Winning usually isn't easy in the NFL. Doing it week after week after week is even less so.
“I think people really kind of misdiagnose just how difficult it is to win every NFL football game,” Zach Strief, the Voice of the Saints and a former Saints offensive lineman said. “This team, over the last few years, has made some games look really easy. I think there's a thirst for that nice, easy, clean, that was a piece of cake we won by 20 points [kind of game]. That's not always going to be the case.”
The Saints won their opener by double digits, lost their next two, and have had to rally from a double digit deficit in their last two wins. Both the offense and defense have struggled at different times in different games.
“I think this team is still trying to find itself a little bit,” Strief said. “I don't know that they have a real identity yet other than being abundantly talented and experienced, and all of those positive things that we talked about over the offseason are still true.
“But I don't know that offensively there's a real strong identity yet of exactly who they are,” Strief went on. “I think in years past we had a better idea. I think that [mystery] is starting to unravel itself a little bit, though."
He cited Emmanuel Sanders and Jared Cook both carving out roles.
Sanders has come on the last three games, seeing increasing targets, receptions, and yards in each one. Against the Packers, he hauled in 4 catches on 5 targets for 56 yards. Against the Lions, he nabbed 6 catches on 9 targets for 93 yards. And against the Chargers, he made 12 catches on 14 targets for 122 yards.
Cook, meanwhile, missed the game against Detroit has not seen a large volume of targets; but he has been a steady presence. He recorded 2 receptions for 52 yards with a game-tying touchdown catch of 41 yards in the third quarter.
And, of course, there's Alvin Kamara. The electric running back leads the NFL with 676 yards from scrimmage and has 7 touchdowns. Wide receiver Michael Thomas has not played since Week 1, but he will be back as well.
“Suddenly you've got a lot of weapons and options that are finding their niches in this offense.”
