Saints Positions to Watch Against Seahawks
Sunday is right around the corner, and Week 5 of the NFL season sees a lot of teams looking to turn the corner. New Orleans is one of those teams, and they play host to Seattle inside the Superdome for a noon kickoff. Here's some positions we're watching when the Saints take on the Seahawks.
Quarterback
Oct 2, 2022; London, United Kingdom; New Orleans Saints quarterback Andy Dalton (14) throws the ball during the first half of the NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-USA TODAY Sports
Andy Dalton is going to start his second straight game for the Saints, as Jameis Winston (back/ankle) is focusing on rehab to get back onto the field. Dalton had a pretty good performance against the Vikings last week, and another game at the helm should only help him improve. The lone mistake was the fumble he had, and he knows that's on him.
Dalton said on Friday, "I feel really good about where I'm at in this offense and just the understanding of everything. So, now for us it's just going out and executing and making sure everybody is on the same page."
One of the biggest things for Dalton is that he will get back a big weapon in Alvin Kamara to help guide the offense a little more.
"It's definitely nice having him back. A guy with his talent, everything doesn't always have to be perfect. He can find a way to make plays."
Kamara sat last week due to the discomfort of the rib injury he had, saying that coming back against the Panthers might have been too soon. However, he told the media this week that he feels good and expects to play. Look for him to have a big impact on Sunday. Another player to watch would be Adam Trautman, someone that Dalton got the ball a bit more against the Vikings.
Cornerback
Oct 2, 2022; London, United Kingdom; New Orleans Saints cornerback P.J. Williams (26) and cornerback Marshon Lattimore (23) defend against Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) in the fourth quarter during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Saints 28-25. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The rebound for Marshon Lattimore is what to watch out for. There were certainly some opportunities in coverage against Justin Jefferson, and the pass interference he got flagged for near the goal line was fairly controversial. However, Dennis Allen talked about Lattimore bouncing back this week, and he'll be tested with D.K. Metcalf. This will be a very intriguing matchup to watch.
On the other side, seeing Paulson Adebo against Tyler Lockett will be the other big matchup, as Geno Smith targeted him 8 times last week (6-91) against the Lions. Metcalf saw 10 targets, hauling in 7 catches for 149 yards. This will be the second full action game for Adebo this season after playing most all of the game against the Vikings. The secondary should also get back Marcus Maye (rib), so things should be back to normal here.
Other Areas to Watch
- SPECIAL TEAMS: It's been a pretty tough start to the year for the Saints special teams unit. It's not just one area either. Whether it's been kicking, punting, or the coverage and return aspect, there's been some opportunity. Deonte Harty is someone who is looking to rebound in a big way after fumbling last week, and we just haven't seen the type of impact from him like we have in the past.
- WIDE RECEIVER: Without Michael Thomas in the lineup, Chris Olave figures to have a much larger impact going into Sunday. He's led the team in targets and receiving yards for the past few games. Marquez Callaway was the other favored target of Dalton, and this team needs to get Jarvis Landry going again.
- PASS RUSH: Things are starting to gel here after some early struggles. Marcus Davenport has been a terror in his reps, and the Saints just have to keep finishing here. Geno Smith wasn't sacked once last week against the Lions in their shootout, and he's been very efficient passing. Look for New Orleans to have some aggressive tendencies here, but also understand that Smith isn't afraid to run with the football.
