Saints picked on the Jaguars linebackers in the passing game

by Alfie Crow on Oct 3, 2011 12:01 PM EDT in Jacksonville Jaguars Post Game

I've brought up how much Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Clint Session has played, given the contract he received in free agency. He was in and out of the game often as usual on Sunday, but I think one play showed why he's pulled so much on passing downs. Saints tight end Jimmy Graham caught a 59-yard pass late in the fourth quarter, where he just blew past Session down the sideline. Session had no chance on the play, and threw up the "OH NO" hands when Graham was tackled.

In fact, the Jaguars couldn't stop Graham all day. He ended with 10 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets. Paul Posluzny had solid coverage on Graham on a seam route, that saw Graham doubled, and Brees missed him. Not only did Graham kill the Jaguars, but Darren Sproles did as well. Sproles had 5 catches for 56 yards coming out of the backfield. For the most part, the Jaguars linebackers have played well and have been adequate in pass coverage. It was obvious yesterday however, Saints head coach Sean Payton planned to pick on them, and pick on them he did.

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Graham was impressive.

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by JPQ! on Oct 3, 2011 12:06 PM EDT reply actions

Is there a TE who has not been impressive against us?

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by Joe Fisher on Oct 3, 2011 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions

We did pretty well in game 1

And Olsen didn’t do much for most of that game

So yea

Graham is a monster and made a couple plays when the coverage was there

by smy on Oct 3, 2011 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions

The thing is

We play a lot of zone.

In a zone defense, there are holes that essentially cannot be defended.

The longer a QB has to throw, the more these holes are expanded. Teams attack our zones, and often, the TE is the best weapon for that because he is already lined up in the middle of the field.

This doesn’t work if there is consistent pressure. Last few years we have run a zone scheme and generated zero pressure AND have had lots and lots of blown assignments. In man, the assignments are usually much simpler. Lots of young, inexperienced, and often, slow, players have failed to do their job within the scheme

The 2nd half of this game was much better defensively, and I think the Graham bomb was a blown coverage; 59 yards of Brees’ 160 or so 2nd half yards came on one big play…That can be corrected.

As for Wychek, I don’t know what to tell you. McNair ran around so much he always found a way to get open, and LBs respecting his scrambling ability got sucked up field.

by smy on Oct 3, 2011 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Didnt Olsen score the only Panthers TD...

and the resulting 2 point conversion? That seems pretty impressive to me.

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by JPQ! on Oct 3, 2011 4:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Fair enough

I just meant he wasn’t making plays throughout the game

He made a nice catch on the conversion, over the out-matched Russel Allen, but the TD had a lot to do with Daryl falling down

He played fine. I guess I felt like it wasn’t what I would call an impressive performance, as his contribution was pedestrian outside of that one play

by smy on Oct 4, 2011 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions

How did Sproles

eat us up so badly yesterday? Poor defensive end play? You’re right, Graham torched us and nearly cost me my fantasy game…nearly.

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by Jagtastic on Oct 3, 2011 12:26 PM EDT reply actions

i've been saying this for 3 weeks. if only the coaches would listen to me...

by Michael Appelbaum on Oct 3, 2011 12:26 PM EDT reply actions

I hate to say you're wrong but on the Sessions play you are Alfie.

Taka another look at the play when you get a chance and tell me what Defense they’re playing. Looks like a simple cover 4 zone defense from where I’m sitting (4 deep). All the linebackers eyes are on the QB in their drops thus you know it’s not man right there. The breakdown on the play was that both the corner and the safety took the post route but no one stayed home in the bottom sideline zone (the route combination was a TE wheel route with a post to clear it out in front). The real culprit on the play was the bottom corner for not passing the post route on to the safety (who played it correctly). It was a perfect throw in that hole right behind the backers. Long story short I believe the blame on that play was a little misplaced.

Travis D. Holmes

by T.Holmes on Oct 3, 2011 12:27 PM EDT reply actions

However you want to make Session sound better this week man.

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by Alfie Crow on Oct 3, 2011 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Alfie. I'm always ready to eat humble pie in any situation...

and to be frank I have no real care for Sessions as an athlete in general (either yea nor nay). He hasn’t shown me enough greatness or terribleness. Just giving my unbiased opinion. P.S.-I played college football at UCF and was a defensive back graduate assistant coach at Northern Michigan University. Just trying to share what I see as far as reading an offense play shape or defense coverage sir. Please don’t take offense, I’m just daring you to look at the play again and tell me I’m wrong is all. Shouldn’t be difficult if you believe in what you wrote, right?

Travis D. Holmes

by T.Holmes on Oct 3, 2011 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions

If only one LB or maybe even two were following their man then it would be possible that you are right, but that's not the case.

everyone on the field other than one person (the bottom corner) is looking at the QB. This is how you know it’s zone D. Because of the corner’s depth and alignment you also know it’s not cover two. This leaves only cover 3 or 4 (since it wasn’t a blitz that deletes the zone blitz from the options). As I already said…take a look at the play and tell me that I’m wrong. It’s not about Sessions, it’s about reading the coverage and knowing who to blame (it’s the same reason I defended Rasheen Mathis on about 50% of the plays that looked like they were his fault last year). Because when you see what D they’re playing all of a sudden you realize who’s truly at fault. We’re still cool Alfie lol…

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by T.Holmes on Oct 3, 2011 1:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Session blew the coverage. I asked. You’re wrong.

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by Alfie Crow on Oct 3, 2011 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Lol...just like that huh

Who stated that he blew it (or what the coverage was)

Travis D. Holmes

by T.Holmes on Oct 3, 2011 1:30 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Someone who would know.

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by Alfie Crow on Oct 3, 2011 1:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Lol...as I said, I have no problem admitting I'm wrong (if I am)

But looking at that play it sites look to be four over top with three underneath. no backers deeper than seven yards whereas the ball’s caught at 17. I’ll admit defeat due to the “unknown”, though I still have doubts on weather you’re right still lol…but I’ll take it on the chin

Travis D. Holmes

by T.Holmes on Oct 3, 2011 1:57 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I’ll be sure to let the person know you think they don’t know what they’re looking at.

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by Alfie Crow on Oct 3, 2011 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions

K. Thanks. Lol

Travis D. Holmes

by T.Holmes on Oct 3, 2011 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Looked an awful lot like Middleton didn't think Graham was going beyond the flat

He clearly checks back, and Session sits like he has help

BUT, I am not sure if that was because Session essentially got looked off and sat back because he thought Brees was going middle.

Hard to believe that they would be in a defense where there is no DB help over a linebacker that the team removes in nickel situations

Not sure if Session should have gotten more depth in his drop, but he seemed to think he had the flat

by smy on Oct 3, 2011 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions

exactly what I was saying.

Travis D. Holmes

by T.Holmes on Oct 4, 2011 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Graham was awesome at Miami

Basketball too…Loved him

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by tiquanunderwear on Oct 3, 2011 12:28 PM EDT reply actions

In All Fairness...

I think that Sproles and Graham are picking on every linebacker they face this year. They’re both mis-matches.

by hjdevnull on Oct 3, 2011 1:08 PM EDT reply actions

+1

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by Gabbert2Shorts on Oct 3, 2011 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions

A few quick notes...

First , if you are going to defend or critique a player, especially a player on our team, PLEASE, GET THE NAME RIGHT!
It’s Session! Not Sessions! Aren’t three Ss enough for a last name?!

On a lighter note, Jimmy Graham will be known as the best TE in the NFL in the near future. Sproles is an excellent scat-back and the Saints use him perfectly. The fact that Graham torched us and Sproles had a pretty good game should go as no surprise :-)

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by Gabbert2Shorts on Oct 3, 2011 1:31 PM EDT reply actions

Also, it isn't just about those guys being mismatches

The Saints have a host of guys who present difficult match-ups and they know how to use them. Most importantly, they have a QB who excels at manipulating the defense, choosing the right way to attack them, has very good short-area athleticism, and can get the ball wherever it needs to be

The Saints had the Jags defense catching the run for much of the game. There was a lot of uncertainty.

As for the below comment, the defense is a little slow in the secondary, but the team speed is fine. The Saints happen to have superb team speed and are a mismatch for just about every defense in the league.

by smy on Oct 3, 2011 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions

The whole defense is too slow

Anybody with speed is going to hurt them.

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by JagsAlex87 on Oct 3, 2011 1:57 PM EDT reply actions

R. Allen

When R. Allen is running around trying to cover anyone its going to be a major issue for this team…dude is just bad….we need some depth at that position. Not even sure why he is even playing.

by GoJAGSGC on Oct 3, 2011 1:58 PM EDT reply actions

He is OK v. the run

But you’re right, in spite of his athleticism, he is lost in coverage

He is a good special teams player and gives us decent depth

He’s not bad, he is just a decent back-up. Not everyone in the league is starting caliber, and he provides decent depth. That said, you’re right we could improve overall LB depth. Really good LB class in this upcoming draft

by smy on Oct 3, 2011 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Allen is probably the worst linebacker in coverage playing in the NFL.

by FgallosJAGS on Oct 3, 2011 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

We cannot cover the tight end position.

by FgallosJAGS on Oct 3, 2011 5:47 PM EDT reply actions

This is happening across the league

This isn’t just a problem in Jacksonville, its happening across the league. I was watching NFL Matchup on ESPN, and they were showing teams that throw to the Tight End because of mis matches, and they were saying that its becoming a Tight End league now because linebackers can’t guard them and they tower over corners.

What I don’t get is, if this is a Tight End league now, and we have one of the best in the NFL, howcome Lewis has only 7 catches for 81 yards??? Witten, Gates, Gonzales, etc get that in 1 game.

by Stephen Wise on Oct 3, 2011 6:06 PM EDT reply actions