The Saints got their dominant performance they were looking for. After two hard fought division games, they beat up on the overwhelmed Arizona Cardinals. Both the offense and defense played great games in what will probably be one of the best overall team performances of the year.
Jimmy Graham was unstoppable against Arizona today.
Things didn’t look too promising early on, as the Cardinals took the opening drive 80 yards for a touchdown with ease. It took them 11 plays in 5:47, capped off by 3 yard Alfonso Smith touchdown run. That would be the end of the offensive highlights for Arizona, as the Saints then forced eight straight punts, followed by two interceptions. The story of the day on the defensive side was quarterback pressure. They sacked Carson Palmer 4 times for a loss of 26 yards, while hitting him 9 times and hurrying him on another 8 plays. Cam Jordan was the star for the defense with 2 sacks and 3 QB hits. Junior Galette got the ball rolling for the Saints, recording the first sack of the game to go along with his 3 quarterback hits. Glenn Foster recorded his first sack of his NFL career.
For the second straight week, the Saints defense allowed less than 200 yards passing. They held Palmer to 18/35 for 187 yards and 2 interceptions. Just when you thought Josh Freeman’s 56.1 QB rating was low last week, they held Palmer to an abysmal 43.4 rating. While the yards per carry average wouldn’t suggest it, the Saints shut down the Cardinals rushing attack pretty well. 31 of the Cardinals’ 86 yards rushing came on that opening drive, with 21 of them being on one Alfonso Smith run. The Saints held Cardinals lead ball carrier Rashard Mendenhall to just 29 yards on 9 carries. Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd caught half of Palmer’s passes, with most of them coming on two drives. They combined for a few big catches on the opening touchdown drive and also on the Cardinals’ first 4th quarter drive that resulted in the Kenny Vaccaro interception. Keenan Lewis made the second interception for the Saints on the following Arizona possession.
Aside from the pass protection, the Saints offense looked very good. They certainly played their most efficient game of the year, cashing in on three of their five red-zone possessions. Jimmy Graham was the star on offense for the third straight game, hauling in 9 receptions for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns. Whether it was Yeremiah Bell, Tyrann Mathieu, or Patrick Peterson, Graham beat the man coverage with ease throughout the game. Drew Brees looked much more accurate with his throws and bettered his decision making, finishing 29/46 for 342 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. His one interception came from New Orleans native Tyrann Mathieu on a ball that should have been thrown away. Brees extended his streak of consecutive 300 yard games to 8, which is just 1 shy of the NFL record. He was sacked 4 times, as the pass protection struggled early on with the absence of all-pro guard Jahri Evans. Rookie guard Tim Lelito stepped in for Evans, but struggled to hold up. Khiry Robinson, the newest undrafted rookie running back to make the team after a great preseason, looked very impressive in his limited work late in the 4th quarter. He picked up 38 yards on just 4 carries to lead the Saints in rushing. It was another weak performance on the ground from the Saints, as they had -6 yards rushing at halftime. Until Robinson’s late emergence, Drew Brees was the Saints’ leading rusher who had 6 carries for 21 yards, including a 7 yard touchdown scramble. Robert Meachem found his way in to the end-zone on the Saints’ opening drive for a 27 yard touchdown reception. The Saints were without Mark Ingram, who missed the game with a toe injury. There were also reports that came out before the game suggesting that Ingram may be looking for a trade out of New Orleans, so that’s something to keep an eye on moving forward.
All-in-all it was a very good day for the Saints, getting them to 3-0 for the first time since 2009. They will enjoy an extra off day this week, as they remain in New Orleans for a tilt with the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football in Week 4. The Arizona Cardinals fall to 1-2.
Stats
Drew Brees – 29-46 / 342 yards / 4 TDs (1 rushing) / 1 INT /
Khiry Robinson – 4 carries / 38 yards
Pierre Thomas – 11 carries / 28 yards / 6 receptions / 39 yards
Jimmy Graham – 9 receptions / 134 yards / 2 TDs
Marques Colston – 5 receptions / 71 yards
Robert Meachem – 2 receptions / 34 yards / 1 TD
Kenny Vaccaro – 7 tackles / 1 INT
Cam Jordan – 4 tackles / 2 sacks
Junior Galette – 3 tackles / 1 sack
Curtis Lofton – 8 tackles
Who Dat?!
