7:10 PM EST, ESPN – Line: Saints -7, Over/Under: 53.5
Opening Weekend comes to a close with a potential Super Bowl preview from the Big Easy, as the New Orleans Saints play host to the Houston Texans, from Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. It’s been a rather busy few weeks leading up to tonight’s matchup for the Texans (11-5, 1st in AFC South), who have made a series of moves on the market in a last-ditch attempt to augment their Roster before the Opener. The biggest transaction was no doubt the departure of Pro-Bowl Defensive End, Jadeveon Clowney (47 TKL, 16 TFL, 21 QBH, 9.0 SK, 1 FF, 3 FR, 1 TD, 1 PD in 2018), who after being shopped for weeks was finally sent to Seattle Seahawks in a deal that netted the club simply a Third Round Pick and two more players. It was certainly an underwhelming return for the former No. One Overall Pick, but then again, Houston triggered the move without a formal General Manager; Brian Gaine was relieved of his duties in the Offseason, with the team’s Head Coach, Bill O’Brien, effectively assuming that role. Indeed, one would have definitely though that a player of Clowney’s youth (26-Years Old) and caliber would be able to retrieve more than a mid-round pick and bit pieces. Was O’Brien taken advantage of? It sure looked like it, but that was nothing in comparison to the deal that came almost immediately afterward. The Texans then acquired Offensive Tackle, Laremy Tunsil, along with veteran Receiver, Kenny Stills (37 REC, 553 YDS, 14.9 Y/R, 6 TD in 2018), from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for get this, a pair of First Round Picks (2020 and 2021), and a Second Rounder (2021). While the additions of both Tunsil and Stills make sense from a need standpoint, with the former bolstering a porous Offensive Line and the latter providing some sorely-needed depth in the Receiving Corps, one has to wonder if the price was too steep. Two Firsts and a Second? It’s definitely worth questioning, as O’Brien appears to be out of his depth in such a role. Either way, it remains to be seen how this will effect Houston moving forward. Protecting third-year Quarterback, Deshaun Watson (68.3% 4,165 YDS, 6.67 NY/A, 26 TD, 9 INT, 63.0 QBR in 2018), who was sacked a league-high sixty-two times in 2018, is of the utmost priority this season, while providing him with more adequate weapons in the Passing Game can’t hurt either. After all, this is a Receiving Corps outside of All-Pro, DeAndre Hopkins (115 REC, 1,572 YDS, 13.7 Y/R, 11 TD in 2018), consists of Will Fuller (32 REC, 503 YDS, 15.7 Y/R, 4 TD in 2018), who is coming off a midseason ACL tear, and largely unproven players. On a minor note, O’Brien was also forced to add further reinforcements on Offense, trading for veteran Tailback, Duke Johnson (40 REC, 201 YDS, 5.0 Y/R, 0 TD in 2018), after his leading Rusher, Lamar Miller (210 CAR, 973 YDS, 4.6 Y/C, 5 TD in 2018), tore his ACL in the Preseason. Johnson, who was made available following the Cleveland Browns’ ambitious renovation, is far more of a receiving threat out of the Backfield, having hauled in 235 Receptions for 2,170 Yards in his four years in the league, though hasn’t come close to 100 Carries since he was a Rookie back in 2015. Defensively, Clowney’s departure doesn’t figure to be as seismic, for this is a unit that is rather loaded in the Front Seven, particularly in the trenches where three-time Defensive Player of the Year, J.J. Watt (61 TKL, 18 TFL, 25 QBH, 16.0 SK, 7 FF, 4 PD in 2018) continues to perform at a high level. In 2018, the Texans allowed just 19.8 Points per Game (4th Overall) while shutting down the Run on 82.7 Yards per Game (3rd Overall) and 3.4 Yards per Carry (1st Overall), while forcing a healthy Twenty-Nine Turnovers (4th Overall). Watt’s healthy return from injury certainly helped in this regard, along with venerable Defensive Coordinator, Romeo Crennel, once again assuming playcalling responsibilities, but there are plenty of youthful, new faces on hand to keep things rolling. Inside Linebackers, Zach Cunningham (107 TKL, 3 TFL, 2 QBH, 2 FF, 1 FR, 1 INT, 1 TD, 5 PD in 2018) and Bernardrick McKinney (105 TKL, 5 TFL, 5 QBH, 1.5 SK, 1 FF, 1 INT, 7 PD in 2018) are sideline to sideline heat-seeking missiles, while Sophomore Safety, Justin Reid (88 TKL, 2 TFL, 1 QBH, 1 FF, 2 FR, 3 INT, 1 TD, 10 PD in 2018) looks set for a bigger role in a rebuilt Secondary that will feature incoming Cornerback, Bradley Roby (50 TKL, 1 TFL, 2 FF, 1 INT, 12 PD in 2018), who should replace the departed Kareem Jackson nicely. Needless to say, this team as a whole will have a completely different feel to it as they take the field in New Orleans. Will it be for the better? We’ll have to wait and see how O’Brien’s gambit plays out, for there could be serious consequences for the skipper if this all goes sideways…
Meanwhile, if there is a team entering 2019 with a bigger chip on their shoulder than the Saints (13-3, 1st in NFC South), we’d like you to present them to us. That’s because for the second consecutive Postseason, this team met their end in remarkably controversial fashion. In 2017 it was the Hail Mary in Minnesota, and in 2018 it was blatant Pass Interference that wasn’t called in the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams, denying them a trip to Super Bowl LIII. So with that said, where does New Orleans go from here? On paper, this is a team that looks poised to get over the proverbial hump, provided their ageless Quarterback, Drew Brees (74.4%, 3,993 YDS, 7.65 NY/A, 32 TD, 5 INT, 81.9 QBR), can avoid succumbing to the twilight of his illustrious career. At the ripe old age of FORTY, he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, for his Completion Percentage (74.4%), Interception Rate (1.0%), Passer Rating (115.7), Fourth Quarter Comebacks (6), and Game-Winning Drives (7) all represented career-bests, while his QBR (81.9), Net Yards per Attempt (7.65), and Sack Percentage (3.4), each checked in as his best showing in nearly a decade. Sean Payton and the Front Office have done masterful job of supplying him with a continuous pipeline of talented weapons, headlined by the likes of Alvin Kamara (194 CAR, 883 YDS, 4.6 Y/C, 14 TD) and Michael Thomas (125 REC, 1,405 YDS, 11.2 Y/R, 9 TD), who together are among the most dangerous at their respective positions, with these two playmakers spending much of the last two seasons absolutely tormenting opposing defenses week after week. With fellow Tailback, Mark Ingram (138 CAR, 645 YDS, 4.7 Y/C, 6 TD), missing the first four games of the season due to a suspension, Kamara exhibited why he is arguably the most versatile weapon in the league, ranking Second in the NFL in Total Touchdowns (18), Seventh in both Total Touches (275) and Yards from Scrimmage (1,592), and Sixth in Total Yards (1,800). While he was featured more heavily as a rusher in 2018, he’s still a nightmare catching passes out of the Backfield, reeling in Eighty-One Receptions on 105 Targets for 709 Yards and Four Touchdowns. Even with Ingram leaving in Free Agency, don’t expect this guy to assume a more traditional role at Tailback with a heavier workload, for the Saints did an excellent job of bolstering their depth at the position with veteran talent, acquiring Latavius Murray (140 CAR, 578 YDS, 4.1 Y/C, 6 TD), who has been a Starter in past stops with the Raiders and the Vikings. A major reason that Ingram left was because New Orleans broke the bank for Thomas, who enjoyed a breakout campaign that resulted in being selected First-Team All-Pro. The 26-Year Old led the league with 125 Receptions, and as a result was inked to a lucrative five-year, $96.25 Million Contract with $60.6 Million in Total Guarantees, keeping him in the Big Easy for the foreseeable future. Providing further support, General Manager, Mickey Loomis, continued his offseason winning streak in signing another veteran playmaker, Tight End, Jared Cook (68 REC, 896 YDS, 13.2 Y/R, 6 TD), who in what was an otherwise dismal season for the Raiders, totaled career-highs in Receptions (68), Receiving Yards (896), Touchdowns (6), and Catch Percentage (67.3%). The 32-Year Old is now on his fourth time in five years, but costing the club just $15 Million over the following two years, is practically a bargain considering what he’s capable of doing in this Offense. Expect fireworks, folks, for there figures to be plenty. Completing the championship equation will be continued maturation of the Defense, which has grown by leaps and bounds over the past two seasons; New Orleans was one of the nastiest units against the Run, stifling opponents to the tune of 80.2 Yards per Game on just 3.6 Yards per Carry, both of which ranked Second Overall, while also accumulating Forty-Nine Sacks, which placed them in a tie for Fifth Overall. A Secondary featuring Defensive Backs, Marshon Lattimore (59 TKL, 1 TFL, 4 FF, 3 FR, 2 INT, 12 PD), Vonn Bell (88 TKL, 4 TFL, 3 QBH, 1 FF, 1 FR, 3 PD), and Marcus Williams (59 TKL, 1 FF, 1 FR, 3 INT, 3 PD), only got better after a Midseason Trade for former Giants’ Cornerback, Eli Apple (52 TKL, 1 TFL, 1 FR, 2 INT, 9 PD), and figures to continue improving given that each player is Twenty-Five Years Old or younger. Up front, Pro-Bowl Defensive End, Cameron Jordan (49 TKL, 18 TFL, 21 QBH, 12.0 SK, 1 FF, 1 FR, 6 PD), remains one of the most productive at his position, while young Defensive Tackle, Sheldon Rankins (40 TKL, 12 TFL, 15 QBH, 8.0 SK, 1 FF, 1 PD) was borderline dominant before tearing his Achilles in the Playoffs. If the latter can return to his form of 2018 following rehab then this group should wreck havoc in the trenches, particularly if last year’s First Round Pick, Marcus Davenport (22 TKL, 6 TFL, 12 QBH, 4.5 SK, 1 FF, 2 PD), takes steps towards reaching his potential.