By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS – In the last few weeks, effort and dedication have begun to be questioned in conversations around the New Orleans Saints. One Saints defender, perhaps their most important, has taken exception to that and has been adamant that not only is effort not a concern, it is vital to the team’s ability to turn their season around.
“That’s like questioning personality,” Davis said on questions of effort. “That’s like questioning character. As long as I’ve been here, I’ve never seen a drop-off in effort. If you look at the tape, you’re not going to see that. Even on that last snap, you’ve got guys flying to the ball.”
The questions of effort started to pick up following the team’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Saints’ defense missed 15 tackles in that matchup after missing 13 against the Kansas City Chiefs the week before. Head coach Dennis Allen was asked after that game if tackling issues were present because of a lack of fundamentals or effort. Allen’s answer was both.
“Well, I think it’s a combination of both,” Allen said. “I think we could have attacked the ball-carrier a little bit more. So we’ll look at the tape, but it was not good enough.”
Allen would clarify later that the question of effort really boiled down to missed tackles. Insinuating that players showed the effort to get in position to make the tackle, but that tackling efforts were overcome, leading to explosive plays.
Davis sees the effort he wants to see in the defense he helps to lead as a team captain. He also believes that the team’s showing of effort late in games is essential to getting back on track after a five-game losing streak.
“It’s everything,” Davis said. “I think how you attack life and how you attack the game is always going to be about your mindset. It’s going to be about your mindset, your mentality, how you approach each snap, how you approach each play. As long as I’ve been here, that’s all I’ve seen this organization be. That’s all I’ve ever seen the city be; is resilient. That’s the word that always comes up.”
The Saints will need to tap into that resilience this weekend against the Los Angeles Chargers as they hope to end their five-game skid. With another start expected for rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler, New Orleans is expecting the return of several pieces on both sides of the football. With Davis’ leadership and a healthier lineup, the Saints have a chance to prove that their effort, their resilience, is enough to help them weather the storm that currently rages around them.
