NEW ORLEANS (WWL.com) -- The New Orleans Saints dominated the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, 48-7, on Sunday. It was an impressive performance, and Saints quarterback Drew Brees praised the mindset of the team, which improved to 9-1 with the victory.
“We’re playing with a lot of confidence, but I’d say it’s just a great sense of urgency every week," Brees said. "We don’t want to let an opportunity slip by. It’s tough to win in this league, and it’s tough to execute on a consistent basis in the league.”
There is a lot of parity in the NFL, but the Saints seem to be playing on another level lately. The offense has scored at least 45 points in three straight games, and they’re not just relying on one or two players.
“The more attention that goes to Mike Thomas and Alvin Kamara, the more opportunities are going to be there for some of the other guys,” Brees pointed out. “I don’t think I’ve ever been involved in a game where there was so much attention involved early on Mike Thomas and Alvin Kamara, on two players. [It was> to the point where everyone else was just singled up.”
Both Thomas and Kamara had solid games, but the focus on them opened the door for others. Rookie wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith, for instance, saw 13 targets, more than double the next closest player, and hauled in a team-high 10 receptions for a team-high 157 yards. Other young players such as Keith Kirkwood, Dan Arnold, and Austin Carr also nabbed some catches.
Brees compared getting them up to speed like accelerated schooling.
“It’s like a fast-track math degree," Brees said. "It’s like, how do we get these guys to like Calculus 303 really quick when we’re in geometry?”
And it wasn’t just the passing game that was successful. The Saints racked up 173 yards on the ground, and Brees credited the offensive line.
“It’s controlling the line of scrimmage…it starts with the guys up front," Brees said. "The offensive line is playing tremendous.
“Those guys just play so well together, and they set the tone. It starts with them. Our ability to run the ball effectively sets up the pass. Our ability to throw the ball effectively sets up the run.”