hagan714

Can New Orleans Saints overcome inexperienced corners?

By Ed Valentine

Our five questions segment this week look at that and several other questions

The New York Giants face the New Orleans Saints this week in a matchup that, in recent years, has ended with lots of Arena Football League-type scores. Let’s learn more about the Saints in this week’s “Five Questions” segment with Jean-Rene Ella of Canal Street Chronicles.

Ed: How much does the loss of cornerback Delvin Breaux hurt, and is the Saints’ defense as bad as I think it might be?

Jean-Rene: The loss of Delvin Breaux is huge for the Saints’ defense. Against the Raiders, New Orleans started second-year cornerback P.J. Williams opposite Breaux, and Williams is a de facto rookie, since he missed all of last season with an injury. With Breaux now gone, the Saints will rely on a collection of projects and misfits, starting with Ken Crawley, a first-year undrafted free agent cornerback out of Colorado and veterans Sterling Moore and B.W. Webb, whom they signed as free agents. Needless to say that Eli Manning and crew should have a field day passing the ball on Sunday.

Ed: Where do you see matchups that favor the Saints? Conversely, matchups that favor the Giants?

Jean-Rene: The Giants will have an enormous offensive advantage in the passing game. The Saints are absolutely depleted at the cornerback position, and of the two veteran starting safeties, only Kenny Vaccaro is worth his grain of salt, as Jairus Byrd is just out there trying to avoid injuries and collecting a paycheck. I predict that we will see Odell and Victor Cruz having a few dancing contests in the end zone.

The matchup that favors the Saints is going to be the exact same as the one for the Giants, but in this case it’ll be because of Drew Brees and his plethora of offensive weapons. Assuming that Janoris Jenkins is going to try and matchup one-on- one with Brandin Cooks, I expect Willie Snead, Mike Thomas, Coby Fleener and running backs out of the backfield to have a lot of opportunities to do some damage catching the ball.

Ed: Drew Brees is what, 500 years old, and he just keeps on going. How much longer can he keep playing at such a great level?

Can New Orleans Saints overcome inexperienced corners? - Big Blue View

"We may have lost the game, but you'll be hurting tomorrow." Doug Atkins

lee909

They can if they get pressure.
Look at Carolina,they have been doing well with top notch corners (Norman isnt great imo). The front 7 gets pressure and it makes life easier

Marlboro Man

I think we can get better immediately by sitting Byrd and putting Bell in his place. We would instantly get better over the top Free Safety play which would tremendously help Crawley and Williams.

SmashMouth

They are going to have to... When is Kikaha coming back?

lee909

Next year unless they sit Rankins for the year

darstep

Agree. Pressure changes everything.
Rookies, greenhorns, wanna be's...
Everybody can look good if the QB is under duress,
or has to throw before he's ready, or before his receivers are ready.
Our youngsters just need some help from up front.
They have to have it.

dizzle88

I'd think we could expect more growing pains if we put Bell in, but Byrd is just completely useless so it wouldn't take long for Bell to make a bigger impact.

K Major

I'm really rooting for Kikaha but isn't this his 3rd ACL tear ?

RailBoss

It's not good that we are out shopping and signing CB's for the second game of the season.

Dallas Cowboys

Webb was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round (114th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft.[3] Coming from a small college background, he looked overmatched in the appearances he made as a slot cornerback. He was eventually benched in favor of Sterling Moore, who was re-signed on November 25 after being released before the start of the season. He was inactive for the final game.

In the next year training camp, he was passed over by undrafted free agent Tyler Patmon and was waived on August 28, 2014.[4]
Pittsburgh Steelers

Webb was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 29, 2014.[5] He was activated for 11 games and played mainly on special teams. He was released on September 5, 2015.
Tennessee Titans

On September 9, 2015, he was signed to the Tennessee Titans practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on November 8th, 2015 for a game against the New Orleans Saints in which he recorded his first career interception. On September 2, 2016, he was released by the Titans as part of final roster cuts.[6]
New Orleans Saints

On September 14, 2016, Webb was signed by the Saints.[7]

jnormand

Yes they can. I think there is going to be more 4 man fronts from the defensive line in this game and that will produce more pressure.

I also think that Fleener is gonna have a big game. You heard it hear first folks. The Giants LBs aren't that great.