Bears vs. Saints Week 2: 5 Reasons Why the Saints Dismantled the Bears

The New Orleans Saints pummeled quarterback Jay Cutler en route to a 30-13 victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 2, but that’s not the only reason why the Saints were so effective in the blowout victory.

In a game that saw Cutler lying on his back for most of the game, the Saints defense definitely answered the criticism the team has faced since the Seattle Seahawks sent them packing in last year’s wild-card playoff game.

New Orleans sacked Cutler six times, and they were able to make big plays on the offensive side to give the Saints their first victory of the season.

Quarterback Drew Brees and company were able to outgain the Bears in yards, 382-246, in the victory at the Superdome. These are the five reasons the Saints were able to dominate the Bears.

Defense Looked MUCH Improved

After watching this game against the Bears, it just so happens the Saints do, in fact, have a defensive line without Will Smith in the lineup.

The defensive line played much better than it did a week ago, and the Saints’ six sacks are the most of defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ tenure with the Saints.

New Orleans hasn’t had that many sacks since 2008. I would like to take this moment and pat the backs of safety Roman Harper, cornerback Jabari Greer, safety Malcolm Jenkins, defensive end Junior Galette and linebacker Jonathon Casillas for their incredible play.

Early on, Greer had great coverage and was able to knock down passes thrown his way. As for the safeties, Jenkins and Harper were just as effective rushing the quarterback and laying the wood in the open field as they were in not allowing the Bears to make any long passes.

Harper and Gallette led the defense in sacks as they had two apiece. While I’m extremely pleased with the play of the defense, I’m sure the Bears’ weak offensive line played a factor in the win.

That offensive line was horrendous and at times, I was wondering if Cutler would have the strength to get back to his feet from taking all of those shots.

Whether it was the Saints’ great play on defense or the Bears’ lackluster play on the offensive line, the Saints dominated the trenches en route to their first victory.

Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram Ean Like Mad Men

I don’t know if Pierre Thomas has a chip on his shoulder from the Saints drafting another running back in the 2011 NFL Draft, but he has been an absolute lunatic rushing the football.

For the second straight week, Thomas ripped through tackles, kept his feet turning and broke free from tackles on hard-nosed runs. T

homas rushed the ball only nine times for 41 yards, but he earned every single one of those yards. Thomas’ play must have been infectious as Mark Ingram did his best Thomas impression during the second half.

The Bears would try to strip Ingram of the ball, and he would make them pay as he kept those feet moving to pick up a few extra yards at the end of runs.

Ingram finished the game with 51 yards on 14 carries. Moving forward, the Saints running game will need to continue to be effective on those short-yardage plays.

It was a huge downfall for the Saints in their loss to the Green Bay Packers in week one.

Drew Brees was, well, Drew Brees

You really can’t say enough about the job that Drew Brees does for the Saints at quarterback.

Brees went to work against the Bears defense as he dissected and carved Chicago’s defense up and down the field.

Brees delivered a beautiful throw in the second quarter when he hit wide receiver Devery Henderson deep in stride for a 79-yard touchdown pass.

With that touchdown, Brees has now thrown a touchdown in 29 straight regular season games, and that’s the fourth-longest streak in NFL history.  

That’s what makes the Saints so dangerous, and they’re one of the best big-play offenses in the NFL. Brees finished the game with 270 yards passing and three touchdowns.

Offensive Line Played a Lot Better Than a Week Ago

You can make every excuse in the book as to why the Saints lost to the Packers in the season-opener, but the biggest reason they lost is because they were dominated up front on both sides of the ball.

Not only did the Saints’ defensive line show improvement in week two, but the Saints offensive line played much better as well.

The Saints offensive line didn’t blow the Bears’ defense off the ball, but they were able to create holes for the running backs and protect Brees very well.

This is a big step in the right direction for the Saints as their offensive line was thought to be a strong point of the team in the off-season.

With four Pro Bowlers on the offensive line, there’s no reason why this bunch shouldn’t be able to have their way with any defense.

Everyone Carried Their Weight

It really speaks volumes for a team when key players go down with injuries and other players elevate their game to help the team.

Starting cornerback Tracy Porter, wide receiver Marcus Colston and kicker Garrett Hartley were all inactive, but wide receivers Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem, cornerback Patrick Robinson and kicker John Kasay didn’t miss a beat.

Meachem and Henderson both had touchdowns, Robinson had two tackles with a pass deflection and Kasay nailed three field goals including a 53-yarder.

Perhaps the most impressive performance on offense came from tight end Jimmy Graham. Graham had six receptions for 79 yards, and he gives this Saints’ offense some swagger.

Nothing is more demoralizing for a defense than a player talking trash while backing it up, and that’s exactly what Graham does.

Every time Graham makes a big play, he tends to stare his opponents in the eye while he verbally abuses them.

All in all, the Saints played well in every phase of the game, and they have plenty of positives to build on heading into week three.