Ahead of the Week 3 matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the New Orleans Saints, we ran three questions by Saints Wire managing editor, John Sigler.
1. With Drew Brees out, what can Seattle expect from backup quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill?
It’s anyone’s guess, we’re very much in uncharted territory without Brees in the lineup. Expect Bridgewater to get the lion’s share of pass attempts, but the Saints likely plan to run even more of the gadget plays with Hill than they usually do. Sean Payton will do everything he can to catch the Seahawks flatfooted and find an edge without his longtime franchise quarterback under center. We could see a first-of-its-kind timeshare at quarterback in the NFL.
2. Can Michael Thomas and the rest of the Saints’ offensive weapons be as impactful without Brees at the helm?
Theoretically, Thomas and Alvin Kamara should be more than able to carry the weight of a non-Brees quarterback. But the running game was bottled up last week when Bridgewater entered the game, and the most notable play from Thomas was negative, when he drew a penalty flag for offensive pass interference on the final play. But a full week of practice for both of them, with Bridgewater and Hill throwing to them, should do a lot to elevate everyone’s confidence.
3. How will Cam Jordan and the rest of New Orleans’ defensive front stand up against Russell Wilson and company?
The Saints defense has again started the year with struggles in pass coverage, but they’ve been uncharacteristically weak against the run. If the Seahawks can establish the run early, it may wear the Saints down as the game drags on. The saving grace has been a pass rush that currently ranks among NFL leaders in sacks, hits and other pressures. Jordan has been as impressive as always, but he finally has help in Marcus Davenport and Trey Hendrickson, who have split snaps across from him at the other defensive end spot.
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