After what hopefully felt like a long week following a dismal performance against Tampa Bay last weekend, the Saints defense gets a chance to redeem itself in primetime on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. As it stands, the circumstances couldn’t really be better, as the unit should be able to blow off some steam against an offense that hasn’t looked quite right all year.
PASS DEFENSE
Needless to say, these aren’t your typical Colts. Without Peyton Manning, the most surgical, timing-based passing attack in the NFL has been reduced to something entire less frightening. While that may cause some teams to take them lightly, you can bet Gregg Williams is taking this week seriously after the disaster in Tampa.
There are still some legitimate pieces of this offense, and for the last few weeks it’s been all about the Curtis Painter-Pierre Garcon connection. In Painter’s three starts this season, he has hit Garcon for four TDs, and three of those have been for 87, 59, and 67 yards. The Colts haven’t done much this year, but they’ve made big plays, which doesn’t bode well for a Saints defense that has struggled with allowing big plays all season.
RUN DEFENSE
As questionable as the Colts passing game has been, the running game has been equally suspect. Joseph Addai has been decent, averaging 4.4 yards per carry, but that isn’t enough to carry a team that can’t get it done through the air. Again, though, the Saints can’t take the unit likely, as the defense has had its fair share of trouble defending the run. Addai has been hurt, but he figures to get some action Sunday.
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Pierre Garcon vs. Malcolm Jenkins. Garcon has really been the only dangerous player on this team for the last few weeks, so the most crucial thing tonight is for Jenkins to make sure that he isn’t getting behind the corners. Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark are still around, but it seems like Painter and Garcon have developed a certain rapport, so it will be crucial for the secondary to eliminate the big play via Garcon.
