The 1-1 New Orleans Saints could not duplicate the strong defensive performance they had in Week 1 in their next game. Miscues that were apparent in that first contest returned significantly against the Las Vegas Raiders with poor secondary play and excessive penalties. They lost the matchup, 34-24.
This week it doesn’t get any easier as New Orleans will host the 2-0 Green Bay Packers at the Mercedes Benz Superdome. The Saints will need to have an overall better performance in all three phases of the game if they want to avoid back-to-back losses.
Below are three players to keep an eye on in this week’s Sunday night primetime matchup:
1). QB Drew Brees
This year’s circumstances are unique given the lack of off-season work. In his first two starts, Brees has completed 64.7 % of his passes and on Monday night, despite the loss, he completed 68.4% of his passes. Even so, he doesn’t seem to be playing like the Drew Brees fans have come to know.
The 20-year pro seems to be out of sync when it comes to situational football. In critical down-and-distance situations, Brees has either made a delayed correct decision or the wrong decision, which resulted in a costly turnover.
“Well, my job is to execute the offense,” Brees said this week. “So, I’ve always evaluated myself on being a good decision-maker. And so, at the end of the day, I’m going to throw the ball to the open guy, move the ball down the field, score points, help us win football games. That’s my job. My job is not to have the most air yards or throw the ball down the field the most, or anything like that. My job is to help us win. My job is to help put everybody around me in a position to succeed and that’s all I’m focused on.”
It will be interesting to see what Head Coach Sean Payton does to get his future Hall Of Fame quarterback into an early rhythm and flow.
2). TE Jared Cook
WR Michael Thomas, missing some time due to injury, presents an opportunity for the Saints to take advantage of TE Jared Cook’s skill and ability in the passing game. In the Saints’ Week 1 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans did a creative job of getting Cook behind the coverage for big plays in the passing game.
In Week 2, Cook only had two catches for 13 yards in the Saints 34-24 loss. This week it will be important for Payton to be more creative in finding ways to get his athletic tight end the ball. Cook’s involvement in the offense gives guys like wideouts Emmanuel Sanders and Tre’ Quan Smith a chance to see more one-on-one coverage.
3). WR/RB Ty Montgomery
Montgomery hasn’t been used much over the last two games but he is a viable target in this offense. The 6’0” Stanford product can give the Saints offense even more versatility and provide them with a bigger pass-catching target out of the backfield or in the Slot.
Montgomery, over his time in the league, has been known to be severally underused. His tremendous skill and ability to make defenders miss in the open field is something that can keep defensive coordinators guessing. Against his former team, it will be interesting to see if the Saints incorporate the former Packer’s speed and abilities into their offensive game plan.