Page 1 of 2

Football Coach's take on the Saints/Raiders matchup

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2026 3:53 pm
by TCUDan
Hey guys. Saints fan here (I come in peace). Just wanted to stop by because a member read my gameplan article on a Saints forum and recommended this place as the top Raiders forum around.

For context, I'm a football coach with 15 years of HC experience at the high school, college, and international level. My Substack, The Away Game, focuses primarily on football and writing. Given my Saints following, I've shifted to weekly gameplan articles; they're from the Saints' perspective, but this one contains a lot of Raiders all-22 film and analysis from your wins over the Dolphins and Chargers. As for the article itself, I approached it the same as I approach gameplanning for my own team.

Would love to hear ya'll's thoughts.

And for the record -- those were two impressive wins. Y'all got a good coach in Klint Kubiak, and Rob Leonard is a master of disguise.

Here's the article:

https://danimal2645.substack.com/p/coac ... medium=web

Re: Football Coach's take on the Saints/Raiders matchup

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2026 4:28 pm
by raider_kin
Hey Saints fan
Looks like you guys got yourselves a quarterback in Shough. Good job

Re: Football Coach's take on the Saints/Raiders matchup

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2026 5:26 pm
by riseNraid09
Saints have a good shot to take the division this year...

... but, the Raiders are taking that dub home with them. :grin:

Re: Football Coach's take on the Saints/Raiders matchup

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2026 6:38 pm
by Xramfan
Are you in the same Saints forum that tossed MrStinkers out on his ass?

Welcome aboard. Light and sit at the Raider ecampfire

Re: Football Coach's take on the Saints/Raiders matchup

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2026 6:47 pm
by mranquales
The Saints are better than people think, I just hope they wait another week to show the world.

You can't gameplan against talent though. Brock is the best TE in football when healthy, and Jeanty is Marshall Faulk-like in his multi-faceted ability, while also being a top 10 RB. When both are on their A-game, it could be difficult for the Saints to stop, and if you pay them too much attention, someone like Tre Tucker will beat you over the top as he showed against the Chargers.

Re: Football Coach's take on the Saints/Raiders matchup

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2026 6:53 pm
by Arsenal Raider
I sense an AI agent at work here...

Good luck in your endeavors.

Re: Football Coach's take on the Saints/Raiders matchup

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2026 9:14 pm
by Goodtimes333
The Saints have a bright future with Shough, Olave, Tyson, Vele, Etienne, Banks etc. IMO they're going to need a better defensive coordinator to pull it all together. The Raiders got that guy fired by dropping 63 points on his ass against the Chargers also lol

Re: Football Coach's take on the Saints/Raiders matchup

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2026 1:58 am
by TCUDan
Arsenal Raider wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2026 6:53 pm I sense an AI agent at work here...

Good luck in your endeavors.
You can check my work, brother. AI can write some mediocre slop, but it can’t break down film and it can’t write with craft.

I appreciate the vigilance though. We live in ridiculous times.

Re: Football Coach's take on the Saints/Raiders matchup

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2026 1:59 am
by TCUDan
raider_kin wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2026 4:28 pm Hey Saints fan
Looks like you guys got yourselves a quarterback in Shough. Good job
We’re definitely excited by him. It’s been a long drought.

Re: Football Coach's take on the Saints/Raiders matchup

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2026 1:59 am
by TCUDan
Xramfan wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2026 6:38 pm Are you in the same Saints forum that tossed MrStinkers out on his ass?

Welcome aboard. Light and sit at the Raider ecampfire
Appreciate ya. Can’t speak to MrStinkers fate though :)

Re: Football Coach's take on the Saints/Raiders matchup

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2026 2:00 am
by TCUDan
mranquales wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2026 6:47 pm The Saints are better than people think, I just hope they wait another week to show the world.

You can't gameplan against talent though. Brock is the best TE in football when healthy, and Jeanty is Marshall Faulk-like in his multi-faceted ability, while also being a top 10 RB. When both are on their A-game, it could be difficult for the Saints to stop, and if you pay them too much attention, someone like Tre Tucker will beat you over the top as he showed against the Chargers.
They definitely present matchup issues. As a coach you have to approach that problem structurally. If you start trying to match chess pieces that’s when you start getting toasted. We’ll see if the Saints can pull it off.

Re: Football Coach's take on the Saints/Raiders matchup

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2026 2:02 am
by TCUDan
Goodtimes333 wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2026 9:14 pm The Saints have a bright future with Shough, Olave, Tyson, Vele, Etienne, Banks etc. IMO they're going to need a better defensive coordinator to pull it all together. The Raiders got that guy fired by dropping 63 points on his ass against the Chargers also lol
Not all great coordinators make great coaches. Both our teams have Dennis Allen a run at HC and he didn’t pan out. But as a DC with the saints and now with the bears he’s pretty legit.

Staley’s been doing a great job so far with a defense that hasn’t been fully rebuilt. They keep us in games and have made the late comebacks possible.

Re: Football Coach's take on the Saints/Raiders matchup

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2026 2:04 am
by GoodTimeCharlie
So how’d y’all enjoy the Carr experience? We’ve got a whole thread dedicated to him if you’re interested.

viewtopic.php?t=18592

Re: Football Coach's take on the Saints/Raiders matchup

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2026 8:14 am
by Nor_Cal_Raider
Nice write up!
If the defensive line can get pressure rushing only 4, we have a chance.

Re: Football Coach's take on the Saints/Raiders matchup

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2026 8:20 am
by Reno Hightower
TCUDan wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2026 2:02 am Not all great coordinators make great coaches. Both our teams have Dennis Allen a run at HC and he didn’t pan out. But as a DC with the saints and now with the bears he’s pretty legit.

Staley’s been doing a great job so far with a defense that hasn’t been fully rebuilt. They keep us in games and have made the late comebacks possible.
Shough makes me think of the great QB play during the John Fourcade era. Now let's see if he can win the Miller Light Player of the Week award, by the way welcome.