The New Orleans Saints can do no wrong right now. Starting the season with back-to-back blowout wins, everything on the field looks effortless for them right now. When they want to run the ball, they pick up chunk gains. When the offense wants to pass, Rashid Shaheed is outrunning defenses. Defensively, no one has been able to match New Orleans’ physicality and intensity.
With the Philadelphia Eagles coming into what’s definitely going to be a rocking Superdome, are they really prepared to slow down the Saints? Probably not. Picking New Orleans to win isn’t even a bold take, so let’s get into some real bold predictions.
3. Saints will rush for 200 yards
Typically in sports, the question: what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, is asked. However, for Sunday’s game, the appropriate question is what happens when an unstoppable force meets a mobile object. That modification to the age-old question adequately describes the relationship between New Orleans’ rushing attack and Philly’s rush defense.
The Saints are averaging 185 rushing yards per game, with 4.9 yards a carry. The Eagles defense is allowing 157.5 rushing yards a game, while giving up a league-worst 6.4 yards per carry. This is an issue that dates back to last season for Philadelphia. Unless Philly has miraculously learned to defend the run in a week, expect a very big day on the ground from New Orleans.
2. Defense will force at least three turnovers
In Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers, New Orleans forced three turnovers, two interceptions and one fumble. In Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, the Saints recorded another two interceptions, and they should’ve recovered a fumble, but too many Saints fighting over it led to Dallas recovering the ball.
New Orleans’ ball-hawking defense isn’t going to slow down in Week 3, especially since Philadelphia gives the ball away. The Eagles have a lot of playmakers on offense, so quarterback Jalen Hurts often throws the ball up and gives them a chance to make a play. Unfortunately for him, that sometimes results in turnovers, like the two interceptions he threw in Week 1 and the one he threw in Week 2.
If Hurts throws the ball up in Week 3, New Orleans’ elite secondary will come down with it.
1. Saints will score over 40 points again
At this point, this may not even be a bold prediction. As stated earlier, the offense has been doing whatver it wants through two games. It hasn’t even seemed like offense coordinator Klint Kubiak has had to deviate from his script. They say offensive play callers usually have their first 15 plays decided before the game starts, and once Kubiak gets through those, the Saints are usually up by three scores.
The Eagles gave up 29 points to the Green Bay Packers and 22 points to the Atlanta Falcons. Considering Philadelphia’s inability to stop the run, the Eagles will likely find themselves in a bind all game. For the Saints, that means 40 more points.
