Steve Merril
GOY Saints.
Arizona played in a wild, high-scoring game last week against the Green Bay Packers. The Cardinals scored 51 points in the overtime win, but off that huge effort, it’s going to be extremely difficult for this team to repeat that performance this afternoon. The Cardinals played their best offensive game of the season, but now have to travel east and play on just six days of rest after playing the late game last Sunday which is a huge obstacle to overcome. The Cardinals benefited from a fast start last week in which they jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead thanks to a pair of Green Bay turnovers. That early momentum propelled the Arizona offense, and Kurt Warner played a spectacular game as he threw for 375 yards and 5 touchdown passes. But Warner will be hard-pressed in matching those numbers against a New Orleans’ secondary that played solid football all season long. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was a huge addition for the Saints this season. Williams transformed a dreadful secondary from a season ago into one that was stingy in what they allowed through the air. The Saints allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete just 57.5% of their passes this season on just 6.6 yards per pass attempt. At home, the completion percentage drops to just 54.2%, and that is a key statistical factor when facing an Arizona team that can only throw the football. And for all of the accolades they receive on offense, the Cardinals really struggled before last week’s breakout. They were held to 340 yards or less of total offense in four of their previous six games. They have no running game whatsoever as they average just 97 yards per game which makes them one-dimensional to the pass. The Cardinals did not miss Anquan Boldin last week because most of their passing came on deep routes. That’s not going to happen in this game against the Saints, and Boldin’s absence across the middle will be noticeable in this game. New Orleans dominated their first 13 opponents this season. But when their bubble burst after losing to the Cowboys, there was a noticeable drop-off in their play. They fought through a tough outing in their next game against Tampa Bay; a 20-17 overtime loss despite Drew Brees completing 32 of 37 passes in the game. Toss their season finale at Carolina as they rested their starters, and despite coming into this game on a 3-game losing streak, the Saints overall body of work was quite impressive all season long. Ten of the Saints’ thirteen wins came by at least 8 points or more. Their offense is unstoppable as they average a robust 32 points per game on 404 yards of offense per game. In fact, the Saints have eclipsed their seasonal averages in eight games this year which shows just how explosive they are. Quarterback Drew Brees has played phenomenal all year long, and considering this offense has been itching to get back on the field, they’ll put-up some big numbers against a shaky Arizona secondary that was torched last week by Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Unlike Arizona, the Saints are well-balanced on offense as they can also run the ball effectively. The Cardinals haven’t faced a team that can run the ball in well over a month, and that added dimension will make the Saints even more productive on offense. So we have a Saints team primed for a peak performance against an Arizona team who played to their peak last week. We also have a one-dimensional offense in Arizona facing the strong New Orleans’ secondary. And we have a potent Saints offense that will be facing a reeling Arizona defense that allowed 45 points and 493 yards last week. It all adds up to a blowout win by New Orleans.
Play SAINTS (-).
GOY Saints.
Arizona played in a wild, high-scoring game last week against the Green Bay Packers. The Cardinals scored 51 points in the overtime win, but off that huge effort, it’s going to be extremely difficult for this team to repeat that performance this afternoon. The Cardinals played their best offensive game of the season, but now have to travel east and play on just six days of rest after playing the late game last Sunday which is a huge obstacle to overcome. The Cardinals benefited from a fast start last week in which they jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead thanks to a pair of Green Bay turnovers. That early momentum propelled the Arizona offense, and Kurt Warner played a spectacular game as he threw for 375 yards and 5 touchdown passes. But Warner will be hard-pressed in matching those numbers against a New Orleans’ secondary that played solid football all season long. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was a huge addition for the Saints this season. Williams transformed a dreadful secondary from a season ago into one that was stingy in what they allowed through the air. The Saints allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete just 57.5% of their passes this season on just 6.6 yards per pass attempt. At home, the completion percentage drops to just 54.2%, and that is a key statistical factor when facing an Arizona team that can only throw the football. And for all of the accolades they receive on offense, the Cardinals really struggled before last week’s breakout. They were held to 340 yards or less of total offense in four of their previous six games. They have no running game whatsoever as they average just 97 yards per game which makes them one-dimensional to the pass. The Cardinals did not miss Anquan Boldin last week because most of their passing came on deep routes. That’s not going to happen in this game against the Saints, and Boldin’s absence across the middle will be noticeable in this game. New Orleans dominated their first 13 opponents this season. But when their bubble burst after losing to the Cowboys, there was a noticeable drop-off in their play. They fought through a tough outing in their next game against Tampa Bay; a 20-17 overtime loss despite Drew Brees completing 32 of 37 passes in the game. Toss their season finale at Carolina as they rested their starters, and despite coming into this game on a 3-game losing streak, the Saints overall body of work was quite impressive all season long. Ten of the Saints’ thirteen wins came by at least 8 points or more. Their offense is unstoppable as they average a robust 32 points per game on 404 yards of offense per game. In fact, the Saints have eclipsed their seasonal averages in eight games this year which shows just how explosive they are. Quarterback Drew Brees has played phenomenal all year long, and considering this offense has been itching to get back on the field, they’ll put-up some big numbers against a shaky Arizona secondary that was torched last week by Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Unlike Arizona, the Saints are well-balanced on offense as they can also run the ball effectively. The Cardinals haven’t faced a team that can run the ball in well over a month, and that added dimension will make the Saints even more productive on offense. So we have a Saints team primed for a peak performance against an Arizona team who played to their peak last week. We also have a one-dimensional offense in Arizona facing the strong New Orleans’ secondary. And we have a potent Saints offense that will be facing a reeling Arizona defense that allowed 45 points and 493 yards last week. It all adds up to a blowout win by New Orleans.
Play SAINTS (-).
