PLAYER NOTES
–DT Tyeler Davison, who missed last week’s game because of a foot injury suffered in the season opener, did not practice Wednesday.
–WR Tommylee Lewis, who injured his left knee in Sunday’s game and did not return, was held out of practice and walked through the locker room with difficulty while wearing a brace on the knee. He was placed on injured reserve Wednesday.
–LB Manto Te’o (knee) did not practice.
–G Andrus Peat (ankle) was a limited participant in practice. He missed the season opener, started last Sunday, left the game and later returned.
–T Terron Armstead (knee) was a limited participant.
–WR Ted Ginn Jr. (knee) was a limited participant.
–WR Cameron Meredith has been a healthy inactive each of the first two weeks. He was signed as a veteran free agent with the expectation that he would be the No. 3 receiver behind Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn Jr. even though he was recovering from a serious knee surgery. Meredith was limited in training camp and the preseason, but is healthy enough to play.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: QB Drew Brees. The Saints rank last in the NFL in rushing yards per game and the passing game has been focused primarily on Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara. Thomas has a NFL-record 28 catches, Kamara has 15 and six other players have a combined 22 catches. It will be up to Brees to try and bring more diversity to the offense, getting more receivers involved and being effective enough in the passing game to bring the running game to life. The absence of Mark Ingram II and the deficits created by defensive issues are out of Brees’ control, but traditionally he has spread the ball around much more efficiently than he has in the last two games.
GAME PLAN: The Saints have not rushed for 100 yards in either of the first two games and they would like to surpass that benchmark in this game. That will require continuing to get the ball to running back Alvin Kamara, but also getting a more significant contribution from Mike Gillislee or Jonathan Williams and perhaps even a couple of runs by wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. on reverses. It would help if New Orleans could play with a lead for a significant period of time after doing so for a combined 10 minutes in the first two games. Whether the run sets up the pass or the pass sets up the run, head coach Sean Payton will try to find a way to get better balance from the offense.
The pass rush improved from Week 1 to Week 2 as the Saints got three sacks against the Browns after having none against the Buccaneers. Regardless of how many times they are able to sack Matt Ryan, the Saints need to get pressure on him to disrupt the timing of Atlanta’s dangerous passing game. The Saints defensive backs have been beaten at an alarming rate in the first two games and the same will happen Sunday if Ryan isn’t made uncomfortable. Running back Devonta Freeman isn’t expected to play, which figures to make Ryan and the passing game an even bigger part of the game plan than normal.
QUOTES TO NOTE: “In order to get to the playoffs you’ve got to win your division. That’s usually the No. 1 goal for everyone. You win your division you’re in the playoffs. Then it’s all about you’re the one, two seed, et cetera. (Divisional) games mean a lot more. We gave up a game against Tampa Bay so we’re already 0-1 in the division.” -S Kurt Coleman.
–“It’s going to be the first road game, a divisional opponent. They don’t like us, we don’t like them. You’re going to find out a lot about your team, whether you can go on the road and get a win.” -S Kurt Coleman.
“It is a divisional opponent, and it is a very, very good divisional opponent. It is a playoff team. (This) team was in the Super Bowl two years ago. A team that is extremely talented and I think we just know the type of game it is. They’re usually one-possession games. They’re usually extremely hard-fought and you’ve got to be as good as you possibly can be against these guys.” – QB Drew Brees.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Saints WR Michael Thomas vs. Falcons CBs. Until someone shows they can slow down Thomas, the Saints are going to keep throwing to him. The Buccaneers never slowed him down so he caught 16 passes. The Browns contained him a bit early on, but he still wound up catching 12 passes. Payton and Brees will target Thomas in the beginning and see if Falcons CBs Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford are able to slow him down. If not he’ll be a busy man for a third consecutive week. “I know (Thomas) has caught a lot of balls the last two weeks,” quarterback Drew Brees said. “He’s got gotten open. He’s done a great job with that. His number’s been called. Probably the combination of a lot of things, but I feel like we’ve got other guys that can do it too. It’s just a matter of what the defense is going to give us.”
–Saints CBs vs. Falcons WR Julio Jones. It will be a similar situation when the Falcons have the ball even though Jones’ respectable 15 catches pale in comparison to Thomas’ 28. Jones is the Falcons’ biggest offensive threat and they will try to get him the ball with regularity. The Saints will have to give help to CBs Marshon Lattimore and Ken Crawley as they try to contain Jones. If he gets open early look for Atlanta to keep going his way.
