The New Orleans Saints passing game has been a dominant force through the first four games of the season.
Quarterback Drew Brees currently leads the NFL with a 75.8 percent completion percentage and his 115.3 passer rating ranks third. Wide receiver Michael Thomas has caught a league-leading 42 passes at a stunning 95.5 percent catch rate for 445 yards. Not far behind Thomas is running back Alvin Kamara, who leads all running backs with 35 receptions for 336 yards receiving.
Brees needs 201 yards to break the NFL’s career passing yards record when the Saints face the 2-1 Washington Redskins on Monday night. Since he’s thrown for 201 or more yards in 179 of his 194 games in a Saints uniform this shouldn’t be a problem. However, the Redskins will be the highest ranked pass defense Brees has faced this season, and they’re intent on both preventing Brees from reaching 201 and stealing the spotlight with a win.
New Orleans Saints Passing Attack Faces Toughest Challenge Yet Against Washington Redskins
Overview
Currently, the Redskins pass defense ranks third with 187.3 yards allowed per game. Opposing quarterbacks have combined for a 77.0 rating against Washington, which is the third lowest in the league. They’ve done a great job preventing big pass plays thus far, allowing just 5.4 yards per attempt, good for second best among NFL defenses. Only one pass over 30 yards has been completed against Washington.
The pass rush is the one thing in this area that hasn’t come together consistently for Washington. They sacked Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers four times in week three. However, they only had a combined three sacks in their first two games. Washington doesn’t blitz much though and they frequently utilize three-man rushes.
Instead, Washington depends on an excellent secondary and athletic linebacker group to do their job in coverage. The Redskins play a lot of loose zone coverage, keeping everything in front of them and preventing deep passes. However, this isn’t a “bend, don’t break” defense by any means. They’ve actually been among the best in the league at preventing long drives.
Opponents have averaged 24.5 yards on 5.2 plays on drives against Washington this season. Both figures rank among the five lowest averages in the NFL. The Redskins have allowed scores on a league-best 20.6 percent of drives for an average of 1.32 points, the third-lowest figure in the NFL. Washington’s defense may be flying somewhat under the radar now, but they could soon be considered one of the leagues best at this rate.
Key Defenders
Cornerback Josh Norman is the biggest name in the Redskins secondary, but Quinton Dunbar has gotten off to a better start. Dunbar has earned a 78.4 grade from Pro Football for his play so far, which ranks seventh among NFL cornerbacks. Dunbar has 16 tackles, four pass breakups, and one interception this season.
Brees will surely remember free safety D.J. Swearinger, who intercepted the quarterback on the Saints first drive against Washington last season. After spending time on four different teams in his first five NFL seasons, Swearinger has grown into an effective deep safety. He is currently PFF’s fifth-ranked safety with an 89.9 grade and has already intercepted two passes to go along with four pass breakups.
Inside linebacker Mason Foster is a rangy athletic defender with great coverage skills. Since Washington spends a lot of time in loose coverage, it’s often up to Foster to minimize the success of short and intermediate routes in the middle. Foster has already amassed 27 total tackles, including double-digit tackles in his last two games.
Third-year defensive lineman Matthew Ioannidis has developed into a valuable situational pass rusher. After recording 4.5 sacks in limited action last season, he’s recorded a sack in all three Redskins games this season, including a strip sack in week one. Ioannidis lines up in multiple positions on the defensive line, and each of his three sacks has come from a different alignment.
Great Timing for Ingram’s Return
If Washington is able to disrupt a Saints passing attack that’s averaging 326.3 yards per game, then running back Mark Ingram should be able to provide a spark for New Orleans. Ingram is likely antsy to contribute in his return from a four-game PED suspension, and he’s poised for a big night against the Redskins.
One of Ingram’s best games last season came in an overtime win over Washington. Ingram rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, including runs of 20 and 36 yards to set up the game-winning Saints field goal. His presence also allows New Orleans to more effectively deploy Kamara, who’s served as their workhorse in Ingram’s absence. Last year, Kamara picked up 116 total yards and a touchdown on 14 touches against Washington.
The Redskins have allowed 90.7 rushing yards per game, good for seventh best in the NFL. However, they’ve gone relatively untested to this point. The three teams the Redskins played all have rushing offenses ranked 19th or lower, yet they’ve allowed 4.5 yards per carry, the tenth-worst figure in the league. Both the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay topped 100 rushing yards against Washington.
While the Redskins possess a top pass defense, it’s hard to imagine Brees and company slowing down on such a big night. The prospect of breaking one of NFL’s most sought-after records on a national stage should be extra incentive for Brees’s weapons and blockers to play their best. If for some reason the Saints passing game falls flat, it’s possible Ingram-Kamara have their first big-time combination performance of 2018.
