Posted by Jeremy Green
The New Orleans Saints have been outscored 72-24 in road losses to Indianapolis and Tampa Bay, but it's not time to panic just yet. It's simply time for the Saints to get back to fundamentals, a theme we will likely hear repeated many times this week on the bayou.
The problem in the first two games of this season is the same as in last season's NFC Championship Game loss to the Chicago Bears: Deuce McAllister has not been involved enough in the offensive game plan. I know Drew Brees is the leader and Reggie Bush is the gamebreaking speedster, but Deuce's inside running gives this offense some toughness and identity and history shows the positive impact he has.
Bush
McAllister
Bush is a tremendous outside runner and we heard a lot this offseason about his improvement between the tackles, but he does not have the inside vision or physical power of McAllister, and he has missed some inside running lanes that Deuce would certainly have found. McAllister has 20 carries over the first two games while Bush has 22 and as a result the offense has looked a little soft. This has become a finesse team that looks pretty in warm-ups but doesn't hit anyone in the mouth once the ball is kicked. I understand that Bush was the No. 2 overall pick in 2006 and that he needs his touches, but they shouldn't come at the expense of tough carries by McAllister.
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