The Green Bay Packers are coming off one of the worst fourth quarters on offense in recent team history and will now head into a game against a veteran defense bringing an impressive streak to Lambeau Field.
The New Orleans Saints — who are traveling to Green Bay for the Packers’ home opener in Week 3 — have allowed 20 or fewer points in 10 straight games dating back to last season, including Monday night’s 20-17 win over the Carolina Panthers. The streak is a new franchise record, per Saints PR.
The last team to score more than 20 points against the Saints was the Baltimore Ravens (27) in Week 9 of last season.
We asked John Sigler of Saints Wire to help explain how the Saints have been so good at limiting points recently.
“They’ve done a great job keeping teams out of the red zone which limits scoring opportunities. I would have to check but I bet they rank very low along red zone conversion attempts. They also don’t allow many big plays. The defense plays with a lot of discipline against the pass. Also helps that they’ve seen few upper tier QB’s during this stretch.”
The Saints (2-0) have allowed 15 and 17 points this season. The team’s 16.0 points allowed per game ranks fifth in the NFL.
The Packers scored 38 points in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears and had 24 points entering the fourth quarter on Sunday in Atlanta. But Jordan Love was 0-for-6 passing, the offense didn’t get a first down and the Packers gained all of seven total yards over 10 plays during a nightmare fourth quarter. The Packers didn’t have left tackle David Bakhtiari, receiver Christian Watson and running back Aaron Jones, and left guard Elgton Jenkins exited with a multi-week knee injury. It’s unclear if any of the four will play on Sunday.
The Saints defense has four takeaways while allowing 4.6 yards per play, one passing touchdown and zero rushing touchdownsthis season. No team has passed for over 200 yards against the Saints in 2023. Last season, only seven teams produced 200 or more passing yards against the Saints, including zero games with 300 or more.
Situationally, the Saints defense ranks third best on third down and third best in the red zone. Opponents have converted 23.1 percent of third downs and scored just one touchdown on six red-zone trips in 2023.
Overall, the Saints have allowed only three passing plays over 20 yards this season, and the longest run allowed was a 26-yard scramble by Bryce Young.
Can Love and the Packers be the team that busts the Saints’ 10-game streak of allowing 20 or fewer points? Matt LaFleur’s team will likely need Bakhtiari, Jones and Watson back in the lineup to get it done against a team with veterans all over the defense, including defensive ends Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson, linebacker Demario Davis, cornerback Marshon Lattimore and safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye.