Please don’t let the Saints start this season 0-4. I’m loosely on board with getting the best draft pick possible at this point, I’m under no illusion this team has no shot at the playoffs, but at the same time I’m nowhere near ready to be actively rooting for them to lose games either. It’s barely been October a few days for crying out loud! The Cowboys come into New Orleans about as wounded as anyone could be missing their starting quarterback (Tony Romo) and their best playmaker (Dez Bryant). If the Saints can’t beat the Cowboys under those conditions at home, I start to wonder if 0-16 is a possibility. Here’s five things I’m looking for:
1. The NFL’s best offensive line vs. the NFL’s worst defensive line
Can you imagine how terrified you’d be if just prior to the draft I told you the Saints’ d-line would be missing Junior Galette, Brodrick Bunkley, Akiem Hicks and (quite possibly) Cam Jordan, while the Cowboys would find a way to land La’El Collins and make him a luxury backup? This offensive line features Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, Travis Frederick (all Pro Bowl quality guys). Ronald Leary and Doug Free are solid players, too. The idea of all those guys going up against the likes of Bobby Richardson, the corpse of Kevin Williams, skinny John Jenkins and, um, I guess Tyeler Davison? Or Travaris Barnes? I mean, do we line up Michael Hoomanawanui at end? It’s David vs. Goliath here except this isn’t a battle where the underdog will come out and shock everyone. This Cowboys o-line will maul and skull drag this Saints d-line. They did that last year against much better players. This won’t be pretty. I’m just hoping for some form of a pleasant surprise but this could get really bloody. If it’s a massacre, let’s just hope it’s quick and painless. Do yourself a favor and don’t talk yourself into thinking Kasim Edebali can have a flash game against Tyron Smith, this won’t be good for your mental healthy. I’m hoping for 1 sack and under 5.5 yards per carry.
2. The return of someone? Anyone?
Jairus Byrd might play. Yeah ok, that’s crazy talk. But Keenan Lewis might play. And Dannell Ellerbe’s toe should be operational for at least a quarter until he re-injures it. Man this is getting cynical. I am looking forward to seeing these guys play to the extent they can, though. Any addition to this defense is a welcomed sight. I’m even looking forward to seeing Hoomanawanui to the extent they’ll let him play. Most of all I’m taking Sean Payton’s comments about C. J. Spiller to heart. I liked what I’ve seen from him in limited snaps and I’d really like to see him get more reps in this game to see if he can ignite more big plays for this offense.
3. How much production do the Saints get out of their quarterback position?
It looks like it’ll be Drew Brees returning. If it is him, how affected will he look throwing the football? If it’s McCown for one more week, can he duplicate the performance he had in Carolina and continue to show he can play? The Carolina game made it clear to me that this Saints team can’t have superstar play at quarterback. The playmakers, the line and the defense aren’t good enough to empower that. Instead, this team can only win with EFFICIENT play at quarterback. Forget the 50 yard passes and all that fun stuff. I’m talking short throws, ball control, high percentage completions, moving the chains in short yardage situations and ball security. If Brees comes back, he needs to play like McCown did. Sean Payton should not take Brees’s return as a license to open up the playbook. Regardless of whether he can or cannot make those downfield throws, the play of the receivers and the offensive line suggest it’s a moot point.
4. Do the Saints get their first interception?
Remember how long it took for the Saints to get their first pick last year? That would be week 5. Ironically, that was the first game Jairus Byrd didn’t play in. How weird would that be if the Saints didn’t get a pick until his first game back this year? I really don’t want the Saints to take five weeks to get a pick again this year. Unfortunately they dropped about a half dozen in week one against the Cardinals. Going up against Brandon Weeden one would think they have a decent shot at breaking that streak if the Cowboys ever throw the ball.
5. End the streak at all cost
I really don’t care how the Saints win. I don’t care if it’s a blowout (obviously preferred), if it’s close, if it’s ugly, if it’s raining flags all game, if it’s so boring we’re all blasting them on twitter by the 3rd quarter, if it takes a Hail Mary miracle… I DO NOT CARE. Just find a way to win. We get it, the 2015 Saints are a bad football team. And that’s ok. As a fan of a bad team I’m not going to be picky. You can even make Brandon Weeden look like the birth child of Johnny Unitas and Otto Graham as long as it equals a win somehow. Before we can really start to talk about anything of substance (like beating the Falcons or 2016) we need to start with the team’s first win to rule out the possibility of 0-16 and we need to end this horrendous home losing streak. It’s at six in a row, people. Six! Just win, baby. Find a way.
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