It wasn’t pretty, it certainly wasn’t the glorious show of force many of us expected and desired; but in a way it might have been better. The Saints proved something on Sunday and it wasn’t just that they won’t put the nail in their own coffin by going 0-3, what the Saints proved is that they can win dirty and do it well. Let me be clear, I don’t mean dirty like holding someone ten yards down the field and having a wrestling match, then calling it coverage (Talib), I don’t mean dirty like taking shots at players heads like Whitner or Meriweather. I mean dirty; as in ugly, nasty, no fun to watch, roll-in-the-mud dirty. The exact kind of football these Saints have often struggled against and that they have often been accused of being incapable of thriving in. I don’t think this will be what we see every week. Nor should it be expected that the Saints will be as successful on defense or inept on offense as they were against the Vikings. However, what we learned was that this team does have the kind of fortitude and character needed to win when it goes from everything going right to being trapped in the bog.
A lot has been made this week about the Saints lack of ‘shot’ plays. On the other hand the team has been more ‘balanced’ than at anytime I can remember in the Payton era, and has been the most efficient offense in the league (according to PFF). What this tells us is that the Saints fan base is a lot like the team… victims of their own expectations. We expected this team to walk out of the pre-season and be the death star offense of 2011 right off the bat (forgetting that the team was sloppy for the first 3 weeks that season before flipping the switch and going ballistic). I still believe that this offense has the potential to surpass even that gaudy season, however that is not my expectation. What we have seen from week to week on the field is a team still working out the kinks, a team that is trying to discover who exactly they are, and also a team that has been methodical about that process. Looking back at the last three weeks it has been obvious to me that Sean Payton is looking at things with the long term in mind; he is more concerned about finishing strong and having a team that is comfortable doing absolutely everything, than putting up huge numbers (although obviously a 3-0 start is vastly preferable to the hole they have dug themselves). Still, if they are to achieve their eventual goals they must eventually return to the offensive juggernaut we have seen over the years because that is how this team is built. When it comes to fixing your offensive woes the Dallas Cowboys might be the NFL equivalent of Ambrosia.
Dallas has a better defense than last year in a couple of areas, and especially in the middle when Rolando McClain plays, but to call them competent is to insult the word. Let us remember that this is the same team that gave up 327 yards to Anthony Davis the third string QB of the rams in his first start. Is it possible that Dallas could have its game of the year and play inspired because of last years beatdown? Sure. Could they play beyond themselves and stymie the Saints offense? Of course. Is that in any way likely or even probable? NO!
I don’t need to go into a whole lot more detail about Dallas’s defensive woes other than this; they have given up more to Tight Ends than any team in football and now have to face the titan himself, Jimmy Graham. They are happy they are getting Scandrick back who they dub their best corner, a guy who got roasted repeatedly last year. Unless Jimmy totally disappears I have absolutely no worries about Dallas’s defense holding the Saints down for long, and especially with them having not even the faintest echo of a pass-rush.
What does concern me is the Cowboys offense. Terrance Williams, DeMarco Murray, the always irritatingly effective Jason Witten, and deadliest of all Dez Bryant. Keenan Lewis is the key for this game because if he can shut down Dez like he did last year the Saints should win. Period. Murray is an exceptionally talented back and currently leads the NFL in rushing attempts and yards, but he isn’t going to beat the Saints on his own. Dez can. Bryant has the kind of talent that hasn’t been in Dallas at his position since the real 88 was in uniform… yea, he is that gifted. The rest of Dallas’s offense is full of talent too, but as good as Williams has looked at points he doesn’t create the kind of chaos that Dez can. It is chaos that has been the Saints Achilles heel on defense this year. Keep Dez contained, keep discipline and we will keep the momentum we started to build last week. Don’t, and oh how very blue our Monday could be.
Now on to the match-ups:
Offensive line: The Saints line has been very good so far (the opposite of last year) and the improvement in the running game is a reflection of that. That said Dallas probably has the most talented line in the league. Tyron Smith held Quinn to nothing last week. Junior has his hands full and the rest of the line isn’t that far behind him.
Defensive line: The Saints win this by a landslide. I could go down Dallas’s d-line and point out every matchup problem…but I would just give you a blank page. The Saints defensive line has looked better every week and if they want to prove they are as good as we think they can be then they will rise to the occasion against the excellent line of Dallas. Cameron Jordan has played very well to this point, but going with the team theme he really just needs to finish. Junior Gallete has also been turning it up and watching him against Smith will give us a great idea on how well he is going to earn that 40 mil.
Secondary: Corey White would be the best corner in Dallas AND their best safety. Nuff said? Nuff said. Advantage Saints.
Linebackers: before last week I would have called this a wash if McClain doesnt play, and a Dallas advantage if he does, but after what I saw from Lofton last week I am going with the Saints regardless of his condition. Lofton flew around the field and was an absolute dynamo. If we get that guy the rest of the season things are going to look up in a hurry.
Quarterback: this is much much closer than many people will acknowledge. That is my way of saying that New York is closer to New Orleans than people think . Romo is a QB who floats right around the elite category with the other big 4, but his biggest strength is his biggest weakness, his confidence. Romo is very mobile, very athletic for a QB (think a pale shadow of Farve) and has tremendous accuracy on the move. He also has a class 5 case of what I like to call Breesitus, which is where you put the whole world on your back and try to win the game with every throw..and it blows up in your face. Drew only does that once in a while and is a better QB so he gets away with it. Advantage Saints, but not as resounding as it could be.
Runningbacks: if Mark Ingram was healthy I would call it a wash, yes he has been that good this year, but he isn’t so the Advantage is to Demarco Murray. That said, don’t be surprised if Khiry gets to the second level in this game and does horrible things to Dallas just to spite me.
Receivers: I love Cooks and truly believe we have only seen the smallest fraction of what he will do in a Saints uniform and Kenny Stills has all the tools to be a very good complement to him on the outside. Colston is mr. reliable and I won’t let a game and a half determine my view of him, but this a no contest. Dez Bryant has more talent than the Saints entire core combined and that isn’t hyperbole…whether he realizes it all the time is another question. He is a top 4 receiver in the game today and the only guy on a talent level with Calvin Johnson (at this stage Fitz and Andre Johnson aren’t).
Tight End: another match-up that is closer than it may at first appear. Witten is quietly putting together a HOF career and whatever he still has in the tank you can be sure he will give to the team. Jimmy Graham could go down as the best ever if things work out right for him and he wants it bad enough. Witten deserves his due, but if Jimmy is on his game and doesn’t lose focus (like last game) he could easily be the leader in yards in this game by a large margin.
X-factor: Tony Romo- This will be only time this year I put the other teams player as the Saints x-factor. If good Romo shows up this will be a tough game for the Saints because when he is on he can be incredible (check the Broncos game from last year for reference), on the other hand if bad Romo shows up the turnover drought the Saints have experienced will meet a flood of biblical proportions. Tony can give the ball away like Chris Berman can give you a migraine.
Coaches: seriously? The best offensive mind in the game versus captain ‘8-8’. No contest. Saints
Prediction: this game is such a back and forth match-up wise I am only going to predict entertainment and that no matter what happens many overreactions will be had on Monday.
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