The New Orleans Saints head out to L.A. with a direct path to the playoffs in front of them, but also a heavily favored Rams team that is playing its best football of the season.
Both teams are 7-7. Both teams need a win. Only one team will leave happy and with their playoff destiny still in their hands after Thursday night football. No pressure, right?
With all that in mind, here are the top three things I'm watching for (and a bit of lagniappe), when the Saints and Rams kick off at SoFi Stadium.
━━
1. A REAL DB TEST
The New Orleans Saints haven’t exactly faced a murderer’s row of quarterbacks this season, but their stalwart secondary will face a serious test on Thursday against the Rams.
Matthew Stafford is an elite quarterback. Cooper Kupp is an elite WR1. Puka Nacua and Tyler Higbee have been beating up on defenses all year. The Saints don’t have Marshon Lattimore.
To this point the absence of No. 23 hasn’t been a major issue. The tandem of Paulson Adebo and Isaac Yiadom on the outside has been among the best in the NFL. But, again, this is a clear step up in competition. If the DBs on the outside, along with Alontae Taylor in the slot, can hold up, the Saints’ chances to win this pivotal game go up drastically.
It’ll be impossible to take a player as talented as Kupp out of the game entirely. But can you at least limit the damage? If he goes off and dominates, the Saints are in serious trouble.
━━
2. CAN THE LINE DO IT AGAIN?
I was seriously concerned about what might happen in Week 15 against a talented Giants defensive line and a pressure-heavy defense. The offensive line responded with one of its best days of the season, even without star RT Ryan Ramczyk.
Well, Ramczyk won’t be out there again. On the other side is arguably the best defensive lineman in the game in Aaron Donald. He’ll line up everywhere. He’ll make life miserable on the Saints offense, and odds are he’ll torpedo at least a few drives on his own.
Again, can the OL limit the damage? One of my biggest concerns was how Landon Young would hold up, but I didn’t see him as the weak link in the end. It would certainly be huge for the Saints’ chances for that to happen again.
━━
3. THE CARR WE WERE PROMISED
Derek Carr certainly hasn’t been perfect in his first year as the New Orleans Saints starting quarterback. He also hasn’t been nearly as bad as a lot of people always want to claim.
Reality, as is often the case, lives somewhere in the middle. Still, what we could probably all agree on is that the QB position hasn’t driven winning in the way you really need it to for sustained success in the NFL. Whether that be due to injury, inefficiency, unfamiliarity, it really doesn’t matter. Everything on offense starts and ends at the QB position, and there’s no getting around that.
That’s why I’m looking at Carr in this game to have the type of performance that reminds everyone why he was brought here in the first place. We’ve certainly seen some flashes in recent weeks, and the newfound red zone efficiency (touchdowns on 9 of the last 10 trips inside the opponents’ 20) goes a long way. We also saw an overall efficient day against the Giants in a matchup where that’s really all you needed.
Well, in a matchup against Matthew Stafford and the Rams, that only becomes more important. Can Carr be more aggressive down the field without putting the ball at unnecessary risk for turnovers? Can Carr make quick decisions and avoid any unnecessary hits in the pocket? Can Carr take advantage of his playmakers while continuing to spread the ball around like he did in Week 15 while completing passes to 10 different players?
The story of this season is still being written, and it’s not too late for the QB to win over Saints fans, most of whom I genuinely believe are ready to root for a winner, even if it means admitting the sky hasn’t been falling this entire time.
It’s on Derek to prove that. This is his best chance yet.
LAGNIAPPE
Demario Davis challenged his teammates last week to step on the gas, and that’s what they did. But is that sustainable? I sure hope so. The Rams’ offensive line isn’t anywhere near as susceptible as the Panthers or the Rams, but Matthew Stafford also isn’t making anybody miss. If the defense can make him uncomfortable and not force defenders to cover forever, this matchup feels a lot more winnable. … The trust in A.T. Perry continues to grow, and that’s been clear on a couple of long third downs, a shot play and an endzone target over the past three weeks. It’s not hard to understand why a 6-5 receiver on the outside can be a security blanket for a QB, it’s just a question of whether the trust is there to put the ball up somewhere that he can go get it. Keep giving the kid opportunities. … The specialist mistakes really need to be over. The games are too important. The margins are too narrow. No more shanked punts. No more missed gimmie kicks. No matter penalties to extend drives. In these types of games, it’s almost always going to be the team that plays the cleaner game that comes out in front. There’s no better time than now for a three-phase, complete victory. …
