People are talking a lot of noise about how the Vikings defensive line will run rough shot over the Saints O-line and get to Drew Brees. Well, those wonderful, high paid researchers are not looking at the numbers...are they?
The numbers show that the Saints offense has done well this season after facing some of the best teams in the league, when it comes to quarterback sacks.
Yes, they are still considered "America's team"...yes, those Silver and Blue Stars are known around the world...and, yes, they ended our dreams of making a run at an undefeated season...but when it's all said and done the Saints loss to the Cowboys will be a blessing in disguise!
As much as analysts, broadcasters and former coaches turned expert analysts continue to break down the NFC title game, I haven't heard anybody bring up the point I'm about to make.
For weeks after the Saints 24-17 loss to Dallas I heard countless times how the Cowboys' aggressive 3-4 defense exposed the Saints...and other teams with that aggressiveness, regardless of it being a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme...would also give the Saints trouble!
I don't totally disagree with that, but what if being "exposed" is a big positive for the Black and Gold? The Saints gave up ten of their twenty sacks allowed this season to teams that run a 3-4 defensive scheme, and four of those ten were by the Cowboys.
So let's flip the script. Sean Payton addressed the media after the loss to Dallas and admitted that his blocking schemes had to be tweaked, when dealing with an aggressive scheme. So, if the Cowboys did not expose the Saints in that game...would we be better off?
Call me simple minded, but if you have a problem to fix--isn't it better to face the problem and correct it? You see, when you're exposed, one of two things will happen. You'll either continue to make mistakes and allow the problems to persist, or you'll correct those mistakes and become even more versatile and dangerous, because you've corrected a weakness in your game.
Last week against a 3-4 scheme the Saints did not allow one sack and Drew Brees was rarely, if ever, pressured by the Cardinals. And, the Cardinals were in the top six in the NFL in total QB take-downs this season--43 sacks in regular season and five against Green Bay in the playoffs.
The Saints also faced two other teams in the top six in sacks this season--Miami (3 sacks allowed)...and Philadelphia (2 sacks allowed). So, if you throw in the playoffs, the Saints have taken on four teams that posted 44 sacks or more in games against Philly, Miami, Dallas and Arizona.
Now the Vikings have a four man front, but they're aggressive and their D-line is tops in the NFL. The "Williams Wall" is stout, Ray Edwards is coming off a monster game and Jared Allen is arguably the best defensive linemen in the game today.
But playing against what many consider the best overall front seven in football just a little over a month ago can only help the Saints deal with the Vikings aggressive pass rush! Am I making sense here? Let's look at the entire front seven for both Dallas and Minnesota.
The Vikings starting front seven produced 34.5 sacks, 48 overall and six last week against Dallas. Their defensive line amassed 32 sacks, while their linebackers got 2.5 QB takedowns. The Cowboys front seven came up with a total of 32 sacks. And, the Cowboys defense recorded 44 total sacks, including three last week against the Vikings.
Dallas' front three had ten sacks, while their four LB's came up with 22 sacks. And, as you well know, OLB's DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer are basically roaming DE's that specifically rush the QB.
Now are you feeling me? Everybody's preaching--New Orleans is going to have a tough time. Well, it's supposed to be tough this time of year—we're in the playoffs, But, the Saints know their hurdle this week is in the trenches as the Saints O-line definitely has their work cut out for them.
But, hey...these guys are all professional players...and the "dominance" that is being hyped about the Vikings defensive front far outweighs how the Saints big guys performed this season. Two of the Vikings D-linemen—Jared Allen and Kevin Williams--were named to the Pro Bowl.
New Orleans has three offensive linemen in the Pro Bowl--C Jonathan Goodwin, G Jahri Evans and RT Jon Stinchcomb. So can't we compare the two? I mean I'm not trying to be "Polly positive"...I'm just pointing out the facts.
So, when the Saints line-up against the new look Purple People Eaters, they will do so after taking on two of the best front seven defensive teams in football...in two of their last four games ...Dallas and Arizona.
That challenge of blocking two of the NFL's top sack leading teams can only help the Saints when they face the Vikings' stout front seven in the Superdome. And Sunday night around 9pm CST I think we'll all look back at the Saints loss to Dallas as a bitter pill that made us stronger.
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