The Saints suffered a brutal home loss last weekend to the Cleveland Browns who kicked their butts in every facet of the game.  Hopefully the reason for that was that the Saints were looking ahead to this weekend’s tilt with the Steelers.  The Saints need to get up for this game and defend their own turf which they have not done too well this season.  The Saints are only 2-2 at home this season and they have actually been outscored 80-71.  The Steelers are a great road team as they are 3-0 outscoring the opposition 80-46.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Saints have the ball:  The Steelers have a great run defense as they are only allowing 63.7 yards rushing and 2.8 yards per carry but the Saints are going to have to give the ball to Chris Ivory a few times in an attempt to keep the Steelers’ pass rush honest.  Make no mistake though, the Saints are going to spread the field and let Drew Brees chuck the ball around.  The O-Line is going to have to be up to the challenge this week so that Brees has time to throw the ball.  If Brees has the time to throw the ball there are plays to be made against a Steelers’ pass D that is allowing 235.7 yards passing per game.

When the Steelers have the ball:  The Steelers have the threat to pass the ball or run it.  The Saints must stop RB Rashard Mendenhall or it could be a long night.  If they succeed in doing that then they must get into Roethlisberger’s face some so that he gets a tad antsy in the pocket.  If he has a lot of time to throw the ball he will get it deep to Mike Wallace and short to Hines Ward and Heath Miller.

PREDICTION:  STEELERS 27, SAINTS 23

The Browns made a lot of big plays on defense and special teams which crippled the Saints today.  Drew Brees was pretty awful today as he completed 37 of 56 passes for 356 yards with 2 TD passes and 4 INTs (2 of which were returned for TDs by Browns’ LB David Bowens).  Chris Ivory got brought back to reality in this game as he carried the ball 15 times for 48 yards (3.2 ypc).  Marques Colston (10 rec, 112 yards, TD), Ladell Betts (8 rec, 48 yards) and David Thomas (3 rec, 33 yards, TD) led the way in the passing game for the Saints today.  The Saints finished up with 58 yards rushing on 18 carries (3.2 ypc) and they also completed 37 of 56 passes for 336 yards as they had possession of the ball for 35:34!

The Saints’ special teams made two big mistakes that cost them points in this game.  The Browns had a shocking fake punt deep in their own territory on which punter Reggie Hodges ran for 68 yards setting up a Browns’ field goal.  Punt returner Josh Cribbs started running to his right and then he threw a lateral pass all the way across the field to Browns’ QB Eric Wright who returned it 62 yards to set up more Browns’ points!

Defensively the Saints were pretty solid in this game.  Michael Jenkins (9 tackles), Jonathan Vilma (5 tackles), Will Smith (4 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss) and Jo-Lonn Dunbar (4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for a loss and 1 QB hit) led the way for the Saints on D in this game.  The Browns finished up with 125 yards rushing on 28 carries (4.5 ypc) and they also completed 10 of 17 passes for 85 yards.  The Saints are now 4-3 on the season after this very disappointing loss.

The Cleveland Browns come into this game all banged up due to OLB James Harrison’s cheap shots last weekend in Pittsburgh.  The Saints have not played too well at home despite being 2-1 as they have outscored the opposition 54-50.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Saints have the ball:  The Saints will likely give Chris Ivory his share of carries after last week’s breakout against the Bucs against a Browns’ D that is allowing 120.2 yards rushing and 4.0 ypc.  The Saints will still throw the ball a lot against the Browns as they will be looking for whoever CB Eric Wright is guarding because he stinks!  I look for Brees to spread the ball around and have success against a Browns’ D that is allowing 228.8 yards passing per game.

When the Browns have the ball:  The Saints’ D is going to have to tighten up the chinstraps with Peyton Hillis coming to town.  He is a good power runner and receiver out of the backfield.  Rookie QB Colt McCoy is drawing another start for the Browns and he likes throwing to the TE and the Browns have two good ones in Ben Watson and Evan Moore.  The Browns’ WRs are banged up right now so the Saints CBs should be able to handle them one on one.

PREDICTION:  SAINTS 30, BROWNS 17

22-year old undrafted rookie Chris Ivory out of tiny Tiffin College in Ohio is now making a mark with the Saints.  He was a long shot to make the Saints when training camp started.  Ivory went on to have a great pre-season earning a spot on the roster.  He was then sitting at the end of the bench behind Pierre Thomas & Reggie Bush.  When Thomas & Bush got injured the Saints immediately signed Ladell Betts and DeShawn Wynn because of a lack of faith in Ivory.  Last week the Saints gave Ivory his first big chance against the Bucs and all he did was rush for 158 yards on 15 carries (10.5 ypc) and he also caught 1 pass for 17 yards.  Ivory has played in 4 games for the Saints so far this year and he has carried the ball 44 times for 277 yards (6.3 ypc) and he has caught 1 pass for 17 yards.  Ivory is the Saints’ leading rusher as of right now.

The Saints have released 27-year old linebacker Clint Ingram.  Ingram started this season on the Physically Unable to Perform List.  His problem turned out to be that the Saints’ linebackers played really well while he was out of action which led to his release.  Ingram has played in 56 games in his NFL career and he has 194 tackles, 4 passes defensed, 5.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 2 interceptions (one returned for a TD).  If he’s healthy, Ingram will find another job but the Saints won’t miss him.

The Saints have placed 28-year old cornerback Randall Gay on the Injured Reserve List with recurring concussion symptoms.  Gay played in 4 games for the Saints this year and he had 5 tackles.  Gay has played in 39 games in his three years with the Saints and he has 94 tackles, 20 passes defensed, 2 sacks and 1 interception.  The Saints are playing pretty good pass defense but Gay’s injury hurts the depth of the secondary going forward.

The Saints took out all of their frustrations on the poor Bucs in Tampa today.  Drew Brees came out throwing the ball today as he completed 21 of 32 passes for 263 yards with 3 TD passes and 1 INT.  The Saints then grinded it out on the ground.  Chris Ivory led the way on the ground for the Saints today as he exploded for 158 yards on 15 carries (10.5 ypc).  Julius Jones pitched in with 32 yards rushing on 9 carries (3.6 ypc) in his first action with the Saints.  Ladell Betts pitched in with 20 yards rushing on 6 carries (3.3 ypc) with 1 TD run and fullback Heath Evans caught 1 pass and it went for a 4-yard TD.  Robert Meachem (4 rec, 71 yards, TD), Lance Moore (2 rec, 57 yards, TD) and Marques Colston (5 rec, 53 yards) did most of the heavy lifting in the passing game for the Saints today.  The Saints finished up with 212 yards rushing on 32 carries (6.6 ypc) and they also completed 21 of 32 passes for 263 yards. 

Defensively the Saints were all over the Bucs.  Roman Harper (7 tackles), Michael Jenkins (6 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss and 3 passes defensed), Danny Clark (5 tackles) and Marvin Mitchell (5 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1 fumble recovery) led the way for the Saints’ D today.  The Bucs finished up with 42 yards rushing on 18 carries (2.3 ypc) and they also completed 27 of 47 passes for 235 yards.  The Saints are now 4-2 on the season.

The last time the Saints came to Tampa they drilled the Bucs 38-7.  But the last time they played was a reversal of fortune as the Buccaneers beat the Saints 20-17 in New Orleans.  This should be a interesting matchup this time around and here’s a closer look:

When the Saints have the ball:  Drew Brees tortured the Bucs last season as he completed 51 of 66 passes (77.3%) with 445 yards passing with 4 TD passes and 0 INTs.  The Bucs have 9 INTs so far this year so Brees will have to be careful throwing the ball down the field.  But, Brees should have plenty of time to throw the ball as the Bucs only have 4 sacks so far this year.  I look for Brees to throw for his usual 300+ yards this weekend.  The Bucs do get pushed around in the running game as they are allowing 143.3 yards rushing and 4.9 yards per carry.  That could mean that Chris Ivory, Ladell Betts and Julius Jones could be somewhat effective if the Saints give them the ball.

When the Buccaneers have the ball:  Josh Freeman must have felt like the Saints’ had 8 DBs on the field against him last year.  In his two games against the Saints, Freeman completed 38 of 64 passes (59.4%) for 397 yards with 1 TD pass and 5 INTs.  The Bucs will likely try to protect Freeman in this game by running the ball a little more than usual with Earnest Graham and Cadillac Williams as the Saints are allowing 118.8 yards rushing and 4.1 yards per carry this year.  If Freeman has time to throw the ball he’s going to be looking deep for rookie Mike Williams and short to TE Kellen Winslow.

PREDICTION:  SAINTS 27, BUCCANEERS 24

The Saints have released 46-year old kicker John Carney.  Carney played in 2 games for the Saints this year and he connected on 5 of 6 field goals (83.3%) and 3 of 3 extra points good for 18 points.  He missed a 29-yard field goal last week against the Cardinals and it seems like he has paid for it now that he’s out of a job.  24-year old Garrett Hartley will be back as the Saints placekicker starting this weekend against the Buccaneers in Tampa.  Hartley has been the placekicker for three games this year for the Saints and he is 4 of 7 (57.1%) on field goals and he is 7 of 7 on extra points good for 19 points.  The Saints expect Hartley to be better this time around because they can’t afford to keep leaving points on the field.

The Saints have signed 29-year old running back Julius Jones.  Jones played in 2 games earlier this year for the Seahawks and he carried the ball 12 times for 30 yards (2.5 ypc).  He has now played in 84 games in seven years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 1,232 times for 4,875 yards (4.0 ypc) with 22 TD runs.  Jones has also caught 133 passes for 970 yards (7.3 avg) with 2 TD grabs in his career.  The Saints have released 27-year old RB DeShawn Wynn to make room on the roster for Jones.  Wynn played in 4 games for the Saints this year but he didn’t touch the ball and he had 1 tackle.  I like the move for the Saints in adding a running back like Jones as Chris Ivory and Ladell Betts have not been very dependable.