Once again, the New Orleans Saints are dealing with adversity. The team is coming off another loss to an inferior opponent in the Atlanta Falcons. Along with that, they have lost starting quarterback Jameis Winston and Michael Thomas for the remainder of the season with injuries and will not have the presence of Alvin Kamara at the moment. He suffered a knee injury in last week’s game against the Falcons.
Their latest opponent will be on the road against the Tennessee Titans of the AFC South. So far, we have learned that when the Saints have their backs against the wall, they tend to perform like one of the league’s best football teams.
They have had these outings on three separate occasions when facing the Packers, Patriots, and Buccaneers. New Orleans will need to have the same type of energy against the Titans tomorrow. So without any further delay, here are the keys to the game for when the Saints take on Tennessee.
Do Not Allow Ryan Tannehill to Become a Playmaker
Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill does not have his most significant asset on offense in Derrick Henry. The two-time NFL rushing champion suffered a foot injury in Week 8 against the Indianapolis Colts. No exact date on when he will return to the team was given—not having Henry in the backfield bodes well for the Saints.
However, New Orleans must still deal with the athletic ability of Tannehill. The former wide receiver out of Texas A&M can move outside of the pocket and extend drives for the Titans. It would be best if the Saints defense could reduce Tannehill’s role into becoming a game manager. Because if they let him move around in the pocket, then New Orleans could be in for a long day in Nashville.
Marshon Lattimore Must Win the One on One Matchup With A.J. Brown
After battling an illness at the beginning of the season, Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown has finally hit his stride for the 2021 season. With Henry being out, Brown’s role within the offense will expand even more. That is why Marshon Lattimore must be dominant in Sunday’s matchup with the former Ole Miss wide receiver.
With the assistance of an intense Saints pass rush, it could force the Titans into rethinking their game plan in the passing game. With Julio Jones going to the injured reserves list, Tennessee’s offense will have to figure things out fast if Lattimore contains Brown.
Allow Mark Ingram and Taysom Hill to Become Deeply Involved in the Offense
Alvin Kamara will not see any action tomorrow due to recovering from a knee injury. The Saints will rely on veteran tailback Mark Ingram to carry the load. While Ingram does not have the exact attributes as Kamara, he is still a player to account for within Sean Payton’s scheme. A heavy dose of Ingram can close it out if New Orleans can go up by two scores against Tennessee.
Another option that the Saints will need to consider on offense is having the presence of Taysom Hill on the field. Defenses must account for what Hill can do because of the skillset that he possesses. Those attributes could allow wide receivers to get separation from defenders and make plays for the offense.
Projected Outcome
The team that can go up by at least two scores in Sunday’s game between the Saints and Titans will emerge victoriously. After tomorrow’s contest, the Saints will be leaving Nashville with a 6-3 record. Even though Tennessee defeated the Rams 28-16, it is yet proven to have long-term success without Derrick Henry. Their defense played so well that Tannehill only had to make a couple of crucial throws to maintain the lead. The Saints specialize in what the Titans excel at, which is to eliminate the rushing attack. Tennessee currently does not have that element within their offense right now.
Saints 27
Titans 20
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