PITTSBURGH – It's time to toss all your expectations out the window. The New Orleans Saints, whom everyone expected to be among the NFL's elite Super Bowl contenders, have been anything but this season.
As the losses continued to pile up, few doubted the Saints would emerge from their funk to become the team everyone expected it to be.
Those days are over, though. The hard truth is New Orleans (4-7) has done nothing to inspire confidence. The Saints began the season by losing three in a row on the road, and now find themselves the losers of three straight at home. It's why, when the Saints visit Pittsburgh on Sunday, they'll be underdogs for just the second time this season.
The Saints offense hasn't been the problem – other than Brees' turnovers – so here's a few things to watch on the defensive side of the ball.
THIRD-DOWN EFFICIENCY
The Saints defense, which owns the NFL's worst third-down efficiency, must find a way to get off the field on the most critical of downs. It's been their Achilles' heel all season, but particularly over the last two weeks, when they allowed Cincinnati and Baltimore to each convert 9 of 13 third-down attempts.
Against Baltimore, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was noticeably more aggressive on third down, dialing up the blitz on several occasions. However, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco made him pay by getting the ball out quickly, repeatedly finding open receivers for big conversions.
"Yeah it is frustrating when (the blitz) doesn't work," defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said. "Blitzes are coming open but (Joe) Flacco did a great job executing and throwing the ball. At the end of the day we have to execute better and I have to call better third downs."
The Steelers and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will do much the same as their AFC North counterparts. However, Pittsburgh is even better on third down and ranks seventh in the NFL.
STEELERS' WEAPONS
Roethlisberger, who is in the midst of his best season as a pro, has a slew of weapons at his disposal. Yet, his two favorites are wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le'Veon Bell.
Brown leads the NFL with 88 receptions, and is second in receiving yardage (1,161 and touchdowns (9).
Bell, meanwhile, has 191 carries for 951 yards (4.9 yards per cary) and two touchdowns. He's also, with 57 receptions, the Steelers' second-leading receiver.
But it all begins and ends with Roethlisberger, who, at home this season, has thrown 18 touchdowns to just one interception. Plus, he's a load to bring down.
If the Saints have any chance at pulling off the upset, they'll have to slow the Steelers' fifth-ranked offense (10th rush, fifth pass).
"It looks like the best one we have seen on tape. We have seen some good offenses in here. (The Steelers) look pretty good. This one is on point there is no question," said Ryan.
KEY STAT
The Saints defense was on its heels from the first snap against Baltimore on Monday – literally. The defense allowed an average of 22 yards on the first play of each Ravens possession (excluding the final possession, which began with a kneel down).
Said Ryan: "We have to be better than that, if you have an alignment issue that is a problem, if we get a call in late let's say that is on me (or) if we do not execute or if we have a matchup that is not ideal every little thing like that gets exposed in this league. It always has and it always will. We have to be as close to perfect as you can be to get out of this funk and we need to do it."
