New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - New Orleans Saints' offense presents big challenge for Miami Dolphins

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Monday, October 19, 2009

DAVIE — Pile the statistics one on top of the other, and it's clear that what the New Orleans Saints do on offense could be positively intimidating.

The Saints, who will visit the Dolphins on Sunday, average more yards and more points than any other team in the NFL. Their attack is balanced, with quarterback Drew Brees and the passing offense the seventh-best in the league, and their rushing attack No. 4.The Dolphins have the third-best rushing defense in the league, but they are 18th against the pass. And just about everyone in the Dolphins locker room saw what Brees did to the best pass defense in football, torching the New York Giants for 369 yards and four touchdowns Sunday in a 48-27 win.

Miami's defenders have seen those numbers on the stat sheets.

"It's just paper," rookie cornerback Sean Smith said. "As a secondary, you look forward to these kinds of games to make your name in the NFL."

Smith, who has played solidly opposite veteran Will Allen, certainly will have his chances. The Dolphins know the Saints will try to throw early and often, passing from a variety of formations, with several players checking in, and shifting before the snap.

And sometimes, the Saints will simply challenge a defender to be better than their best receiver. Just as Daunte Culpepper did in Minnesota with Randy Moss, Brees is not afraid to throw a jump ball for 6-foot-4, 225-pound receiver Marques Colston, who has 25 catches for 394 yards this year.

"Drew can kind of throw it up there ... with purpose in mind," Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said.

Moreover, the Saints, who are averaging 159 yards rushing, love the misdirection of running counter plays and faking the run with play-action. In short, it will be a long day for Dolphins defenders, not just physically, but mentally, as New Orleans tries to outwit them.

Then again, Miami's defenders are used to thinking fast on their feet. They practice daily against one of the toughest and most confusing offenses in football.

"We've faced almost anything that's been thrown out there," linebacker Akin Ayodele said.

Miami's defense is allowing just 301.4 yards a game, 10th-best in the league. But the Dolphins are 19th in allowing 21.2 points a game, and the Saints like to score.

As such, expect even Miami's offense to help play defense. The Dolphins lead the NFL in time of possession, holding the ball an average of 35 minutes, 29 seconds. The less time Brees and Co. are on the field, the less time they have to do damage.

"I don't think you want to get into a scoring contest with these people," Sparano said.

Dolphins defenders are less interested in where they rank against the pass and more attentive to their recent performances, first holding Buffalo's Trent Edwards to 192 yards with three interceptions, then New York's Mark Sanchez to 172 yards.

"The past two weeks we've gotten better," defensive back Nate Jones said, "and that's what we look at."

Coming off a bye week, the Dolphins knew when they reconvened for practice Monday morning this would be the toughest challenge they've faced

all year.

New Orleans Saints' offense presents big challenge for Miami Dolphins

"It's going to be a hard-working week," defensive tackle Phillip Merling said. "We all want this one."