Dissecting Most Crucial Matchups in Packers' Week 8 Contest Against Saints

Coming off their most complete game of the season in a dominant 38-17 win over the Carolina Panthers, the Green Bay Packers will travel to New Orleans to face the Saints in Week 8 before heading into their bye week.

To say the Packers, who have won four straight and are 5-2 on the season, are rolling would be an understatement.

The offense behind Aaron Rodgers is as crisp, efficient and explosive as ever, while both the run and pass defense have made vast improvements from Green Bay's Week 1 showing in Seattle.

The Saints, meanwhile, have limped to a 2-4 start on the season, with their only two wins coming at home against the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In fact, the Saints haven't lost at home in the regular season since Week 17 in 2012.

Can the Green Bay Packers become the first team to beat New Orleans at the Superdome in 10 games?

Pay close attention to the following three matchups as the Packers take on the Saints Sunday night. They could decide the game.

OLB Julius Peppers vs. LT Terron Armstead

Mike Roemer/Associated Press

Julius Peppers is currently tied for the team lead in sacks with three on the season.

However, opposing defenses have only been able to take Drew Brees down five times this year—one of the lowest totals among all starting NFL quarterbacks.

Peppers has been successful at getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks in all forms this season. Along with his sack total, he has registered (subscription required) five quarterback hits and 13 hurries.

Using the NASCAR package that Dom Capers unleashed against the Carolina Panthers in Week 7 is one way the Packers can wreak havoc on Terron Armstead and the entire Saints offensive line.

As ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky explained, the four-linebacker defensive front gets Peppers, Clay Matthews, Nick Perry and Mike Neal on the field simultaneously in place of any traditional defensive linemen.

That kind of defensive package, which the Packers used last Sunday in third-down situations, is extremely potent in terms of rushing the passer and could lead to opportunities for Peppers against Brees in Week 8.

Brees' completion percentage while under pressure this season has only been 51.9 percent (subscription required). Armstead hasn't been responsible for any of Brees' five sacks yet this season, though he has allowed two hits and 10 hurries.

If Peppers can exploit the matchup, he can force Brees into some incompletions and possibly even a pick.

S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix vs. TE Jimmy Graham

Morry Gash/Associated Press

Jimmy Graham may not be fully healthy for the Saints—though he was active against the Lions while dealing with a shoulder injury in Week 7, he did not catch a pass—but he's still the best weapon they have.

Graham has more yards (376) and more touchdowns (three) than any other New Orleans pass-catcher despite effectively only playing five games this season. With an extra week to heal his shoulder, he should have more of a presence against the Packers.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is one week removed from his first NFL start ahead of Micah Hyde. While it's not clear if he will get the starting nod again in Week 8, it's safe to say he'll see significant snaps—he's averaging 51.9 per week (subscription required).

Clinton-Dix's performance has spiked over his last two games, and he—along with Hyde—should get the opportunity to make stops on Graham while patrolling the defensive backfield.

Clinton-Dix is only allowing opposing pass-catchers a catch rate of 55.6 percent, which is the seventh-lowest (subscription required) mark in the league.

GB Run Defense vs. Khiry Robinson

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Despite some improvement last week, when the Packers' front seven held Carolina to a season-low 108 rushing yards—Green Bay has allowed an average of 147.9 per game—the team still has the league's second-worst run defense heading into Week 8.

While Khiry Robinson barely makes the top 20 rushers on the season in total yards, he is New Orleans' leading rusher and, more importantly, is averaging 5.2 yards per attempt.

That's tied for the fourth-highest among all ball-carriers and is even higher than the 4.6 yards per carry the Packers are allowing on average so far this season.

Week	Rushing Yards Allowed
Week 1 @ SEA	207
Week 2 vs. NYJ	147
Week 3 @ DET	115
Week 4 @ CHI	235
Week 5 vs. MIN	111
Week 6 @ MIA	112
Week 7 vs. CAR	108

Because the Packers never trailed against the Panthers, their play-calling skewed heavily toward the pass—39 passing attempts versus 25 rushing attempts. Therefore, the first thing Green Bay can do to defend against Robinson breaking free is to take an early lead against New Orleans.

But if the Saints are in a position to run the ball, Green Bay can achieve a stouter middle by keeping Brad Jones on the bench. Jones is one of the sixth-worst (subscription required) inside linebacker in the NFL against the run this season. He's missed five tackles on the season.

Jamari Lattimore has been much better against the run. He shared snaps with Sam Barrington in Week 7 but has earned the chance to start against New Orleans. Lattimore has 26 tackles.

On the defensive front, Letroy Guion and Mike Daniels have been much stronger against the run beginning with the game against Miami. The Packers held both Knowshon Moreno and Lamar Miller to just 63 total yards in that game, although Ryan Tannehill added another 49.

Robinson's big-gain potential will give this unit a run for its money, but the confidence that Green Bay can handle him should be much higher now than it was to start the season.

Advanced statistics courtesy of Pro Football Focus (subscription required).