After experiencing the Saints vs. Lions, I could not wait until the game film was uploaded to be able to see the ins and outs of the team so that true evaluations on the performance could be made. As I went to bed Sunday night, I had no idea what was in store for me — 7 hours of nightmare in the form of Mike Pereira slowly moving his hand back and forth while patronizingly explaining the definition of a forward pass.
Takeaways from the Film
Vernon Broughton has Arrived
Though he plays a position that hardly shows up in the stat book and can go overlooked
by the naked eye during the live broadcast, Vernon Broughton had a very good showing in his first regular-season action since Week 2 of last year. This was most noticeable when he lined up against Penei Sewell (one of the top linemen in the league), where Broughton was able to win multiple reps against the three-time first-team All-Pro. Although the sample size is small, if the Texas product can continue this trajectory, he will be viewed as a Trey Hendrickson-level steal by the Saints in the third round of last year’s draft.
Stutsman vs Werner
Both linebackers logged quality plays opposite Kaden Ellis this Sunday as they were faced with a tough challenge vs. the Lions. After watching the film, it was clear that each has their own strengths, but it seems like Stutsman is making the case to compete for the starting role throughout the year. Werner played like a savvy veteran and used his instincts to make multiple plays, including a nice TFL on Jahmyr Gibbs and an exceptional pass breakup down the middle of the field. Stutsman, on the other hand, was out of place on some plays but was able to recover due to his superior athletic ability. This is a great sign for the Saints, as the competition between the two seems to have them both playing good football against a very talented Lions offense.
2-Point Play
The refs’ worst mistake in the game was missing the pass interference call in the end zone on Bryce Lance for the game-winning 2-point conversion. When watching the play live, I knew people would wonder how Olave wasn’t targeted, and I’m happy to weigh in. The Saints ran a modified version of the “Spot” concept (shown above), which is a great play call in this area. The read is simple, and after the initial motion by Olave to the interior of the 3-receiver bunch, Tyler Shough knew he was getting man coverage. The throw vs. man on this concept is THE CORNER ROUTE (the flat by Olave is intended to pull the flat defender away from the corner route, which it did). He found it slightly late, as the timing was thrown off by a good jam at the line — credit the Lions’ defense here. What was absurd to me is that the Lions defender had at least one hand covering Lance’s face while making contact with his body the entire time the ball was in the air. Am I blaming the refs for a loss? No. I am wondering how NFL officiating can have a review overturn an obvious fumble (which changed the outcome) while the refs are clearly afraid to “decide the game” by changing the outcome with a flag.
End of the Day
While the Saints had a sluggish start to the game, especially Tyler Shough, it was undeniable that they displayed a level of fight and belief in their quarterback that hasn’t graced the Black and Gold sideline since Drew Brees was captaining the offense. The film review gave me belief that this is a very talented roster with a smart coaching staff that will have plenty of success throughout the year.
