done. I'd be surprised if he contributes much at all this season. Kamara is more exciting, and has plenty of potential. They have some good pieces on the o-line, but the remainder of the offense is not anything like as deep as it once was. They also play in what's probably the second toughest division in the league, so there's also that. All told, after yesterday I get the feeling that it's going to be another loooong season... [/QUOTE]

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