Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints: Breaking Down New Orleans' Game Plan
The New Orleans Saints will attempt to bounce back from last week’s stunning loss to the Detroit Lions as they host the Green Bay Packers this Sunday night.
New Orleans was in control for much of the game against Detroit, and coach Sean Payton’s squad led, 23-10, with four minutes to go. The Saints faltered in the final minutes, however, and returned to New Orleans with a loss and a 2-4 record.
Green Bay comes in on a four-game winning streak, and the Packers were victorious last week in a blowout win over the Carolina Panthers.
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Head coach Mike McCarthy’s club presents numerous challenges for the Saints, particularly on offense.
At the top of the list is red-hot Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who’s been nearly flawless throughout Green Bay’s winning streak. Rodgers is complemented by a pair of explosive receivers in Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, and the Saints secondary will be hard-pressed to keep tabs on the dynamic duo.
New Orleans isn't without options in the game-planning department, however, and we’ll take a look at some of them here.
Defend the Deep Pass
Rodgers excels in nearly every aspect of playing the quarterback position, but he’s most dangerous when rifling the ball deep down the field to Nelson and Cobb. This, in turn, provides a nice setup for running back Eddie Lacy and the formidable Green Bay rushing attack
New Orleans’ secondary has had its share of struggles this season, and this matchup will make for the toughest test to date for defensive coordinator Rob Ryan’s defensive backs.
Despite the Saints’ struggles in the secondary, cornerback Keenan Lewis has been a bright spot, for the most part, and New Orleans has been able to rely on his press-man cover skills against opposing receivers. Fellow outside corner Corey White hasn’t fared nearly as well, to put it lightly, and he’s coming off an abysmal performance in Detroit.
In order for Lewis and White to slow down Nelson and Cobb on the deep pass, they’ll need help from the Saints safeties in coverage, as Rodgers typically allows no room for error.
Sitting back in a Cover 2 doesn't always do the trick against the Packers, however, as their rocket-armed quarterback can seemingly find ways to exploit any defense.
Here, we see the Panthers safeties playing deep Cover 2 last week against the Packers, with former Saints safety Roman Harper circled at the top left of the screen.
Rogers immediately recognizes that Nelson has beaten Panthers corner Antoine Cason off the line, but Harper is too far back to make a play on the ball.
Rodgers zips the ball to Nelson in stride, but due to his deep pre-snap positioning, Harper can't get there in time.
Nelson has a full head of steam and plenty of time to look upfield, and he puts an open-field move on Harper and races into the end zone for a Lambeau Leap.
This play demonstrates that simply playing a deep zone doesn't always stop the Packers from hitting the home run, especially when there’s poor coverage on the corner such as the Panthers displayed here. Harper, of course, doesn't help matters either with his whiff on the tackle.
This isn't a suggestion that the Saints veer away from the commonly accepted strategy of playing deep zone when facing the Packers, but the Saints will need to shake some things up if they want to throw Rodgers off his game.
Mix in Blitzes
It’s well established that Green Bay has one of the league’s most aggressive vertical passing attacks, but being overly cautious on the back end can sometimes be a flawed approach.
Playing Cover 3 is an option, but that basically makes for an open invitation for Rodgers to sit back and grind away with underneath routes, which he's certainly capable of doing.
In order to take the Packers signal-caller out of his comfort zone, Rob Ryan will have to risk dialing up some blitzes, especially if the Saints can't get pressure with their front four.
It was all too late when the Panthers realized this last week, but this third-quarter play shows how it can be done.
Here, Carolina linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis come after Rodgers on the blitz.
Rodgers knows he needs to get the ball out, but the Panthers have dropped linebacker AJ Klein into coverage, thus taking away the underneath route.
The Panthers also get solid coverage on the outside from their corners, and Rodgers is sacked by the blitzing Davis. Despite only having one deep safety, Carolina has prevented Rodgers from going down the field by generating pressure via the blitz.
Ryan doesn’t need to throw caution to the wind, but plays such as this show that a calculated blitz can be highly effective. Yes, New Orleans' corners must step up and handle business in coverage, but if Rodgers ends up getting thrown to the Superdome carpet, the reward could be well worth the risk.
Balanced Play-Calling on Offense
Attacking every inch of the field via the passing game is unquestionably the Saints’ offensive identity, and it’s highly unlikely that a Sean Payton-coached team is going to shy away from throwing the football.
It’s imperative, however, that New Orleans balance its offense with a ground game against Green Bay this Sunday.
For starters, running the ball and thus slowing down the game (while keeping the chains moving, of course) keeps Rodgers on the sideline for longer periods of time. This greatly benefits the Saints defense, which will need all the rest it can get.
Secondly, the Saints have the personnel to pound the football with Mark Ingram in the backfield and guards Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs paving the way up front.
This group has a favorable matchup on Sunday, as the Packers defensive front is vulnerable to the run. In fact, Green Bay ranks next to last in the league in run defense, and the Saints would be wise to hammer away at the A and B gaps on a consistent basis.
Finally, quarterback Drew Brees and his grab bag of offensive weapons are that much more potent when aided by an effective ground game. This has been glaringly evident for the entirety of Payton's time in New Orleans, although the head man sometimes appears reluctant to accept it.
This makes for a rather lengthy list of reasons for New Orleans to utilize its running game against the Packers. If the notoriously pass-happy Payton makes a strong commitment to running the football, it could very well pay dividends for the Saints in what's sure to be a challenging matchup this Sunday night.
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