The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

Any reasonable person would agree that four complete games is a decent sample size by which to judge a football team's overall effectiveness. Well, obviously 16 games is a much better sample size, but as the first quarter of the NFL season came to a close last night in the Crescent City, the New Orleans Saints defense established itself as one of the most menacing units in the league.

Currently, we rank 6th in total defense and 5th in scoring defense. This represents a slight dip from the previous week's rank of 4th in total defense. Our rank in scoring defense remains unchanged.

Here are some other rankings to consider:

Sacks per game: tied for 12th with 3 sacks per game (In 2012 we were very near the bottom with an anemic 1.9 sacks per game)

Opponents third down conversion percentage: 10th place with 34.78% (an improvement over the 38.46% from 2012)

Takeaways per game: 7th with 2.5 per game (in 2012 we were tied for 13th with 1.6 per game)

Total offense: 4th (up from 6th last week)

Scoring offense: 8th (a big jump from 16th just last week)

I sure hope we can continue the momentum against the Chicago Bears next week. Chicago is tied for third in allowing the fewest sacks per game (1.5). The Saints have allowed twice as many sacks per game. Hopefully, we will be able to rattle Cutler and protect Brees on Sunday.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

Considering the way the Saints have played recently in Chicago, I consider this game to be the first true acid test for our team.

If the Saints beat Chicago like we did Arizona and Miami, IMO the rest of the teams on our schedule, and the teams we are likely to face in the playoffs, will have to pay attention to us!

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

The Bears are probably watering that field right now, running over it with tractors and backhoes and god knows what else to try and slow our offense down and turn this thing into a slugfest.

I still think we win by 10 points. Cutler is good for at least 4 sacks and a couple of poorly timed interceptions anytime he faces a good defense.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

The bears offense is highly overrated. They are often assisted by a short field and their scoring numbers are inflated due to the defense scoring so much.

All that being said the Bears will be the toughest test yet, and then New England after that... Imagine being 6-0 at the bye with those tough wins. However I would be happy with 5-1.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

I am happy. no complaints with the the way the Saints are playing this year. 4 games is a smal sample size and one-fourth of the season.
Still, Saints Defense is ranked this high after , well, nevermind the ranking last year.
BIG difference.

CBears will be one game to really see everything , but then, whatever game is next on the list is the game, the real game to measure the team by.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

I will trade a loss to New England if we keep Brady from throwing a TD!

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

I am absolutely stunned. If you had bet me that we would have a top 6 defense before the season I would have put down 5k and start writing checks.
I am extremely proud of the young guys. Just goes to show you how much effect coaching really has. Hell most of the players that were brought in during the offseason to beef up our D got injured before week 1. Imaging if Butler and others were in.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

I think one of the big differences is that the players loooooooove Rob Ryan. Steve Spagnuolo? Not so much.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

Galette or Jordan can make themselves a household name nationally with a slaughterfest of Cutler ... That's how you beat the Bears , hit Cutler repeatedly then the Media gabs on about his body language and so on ...

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

Only problem with that is the Bears O-Line is playing pretty well...

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

They still have their week spots. Plus I think we have the strategic edge as we kind of know what to expect from Kromer but he has no idea what our new defense is all about other than what he sees on film. We have a little insight into how hes gonna play the line.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

Playing devil's advocate here, but don't you think he's going to be sharing his knowledge of our offense with their defense? It works both ways...

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

Kromer didn't work under SP last year, I'm sure he's planned for that. They won't be able to stop Graham, Colston, Sproles or PT all at once. Especially with Cutler reeling from that game against Detroit, he's not a big bounce back guy.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

I do not take the bears lightly one bit. there defense still plays with pride and the offense is like that old chevy parked under a tree. some time it miss fires and sputters and other times it purrrs.

stop the run and force cutler to beat ya.

the OL better do it's job. if that defense gets cocky it will be trouble

Da Bears in chitown are always a danger

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

oh yeah this thread was about the rankings right? i am happy so far but need to see improvement against the run outside big time. off tackle is killing us

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

This would be the week to start getting it together up front on the offensive line. :argue:

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

2 important stats you neglected...

Offense - Rushing yards per game 81.2 25th in the league

Defense - Rushing yards allowed per game 112.2 22nd in the league

Those 2 stats are going to catch up to us. Especially when we play a really good team.

Is that this week or next week or down the line? I don't know. But I do know that both of thing stats need to improve.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

Yep, how far we get in the playoffs depends on this here. If not I guarantee one and done.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

I wouldn't! A Saints' victory is far more important than Brady breaking Brees' consecutive game TD record.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

It's all relative. They're playing well by their past standards, which are pretty low. Their two best OL players are rookies... their left tackle is Bushrod and it just so happens our best pass rusher lines up on his side and is the kind of guy that would always eat him up.

They are super-conservative and predictable on offense too. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying they are a garbage team and we'll run roughshod over them, but I think the Saints should win this game by 10 points or so.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

Thank you, Dude and Homer.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

2nd game of the season I get to watch...
I'm excited and can't wait!
After 4 games played having a defense ranked 6th is awesome, and I would have been happy with middle of the pack.

I think it will be a close game but we'll win this one.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

I love the improved play from the Saints defense, the coaching of RR, and the potential of the young defenders. A side stat notes that the Saints have played the 7th, 31st, 26th, and 24th ranked offenses in the NFL so far this season.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

Well, several of us told you.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

The sample size is not as important as the time frame.

Playing this way the last 4 games of the season would be great.

Playing this way the 1st 4 games of the season against some divisional offenses with huge weapons, given that the first 4 weeks of a season is the hardest for a defense because there is no tape yet and they are slower than offense to get up to speed... We will progressively get better.... The rookies are getting better each game.

Playing this way for the 1st four games is huge and fanfrikkentastic.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

the key is to stop the
OT runs
and passes in the flat

so nothing changed from game 1. still our weak spot. one day in a close game this will come back to haunt us

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

Funny how the conversation went from this defense will be lucky to rank in the low 20's to identifying specific flaws in our top 10 defense.

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

Still work in progress, my fellow WhoDat!

Re: The Saints have the 6th ranked defense.
 

Oh I know, and I think we'll likely finish somewhere in the middle of the pack. Its just funny to see how the conversation has shifted.

We were begging for a low-20/high-teen defense just 1 month ago. Now we're nit-picking.