Not sure it’s Payton that is totally the problem even though he tries to get cute too much in the red zone which leads to waaaaay to many FG every game.
Payton is joined at the hip to a 40 year old QB who has lost a TON of arm strength.There was a reason he was next to Payton when that long pass was called.When Brees tries to throw the ball over 35-40 yds the ball floats.
They should have left Hill in the game cause the OLine looked liked the UofM Oline had taken over for the Saints Oline for the day.With Hill in the game the Vikings couldn’t have just pinned their ears back and blitzed every play.Hill would have taken off if they had.
As a Saints fan I appreciate all that Brees and Payton have done for the franchise and the city.Without both the Saints are probably in San Antonio now.But its time for Brees to retire cause just like Brady they are past their prime. Hopefully he does but I have a feeling ego will take over and he will be back And I doubt Payton has the balls to sit him in favor of someone else whether it be Teddy B ,Tayson Hill or someone else.
That's easily the best post in this thread. I'm not surprised it sourced from a Saints fan.
New England and New Orleans desperately needed a bye. Those two 2019 teams needed a bye not only more than any teams in this year's playoffs, but more than any teams in recent memory.
The age of the quarterbacks is the reason. They simply can't do it all season. There will be games in which everything unfolds perfectly and they look like their vintage selves. But it is not sustainable and the weaknesses and the toll show up deep season and into the playoffs, without that healing bye.
Both of those teams and especially the Patriots would have looked markedly different if they had that extra week.
Notice that Brady and Brees are throwing short of the marker on third down. It is now ridiculous tendency with Brady. When the Patriots have third and long it's a halfback screen more often than not. That is not by design. It is by necessity. Brees hasn't declined as much as Brady but he started from a lower plateau to begin with. He now hesitates on those vital third down plays, as if doubting he can get it there. Then he gets thumped.
Sean Payton's only fault is that he delayed so long in fortifying the entire team. This Saints version is markedly superior on both sides of the ball to what they have had since the Super Bowl victory. Payton sensed it was necessary as Brees aged. That's why he took so many steps in recent years to become more physical. If they were going to pull out another Super Bowl win it would have had to be something like New England last year, when you get to the final game and the defense basically wins it for you. That's how Peyton Manning won his second Super Bowl and Brady last year.
Brees was never going to defeat anybody in a Super Bowl shootout at this stage.
The Saints needed this caliber of team when Brees was still in his mid 30s.