rivera: "This was a very humbling experience ... Maybe we got a little full of ourselves."

[KillerKat]

No more conservative BS. They played not to lose. I'm tired of our coaches having to learn this lesson, over, and over, and over.

 

I agree. Should've went for the TD on that 2nd FG try. Also should've went for it on 4th down on the long FG we missed. Momentum could've easily swung our way in each situation. I thought Rivera learned that being conservative doesn't win you a lot of games in the NFL today.

[Marguide]

Our success on D stems largely from our front 4's ability to get pressure without needing to blitz. They didn't get it done last night. Had we started the game with a wide array of blitzes, Brees would have compensated and beat us in other spots. With our secondary the way it is, we have to count on pressure with 4. Not with 5 or 6.

 

As to the 4th down calls, given the circumstances, how far we had to go, and the way the Saints D were playing us, I cannot find fault with Ron's decision making. 

 

We just got beat on the line of scrimmage. Simple and plain.

[tailg8or]

As much as I think Rivera has improved I can't stand the fact that we have to watch him "grow" as a coach. I would think he would have the sense now to take the gutsy call when need be. Who cares if it's the Saints, we don't need to respect them.

 

Sure feels like that doesn't it .... almost like watching your kids learn from mistakes.

 

Humbling ... really?  Full of yourselves .... REALLY?  It's your job as the head coach to keep that from happening.  I would be disappointed and surprised if they really were overconfident going to face Drew and Sean in their building.  I might feel better if he said they were too uptight and anxious.

 

Our O needs to find a way to flip the switch to sprint mode vs. being stuck in a marathon. 

[OneBadCat]

Sure feels like that doesn't it .... almost like watching your kids learn from mistakes.

 

Humbling ... really?  Full of yourselves .... REALLY?  It's your job as the head coach to keep that from happening.  I would be disappointed and surprised if they really were overconfident going to face Drew and Sean in their building.  I might feel better if he said they were too uptight and anxious.

 

Our O needs to find a way to flip the switch to sprint mode vs. being stuck in a marathon. 

 

 

I agree. It's irritating that he finds it "humbling". I think he had the attitude that he had to play it safe at times all because "Oh look we're playing the candyass Taints".  Nothing but BS. He has to have the mentality that we're going to kick their damn teeth in and he lost that on the second offensive drive of the game.

[Argus Plexus]

Anyone but Bell.

[Puddinhead]

Out coached, out played = embarrassed.

 

This.  Happened to us the week before, so I recognize it well.  The measure is how you bounce back from it.

[Kuhndog94]

I think Rivera has learned his lesson.

 

It better not be the same thing in Week 16.

 

We better see Riverboat Ron from here on out. No game should be too big for us.

[Puddinhead]

There were things we could have done last night, but Cam did what the coaches told him to do, which was to stay in the pocket and beat them with his arm.

 

Probably 3 out of the 5 sacks came when Cam could see them, and could have taken off on his feet for first downs or more. 

 

Our gameplan should have been to keep the chains moving no matter what, to keep the ball out of Brees hands. When Tolbert and Deangelo started to slow down in the second quarter, they should have let Cam run his ass off to keep the drives alive.

 

I understand that they are protecting Cam, but he has a talent, and when is a better time to use it than a game that could decide the division winner?

 

...

 

"Not-so-SuperCam

 

There's been talk of Cam Newton (0.0) being an MVP candidate.  Well this game firmly (and rightly) ended those talks as a national audience got a glimpse of the player he still remains.  Equal bits frustrating as he is brilliant, he remains an adequate passer whose flaws are often masked by the plays he can make with his legs.  When he's limited as a runner he often looks ponderous with the football and shows the kind of pocket presence that is bound to frustrate his linemen. The antidote to edge pressure is to step up and let your linemen push past the line of scrimmage, especially when you're dropping back 10 yards from the snap of the ball.  But Newton still hasn't figured this out..."

 

httphttps://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/12/09/ref-panthers-saints-week-14/

 

[RelaxImaPro]

Kind of hard to step up when there's no pocket to step up in to.  I guess if he wants to get sacked even quicker, sure, go right on ahead and step up.  Go ahead Cam, the football stat nerds at PFF said so.

[jarhead]

what sucks is that the Jets will probably run the same Defense that caused us problems. lucky for us they don't have a surgeon for a QB

 

Geno Smith is no Drew Brees. 

[PantherPhann89]

I don't think that our players got ahead of themselves. I think that Rivera got scared that Brees would beat us deep, repeatedly, so he played a really soft zone coverage. He played not to lose again. I thought he'd learned that lesson...

[bigskypanthersguy]

I don't think that our players got ahead of themselves. I think that Rivera got scared that Brees would beat us deep, repeatedly, so he played a really soft zone coverage. He played not to lose again. I thought he'd learned that lesson...

 

That was one of the weakest overall gameplans Ron's ever had.  Here's hoping it was just a temporary lapse of competence and we go back on a tear starting Sunday.

[Delhommey]

Kind of hard to step up when there's no pocket to step up in to.  I guess if he wants to get sacked even quicker, sure, go right on ahead and step up.  Go ahead Cam, the football stat nerds at PFF said so.

 

He stepped out of a relatively clean pocket into pressure several times.

[chknwing]

Is it possible that Rivera sensed his team was getting big headed and decided the best way to refocus them going down the stretch was a loss?