"Communication breakdown, It's Always the Same...

Having a nervous breakdown, drives me insaaaaaaane!!!!!"

No, that's not a Robert Plant falsetto backed by Jimmy Page riffs. That's LSU DC John Chavis last Saturday after the drumming laid on his defense by MSU QB(and Louisiana native) Dak Prescott. In LSU's lockeroom every level of defensive personnel sang the same chorus. "We just didn't communicate well", said one defensive lineman. "We lacked communication on some key plays", an LSU linebacker said on tape. "We just had some communication breakdowns", said Jalen Mills, LSU's junior and most experienced member of the secondary. A secondary that was supposed to be the strength of the defense this season.

If Jalen Mills name sounds familiar it's because he was the LSU DB seen jumping up and down in disgust last season during similar defensive collapses against Georgia, Ole Miss and Arkansas. UGA and Ole Miss resulted in season killing losses. The reason for the collapses? Communication breakdowns.

It seems to me that when a defense continues to have the same problems from one season into the next, then either the players just aren't good enough or the system is too complicated. The defense is loaded with four and five star recruits. These players were recognized by scouts throughout the country as some of the best coming out of high school. Frank Herron, a five star DE from Memphis. Greg Gilmore, the #1 D-lineman  form North Carolina.  Kendall Beckwith, a four star LB form LA, top 5 in the country. Tre White, a five star DB from LA and Rashard Robinson, a standout CB from talent rich Florida.

Some say LSU missed on those high profile recruits. No way! Sure every class has their busts, but usually the highly touted recruits pan out and play to their high school rankings. At least at Bama they do.

Some say the recruits are still young. Attrition has hit the defense and the offense so hard, it will take time to recover. I ain't buying it. Texas A&M lost a Heisman winning QB, a left tackle picked in the top ten of the NFL draft and a starting RB. They start this season with a sophomore QB with zero starts on the road in top ten ranked South Carolina and put up 52 points. That's with a true sophomore with less starts than LSU true sophomore QB Anthony Jennings. That's with a true freshman WR and redshirt freshman WR, and new starting left tackle, right tackle and RB.

Attrition has hit LSU, but the OL is as experienced as any in the SEC. They return a QB with two springs, two falls and a bowl season running the offense. Also returned are two senior RBs and FB, a third year Sophomore WR and a senior TE.

So what's my point? I don't know.

I do know that other schools seem to be doing fine with similar experienced talent. I do know that other schools are running twenty first century offenses successfully with lesser rated talent than LSU.  These schools are all coached by men less than 60.

Les Miles isn't less than 60. He also isn't a bad coach. He's an old school coach caught in a new school revolution. He's running an offense no longer being used in high school. Therefore he's recruiting round pegs for square holes. He's the old guy in the club. Denny Terrio on late night infomercials hustling 70's disco.

As for Chavis and the communication breakdowns. All I can say is defense is so passé now. All the communication in the world wasn't stopping MSU spreading the defense beyond the numbers. Until some defensive genius figures out a way to slow these jetset offenses down, defensive coordinators should concede between the twenties and try to hold teams to field goals. Otherwise high powered offenses are the wave of the future.

And the future is now.

0-2 Could be Worse

As I flip back to Auburn v K-State, leaving the Atl 35-0 first half TKO of Tampa Bay, mute the tv to rest my bilateral tympanic membranes from the tinnitus that is Jessie Palmer, I start to feel better about our 0-2 Saints.

The following will either sound like a rationalization of Yenlike contortions or a big giant glass of half full, but I get the feeling the Saints are about to go on a run.

Why?

Those hated Falcons.

Atlanta at home is like most NFL teams at home. Different. They are explosive offensively and opportunistic defensively. And they needed an end zone int from Drew Brees, an overtime Marques Colston fumble in FG range and two 50+ yard buzzer beaters to beat the Saints. Remember, this was Atlanta's season home opener. That cannot be understated. Also, this game was huge for the Falcons psyche. Had the Saints won, Atlanta's season would be toast. Even in victory, deep down in their minds, they know they got away with one. The rematch in December will put things back in order.

The Saints followed that heart stopping loss having to face yet another team's home opener. Again, this cannot be understated. This time it's Cleveland and the infamous Dog Pound. One of the NFL's best home field advantages. What happens? Home team plays like most home teams do in their season opener. At hyper-intensity, feeding off the crowd that's at a hemorrhagic fever pitch. Throw in some early bad field position and a Paul Kruger sack and your down 10 before Sean Payton's first pack of juicy fruit is unwrapped. A lesser team would've been blown out. But because the Saints are well coached, poised, and have veteran leadership, they were a coverage breakdown away from coming all the way back and winning.

Ohhh that Roger Goodell! Not only does he have his schedule makers put the Saints on the road for their first two games, but facing two home openers! Then, forces the Saints to wait until week three for their home opener!! Clearly his manhood envy with Sean Payton continues.

I'd say all and all, the Saints are looking about as good at 0-2 as you can possibly look.

Now the Vikings come to the M-B Superdome. With issues. On and off the field. Minus their hall of fame running back and starting a journeyman QB.  But the Saints are 0-2 and the Vikings have the their undivided attention. This is the Saints home opener. The Saints are 6-1 in home openers under Sean Payton. They will be 7-1 as Payton's boys will beat his friend Mike Zimmer's Vikings.

The Saints then have the Cowboys in Dallas, the NFL's worst home field advantage, and the Bucs at home, who are down 56-0 in the 3rd as I type. That's 3-2. Then a bye.

Then it's on.