The Texans’ 27-14 pounding of the Saints in the 3rd preseason game exposed a number of holes in the Saints defense that continue to plague them throughout the early stages of the season.

During that initial meeting, Matt Schaub aired it out to All-Pro wide receiver Andre Johnson with ease, while 2010 rushing leader Arian Foster gutted a poor-tackling Saints secondary.

The Texans come into Sunday’s matchup at the Superdome averaging 365 yards of total offense and with a reputation as an explosive team with a number of playmakers, who could prove difficult for the Saints defense to contain.

Passing Game

Now in his 8th year in the NFL, quarterback Matt Schaub is coming off back-to-back seasons of 4000-plus passing yards.  Twenty of his 53 passes this year have been directed toward wide receiver Andre Johnson, who finished last year with 86 catches for 1216 yards.

This year, Johnson has already snagged 14 balls for 188 yards and 2 scores. Against the Saints, look for Schaub to throw to Johnson early and often, testing an inconsistent Saints secondary that was burned by Green Bay two weeks ago.

Accompanying Johnson in the passing game is New Orleans native Jacoby Jones, an additional deep threat, and tight end Owen Daniels, who is tied with Jones for the second-most targets (7).

After a nightmarish performance against the Packers, the Saints defense redeemed itself with a six-sack performance against the Bears. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams blitzed frequently, and strong safety Roman Harper and defensive end Junior Galette led the way with two sacks each.

This week, the Saints will welcome the return of defensive end Will Smith from a two-game suspension, adding depth to what has proven itself to be a versatile group of defensive ends. Look for Williams to ratchet up the pressure once again in the hopes of getting to Schaub early and forcing turnovers.

Running Game

It’s not a surprise that the Texans rank 5th in the NFL in rushing after week 2, but it is a surprise that they’re doing it without the assistance of Arian Foster, who has been hampered by a hamstring injury.  In his absence, second-year running back Ben Tate has stepped up big, carrying 47 times for 219 yards and a touchdown.

It’s unclear how much action Foster will see against the Saints, but whether it’s he or Tate carrying the ball, the Texans will be a force on the ground.  The Saints, ranked 7th against the run, have a number of key starters banged up at the moment who could affect their strength against the ground game.

Strong safety Roman Harper, linebackers Jonathan Casillas and Jonathan Vilma and cornerback Tracy Porter have all missed practice this week; their presence will be crucial in stopping the Texans running game.

Matchup to Watch

If there’s one absolute certainty about this matchup, it’s that Schaub will be throwing deep to Andre Johnson. Saints free safety Malcolm Jenkins has become a key cog in the Saints defense and his ability to cover ground and provide help to the Saints cornerbacks will be crucial in keeping Johnson in check.