Building The Backend

When the New Orleans Saints won it all the 2009 season, I posted about their General Manger's success with building the "Backend" of the team; the backup players.  


The NFL.com article by Pat Kirwan that inspired my post gave plenty of tips for future GM's and coaches to follow in building a successful football organization.  The Saints "blueprint" at the time did not document bounty hunting rewards, but did list some legitimate and legal strategies the Raiders can borrow.  


One tip which I think might help the young Raiders defensive backfield this season might be using a 3-3-5 formation against pass happy offenses.  Wouldn't you know it, the Saints designed it specifically for facing quarterback Peyton Manning in Superbowl XLIV and by golly it worked. As we all know, Peyton visits Oaktown in a broncos jersey this season.


It appears that new Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie is following a blueprint he designed in Green Bay, but it couldn't hurt if he mixed in some of the Superbowl winning Saints formula, again, minus the bounty.  Hell, scratch that, include the bounty dammit.  Whatever it takes to win a championship now. Suspensions and fines can be dealt with after the championship is won.  The Raiders hard-nosed style of play has been the target of league criticism for decades, let's give'em what they've been accusing us of all along. "Bounty Hunters in Black Baby!"


You know I get a bit carried away when it comes to the "Greatness of the Raiders," and those who hate on them.  So I apologize for passionately digressing.  Let's just say the blueprint of the 2009 Saints should be looked at and studied to see if just maybe the baby without the dirty bath water is  a keeper. 

Build it and they will come Reggie!