Colts vs. Saints: 5 1/2 Struggling Vets Who Must Step Up for New Orleans

When the 0-6 Indianapolis Colts roll into the Mercedes Benz Superdome on Sunday evening a few things stand out. First, the Colts are extreme underdogs without Peyton Manning. And second, the Saints really haven't played a great game for 60 minutes yet this season. 

Sunday night seems to present the perfect opportunity. A Sunday night crowd in New Orleans might as well be the equivalent of three hours spent sitting directly under a 767 jet. In other words, the noise will pierce the ear drums and won't end until the wee hours of the night. 

But the atmosphere isn't going to produce a win in and of itself. The Saints players have to actually show up—though their head coach is excused from showing his face on the field. 

Isn't it interesting that the last few weeks it has been mostly veterans we are speaking of, in terms of players who need to step up? Yes, Mark Ingram has fumbled a couple times, but he and the rest of the youngsters have actually represented themselves quite well. 

Part of the Saints game plan Sunday night almost certainly has to be to get off to a great start and get the crowd into the game. That is going to require solid play from a few veterans, and big plays from a few of the others. 

DT Sedrick Ellis

It is likely that the Colts' offensive game plan is going to feature a lot of balance. They are going to try to attack between the guard and tackle in the run game. While that leaves a lot of responsibility for the defensive ends, Sedrick Ellis is going to have to get penetration in the backfield—which will force the runner to stay outside and the linebackers to maintain flow that way. 

If Ellis gets double-teamed on the inside, the cutback becomes a good option for Donald Brown, Delone Carter and/or Joe Addai (if he plays). Needless to say, Ellis becomes a key to slowing down the running game, which would then allow him to focus on rushing the passer since the Colts would become mostly one-dimensional. 

With Curtis Painter at QB, the Colts are going to maintain some of the deep play-action game that Peyton Manning made a career with. But they are also going to get the ball out of his hands as quickly as possible. That means sustained drives, if they are successful. 

Ellis' job becomes finding a way to get pressure on Ellis with speed rushes and perhaps on stunts and games to confuse the Colts young offensive line. Either way, it is essential that Ellis get to Painter and make his life miserable—especially early on in the game. 

SS Roman Harper

I won't lie, I have cut more slack to Roman Harper than probably any other player on this roster. His coverage skills in my opinion have actually deteriorated—he wasn't this bad earlier in his career. 

I still think Harper is capable of covering second tight ends, fullbacks and some running backs. But placing him on Dallas Clark would be a mistake, as Clark has the quickness and athleticism combined with the route running ability to work Harper early and often. 

Instead, I would put Malcolm Jenkins on Clark, and play man-free coverage where there is no deep safety. The Saints DBs should be able to go one-on-one with the Colts' receivers well enough with six and seven man blitzes getting pressure on Painter. 

Harper would blitz much of the time, and other times cover the second tight end when the Colts go to that look. If the Colts go to a two-back set—which they do on the rarest of occasions—Harper should be responsible in the passing game for the fullback. 

Having Harper blitz and play the run is what he's good at, what he excels at. In fact, Harper is a really good football player when he is allowed to do just that. Hopefully this week Gregg Williams lets him do what he's good at doing. 

C Olin Kreutz

The Colts are giving up approximately 140 yards per game rushing—which is pretty bad. The Saints are averaging a rather meager 108 yards per game on the ground. Sunday night, the Saints must at least match the Colts defensive average. They just have to!

Doing that is going to require better play out of center Olin Kreutz. The 15-year veteran has struggled for much of the early part of this season. Some fans are beginning to call this the worst signing of the offseason (I tend to agree). 

Sunday night Kreutz has an opportunity to begin to make amends and prove that statement is untrue. With the Colts going big in the middle, they are more susceptible to the zone blocking scheme. I expect the Saints to run a lot of inside zone as well as traps and draws, all with the idea being to get to the second level without a ton of effort from Kreutz. 

But Olin still must maintain his blocks, most of which would be double-team blocks. If he can do this effectively, the Saints can run the football and then start to go play-action to get big plays in the passing game. It all starts with the running game and specifically Kreutz. 

RB Pierre Thomas

As mentioned previously, the Saints have a tremendous opportunity—and I would add responsibility—to run the football Sunday night right at the Colts defense. While a lot of these runs—the traps and draws and zone plays—being designed and more suited for Darren Sproles and Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas will have his opportunities to run the football early and often. 

Thomas is good in the draw and trap game especially. And he is arguably the Saints best bowling ball type runner. He bounces off tackles and keeps his feet moving as well as any back in the league—in my opinion. I think the Saints just need to be more patient with him, and he will gain more yards with more carries. 

That being said, Thomas also remains a fine target out of the backfield both on check downs and is probably the best screen back in the NFL...trying to think of someone else, anyone...Mike Tolbert? LeSean McCoy? No, Pierre Thomas.

My point is two-fold. Thomas—though not the biggest, strongest or fastest, has unique skills that not many other backs in football possess. Thus, he should be getting the ball much more than he is currently. With more touches for Pierre, Darren Sproles becomes even more explosive and will make even more big plays.

Second, Pierre is that guy who excels in those prime-time games. His first ever Sunday night game—I remember it like it was yesterday—Thomas blocked a punt at Seattle that went for a touchdown. He makes big plays, and has big games on the biggest stage. I fully expect Thomas to get the call Sunday night and to answer time and again.  

WR Robert Meachem/Devery Henderson

The first three weeks of the season Robert Meachem and Devery Henderson were playing like gangbusters. The two had approximately 500 yards and six touchdowns between the two of them. 

The last three weeks...different story. 

While Indy is known for playing the cover two—which is meant to keep the play in front of the safeties and not get beat deep—it is possible to take advantage of that style of defense. It takes patience, but sometimes a what the heck kind of attitude by the QB. 

Example A: Week 2 Saints versus Chicago—the Bears play the same style of defense. On 3rd-and-forever Drew Brees dropped back, saw the two-high look, and threw to Devery Henderson open over the top. No coach would tell his QB to make that throw, but Drew made the perfect throw. 

With the speed of Henderson and Meachem—and the relative lack of for Indy—Drew should be able to take a few chances that are very similar. I might wait a few series to ensure the running game is working, then go play-action to try to get over the top. 

But make no mistake about it, the Saints need to ratchet back up the big play in the offense. It is the element of the passing game, and the offense, that makes them so unique and really seems to get the entire team going. 

You might think against this style of defense hitting one would be an accomplishment, but I propose that after hitting one off play-action, later in the game more deep opportunities will avail themselves due to the Colts needing to stop the run and their overall frustration leading to a lack of concentration. 

Meachem and Henderson should have big games in this one, if for no other reason than being at home against a weak defense.