SmashMouth

One of the strange ironies of this bizarre 2017 season is that the Saints look like one of the best teams in the league in a year in which Drew Brees is shouldering less of the workload than ever before. New Orleans scored 47 points during Sunday's blowout win in Buffalo, and Brees threw for just 184 yards without any passing touchdowns, instead chipping in with an almost sheepish scramble for a score. In each of the Saints' two 40-plus point outbursts against the Bills and Lions, Brees has failed to make it to 200 yards passing.

The Saints have certainly been more balanced, and while some of that is by virtue of running to eat up the clock while ahead in the fourth quarter, New Orleans has also genuinely run the ball more frequently in closer situations. My favorite measure of what a team wants to do on offense is looking at its run-pass choices on first-and-10 while the game is within 14 points. Over the previous three seasons, the Saints ran the ball 46.4 percent of the time on those first-and-10 plays, which was 30th in the league in run percentage. This year, though, the Saints are at 54.8 percent, which is 13th. Their first-half run percentage is up from 36.8 percent to 42.8 percent. It's not solely the six-minute drill.

When Brees does throw, the Saints are making it as easy as possible. The future Hall of Famer is being pressured on just 16.2 percent of his dropbacks, the lowest rate of his career. On Sunday, the Bills bothered him only 11.5 percent of the time, with Brees routinely having time to cycle through his reads and scramble before finding an open receiver.

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vpheughan

Chances are 50 - 50! Either you do or you don't!

dam1953

One major benefit of this is that a strong running game takes pressure off the QB. The Saints lead the league in sacks allowed and we were one of only 5 teams to not allow a sack yesterday. Keeping this up should extend Brees' career.

Currently the Saints appear to have the most complete offense. We are second in Total Offense behind New England who only ranks #16 in rushing. The Saints, at No. 5 and No 3 in Passing and Rushing respectively, are the only team to rank in the top 5 in Total, Passing and Rushing.

Really great to see Ingram and Kamara at #1 and #2 is rushing for this week's games. The Saint's actually had the only rushers to top 100 yards yesterday.

All of this boils down to the fact that the Saints have one of the best O lines in the game. To be a top rated O in passing and rushing speaks volumes about the players AND the coaches. Considering the injuries, I personally think the coaches have worked miracles. Not sure how we keep this crew together but Tom needs to get his check-book ready.

”It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” Charles Darwin

jeanpierre

I like our chances, just wish we could slow down and focus on the next game...

jeanpierre

But I like where this thing is headed, especially lead by a running game...

arsaint

NFC Playoff Picture

New Orleans Saints What If?

QBREES9

Again, one game at a time.

jeanpierre

Wow, I was piss*d when we lost the Vikings, even making a comment about playoff ramifications...

SmashMouth

Plenty of football left before playoffs begin.

dizzle88

We need Carolina to start dropping some games.