The New Orleans Saints are looking for their first 2-0 start since 2013 with a win over the Carolina Panthers. In order to come out victorious, the Saints have to be able to handle the pressure of the Panthers defensive line. Last week, the Saints struggled to protect Derek Carr at times. The Panthers provide a sort of parallel to the Titans. Both teams have an interior and quick perimeter pass rushing threat.
The Saints will need to block Derrick Brown and Brian Burns more effectively than they blocked Jefferey Simmons and Arden Key. In Week 1, the offense was impacted by the pass rush heavily in the first half. They found a way to protect Carr better in the second half, but the Saints can’t take 30 minutes of football to figure it out again.
Buy Saints TicketsBurns and Brown are talented, so they will likely break through the line of scrimmage at some point in the game. You want to limit that, but Derek Carr will need to maneuver in the pocket when it does happen. He did a good job of operating within the pressure in Week 1.
The importance of handling the pressure becomes emphasized when you look at the Panthers secondary. Jaycee Horn is out for the game, and the cornerbacks look ripe for the picking. The Saints have a talented receiving corps that could test any secondary. With a weakened secondary in front of them, the Saints have the clear advantage. That advantage is meaningless, however, if they don’t handle the pressure.
There will be a focus on pass blocking, but the Titans defensive line made running the ball near impossible. The passing attack was able to work through the pressure. The running game was not. Both aspects have to be more efficient in Week 2.
