New Orleans Saints Week 8 Report Card: Grading Each Unit vs. the St. Louis Rams

The New Orleans Saints week eight loss at St. Louis may be the most embarrassing loss in franchise history, or at least since Sean Payton took over as head coach. 

Sure, there have been larger blowouts and probably even games where the team has played worse football. In fact, I know that is very much true. 

But never has the team looked so frugal against a team that had shown little in that particular season prior to their matchup. 

In Friday's preview column, I defined this game as the ultimate law of averages game. The range of difference in the team's week seven games was +82 for the Saints. One had to assume simply based on the law of averages this game would be relatively close. 

But I don't think anyone would have actually had the guts to predict the Rams would control the New Orleans Saints. The Rams dominated the Saints defense with Steven Jackson. They dominated the Saints offense with Chris Long. And they dominated in special teams by blocking a Thomas Morstead punt, which led to a Rams touchdown. 

In short, the Rams dominated the Saints, and it wasn't even as close as the 31-21 final score made it seem. 

QB, Drew Brees: C

That the normally unshakable Drew Brees was on his back all day isn't completely his fault. The offensive line was atrocious. The receivers weren't getting open. And the running game was virtually non-existent. 

But, at some point, the QB himself has to make some adjustments. He has to read the blitz and check out of the called play and get his team to a screen or draw, or some blitz-beater. 

Six sacks is horrible but not all of those can be attributed to him. The multiple pressures he faced where he did throw quickly caused him to be inaccurate and out of sync with his receivers. 

The normally cool Brees looked uneasy and unsure of his throws. A few times, he resulted to trying the gunslinger routine, but that didn't work on this sad day either. 

Sometimes there's nothing a quarterback can do, no matter how good he is. Sunday was one of those days. Mama said there'd be days like these, didn't she? Good thing mama always reminds us there'll be better days too. 

RB, Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles: C

I refuse to look at the statistics of this game. They're much too ugly, and I know they would only depress me more than it's worth. 

I do know from observing some of the game on TV, hearing some on the radio, and the rest on NFL.com's GameCenter, that the running backs were largely ineffective. 

However, it was nice to see Pierre Thomas get in the end zone on the ground and for Chris Ivory to get a few carries–though he looked rather rusty. 

It's hard to blame the unit too much for not putting up great numbers with the team being down more than a score for most of the game, and an offensive line that never showed up to play. 

Therefore, much like Brees I give them a C–which, in school, means average. They were no better and no worse.

WR, Marques Colston, Lance Moore & Robertery Meacherson: D

In a game where St. Louis was starting an old veteran and another corner I'd never heard of, I assumed the receivers would put together their finest game of the season. I really expected touchdowns from each of them. 

Instead, Lance Moore had the lone touchdown and was the most productive of the unit. Marques Colston was only a shadow of himself, and Robertery Meacherson (I'm taking the poetic license to now combine the Saints two speedy receivers since they've basically become the exact same person in my mind) remained shelved on the fantasy bench and in real life. 

Nobody was getting open, nobody was giving Brees a chance to find him. And when they did catch the ball, they simply weren't making anything of it. 

I mentioned this two weeks ago against Tampa but it seems that for the most part the Saints passing offense has become rather predictable. It makes sense since it is basically a West Coast Offense. In the WCO, it is common for coaches to focus more on execution than game-planning. 

Because of this, defenses are catching up with the Saints' tendencies in given situations (it's a wonder it took this long, since I could tell you three years ago what concept the Saints were going to use based on formation, down and distance). 

While the Saints receivers still need to get open and create separation, there's little doubt they would be greatly aided by some ingenuity in either play design or play calling, or both. 

Then again, catching the ball and getting yards after doing so wouldn't hurt either. 

TE, Jimmy Graham: D

The grade here for Graham is relative. He's become such a dominant player this season that anything short of 100 yards or two touchdowns is a major disappointment. 

The D grade is due mostly to Graham's lack of impact on this contest. Sure, he was facing one of the better coverage linebackers in the league in James Laurinaitis, but Jimmy Graham has become one of the most physically dominating players at any position in the entire league.

For that simple fact Graham is, and should be, held to a higher standard than most other players. 

I'm not really worried about Graham, other than teams applying the same scheme the Rams used Sunday to slow him down. But Graham is resilient and too dominant even this early in his career to not bounce back quickly. 

Offensive Line: F-

If it was possible to grade a unit any lower than F-, believe me I'd go there. I've never seen a "good" offensive line get dominated the way this one did Sunday. 

Their performance was reminiscent of the way the Bears O-line blocked just a few short weeks ago when they came to the Metrodome. In that game, Jay Cutler couldn't drop back without 20 Saints in his face. That had to be the way Drew felt Sunday. 

On one of the sacks, I remember Jermon Bushrod pretty much standing there–hands on hips as above–as Chris Long walked right around him. Brees had zero chance to get that ball off. 

The effort was pathetic. And I haven't even started to explain–which I think is humanly impossible–the unit's inability create rushing lanes for the Saints trio of powerful runners. 

F- for Sunday's effort is generous. 

Defensive Line: C-

This is an interesting unit to grade. After all, Will Smith did have two sacks before halftime. And at times they played the run well. 

But, as has been the case often this season, they had lapses where they lost concentration and overpursued in the running game, allowing cutbacks or gashes on the outside. 

St. Louis even had success on outside run plays with some of their receivers. That is a concept that is okay if it beats you once, you know, the whole 'shame on you' thing. Fool me twice, shame on me. 

I give this unit a C-, which is below average, only because they did make some big plays. They just were not solid or come often enough to stop a pathetic offense like the Rams. 

Linebackers: D

Jonathan Vilma did score a touchdown–although that play was really all Malcolm Jenkins. Other than that play, it would be tough to say this unit played well. In fact, they stunk. 

I don't know if Joe Vitt is struggling to balance his increased Head Coach-type role with his responsibility as Linebackers Coach, or if this unit just isn't that good–I'm going with the latter for now. 

Vilma, sad to say, has lost a step. Scott Shanle looks like he's dead, and Jonathan Casillas shows promise, but it's hard for anyone to notice when there are so many other problems on the entire defense. 

The point is that there are a lot of problems, and nearly all of them were exposed Sunday. No unit has more issues to address than this one–at least on the defensive side of the ball. 

Secondary: B-

If it weren't for the secondary, the Saints may have given up 40. Or they may never have scored. Malcolm Jenkins insured neither would happen when he blitzed A.J. Feeley, stripped him and took him out so Jonathan Vilma could recover the football in the end zone. 

It's the kind of play I was waiting for from Jenkins–the man I am unashamedly touting as the best safety in the NFC. 

Besides him, Roman Harper recorded a sack, and Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter showed themselves rather nicely. 

The Rams were wise to keep the ball on the ground for much of the game. This unit couldn't have as much impact on the game as they are capable of having. Josh McDaniels called a good game, especially in that regard. 

Special Teams: C-

Thomas Morstead had his first career punt block against him, which led to a Rams score. John Kasay missed a field goal for only the third time all year. Darren Sproles was trying to play Superman when he was returning kickoffs from seven and eight yards deep. 

Nothing seemed to work. Sure Morstead also had a few booming punts, and the unit managed to help the defense in terms of field position on most coverage opportunities. Additionally, Sproles did manage a few nice punt returns. 

None of it was enough though, as the Saints played their worst overall game in the special teams phase of the game. 

Man Was I Wrong!

When I wrote the preview for this game, I mentioned that I thought it would be to the Saints advantage if the Cardinals had won the World Series (I wrote it Thursday night when the Cardinals were trailing in Game 6). I assumed a Cardinals Series win would leave the fans beaming, causing an energy Sunday in the dome the Saints would feed off. 

Boy was I wrong! Instead, it gave the Rams all the energy they needed to dominate a visiting team that came in flatter than a pancake. 

But there is a little good news. Unlike college football, where a loss on Saturday for Clemson and Kansas State essentially ends their season--or at least their chances for a national championship--the Saints still are as viable a candidate for the Super Bowl as they were when they entered Sunday's game.

Sure they are a more fractured and fragile group. They are a group that will need a lot of TLC this week, after a little kick in the butt, or perhaps in reverse order. 

Most of all, they need answers to protect Drew Brees, open some running holes, and close them down defensively. If they can correct those three issues--above the other small problems--they will be legitimate contenders come January. 

The season is only half over. I believe the Green Bay Packers had a stretch last season similar to the one the Saints have experienced in their last two road games. Several championship teams have faced adversity equal or greater than what the Saints are looking at right now. 

It's all in the way the coaching staff and players handle it. Because I believe in the leadership at the top, I have little doubt this unit will be fine. But only time will tell. They have lots of time to prove just that.