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Did the world underestimate the Saints?
The New Orleans Saints were not on the list of many experts before the 2021 NFL season. After shellacking the Packers 38-3, everyone is talking about the Saints. Following on from Drew Brees' retirement and the absence of Michael Thomas, no one expected much from Sean Payton's team.
The Saints outplayed the Packers in all three phases. Such was the level of dominance. The Packers subbed Jordan Love into the game, a move that signaled the waving of a mythical white flag. The team played a complete game, and Payton prepared them brilliantly.
First, the Saints' defense carried on from where they left off in 2020. The Saints boast a ferocious defense at every level. Last year, the Saints' defense was the only unit to rank in the top five against runs and passes.
Despite the absence of run-clogging lineman David Onyeamata, the Saints restricted the Packers to 33 rushing yards. The LaFleur offense needs a run game to succeed. Everything comes from a working running game. The Packers love shrinking their formation and using pre- and post-snap sugar with Rodgers. Take the running game away, and the Packers had no chance. The Saints bullied them.
If the front seven was good, the secondary was brilliant. Newly minted Marshon Lattimore, Marcus Williams, C.J. Gardner Johnson, and rookie Paulson Adebo were outstanding. The Saints love to play a physical style of man coverage in a two-high look. Their safeties tackled excellently, and their corners stuck to the Packers' wideouts like glue. Aaron Rodgers had one of his worst days in the NFL.
The Saints might have the most loaded defense top-to-bottom in the NFL, allowing them to smash teams offensively. The offensive line hit the Packers repeatedly in the mouth, in particular, Erik McCoy, Ryan Ramczyk, Cesar Ruiz and Andrus Peat clearing running lanes for Alvin Kamara and the backfield.
The Saints want to use their gritty running game to unleash Kamara as a receiver and runner. The success of the ground game provided Jameis Winston with high-percentage throws. The Saints used play-action and even let Winston move around the pocket.
Winston threw only 14 completed passes for less than 150 yards and five touchdown passes. Payton placed Winston into a situation where the quarterback only needed to make simple throws. Sean Payton is a wonderful head coach and a genius tactician.
He ensures his team is best prepared for every game they play. Add that level of expertise to a team packed with talent in the trenches, a fearless secondary and a superstar running back, and the Saints did get underrated by pundits.
Yes, people underestimated the Saints. However, Sean Payton is the best coach in the NFC. His team exploits matchups better than anyone, and they don't fear or anyone either. The Saints are always better when they play with an edge, as they did against the Packers. The team from New Orleans wouldn't mind that one bit, and the ruthlessness on show yesterday put out a statement.
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