How do we slow down Drew Brees?

[ivotuk]

The Falcons have done it before although not very successfully this year. But it looks like their philosophy was pressure and if I understand the article correctly, pressure up the middle.

"Moore said while the sacks weren't there, the pressure was and it got Brees moving, which started their pick party.

“It was one of those things where we got Drew out of the pocket," Moore said. "He’s a great mobile QB and you can’t take that from him, but that also limited his time to sit back in the pocket. He’ll pick you apart if you let him sit back there. If he’s on the move, you can jump some routes coming from the backside where he can’t see you"

http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/...ew-Brees/0da7d9b9-c1ba-4b09-b7fc-df5b63f793a8

New England beat them by covering Jimmy Graham according to an article on SBNation and that seems to be the consensus from other articles I read on the subject:

"Graham has been so good this year that even after failing to catch a pass in Week 6, he is still the NFL's leader in receiving yards with 593. He also has six touchdowns on the year. He's the first player to really get the attention who isn't named Drew Brees when it comes to the Saints offense, and for good reason.

So if Graham has managed games of 179, 134, 100 and 135 yards this season, how did the Patriots hold him to zero? They bucked the trend of keeping their cornerbacks outside and on receivers, and put one on Graham for the entirety of the game. Rather they had a corner on Graham until he injured himself in the fourth quarter.

New England took cornerback Aqib Talib and stuck him to Graham for much of the first half."

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2013/10/16/4843412/patriots-vs-saints-review-jimmy-graham-aqib-talib


Looking around for info on slowing down Brees, I also found a great article where one of the best corners ever, Ty Law gives advice on facing Peyton Manning, advice that might be applicable to Brees. And we are likely to see Peyton in New York, so some info on him is good food for thought

I'm not sure if Drew plays these games at the LOS, but after watching Manning constantly fool defensive players with shouted signals and arm waving, I think this comment is the most important thing to know about Peyton:

"The one thing Bruschi learned in 11 years of butting heads with Manning was to try to not listen to him at the line of scrimmage. "Sometimes you think he says a certain city call," Bruschi said, "and you think you have that play down..."So a lot of it is nonsense he's talking about.""

And I believe the second most important point comes from the Ravens:

""I didn't trick them," Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees acknowledged. "We out-executed them. The thing that too many people try to do is to be too coy. It doesn't work."

That is pretty much what Pete preaches all the time, "It's not about them, it's about us." "If we play our game, nobody can beat us."

I think man coverage against Denver and playing the "Nascar package" against New England would have a lot of success. But you're never going to shut these guys down, you just have to beat them up and force them to make mistakes.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9982910/secrets-success-peyton-manning-tom-brady

 

[rjdriver]

Great insight. I agree that you can't trick or confuse Drew Brees, just keep playing your game.

I say you hit him in the neck as hard as you can.

 

[DavidSeven]

How to slow him down? Take him out of New Orleans.

2013 Passer Rating:

Home Games = 122.2 (19TD/3INT)
Road Games = 84.6 (7TD/5INT)

Note: Russell Wilson has a passer rating of 107.4 at home and 103.5 on the road. Consistency.

 

[hawker84]

Keep him on the sidelines and chew the clock with Lynch. you're not going to stop Bree's, just try to limit the damage and hold them to fieldgoals?

 

[onanygivensunday]

I say you hit him in the neck as hard as you can.

Edited to delete inappropriate comment.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

Keep Graham covered, pressure up the middle, and run the clock down with Lynch while on offense.

 

[Largent80]

It appears you answered your own question.

 

[Laloosh]

Keep him in the pocket. Can't see over his offensive line; too short.

 

[FDNYHAWK]

The saints are good but they have beaten only 2 teams with a winning record. At the bears and SF.
Sproles is good out of the back files but they have no running game.
Look what the jets did to them and that game wasn't that close.

 

[Axx]

Breese couldnt even beat a 7-9 team in the playoffs
what makes you think that he could beat a 10-1 team?

 

[tom sawyer]

First Mebane will mesmerize him with "the dance" while Bennett and Avril drop him like a bag of bricks!!

 

[FlyingGreg]

Poison his evening meal the night before.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

You know as much as I want to see our Defense pitch shutouts the rest of the way to reclaim the number 1 spot in PPG.

I wouldn't mind seeing a shoot-out against the Saints, they're really the only high profile offense we will see with a top ten QB that's been on top of their game... a shoot out will help the team prepare for teams we don't have a read on like Eagles, Lions, Cowboys if we face them in the Play-offs, or a team like the Broncos in the Superbowl.

I want to see the Seahawks offense, full throttle, unchained, uncaged, kicking ass, and raining TDs to the tune of 50+ points. I want to see Wilson put up 400 yards offense and get 5 TDs.

I want teams to see even if your offense is good enough to best our Defense, we still can run a Points Parade on your ass.

I pretty much want to see Seahawks O that was in the Colts game but with finished drives for TDs and the Seahawks offense stepping on the throats of their opponents, and screaming "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THIS"

I want to know that Seahawks can win every way posibbly even in a wild shoot-out against the best offenses in the League.

 

[Missing_Clink]

Would it be feasible to have Sherman shadow Jimmy Graham all game?

 

[Evil_Shenanigans]

Got to neutralize Graham and then pressure Brees. But you have to pressure without losing Sproles in the weeds he is so small and quick he can hide anywhere. Stills and Colston should be fairly easy to match up on. As someone else mentioned we should concentrate on chewing up the clock with the run game. I would not count on either team putting up a lot of points. We get to watch them against ATL before then so that ought to give you a little better idea of what to look for. I am also 100% certain that Pete has had this game circled on his Calendar for a long time! I would bet they will be watching lots of N.O. film the next two weeks.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

Double Post.

 

[lobohawk]

Just don't hit him in the upper chest or you'll get a fine and flag.

 

[jblaze]

Keep Graham covered, pressure up the middle, and run the clock down with Lynch while on offense.

This.

Who do you think we should have on Graham? I figure we'll have Sherman on Colston so he's out. Maybe Thurm or Kam?

Regarding pressure up the middle, we don't seem to run a lot of stunts or inside blitzes but I hope they're scheming some special stuff during this week to throw them off in this regard.

The Clink will be rocking.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

We are going to miss Brandon Browner this week. I wanted him to cover Graham.

 

[3Girls'HawkDad]

I will sleep with his wife, then hold up a sign at the game informing him of such. He will be distracted all game, because inside he knows I would treat her better than he does.