SEATTLE — In a game where many media members and fans across the NFL probably counted the Saints out, they win this game in Seattle with Teddy Bridgewater at the helm.
Not only does this win keep your head above water, if you’re a Saints fan, given the fact that Drew Brees is going to be out the next six or so weeks, but I thought we saw some good things from Bridgewater.
The first thing that popped out to me was that Sean Payton completely outcoached Pete Carroll in the game. We knew coming into this game, that this was one of those situations where Payton would probably would really look forward to the challenge of coaching without someone like Drew Brees. He’s never won without Brees in his career in New Orleans. Two of those games he played without Brees were games where they had already locked up playoffs and another one was back in 2015 when Brees was out with a rotator cuff and they had to play Luke McCown, so, not necessarily a great stat, but this was a challenge that he was looking forward to.
I thought he set up Teddy Bridgewater in a lot of positive ways. Bridgewater finished the game 19 of 27 for 177 yards and two touchdowns. There wasn’t anything overly impressive in what he did but I think he set him up with great plays to be able to fit what he wants to be able to do with him. He got it to players in space, he ran a lot of different screens to Alvin Kamara. Overall, Teddy didn’t do anything to lose the game and when it comes to your backup quarterback, that’s a very positive sign.
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Of course the Saints got some really, really big plays both in the special teams and defensively. Payton said after the game that if you look at the statistics with a team when you have a punt return for a touchdown and a scoop and score defensively for a touchdown, the numbers would show you the probability of the team winning that game, even on the road, absolutely skyrockets – and the Saints had both.
During the Von Bell scoop and score touchdown, I’m sure many of the refs were swallowing their whistle given the way the Saints were on the bad end of calls over the last few weeks.
Another couple of plays that pop out to me, it was 20-7 Saints in the third quarter and Wil Lutz had missed a 53-yard field goal try and it turns out that former Saint, Al Woods, who plays for Seattle, was covering the center and that allowed the Saints to extend the drive and later on in the drive, Bridgewater hit Michael Thomas on one of those classic slip screens to score and extend the lead to 27-7. Even after Deonte Harris evens out and muffs a punt the Saints defense held deep in its own territory and force a four and out and keep the score the same.
To be able to bow your neck at that moment was really unbelievable.
The star of the game though, in my opinion, was Alvin Kamara. He had 16 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown rushing then he had 9 receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown.
This guy continues to be one of the most elusive players in the National Football League, if not the most elusive.
There are plays where I’ll look away from the TV because I see that he’s in the middle of a pile and he appears to be stopped and the play isn’t continuing and all of the sudden you’ll see him come around one of those ends and he’s off to the races.
Honestly, it’s such a joy to be able to watch him because he’s such an unbelievably dynamic player.
Now the Saints get to turn their attention to the Dallas Cowboys. They’re coming here next Sunday night for Sunday Night Football. That will be another big test, but it feels like you’re playing with a little more house money if you’re the Saints. Sean Payton called this win after “a total team win” and it certainly was when you look at all three aspects of the game for the Saints.
When he was asked about the team rallying around Bridgewater as their new quarterback in this game, and they’re not going to have him for a significant period of time, moving forward until they get healthy. Sean Payton said, “that’s why we’re a team.”