Tag: Browns

Aggression will be a part of the Saints’ culture under Darren Rizzi

Darren Rizzi expressed belief in being aggressive prior to last week, and showed he practices what he preaches. Don’t expect that to change:

For the rest of the year, you can expect the New Orleans Saints to be aggressive with their decision making.

After losing the last seven games under Dennis Allen, Darren’s Rizzi won his first game against the Atlanta Falcons. When you change head coaches in the middle of the year, sometimes you get an interim coach bump. Was that all it was? The Saints will have to prove that through the rest of the season.

Beyond rejuvenated energy, the Saints displayed an aggressiveness that will continue. When he was first announced as the interim head coach, Rizzi criticized Allen’s decision to not go for it on a fourth down versus the Carolina Panthers. That told us all we needed to know.

The Saints went for it on 4th-and-2 on the first drive. This was a predetermined decision coming into the game by Rizzi. He’s practicing what he preaches and is aiming to be aggressive.

He may not go for every fourth down, but his message to Klint Kubiak and Joe Woods was “we’re going to be aggressive play callers.” You saw that on the fourth down throw to Alvin Kamara.

The two most apparent aggressive decisions didn’t work, but Rizzi still strongly supports the decision. This is who he will be and, therefore who the Saints will be for the remainder of the season.

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Saints rule out 2 players, 6 more questionable vs. Browns on final injury report

The New Orleans Saints ruled out two players against the Browns, with six questionable on the final Week 11 injury report:

Believe it or not, this is a big improvement. The New Orleans Saints ruled out just two players against the Cleveland Browns, with six more questionable on the final Week 11 injury report. Just one starter is out for sure — left guard Lucas Patrick (ankle) — and three others are in the questionable group between center Erik McCoy (groin), linebacker Pete Werner (hand), and cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry (hamstring). Werner at least will be a game-time decision.

That’s a far cry from where the Saints had been in regards to injuries for much of this season (and last year, and the year before that). Interim head coach Darren Rizzi made it a point to revise the daily practice schedule, but whatever the training staff is doing differently is working, too.

But that’s not to say the Saints have an advantage in health this week. The Browns ruled out just one player, defensive tackle Mike  Hall (knee),  and  the other five players listed on their injury report this week all practiced fully on Friday and will be available for Sunday’s game. That includes backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (right finger) and wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (knee). Check the final Week 11 injury report for yourself:

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Saints offense has a huge edge on the Browns defense in this key stat

Derek Carr has been one of the best quarterbacks working off of play action, and the Saints should lean into it against the Browns:

Pro Football Focus would suggest the New Orleans Saints offense has one huge advantage over the Cleveland Browns defense. That comes in the form of play action passing.

Derek Carr grades out as one of the best quarterbacks in the league when using play action. The lack of play action was one of the things missing from last year’s offensive game plan. Under Klint Kubiak, PFF grades Carr as the third-best quarterback when using play action. Against play action, the Browns allow the 30th most yards in the NFL.

That creates a matchup between a top-five quarterback and bottom-five defense in this specific stat. You can’t run play action all game, but New Orleans does like to hit shot plays off of play action. We saw it last week with Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s big debut. A defense that allows a good amount of yardage on play action could open the door for more explosive plays like we saw last week.

According to charting from Pro Football Reference, the Saints are tied with the Browns for the 11th-most pass attempts off of play action (72), but New Orleans has been much more successful on those plays. They’re one of six teams to gain 700 or more yards off of play-action passing. If the Saints are going to win back-to-back games, they’ll need to lean on this aspect of their offense.

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Saints secondary trending up on Thursday injury report vs. Browns

Kool-Aid McKinstry and Jordan Howden stepped up to full participation on Thursday’s New Orleans Saints injury report. The secondary is trending up:

Looking at where the New Orleans Saints injury report used to be on a weekly basis, they’ll take Wednesday’s injury report any day of the week. It was so good that Thursday’s injury report looking nearly identical is still a blessing, especially with the Saints’ history with midweek injuries.

Thursday’s injury report looks very similar, but there are two important changes. Kool-Aid McKinstry and Jordan Howden elevated from limited participants to full participants. The Saints secondary has been ravaged by injuries lately.

Alontae Taylor and Tyrann Mathieu have been the only healthy defensive backs. Howden suffered an injury against the Atlanta Falcons and returned during the game. The return of McKinstry and Howden give New Orleans essentially a full secondary.

Taylor and McKinstry are the future at cornerback. Mathieu is a veteran, but he will likely be on the team in 2025. Howden has been progressing and could be a piece for the future. If these four men are able to stay healthy, it can be a look at multiple foundational pieces in the secondary.

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Saints announce plans for Jahri Evans to go into their Ring of Honor

The Saints announced plans for Jahri Evans to go into their Ring of Honor during this week’s game. It’s another boost to his Pro Football Hall of Fame candidacy:

New Orleans Saints fans attending this week’s game with the Cleveland  Browns are in for a treat. The Saints will induct Super Bowl XLIV champion Jahri Evans into their Ring of Honor on Sunday, Nov. 17, during a halftime ceremony at the Caesars Superdome. Kickoff is set for Noon CT/1 p.m. ET.

Additionally, many of Evans’ former teammates  are  expected to be in  attendance as part of the Saints’ yearly  “Legends Weekend” event. Evans started at right guard during the most successful period in team history, and he currently works for the Saints as an assistant offensive line coach. He shared a passionate message to his players when he got the news during training camp, and was quoted with a longer statement in an official release from the team.

“It is exciting to have been selected to be part of such an elite group,” Evans told NewOrleansSaints.com. “I am grateful to Mrs. Benson, Mickey Loomis for selecting me for this honor. I would also like to thank my coaches and teammates for the role they played in my development and success, as well as our fans that gave us such great energy on gameday and inspired us to reach the heights of winning the Super Bowl.”

Evans will be just the eighth member of the team’s Ring of Honor, joining owner Tom Benson, quarterback Archie Manning, and defensive end Will Smith as well as several Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees: offensive tackle Willie Roaf, kicker Morten Andersen, linebackers Rickey Jackson and Sam Mills. This recognition is another boost to Evans’ own Hall of Fame candidacy after he reached the finalist stage last year. Maybe this time he gets over that last hurdle.

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Saints can’t allow Nick Chubb to have a bounce-back performance

Nick Chubb has struggled since returning from a major injury, and the Browns’ bye week may have been exactly what he needed. The Saints can’t allow him to bounce back:

This can’t be the game Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb returns to form, not if the New Orleans Saints want to win a second consecutive week.

Prior to being injured at the beginning of the 2023 season, Chubb was one of the best running backs in the league. There was hopes he could help add a spark to the Cleveland Browns offense upon his return. That simply didn’t happen.

Chubb’s best game was against Baltimore, where he averaged 3.2 yards per carry and ended with 52 yards.

Struggles should have been expected, and surpassing those expectations should have been a welcomed surprise.

Coming off a bye week seems like an optimal time for Chubb to step up his performance. Facing the Saints’ struggling also presents a chance to return to form. Missed tackles have plagued New Orleans this year.

Allowing Chubb to have a bounce back game will allow to the Browns to unlock their preferred method of offense. It also attacks the weaker point of the Saints defense. That’s a double whammy New Orleans can’t afford.

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Saints start with their shortest injury report in weeks vs. Browns

The Saints started with their shortest injury report in weeks before Sunday’s game with the Browns. Team health is finally trending up:

This is what you want to see. The New Orleans Saints shared their shortest injury report in weeks, if not months, ahead of Week 11’s home  game with the  Cleveland Browns. Just nine players were listed this time after what’s felt like double-digit injury reports had become the norm.

And of those nine, only three didn’t practice on Wednesday. Linebacker Pete Werner (hand), guard Lucas Patrick (ankle), running back Jamaal Williams (groin) weren’t able to go, though in Werner’s case he’s said to be day-to-day with a chance to play on Sunday. So really that’s two inactives and a single starter down to start the week

Of course that doesn’t mean everything is great. The team’s two best receivers, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, are both on  injured reserve and might be done for the year already. But we’ll take our wins where we can find them. Interim head coach Darren Rizzi expressed optimism that starting center Erik McCoy (groin) could return from I.R. this week, and that rookie cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry (hamstring) may return to the starting lineup after missing a few games with an injury of his own. That’s progress.

As for the Browns? Their injury report is even more brief than the Saints’, with the most notable listing being wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (knee), who practiced fully on Wednesday. Health won’t be in the Saints’ favor this week,  but for possibly the first time this season it may not be actively holding them back.

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Week 11 NFL broadcast maps: Will your local station carry Saints-Browns?

Week 11 NFL broadcast maps: Will your local station carry New Orleans Saints vs. Cleveland Browns?

This week’s New Orleans Saints game isn’t exactly drawing a big crowd. Between the Saints’ 3-7 record and the visiting Cleveland Browns at 2-7, only local FOX affiliate stations in each team’s home market are preparing to broadcast the matchup.

Between bad records, an interim head coach leading the Saints, and a backup quarterback starting for the Browns, the TV executives would rather shine a brighter light on other games in the early window.

Still, Saints fans through Louisiana, most of Mississippi, and coastal Alabama and Florida will be able to cheer on their team. So will Browns faithful watching from home in Ohio and a few surrounding areas.

Kickoff is set for Noon CT/1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 17. Check the map from 506 Sports to see if you’re covered:

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Taliese Fuaga is about to face the biggest challenge of his rookie season

Myles Garrett will line up in front of Taliese Fuaga the majority of this week’s game, making this the toughest challenge of Fuaga’s rookie season:

The main storyline when the New Orleans Saints take on the Cleveland Browns is the return of Jameis Winston to New Orleans. The biggest matchup, however, will be Taliese Fuaga versus Myles Garrett. Derek Carr will thank him if Fuaga is able to rise to the occasion.

This is the most difficult challenge Fuaga has had to face in his rookie season so far. Garrett is the reigning, defending Defensive Player of the Year and has made 1st team All-Pro three times. Simply put, Myles Garrett is in on the short list of best pass rushers in the NFL.

Fuaga faced another one of those players earlier this season, Micah Parsons. The difference between those games is the amount the rookie will see each player. Parsons plays on both sides of the defensive line. Against the Saints, his snaps were split almost evenly.

Garrett aligns primarily over the left tackle. He has played 82.5% of his snaps on that side of the defensive line. If the Browns stay consistent with his alignment, and they probably will, Fuaga will face him nearly every play. On obvious passing downs, you can almost guarantee Garrett is coming from that side.

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Jameis Winston revenge game has lost its luster without Dennis Allen

With Dennis Allen no longer in the picture, this week’s Jameis Winston revenge game feels markedly different:

The Jameis Winston revenge game has lost some of its allure with the firing of Dennis Allen.

There are two types of “revenge games.” You have matchups like C.J. Gardner-Johnson returning to New Orleans. There was true animosity from the safety. Then, you have games that simply features a player facing his former team, and “revenge game” is used jokingly.

We thought Jameis Winston facing the New Orleans Saints as the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback would be a true revenge game. Without the presence of Allen, there’s nothing to get revenge for.

It was Allen who told Winston he wouldn’t lose his job due to injury then kept Andy Dalton as the starter. It was Allen’s wishes Winston went against to give Jamaal Williams a touchdown against Atlanta.

With Allen gone, who would the ill will be directed towards?

Winston became one of the more beloved players in the Saints’ locker room and by the fan base. Under these circumstances, this is closer to a family reunion than an attempt for revenge.

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