Step Two: Third Downs Are Key
This might sound like another “Duh!” tip, but the key to beating the Saints is doing these key fundamentals well – their offensive game is built on sustaining drives, the key to which is converting on third down. New Orleans is sixth in the NFL on third down, converting 45.34% of their attempts – in their loss to the Cowboys, however, they were only three of eleven.
On the ground, this largely follows the advice given above, but in the passing game, the Cowboys put down a blueprint of how to have success against the Saints. The first key, is to know your matchups – the Saints don’t actually have a huge number of receiving options with Ted Ginn out with an injury; the keys to their passing game are running back Alvin Kamara and receiver Michael Thomas. But how can you take them out of the game?
With Kamara, the Cowboys plan was actually simple – they used a cornerback to cover him rather than a linebacker or a safety. Whereas McCaffrey dominates defenders with his route running out of the backfield, most of Kamara’s receiving game is either the result of being schemed opened or comes through him simply being more athletic than the man covering him. While there is a disadvantage to having a cornerback defending a running back on earlier downs, when it comes to obvious passing situations, this is something the Panthers really should consider. Corn Elder might not have shone during his outing against the Seahawks, but going against a running back, he may fancy his chances, and this allows the Panthers to take Kamara away without having to use extra defenders.
This is important because the way in which the Cowboys defended Thomas was to simply send extra defenders at him. This is something the Bears did against the Panthers last season – by doubling Funchess and McCaffrey, they forced Cam to throw to the likes of Benjamin and Dickson with disastrous results. This will likely mean leaving the rest of the Saints receiving options in solo coverage, but if the Panthers can take away Thomas with help over the top and underneath, they should like their chances of matching up across the board with players like Keith Kirkwood and Tommylee Lewis.
What this tactic will likely mean – if you haven’t guessed already – is the Panthers playing a lot of man coverage; this means they are going to have to be able to generate a pass rush without having to blitz, and this is something the Panthers haven’t been great at so far this season. Mario Addison and Kawann Short will be key to this, as they are their most effective pass rushers on paper, but in order to put them in good situations, the Panthers need to have their other players have success if solo blocked. Dontari Poe was never signed to be an elite pass rusher, but one of the hopes was that he would offer an improvement in pass rushing over Star Lotulelei, and while he hasn’t been put in great situations at times, this is something he will need to deliver on against the Saints, especially when paired with Short at tackle.
Crucially, the Panthers also need a defensive end not named Addison to offer something around the edge. Efe Obada has flashed at times but has yet to establish himself as a major part of the rotation and both Julius Peppers and Wes Horton have been somewhat disappointing as pass rushers for much of this season. The Panthers can’t magically create new players on the roster and are going to have to do more with what they have. As with the running game, the key to this might be keeping thing simple; the Panthers have a lot of talent and might be best advised to simply let them go out and do their best against solo blocks. Unless the Saints keep extra blockers in, they will only be able to double one defensive lineman, and it will simply be up to the other three pass rushers to take advantage of their matchups.
Up Next: Just One Touchdown More
