Despite a sloppy first half performance, the New Orleans Saints pulled off a gritty 26-17 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Down 14-7 at halftime, the Saints scored on four consecutive possessions to start the second half, and only allowed a field goal the rest of the game. Following their fourth straight win, New Orleans now holds the top spot in the NFC South with a 4-2 record.
Week Seven New Orleans Saints Takeaways
Drew Brees Overcomes a Bad Start
Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw for more yards against Green Bay’s defense than any other quarterback this season, but he struggled in the first half. Brees was intercepted on the Saints first two possessions, and went into halftime with just 90 yards passing. He immediately looked sharper on the first drive of the third quarter as he threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Coleman. Brees later ran for a touchdown on a quarterback sneak in the fourth quarter, giving the Saints a nine point lead with 4:55 remaining. He completed 27 of 38 passes for 331 yards, and finished with an 84.4 passer rating.
Redemption for Ted Ginn
On his first two punt returns, Saints wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. fumbled the ball. Luckily he was bailed out by a fair catch interference penalty on the first one, and recovered the second. Like Brees, Ginn was able to overcome his mistakes and finished the game with nine catches for 141 yards. His biggest play was a 47-yard reception on a curl route in the third quarter. After the catch, he cut across the open field and side-stepped an attempted tackle by Packers cornerback Davon House. The drive eventually stalled, but the Saints were able to take their first lead of the game with a Wil Lutz field goal.
The Saints Defense Steps Up in the Second Half
After failing to complete a pass in the first quarter, Packers quarterback Brent Hundley drove his offense 75 yards for a touchdown on the Packers first possession of the second quarter. As he capped off the drive with a 14-yard touchdown scramble, Hundley suddenly looked like a force to be reckoned with in his first NFL start. However the Saints pass rush began to effect Hundley in the second half, and the Packers only scored a field goal the rest of the way. The Saints were only able to sack him once and hit him three times, but Hundley’s throws were clearly affected and he finished with just 87 yards and a 39.9 passer rating.
While they were able to shut down the inexperienced quarterback, they struggled against Packers running back Aaron Jones. The rookie ran for 131 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown run for the first score of the game. This area will be a concern for the defense when they face the Chicago Bears top-five rushing attack next week. Still, the Saints defense moved in a positive direction in week seven, and continued to distinguish itself from the forgettable 2014-2016 defenses. For now, it appears that the Saints are going to be in the thick of things in contending for an NFC South title.
