Saints vs. Giants: Jameis Winston's Return Headlines 3 Key Storylines

The New Orleans Saints enter Sunday's Week 6 matchup against the New York Giants looking to avoid their fourth consecutive loss, but a familiar face stands in their way and remains a fan favorite in New Orleans.

Sign up for the daily Saints Newsletter by clicking here.

Former Saints quarterback Jameis Winston will lead the Giants against his former team as New Orleans attempts to rebound from a disappointing 23-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

The Saints (1-4) have struggled to find consistency on both sides of the football, particularly offensively, where turnovers and an ineffective passing attack have contributed to their disappointing start.

Meanwhile, the Giants (3-1-1) have emerged as one of the NFC's early surprises under first-year coach John Harbaugh, overcoming injuries and inconsistent quarterback play to remain atop the NFC East.

Beyond Winston's reunion with New Orleans, the Saints must contend with two dangerous receiving threats in Malik Nabers and Isaiah Likely while finding a way to exploit New York's ball-security problems.

Here are three major storylines to watch heading into Sunday's matchup.

The Return of Jaboo

Winston, a fan favorite among Who Dat Nation, will be the starter against his former team. The former No. 1 overall pick spent four seasons with the Saints from 2020-23, initially serving as Drew Brees' backup before becoming New Orleans' starting quarterback in 2021.

Now, Winston has the chance to face his former team while trying to keep the Giants atop the NFC East.

Winston became the starter after Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending injury. Through three starts this season, Winston has thrown for 805 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions while completing 57.6% of his passes.

In his latest outing against Washington, Winston helped engineer the comeback by completing 33 of his 54 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns, connecting twice with Isaiah Likely and once with Malik Nabers.

Perhaps most importantly, Winston avoided throwing an interception despite attempting 54 passes.

Can the Saints Slow Down Malik Nabers and Isiah Likely?

While Winston commands attention, the Saints' biggest defensive challenge may be containing his top targets, wide receiver Malik Nabers and tight end Isaiah Likely.

Nabers (29 catches for 329 yards and two touchdowns) and Likely (33 catches for 284 yards and four touchdowns) are responsible for 58% of the yardage production and number of targets thrown to.

Nabers, a former LSU star, has bounced back from a season-ending knee injury. He caught six passes for 112 yards and a touchdown against Arizona in Week 4, then recorded 11 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown on 20 targets against Washington.

Focusing solely on Nabers, opens opportunities for Likely, a former Baltimore Raven who has become Winston's primary red-zone threat. Against Washington, Likely had 11 receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the first tight end in Giants history with at least nine catches and two touchdowns in a game.

At 6 feet 4 inches, Likely presents matchup problems with his size and athleticism. Given New Orleans' recent struggles against Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, defending Likely will test the Saints' coverage scheme.

For the Saints, the challenge becomes determining how to distribute coverage responsibilities without leaving either player in favorable one-on-one situations.

Which Team Can Protect the Football?

Despite their contrasting records, both the Saints and Giants have struggled with ball security this season.

New York has committed seven turnovers through five games, including three interceptions and four lost fumbles. Meanwhile, New Orleans enters Sunday's matchup with a minus-six turnover differential.

However, the Giants have compensated for their mistakes by intercepting six passes, tied for third-most in the NFL, while the Saints have recorded just one interception.

That discrepancy could prove decisive, particularly with quarterback Tyler Shough coming off a disappointing performance against Minnesota.

Shough completed 16 of 25 passes for just 96 yards and two interceptions, finishing with a 38.1 passer rating. Through five games, he has thrown for 1,299 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions.

Meanwhile, New York's turnover problems nearly proved costly against Washington.

Jameis Winston lost a first-half fumble before running back Cam Skattebo fumbled at Washington's 24-yard line in overtime, squandering a potential game-winning scoring opportunity.

It marked Skattebo's fourth fumble of the season and his first lost fumble.

Despite his ball-security concerns, Skattebo leads the Giants with 294 rushing yards on 81 carries.

His production presents another challenge for New Orleans, which ranks 30th in rushing defense, allowing 148.8 yards per game.

For the Saints, protecting the football, forcing Winston into difficult throws and capitalizing on New York's mistakes could determine whether they snap their three-game losing streak.

Saints Mailbag

Wednesdays, On SI Saints will answer your questions about what we see from our vantage point. To submit your thoughts or inquiries click here.

Add us as a preferred source on Google