Inside 411 From The Saints' Coaching Staff Right Before They Choked

[Selassie I]

I have a friend whose nephew plays for the Aints. He is able to go to almost all of the games and has a close pulse on the things happening on the sidelines because of this.

Got to see him today for the 1st time since the PLAY THAT MINNESOTA WILL NEVER FORGET happened before our very eyes.

I lied,,, and told him that I was sorry to see his team go through such a horrible ending. He was OK with it though he told me because he's only an Aint fan since his nephew plays for them. He was still extremely upset by the whole thing though obviously. He's a huge football fan just like us.

So then he tells me why he thinks the whiff happened. He feels very bad for the rookie Marcus Williams (his nephew does too).

He told me that he knows exactly what was said to the defensive secondary right before the play that sealed their fate. The coaching staff told them that there was ONLY ONE thing that mattered... and only ONE THING they needed to make sure they didn't do. They were told that as long as they didn't commit a Pass Interference penalty... The game would be over. "WHATEVER YOU DO... NO PI... AND WE WIN!". Talk about taking things for granted.

Apparently Marcus was so focused on not making any contact that could possibly be interpreted as PI... he had no concern for anything else... like making the tackle. His only focus was making sure that he tied to get in the way without getting too close.

Had to share that with you guys.

 

[-X-]

Seems like that was what was going on. It's like they were afraid to make contact with the receiver.

 

[Psycho_X]

Hard stage for a rookie to be on and asked to think. Should have just let them play instinctually and hope for the best.

After watching the replay a bunch I really think Williams, in addition to not wanting to do pi, just simply expected Diggs to make an immediate lean towards the sideline. His thinking was get him down before he goes out of bounds. Diggs landed just right and pivoted. Having said all that, got to keep your eyes up. Too much "crown down" tackling in the NFL.

 

[Selassie I]

The young rook was just doing what he was told... had a one track mind and focus.

I remember how my focus could have been back then too. Felt a few moments of pain for Marcus once I heard this.

 

[fearsomefour]

Seems like that was what was going on. It's like they were afraid to make contact with the receiver.

He got there early....another victim of Keenums weak arm. Haha.

 

[Dodgersrf]

Yeah, I felt a bit bad for the kids also.

 

[OC--LeftCoast]

He got there early....another victim of Keenums weak arm. Haha.

Actually that is exactly what I thought to, he clearly miss timed it by a split second

Score on for ol Noodle Arm.

 

[-X-]

I wouldn't care if our QB's arm is made out of silly putty and gummy worms.
I'd like to be in a NFC Championship game too.

 

[Ramhusker]

I thought the fear of the PI was why the kid whiffed. I honestly thought Diggs was going to go out of bounds too. I was shocked when he turned up field. I was thinking he had just screwed up and was going to run the clock out and not make the endzone. Had no idea he had clear sailing.

 

[“Turbo set!”]

If Diggs catches the ball and gets out of bounds it would have been ~ a 49 yard field goal attempt. They might have lost anyway. He had to get there as soon as possible to avoid allowing Diggs to get out of bounds. At the same time he could not get there too early. At the same time why even bother trying to prevent Diggs from catching the ball. Just get to a spot behind him. Should not have left his feet.


It was a tough spot to be in for Williams and I knew coaching played a role in it one way or another.

 

[tempests]

I don't know. I'm sure the Vikings coaching staff was telling their receivers they had to get out of bounds right away and I'm sure Diggs was thinking that as soon as he came down. But he had the presence of mind to turn it upfield.

It's often critical to avoid taking penalties when the other team is driving at the end of the game, but you can do that without launching yourself out of the way, on what wasn't a bang bang play. Williams came up too fast and then compounded the problem.

 

[tklongball]

Still don't understand why he didn't just run up behind him, grab him as he came down with the ball, bear hug him, and fall to his right. Why go for a big hit in that situation? No chance for PI, no chance he gets out of bounds, no chance he scores. It is dumbfounding to see that kind of mental mistake at that level of football. It is like standing at short stop fielding a grounder, and not knowing where to go with the ball; inexcusable.

 

[fastcat]

Still don't understand why he didn't just run up behind him, grab him as he came down with the ball, bear hug him, and fall to his right. Why go for a big hit in that situation? No chance for PI, no chance he gets out of bounds, no chance he scores. It is dumbfounding to see that kind of mental mistake at that level of football. It is like standing at short stop fielding a grounder, and not knowing where to go with the ball; inexcusable.

The big hit... Not wrapping up, just running into a player is the way people have been tackling for about10yrs or so. In peewee, middle school, and high school they must not teach how to wrap up and take a man down anymore

 

[WarnerToBruce]

Still don't understand why he didn't just run up behind him, grab him as he came down with the ball, bear hug him, and fall to his right. Why go for a big hit in that situation?

Why don’t we ask Ogletree?

 

[tklongball]

Why don’t we ask Ogletree?

LOL

 

[den-the-coach]

Great Thread @Selassie I great info, the problem with the Saint defense is they were trying to guard the sidelines, I said that to everyone I was watching the game with, just throw an out, they are giving them the reception and then try to get out of bounds, they was the Vikings best bet, but Williams too concerned with the PI, whiffed. Again, agreed the kid should have never left his feet and wrapped up trying to keep Diggs from going out of bounds.

I truly hope my team never loses a game like that, it would be hard to recover, might take weeks, but good for Keenum, he made a great throw and Diggs made a great play. New Orleans will have all year to think of what could have been.

 

[Ramon Ram]

Still don't understand why he didn't just run up behind him, grab him as he came down with the ball, bear hug him, and fall to his right. Why go for a big hit in that situation? No chance for PI, no chance he gets out of bounds, no chance he scores. It is dumbfounding to see that kind of mental mistake at that level of football. It is like standing at short stop fielding a grounder, and not knowing where to go with the ball; inexcusable.

This is the way it should have gone.

That said, why was he so far behind Diggs? Why when they were rushing 3 were there not more guys in that zone defending the pass and not letting someone catch it?
Why weren't they flooding the area between the 50 and their own 35 yard line as that was the only area that could beat them?
Amazing when I watched it again last night and then realized again that the Saints should have thrown the ball on 3rd and 1 1/2 because the Vikings were going to call timeout and stop the clock anyway. Better chance of getting the first down throwing it and then kicking as time expired.
Was unbelievable to me watching the game last night that with 2:20 left in the game that there would still be 4 more scores. Incredible

 

[JIMERAMS]

nothing to do with coaching. excuses all around for this kid who blew it. all he had to do is tackle the guy and game over.

 

[Angry Ram]

That said, why was he so far behind Diggs? Why when they were rushing 3 were there not more guys in that zone defending the pass and not letting someone catch it?

Yup.

This was right when the ball arrived.

I don't buy the "scared for PI" It would be a spot foul, and probably a roughly 45 to 50 yard FG try. No gimme.

Bottom line NO failed to close it out.

 

[chkelly]

Obviously a thousand things had to go exactly right for the Viks to make that play. And I get that the coach may have wanted to keep it simple and get guys thinking just about one thing. But in doing so there was plenty of other things that could have gone wrong besides PI, primary that Diggs just catches it and steps out. Yeah the guy might have missed a long FG but if they lost that way is that any better? But as @Psycho_X said, head down, not looking at Diggs was Williams worst mistake.