Copying Seahawks defense ruined Rob Ryan’s Saints

The Seattle Seahawks and the Legion of Boom absolutely punished the New Orleans Saints twice during 2013’s Super Bowl winning season. Ever since, the Saints have been trying to copy them. It’s not going so well.

Former Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan told Jenny Ventras from MMQB that New Orleans’ defensive dysfunction over the last two years was all about him being coerced into copying the Seahawks:

“Everyone wants to run Seattle’s defense. They should have hired a Seattle coach. I did the best job I could. Under the circumstances, trust me, I did the best job I could…”

Last season the Saints allowed nine more passing touchdowns than the next worst NFL team and more points than anyone except the Giants. How much of it was Ryan’s fault is up for debate but trying to run Seattle’s defense using New Orleans’ personnel is an undeniably bad idea, no matter who was involved.

The Seahawks have three All-Pro defensive backs, two Pro Bowl quality linebackers and two of the top 4-3 defensive ends in football. Apparently whoever was calling the shots in New Orleans thought they could substitute Jairus Byrd for Earl Thomas, Delvin Breaux for Richard Sherman and Kenny Vaccaro for Kam Chancellor and expect similar results.

Bush-league stuff. Laughable.

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It’s also funny that Rob Ryan mentioned bringing in a Seattle coach, because that has not worked out either for teams trying to copy their model. All the Saints had to do was look at former Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who has been attempting to build a similar defense as head coach in Jacksonville three years now with (literally) almost no luck whatsoever. Since he came on board the Jaguars have never finished higher than 26th in points allowed in a single season. Even if Jalen Ramsey, Myles Jack and Dante Fowler all turn out to be superstars there’s no guarantee the Jaguars defense will ever rival that of Seattle’s.

To build an elite kind of defense schemes matter, the coaches matter, and above all, talent matters. NFL teams rarely are able to put it all together in one package.

The NFL is a copycat league but anybody who wants to replicate what Pete Carroll has done with the Legion of Boom is going to have a tough time because they’re one of a kind.

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