Black and Gold Xs and Os: The Saints' Offensive Gameplan vs. the Panthers

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This week against the Carolina Panthers' defense, the New Orleans Saints face a formidable challenge. It is the first team they have seen this year that plays a base Cover-2 defense.

In the past, the Saints have not done as well against this style of defense. Of course, over that same stretch they tore apart man-to-man defenses. This season they've found some difficulty against man-to-man defenses, but tore apart zone coverages.

So what should we expect in Week Nine (Game Eight)?

Expect Carolina to mix up its coverages, trying to give Drew Brees different looks than what he sees on film. Carolina's other most common coverage is Cover-3.

The corners play the Cover-2 soft, meaning they trail the outside receivers on their routes but stay focused on what is happening behind them in order to get back to the route thrown into the flat.

There are many options of ways to attack this base Cover-2. You can send two or three receivers to one side and flood that side. You can run receivers at the two safeties and have another receiver find the open hole in the coverage.

You can simply throw shallow crossing route and check-down routes play after play and move the ball methodically down the field. Of course, knowing Sean Payton's style of play-calling, he will combine all these methods. And let's not forget the running game.

To be completely honest, even though the Panthers' pass defense looks vulnerable, the running game seemingly will be even more open. This is because Carolina's linebackers fly hard to the football, leaving cutback lanes for Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell.

Because of their aggressive pursuit, reverses and end-arounds can work pretty well against this defense.

On obvious run downs, Carolina does a better job of filling those holes, meaning the best bet is to run right at them with Bell on a power-type run.

The ends rush pretty hard upfield, meaning if Brees can loft the ball over their arms, that Swing Screen (which I told you they would run again, and it was the most important play of the game) will be open in short-yardage situations.

Backs out of the backfield should be open all day. Also, with the aggressive pursuit of the linebackers, play-action with Jeremy Shockey or Marques Colston getting over the top of the linebackers will be open all day.

I chose to keep this gameplan brief because I believe this may be one of the simplest gameplans the Saints offense will have this season. In reality, this defense is ripe for the picking. The Saints should be able to run or pass, and I'm not sure the order matters much.

I would say it's probably best to come out with some screens and draws to slow down Carolina's four-man pass rush. At that point anything is possible.

As long as the Saints don't come out wearing all black again, I say they stroll to an easy victory. I'll be praying between now and gametime that they stick with the gold pants. Geaux Saints!

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