New Orleans Saints vs. Cleveland Browns: Complete Week 2 Preview for New Orleans
The New Orleans Saints will attempt to bounce back from their opening-game loss, as coach Sean Payton’s club hits the road once again for Sunday's matchup with the Cleveland Browns.
New Orleans dropped a heartbreaker last week to the Atlanta Falcons in a high-scoring shootout that left many scratching their heads at the Saints’ poor defensive showing.
This weekend, the Saints won’t be facing an offense the caliber of the high-flying Falcons, but they’ll still have to make improvements in their pass defense if they’re to escape Cleveland with a win.
Offensively, New Orleans was highly efficient in last week’s defeat, as quarterback Drew Brees led the Saints on four touchdown drives of 70 or more yards. Wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Marques Colston, tight end Jimmy Graham and running back Mark Ingram also turned in quality performances, as Payton’s offense rolled up 472 yards and 34 points.
On the other side, the Browns enter the second game of first-year coach Mike Pettine’s tenure, after having dropped a squeaker to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired, but not before Pettine’s young squad had erased a 27-3 halftime deficit to tie the game.
With both teams coming in at 0-1 and desperately seeking a victory, this game could prove crucial to the Saints getting back on track toward their lofty preseason goals.
Following is a preview of this key Week 2 matchup, complete with a prediction on the final slide.
Week 1 Recap
1 of 5
In the long-anticipated season opener, the Saints lost to their bitter rivals, the Atlanta Falcons, by a 37-34 count.
New Orleans jumped out to a 13-0 lead, but Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan began to pick apart the Saints secondary in the second quarter. Falcon wideouts Julio Jones, Roddy White and Harry Douglas had their way with Saints cornerbacks Corey White and Patrick Robinson, who found the going tough against Atlanta’s potent passing attack. Even the usually reliable Keenan Lewis struggled, and the Saints had to match the Falcons score for score.
By the time the shootout was over, Ryan had amassed 448 yards through the air, and New Orleans had yielded 568 yards of offense, which was the second-most yards surrendered in a single game in franchise history.
Despite the poor defensive performance, Brees and the Saints offense were in position to mount a scoring drive in overtime. A Marques Colston fumble set up Matt Bryant’s game-winning 52-yard kick, however, and the Saints returned to New Orleans in an 0-1 hole.
News and Notes
2 of 5
Haralson at Fullback
At 6’2” and 240 pounds, New Orleans fullback Austin Johnson packs a formidable punch as a lead blocker.
With the Saints in a goal-line situation against the Falcons, however, Sean Payton decided New Orleans needed even more beef to clear the way for running back Khiry Robinson. When Robinson powered into the end zone for a third-quarter touchdown, his lead blocker was none other than outside linebacker Parys Haralson, who’s listed at 255 pounds.
The nine-year NFL veteran had never played fullback before, but considering the successful results of the experiment, look for more of Haralson as a short-yardage lead blocker.
What’s Cookin’?
Brandin Cooks received no shortage of attention throughout the preseason, and now that the first game is in the books, the excitement surrounding the rookie wide receiver has only increased.
With seven catches against Atlanta, Cooks tied a New Orleans rookie record for receptions in a first game. Reggie Bush also hauled in seven balls during his NFL debut against the Browns in 2006.
The Saints utilized Cooks in a variety of ways, as the dynamic playmaker lined up in the slot and on the outside and ran a full complement of routes. Throughout the contest, it became increasingly evident that Payton fully intends for the 2014 first-round draft pick to play a major role in the Saints offense this season.
Injury Report
3 of 5
The Saints injury report this week makes for light reading, as only two players are listed as out for the game, according to NewOrleansSaints.com.
Safety Marcus Ball (hamstring) and fullback Erik Lorig (ankle) have both been sidelined for several weeks now, and both are out again for Sunday’s game.
Two key defensive starters, cornerback Keenan Lewis (knee) and linebacker Curtis Lofton (shoulder), are both listed as probable.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Matchups to Watch
4 of 5
Saints Defensive Front vs. Browns Offensive Line
Winning the line of scrimmage is obviously a key in every game. In order for the Saints to have success defensively, however, it will be especially crucial on Sunday against Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan's run-heavy offense.
After a slow start, the Cleveland offensive line got rolling in the second half against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns utilized a zone-blocking scheme and finished the game with an impressive 6.1 yards per carry, as backup running back Terrance West eclipsed the 100-yard mark after replacing injured starter Ben Tate.
Against Pro Bowler Joe Thomas and Co., Cam Jordan and the Saints defensive front must consistently win the line of scrimmage on first and second downs. Forcing the Browns into third-and-long situations will play right into the hands of New Orleans defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and his array of blitz packages.
Shanahan’s offense isn’t exactly considered a juggernaut quite yet, but the group clearly gained confidence in the second half against Pittsburgh.
Considering the lack of success Jordan and linebacker Junior Galette had against the Falcons last week, the duo should be highly motivated to make an impact on Sunday in Cleveland.
Drew Brees vs. Browns Rookie Corners
Drew Brees is one of the best in the game at exploiting mismatches; on Sunday, he could find himself facing two Cleveland rookie cornerbacks.
Cleveland's Joe Haden is in the top tier of the league’s cover men, and Buster Skrine is serviceable on the other side. But when the Saints go to three- and four-receiver sets, 2014 draft picks Justin Gilbert and Pierre Desir will likely be called upon by Cleveland to face off against the Saints’ dangerous group of wideouts.
Look for Brees to immediately find and to go right at the rookies. If he's successful early, the Saints could very well go to a no-huddle offense in order to take full advantage of any such mismatches and to prevent substitutions.
Saints X-Factor of the Week: Safety Kenny Vaccaro
With just four tackles, Vaccaro was unusually quiet in last week's loss to Atlanta. If the Saints are to field an improved defense on Sunday, they'll need a solid outing from the second-year strong safety.
Capable of delivering big hits on the back end, Vaccaro is also an asset against the run. The 2013 first-round pick has a knack for forcing turnovers and making plays all over the field, and if he can shake off his uncharacteristically average performance against the Falcons, the Saints defense should be considerably stingier.
Prediction
5 of 5
Much was expected of the 2014 New Orleans Saints heading into the season, and Brees and Co. will be desperately seeking to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start.
Cleveland is a youthful squad coming off a similarly close loss, but the Browns’ expectations for the season are nowhere near as lofty as that of the Saints.
Look for a highly motivated, angry New Orleans squad to take the field on Sunday. Although the game is still in Cleveland, Brees and the offense should come out clicking on all cylinders, much to the chagrin of the Dawg Pound.
The Saints should also start to find their footing defensively. Even though the Browns offense showed signs of promise in their second-half performance a week ago, New Orleans should be able to pressure Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer and possibly force turnovers, especially if they hold their ground on early downs.
Prediction: Saints 31, Browns 17
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
