New Orleans Saints

New Orleans Saints: Key matchups vs. San Diego in Week 4

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Saints are 0-3 heading into Sunday’s contest with the Chargers. Here are some key matchups in which the Black and Gold will have to come out on top to finally get in the win column.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – OCTOBER 07: Drew Brees

There’s a lot of talk out there about this being the Saints QB Drew Brees’ first game back in San Diego after being unceremoniously dumped by the team following the 2005 season in favor of Philip Rivers.

Let’s put a dose of reality out there. Drew Brees isn’t the kind of player who holds a grudge. If he has a chip on his shoulder, it’s about last week, not something ten years ago. It’s akin to going back to your old high school ten years after you graduate. The building’s the same but all the people are different. It’s just not the same.

But the Saints are 0-3, the coaching hot seat is certainly warming up and the Saints are in, despite what you hear from Saints camp a must win situation with a bye week coming up.

Here are the matchups that the Saints must turn in their favor if they have any shot of breaking out of this funk.

One glimmer of hope that came out of the debacle vs. the Falcons was a solid start from Saints running back Mark Ingram.

Sep 26, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram (22) scores a touchdown past Atlanta Falcons linebacker LaRoy Reynolds (53) during the fourth quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Falcons defeated the Saints 45-32. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Ingram had some solid runs on Monday night and ended the game with over 100 yards rushing and receiving. Most of the productivity came on draw plays which the Saints went away from inexplicably.

They’ve got to stop doing that with #22. When he’s got the juice going, give the kid the rock. When the Saints get away from that, they become terribly one dimensional and that’s costing the Who Dats games.

The Chargers defense ranks number six in the NFL against the run, so this is going to be an unstoppable force versus an immovable object scenario on Sunday. If the Saints can pound the ball successfully, it will greatly increase their chances of winning.

If they can’t do this successfully, it will lead to problems with the next matchup issue.

Converting 3rd downs will be critical to keep the Saints in this game.

Sep 18, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Willie Snead (83) reaches for a pass as New York Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (41) defends during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

In a post game interview following the Monday night loss to the Falcons, Drew Brees touted the team’s ability to convert on 3rd downs noting it was a rate over 50%. That’s good news since going into that contest the Saints ranked 26th in the NFL in that particular stat.

The problem is that that number is a ghost. The Falcons were in what was basically a prevent defense for much of the game. The Falcons kept the Saints in front of the sticks. They weren’t always successful but what they did do right, was keep the Saints off the scoreboard when they needed to do that.

In the NFL, you get six points for a touchdown, one for an extra point, three for a field goal and two for a safety or two-point conversion. First downs and 3rd down conversions get you zero points. They’re a stat.

If the Saints want to win against San Diego they’ll need to convert 3rd down success into scores, which is a more meaningful statistic.

The most glaring takeaway from the Falcons game was the run yardage the Saints gave up.

Sep 25, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon (28) gains yardage against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports

Melvin Gordon is the Chargers’ running back. Period. He doesn’t do much catching of balls out of the backfield, and he’s the workhorse for the team and the only back with any meaningful rushing stats.

Though he’s scored four touchdowns, Gordon isn’t the most productive back in the league and in fact, the Bolts are a pretty one dimensional offense featuring the passing game primarily. This doesn’t mean Gordon isn’t capable of producing bigger numbers. And you can bet, watching game film of the Saints defense so far this season, the Chargers are going to try to test the Black and Gold in this area.

If the Dennis Allen led defense can’t find some answers to the team’s rushing defense woes, it will open up a lot of space for Philip Rivers to do what he does best and that’s go long. It’s tremendously important that the Saints lock down Melvin Gordon and keep the Chargers one dimensional.

Cornerbacks only get recognition for big plays and big failures. Two of the Saints cornerbacks will have to have plenty of the former to keep their team in this one.

Sep 26, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Mohamed Sanu (12) catches a pass ahead of New Orleans Saints defensive back Sterling Moore (24) during the first quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Back to the one dimensional thing with the Chargers, Philip Rivers really only has two solid and productive receivers. Tyrell Williams and Travis Benjamin have the vast majority of catches and yardage in the San Diego offense to date.

The two have combined for 54% of Rivers passing yards and locking them down will be job one for the Black and Gold. Once a huge factor, tight end Antonio Gates has only 6 catches for 35 yards and 1 touchdown. Rookie tight end Hunter Henry is actually doing the heavy lifting for that position in 2016 with 6 receptions for 92 yards over the first three games.

It’s obvious where the focus needs to be.

Saints cornerbacks Ken Crawley and Sterling Moore are quietly having fairly solid seasons in filling in for injured starters Delvin Breaux and P.J. Williams. If they can keep up their high level of play on Sunday, the Saints have an excellent shot at coming out on top in this one.

We’ll throw two into one in this matchup. The Saints have to keep Brees upright and Philip Rivers off balance.

Sep 26, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) tries to avoid a sack in the fourth quarter by Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Vic Beasley (44) at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Falcons won 45-32. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Continuing to miss practice due to nagging knee and hamstring issues, there is a chance Saints left tackle Terron Armstead might be out for this game after sitting out the Falcons contest. If that happens, Andrus Peat will once again be called on to fill in.

Peat is rating as one of the worst left tackles in the NFL to date. He had a horrible game Monday night allowing aging defensive end Dwight Freeney to bull rush him right into Drew Brees for a sack and giving up another on a corner blitz in a botched assignment.

The good news is that right tackle Zach Strief is having one of the best years out of any tackle in the league and good for him. He’s taken his share of badmouthing since last season.

So the Saints, if Armstead is out, will have to figure out how to help Peat on the left side and let Brees have confidence that he’s not going to be blindsided.

Conversely, the Saints need to get to Philip Rivers. The man loves to go deep, and he will given the time to do it. So far, the Bolts offensive line has given up six sacks. If the Black and Gold behind Dennis Allen can figure out how to keep Rivers off his rhythm with sacks and pressures, the Saints will win this game.