Will New Orleans Strike Gold in San Francisco? 10 Questions as Saints Face 49ers
NFL Week One is in the books. Now, it's time to look forward to Week Two.
The New Orleans Saints survived its NFC Championship rematch with the Minnesota Vikings, and the San Francisco 49ers got thumped by the Seattle Seahawks.
The Saints played an ugly game but at least they didn't lose like Dallas, Indianapolis, San Diego, and Atlanta.
San Francisco, on the other hand, played an ugly game and there were no redeeming qualities about it.
Monday night's game is the home opener for the Niners and the first road game for the Saints.
There is a lot of history between these two teams.
The Saints and 49ers were divisional rivals from 1967 to 2001 and faced each other twice a year. The 49ers dominated the Saints and the division during that span going 45-18-2 over that span.
Since realignment, the Saints have won five straight in the series, four of which were at home.
The 49ers are looking to break that streak and avoid digging themselves a 0-2 hole.
How Will San Francisco Bounce Back from the Week One Debacle?
1 of 10
Perhaps no team is more ready to move on than the San Francisco 49ers. Everything seemed to align for the Niners in the offseason. The Arizona Cardinals lost Kurt Warner to retirement and bailed on Matt Leinart, the Seahawks were rebuilding as they began the Pete Carroll era, and the Rams reclaimed their spot at the top of the draft.
The expectations were high for the team by the bay after its first full season under coach Mike Singletary. Patrick Willis signed a new extension, and the offense looked formidable with the trio of running back Frank Gore, wide receiver Michael Crabtree, tight end Vernon Davis.
Then came Week One.
San Francisco failed to score a single touchdown and the defense allowed Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to look like his 2005 self.
How Many Times Will Def. Coordinator Gregg Williams NOT Send the House?
2 of 10
Saints defensive coordinator is a fierce man. Do not cross him or he will cut you. Maybe not literally, but he will dissect you with his words if you miss an assignment.
He's even more unforgiving to the opposition.
Known for an aggressive style of defense, Williams actually restrain himself in Week One against the Vikings. His blitzes got so much in the head of Vikings head coach Brad Childress, that he caught Minnesota off guard with his conservatism.
I don't expect Williams to hold back against Alex Smith and the 49ers offense.
Smith was sacked twice and threw two picks against a Seahawks defense that was mediocre in both categories last year.
San Francisco is starting two rookies along the offensive line, and you can believe neither of them have seen a blitz package that Williams is ready to deliver.
Will 3-4 Scheme Give Drew Brees Fits?
3 of 10
Last year, the Saints faced five teams that primarily used a 3-4 defensive alignment and it was boom or bust each time.
Some of the Saints' worst offensive performances came against the Jets, Cowboys, and Dolphins. New Orleans only scored 10 offensive points against the Jets, allowed four sacks to the Cowboys, and had a first half of ineptitude against the Dolphins before roaring back in miraculous fashion.
On the flip side, two of the Saints' best performances came against the Patriots and Cardinals. Drew Brees became the first quarterback to throw five touchdowns against a Bill Belichick-coached team, and Reggie Bush brought the wood against the Cardinals in the playoffs.
The 3-4 tends to give the Saints the biggest headaches when they've got excellent pass rushers at outside linebacker.
Fortunately for the Saints, neither Parys Haralson nor Manny Lawson are of the same threat as DeMarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer, Joey Porter, and Jason Taylor were a year ago.
Drew Brees has completed 73 percent of his passes for 699 yards and seven touchdowns in his last two games against San Francisco.
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Will the Real Saints Receivers Please Stand Up and Catch the Ball?
4 of 10
I still stand by my opinion that the Saints have the best collection of wide receivers in the NFL, but I will re-think that stance if they have a repeat performance of Week One.
By my count, each of the top four receivers dropped a pass, including Robert Meachem's miscue in the end zone that would have put the Saints up 21-9 in the fourth quarter.
The only good play from this group was Devery Henderson's fantastic route that turned into a 29-yard touchdown pass.
There's no doubt in my mind that Drew Brees took full advantage of the three extra days of preparation to fine tune the passing game.
Will Frank Gore Get More than 17 Carries against a Suspect Run Defense?
5 of 10
Maybe it's just me, but I would think that if you are on the road in a hostile stadium and you've got a shaky quarterback like Alex Smith, you'd give your Pro Bowl running back at least 25 carries.
Instead, San Francisco called 20 pass plays in the first half and two more in the third quarter before Smith was the victim of a pick six courtesy of Marcus Trufant. After that point, San Francisco was down 21-6 and was forced to throw the ball more.
Alex Smith finished with 45 passes for just 225 yards, while Gore got just 17 carries.
Adrian Peterson averaged 4.6 yards per carry against the Saints in Week One, routinely carrying two or three defenders with him.
The Vikings may have stolen a win from the Saints had they stuck with the run more in the second half.
Will Sean Payton Seek Balance in His Play Calling?
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One of the secrets to the Saints' success in 2009 was the ability to keep opposing defenses guessing. The team did a wonderful job of balancing the run game with it's prolific passing attack. The Saints were the only team in the league to rank in the top six in both passing and rushing yards.
This was a far cry from 2008.
Two years ago the Saints passed the ball on 63 percent of its offensive snaps, and Drew Brees led the league with 5,069 passing yards.
However, the rushing attack was one of the worst in the league and they could not close out close games. They lost six games by seven points or less and finished 8-8.
In the first half against the Vikings, Sean Payton reverted back to his 2008 self by calling 24 passes on 27 first half plays.
He changed his tune in the second half and allowed Pierre Thomas to take over the game, eat the clock, and seal the win.
Will Michael Crabtree Catch More than Two Passes?
7 of 10
Crabtree was thrown the ball eight times but made just two receptions for 12 yards against the Seahawks. Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Josh Morgan, and Delanie Walker all caught more passes, and Ted Ginn, Jr. had more yardage.
Crabtree has another tough task as he goes up against underrated cover corner Jabari Greer and ball hawk Tracy Porter.
He needs to start acting like a number one receiver for the sake of fantasy teams everywhere (mine, especially!), and I guess for the team that pays him tons of money.
Can Sedrick Ellis Play Two Great Games in a Row?
8 of 10
Since being drafted seventh overall in 2008, Sedrick Ellis has shown flashes of extraordinary talent but has lacked consistency.
The Saints' run defense is much better with him in the lineup but his biggest problem has been his health. He has missed all of nine games and parts of others due to injury in just two seasons.
Against the Vikings, Ellis had one of the best games of his career.
The Saints implemented the 3-4 defense to slow down Adrian Peterson and confuse Brett Favre and placed Ellis at the nose. Nose tackle in a three-man front is usually reserved for stouter linemen but Ellis was up to the challenge.
He recorded five tackles, including a sack, and stopped Peterson for a gain of just one on two occasions. He also threw running back Albert Young for a loss.
If Ellis can maintain his high level of play for the whole season, the Saints defense will improve greatly.
Which Garrett Hartley Will Show Up?
9 of 10
The last time Hartley appeared on national TV, he was setting a Super Bowl record for kicking three field goals over 40 yards.
Against the Vikings in Week One, he missed two field goals.
His first miss led gave the Vikings great field position and led directly to Minnesota's only touchdown.
His second miss was chip shot and would have given the Saints a slightly more comfortable eight-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Which Key Matchup Is No One Talking About?
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Answer: 49ers TE Vernon Davis vs. Saints SS Roman Harper
Vernon Davis is Alex Smith's security blanket. He targeted him 12 times in Week One, completing eight passes for 73 yards.
Davis led all tight ends with 13 touchdowns in 2009.
Visanthe Shiancoe caught four passes for 76 yards and a touchdown in the first half against the Saints. In the second half, Gregg Williams switched the coverage on the tight end from an outside linebacker to Harper.
Harper, who's inconsistent at best in pass coverage, held him without a catch on two attempts.
If the 49ers can win this matchup, it will open up opportunities for Crabtree, Gore, and Morgan.
If the Saints win it, it'll be a long day for the 49ers offense.
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