Zach Strief, the Voice of the Saints, wasn't quite sure how to sum up his thoughts on the New Orleans Saints' defense after the overtime win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Defensively to me, it was a real anomaly game. It was very difficult for me because I actually think the defense played very well. I think the defense actually had a good football game. I think, by and large, it was positive. But it is really getting frustrating to watch the miscommunications, the missed assignments, the blown coverages on the back end of this defense.”
There were positives and negatives. Strief was impressed by the pass rush, arguing it was their best performance of the season. New Orleans notched three sacks and hit Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert 12 times.
“This defense is not necessarily getting picked apart by people,” Strief said. “But the big gains on guys popping up and turning around and looking to a teammate with their hands in the air is just really getting old. But listen, the Saints won this football game because the defense was able to kind of slow things down there at the end.”
The Saints gave up 20 first half points and just 7 points in the second half and overtime. After Los Angeles went up 20-3, the Saints defense forced four straight punts, including a three and out that helped set up a Saints touchdown right before halftime. The Chargers' final touchdown, though, came on one of those blown coverages Strief mentioned.
“Those big things are still coming and biting us in the behind,” he explained. “They've got to get it cleaned up. They just do. There's no real clean answer for what you have to do and get it fixed, but it has to be addressed.”
Even with the struggles, the Saints are still 3-2 and in first place in the NFC South. They have a bye week before taking on the Carolina Panthers on October 25th.
