3 Fatal Flaws That Could End Saints' Playoff Run
By Chris Pyo
The New Orleans Saints seem to be perennial Super Bowl contenders, and they've already clinched the 2019 NFC South division title. However, no team is without their flaws, and the Saints have a couple of glaring weaknesses that could prove to be fatal come playoff time. Here are three of those weaknesses that could lead to an early exit from the playoffs for New Orleans this January.
3. Defensive Line Injuries
The Saints lost two of their best defensive linemen to injuries in their loss against the 49ers last week in Marcus Davenport and Sheldon Rankins. The loss of Davenport is especially brutal for the Saints, as he accounted for six sacks on the season off the edge before having season-ending foot surgery. Rankins provided much-needed depth to a thin defensive line as well, and if the Saints can't pressure quarterbacks off the jump, their secondary is going to get carved up. We'll discuss that below.
2. Offensive Weapons Besides Thomas and Kamara
Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara are two of the most explosive skill-position players in the NFL, and barring injuries, Drew Brees knows he'll always be able to rely on them to make huge plays and produce yards and touchdowns. However, there really aren't any other reliable weapons that Brees can trust when the lights are brightest; Latavius Murray serves as a decent change-in-pace running back behind Kamara, but he's not the most lethal weapon out of the backfield. Behind Thomas, the Saints' receiving corps consists of Ted Ginn Jr. and Tre'Quan Smith. That won't instill that much fear in the hearts of playoff-bound secondaries.
1. Passing Defense
As mentioned above, if the Saints' defensive line can't put pressure on opposing quarterbacks, their secondary is going to get carved up. The team is tied for No. 7 in passing touchdowns allowed, with 24. They also rank in the bottom half in the league in average passing yards allowed per game, which is a recipe for disaster come playoff time.