Saints offense must be prepared for blitz-heavy Vikings defense in Week 10
The New Orleans Saints offensive line has seen inconsistencies this season. That being said, the past few games have been their best in front of quarterback Derek Carr. Erik McCoy is playing great football, and Ryan Ramczyk looks like the Pro Bowler that he has been in the past. Those two standouts, as well as […]
The New Orleans Saints offensive line has seen inconsistencies this season. That being said, the past few games have been their best in front of quarterback Derek Carr.
Erik McCoy is playing great football, and Ryan Ramczyk looks like the Pro Bowler that he has been in the past. Those two standouts, as well as the other offensive linemen, will be challenged in a big way in Week 10 against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings blitz at an unreal rate – compared to other NFL defenses. Minnesota blitzes on 51.3% of plays, easily the most often in the league.
The Saints must be prepared for the Vikings to send extra defenders.
The stat also means that New Orleans cannot afford to take negative plays on first or second down. If they get into long down/distance spots, the Vikings will turn up the heat. That'll make life much harder on the OL as well as QB Derek Carr.
Accordingly, also expect plenty of Jamaal Williams on likely-blitz situations. His pass blocking ability has been very impressive this season. Both he and Alvin Kamara have worked hard in those scenarios.
Plus, we could see more quick, in-breaking routes for tight ends and Michael Thomas on Sunday. Carr will want to get the ball out of his hand in a timely manner, and he trusts those options a lot in those spots.
Regardless, the offensive line must stand tall against an ultra-aggressive Vikings pass rush. The Saints would improve to 6-4 with a victory in Week 10.
