The New Orleans Saints reclaimed their identity in Week 3 with a sharply executed 28-13 win against the New England Patriots — it just might not have been accomplished with the style of play most expected. The past 15 years were defined by a methodical passing game; both by design around an elite accurate passer, and by necessity as clock control for a defense that was, well, inexpedient.
With the changing of the hand at quarterback came an all-around loss of potency for the New Orleans offense. A significant amount of which is due to having Jameis Winston under center.
After two weeks of, frankly, bewildering outings for a team not known for such extremes, the return to the median at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on Sunday is what we should expect out of the 2021 Saints. While the jury may still be out on whether defense wins championships at the NFL level, this unit is emphatically making a case in an era dominated by the aerial game. Here are some trends I picked up on:
