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Can the Saints defense make enough plays against the high-octane Rams offense to punch their ticket to Super Bowl LIII?" />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesCanal Street Chronicles homepageHorizontal - WhiteCanal Street Chroniclesa New Orleans Saints communityFollow Canal Street Chronicles online:Follow Canal Street Chronicles on TwitterFollow Canal Street Chronicles on FacebookLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchCanal Street Chronicles main menuFanpostsFanshotsSectionsLibrarySaintsOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections InterviewsNew Orleans Saints SatireWho Dat HistoryCanal Street Chronicles TutorialSaints vs. Rams Matchups: New Orleans defense vs. Los Angeles offense New Michael Thomas Saints Jersey ,10commentsCan the Saints defense make enough plays against the high-octane Rams offense to punch their ticket to Super Bowl LIII?CSTThe Saints ranked just 29th against the pass during the regular season, surrendering 269 yards per game. The team had major issues in their defensive backfield over the first month of the season, but an October trade for cornerback Eli Apple gave them a solid cover duo, and the secondary has played solid football since. Apple and Marshon Lattimore have been able to take on the opponent's top wideouts and limit their production enough for the Saints to have success. Fellow cornerback P.J. Williams has played fairly well in predominantly slot coverage since the Apple trade, and safety Vonn Bell has given the defense solid coverage from the slot as well. The team has 12 interceptions on the year, led by two each from Apple, Lattimore, Chris Banjo, and Marcus Williams, but swarm to the ball well in the open field with a penchant for forcing fumbles. The Saints linebackers have been responsible for a number of turnovers in the open field as well, and the unit has been excellent in pass defense at times. Demario Davis, Alex Anzalone, and A.J. Klein are precise in their zone drops, and have the athleticism to cover backs or tight ends in man coverage. All three 'backers are outstanding blitzers as well, and have 9 sacks between them, but the majority of the Saints pressure is generated from a deep and talented defensive line. Defensive end Cameron Jordan has a team-leading 12 of the team's 49 sacks, and provides a constant disruption from the edge. Rookie first rounder Marcus Davenport and Alex Okafor have combined for 8.5 sacks, and have produced decent pressure from the other edge to compliment Jordan. Star defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins suffered an Achilles injury during the Saints divisional round victory over Philadelphia a week ago, a devastating loss to the team's interior pressure. Tackle David Onyemata, who had three sacks against Dallas and 4.5 on the year, must step up to provide inside pressure in the absence of Rankins to disrupt a Los Angeles passing game that has struggled at times against physical pass rushes. Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY SportsThe Rams averaged 282 yards passing during the regular season, good for 5th in the league. Quarterback Jared Goff had eight 300-yd. passing games this year, on his way to 4,688 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Goff has two 1,000 yard wideouts in Robert Woods and former Saint Brandin Cooks. Woods finished with 86 receptions for 1 Marcus Davenport Jersey ,219 yards with 6 touchdowns, while Cooks added 80 catches for 1,204 yards and 5 scores. The Los Angeles attack lost a major threat when Cooper Kupp was placed on injured reserve at midseason with a knee injury. Josh Reynolds has stepped into the third receiver spot in Kupp's absence with less production (29 receptions, 402 yards), but does have five touchdowns. Goff also used his tight ends more extensively with Kupp out as well, using them well to work the middle of the field. Gerald Everett (33 catches, 320 yards, 3 touchdowns) and Tyler Higbee (24-292, 2) are big-bodied targets with decent athleticism in the open field. Running back Todd Gurley is a very effective checkdown weapon out of the backfield, catching 59 passes for 580 yards and four scores. Goff has been sacked 33 times this year, and the Los Angeles offensive line has struggled against physical defense, although they held a very good Dallas defense sackless last week. Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports~Matchup to Watch: Marshon Lattimore/Eli Apple vs. Robert Woods/Brandin Cooks ~The Rams use their top two wideouts in a variety of ways, and they're most effective on crossing routes and bubble screens to utilize their open field skills. Cooks, Woods, and Kupp combined for 16 receptions, 274 yards, and 2 touchdowns against New Orleans in November. Even without Kupp, this duo presents a formidable challenge to any defense, but neither Woods or Cooks do well against physical and athletic defensive backs. Lattimore and Apple both have the athletic ability to run with the Rams receivers, but will need to be physical at the line of scrimmage to prevent a free release. The Saints secondary rebounded from a shaky start against Philadelphia last week, holding Eagles quarterback Nick Foles to just 10 completions in 22 attempts for only 74 yards in the game's final three quarters. SAINTS RUN DEFENSE vs. RAMS RUN OFFENSE Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty ImagesNew Orleans had the NFL's 2nd ranked run defense this season, allowing just 80 yards per game and only 3.6 yards per carry. Only four opponents ran for over 100 yards as a team against the Saints, who didn't allow a single back to rush for even 80 yards against them. The loss of Rankins could affect the team's run defense, but tackles Taylor Stallworth and Tyeler Davison have provided a stout interior wall against the rush all season long. Cam Jordan is perhaps the league's best edge run defender, and both Okafor and Davenport hold up well along the edge. The ability of the defensive line to win the battles up front have allowed Saints linebackers Davis, Klein, and Anzalone to fire through gaps and make plays in the offensive backfield. New Orleans held the Eagles to just 49 yards on the ground last week Alvin Kamara Jersey , and contained a powerful Los Angeles running game during their week nine meeting. Gurley had just 68 yards against New Orleans in that game, one of a number of top backs that the Saints have shut down this season. Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesThe Rams running attack was 3rd in the NFL during the regular season, averaging 139 yards per game. Gurley was the league's 3rd leading rusher, finishing with 1,251 yards while averaging 4.9 yards per carry. He ran for a league high 17 rushing touchdowns, and the 23 rushing scores that Los Angeles had as a team was second only to the Saints. Gurley was slowed by a knee injury over the final month of the season, but ran for 115 yards and a touchdown in the playoff victory over the Cowboys last week. The Rams signed veteran C.J. Anderson late in the year, who rushed for over 100 yards in each of the final two regular season games, then ran for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns against Dallas. Gurley is one of the most explosive backs in the league, and Anderson provides a bruising between the tackles compliment. Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports~ Matchup to Watch: Saints defensive line vs. Rams offensive line ~The Rams offensive line brutalized Dallas, paving the way for 273 rushing yards through the Cowboys defense. The Saints must prevent a repeat a performance like that if they want to continue their season, and must do it without Rankins in the middle. New Orleans must also generate pressure on Goff, who was not sacked when the teams met in November, forcing him to get rid of the ball before the Rams lethal crossing patterns can develop down the field. Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty ImagesRams coach Sean McVay comes up with some of the most imaginative game plans in the league. Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen must match wits with McVay, and come up with a plan to contain the high-powered Los Angeles offense. The New Orleans defensive backs will likely mix their coverage schemes between an aggressive, physical approach at the line of scrimmage and a softer coverage intent on swarming to the ball after a short gain. Due to the absence of Rankins, Cam Jordan may be moved around in hopes of generating heavy pressure on Goff, and keep the Rams offensive line off balance. The New Orleans defense has done an outstanding job of in-game adjustments all season, and has been an underrated big play unit largely responsible for the team being on the brink of a Super Bowl. Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Imageshttps://www.canalstreetchronicles....vs-rams-defense New Orleans has an 8-5 postseason record since the arrival of Sean Payton and Drew Brees in 2006, and have a 6-0 home playoff record. The Saints offense will be challenged to control Rams defensive linemen Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh, and Dante Fowler up front, but will look to establish balance with a formidable offensive line and star weapons Brees, receiver Michael Thomas, along with running backs Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram. The match up between Thomas and Ram cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib is worthy of pay-per-view, and the Saints look to have a significant mismatch with both Thomas and Kamara against the Los Angeles defense. NFC CHAMPIONSHIP PREDICTION:SAINTS 30RAMS 28Saints Rally Falls Short, Lose to Buccaneers 48-40 The Saints had not won a season opener since the first game of the 2013 season Marcus Davenport Jersey White , and in 2018 it was the same old, same old story again my friend. On Sunday in the Mercedes Benz Superdome, New Orleans came out swinging, scoring on their first three possessions and totaling 24 points in the first half. You would think that scoring 24 points in one half would have the Saints comfortably in the lead? Think again: New Orleans’ defense allowed Tampa Bay to have just as much success, looking every bit the porous and inept unit that we have come to loathe during Sean Payton’s tenure. In the first half, the Bucs did not punt once and scored a franchise record 31 points (with seven of those coming on a Mike Gillislee fumble returned for a touchdown). In the second half, the Saints offense suddenly became sluggish, beset by penalties, drops and a costly fumble by Michael Thomas. The Bucs found the end zone once again in the third quarter, upping their lead to 17 points in the third quarter at 41-24. The fourth quarter brought much of the same, Tampa absolutely perforating the Saints defense and scoring at will as the lead ballooned up to 24 points. New Orleans would finally get on the board with touchdowns by Alvin Kamara and two points conversions to get within eight at 48-40. But Ryan Fitzpatrick (who I’m sure was actually Tom Brady disguised as a Buccaneer) continued lighting up the Saints secondary, throwing for over 400 yards and using his feet to convert a crucial third and eleven play late in the fourth quarter.The defense had an absolutely horrendous day, unable to put any pressure of Fitzpatrick and not much better against the run. Could it be a fluke? Next week against the Cleveland Browns should tell us very quickly where this season is likely to go: another year of shootouts where Drew Brees has to throw 50 times a game, or a season like last year, where the running game and the defense are competent enough to keep the team balanced and make them a contender. For now, and although it is just one game, the 2018 Saints are big, gigantic fraud!***Below is a timeline of the game as it unfolded, if you can stomach to read.1st QuarterSaints take the opening kickoff all the way down for a touchdown by Alvin KamaraNO: 7 - TB: 0The Buccaneers respond immediately, with DeSean Jackson for a 58-yard touchdownNO: 7 - TB: 7Saints go back down the field and have to settle for a Wil Lutz field goalNO: 10 - TB: 7Tampa Bay easily gets into Saints territory on runs by Peyton BarberFitzpatrick gets into the end zone for a touchdownNO: 10 - TB: 14Saints just as quickly get into Bucs territory as the quarter endsThis has all the makings of a shootout early!2nd QuarterBrees finds Ted Ginn Jr. for a 28-yard touchdown to open the second quarterNO: 17 - TB: 14Bucs get into the Saints’ red zone in the blink of an eyeTampa stall and Chandler Catanzaro ties the game with a 33-yard field goalNO: 17 - TB: 17Saints go three-and-out for the first time as Brees is sacked Bucs dice up the defense again and move down the field with easeFitzpatrick finds Chris Godwin for a touchdownNO: 17 - TB: 24With just over four minutes left in the first half, the Bucs haven’t punted yetMike Gillislee fumbles the ball and the Buccaneers recover for a touchdownNO: 17 - TB: 31Saints get into Bucs territory and into the Bucs red zoneBrees finds Michael Thomas alone in the end zone for a touchdownNO: 24 - TB: 31Buccaneers take a knee, at the half Saints are down seven3rd QuarterBucs start with the ball as they had deferred after winning the tossBucs easily get into the red zone aided by Saints penaltiesTampa stalls and settle for a 36-yard field goalNO: 24 - TB: 34Saints go three-and-out for the second time of the game and puntBucs go three-and-out and punt for the first timeSaints stall and have to punt once againRyan Fitzpatrick finds Mike Evans for a 50-yard touchdownNO: 24 - TB: 41Saints get into Bucs territory, but Michael Thomas fumbles the ball awayBucs take over as the quarter ends4th QuarterKen Crawley gifts the Bucs another first down on a terrible PIRyan Fitzpatrick finds DeSean Jackson for a touchdownNO: 24 - TB: 48Saints drive into the Bucs red zoneAlvin Kamara runs into the end zone for a touchdownKamara converts the two-point conversionNO: 32 - TB: 48On third down, Bucs go deep and find DeSean Jackson into Saints territoryBucs stall while running the clock and settle for a field goalCatanzaro misses the field goal as the Saints take overSaints get into Bucs territory in two playsBrees finds Alvin Kamara for a touchdownTed Ginn Jr. converts the two-point tryNO: 40 - TB: 48The Bucs take over and run the clock, converting a big 3rd and 11 playBuccaneers win the game 48-40.