As the New Orleans Saints’ offense has been the primary focus coming out of the bye week, the defense should not be ignored. Defensively, the Saints have had some obvious struggles, and this matchup against the Browns is a battle of weak against weak.
The Browns enter this game with questions surrounding starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, as he entered concussion protocol earlier this week. That means, as of this moment, Shedeur Sanders is slated to make his first start of the 2026 campaign.
The
loss of Watson will be a significant challenge for the Browns to overcome, but they weren’t exactly setting the world on fire offensively with him.
The Browns enter this week averaging 301 yards per game in total offense, which ranks 24th in the league. They rush for only 97 yards per game and throw for 204, ranking 24th and 22nd, respectively. They are also near the bottom of the league in scoring, averaging just 17 points per game, and rank dead last in pass protection, having allowed a league-worst 33 sacks in eight games.
This is an offense that a defense should be able to take advantage of.
The problem is that the Saints have a defense that an offense can take advantage of.
This game feels like the Vikings game, when Minnesota’s offense wasn’t particularly good, but the Saints’ defense wasn’t either. The Vikings went on to have a very impressive day in the Dome.
The Browns feature several players the Saints will have to keep their eyes on.
Running back Quinshon Judkins is the primary rushing threat. So far this season, he is averaging only 3.4 yards per carry, but he has game-breaking talent. Matching up against a weak run defense like the Saints’ could be just what the young back needs to ignite a resurgence.
Given the uncertainty surrounding Watson’s health, running the ball will likely be the focal point of the Browns’ offense.
The Saints will have to stop Judkins.
When the Browns look to pass, they will utilize a variety of weapons. Harold Fannin Jr. is a tight end, but he is also the team’s leading receiver. The Saints cannot allow Fannin to have a Brock Bowers-level impact against this defense.
When it’s not Fannin, the Browns will look to KC Concepcion Jr., the rookie wide receiver from Texas A&M. Getting him the ball in space is a primary focus of Cleveland’s offense.
Jerry Jeudy and Denzel Boston are the other primary receiving threats. Jeudy is a great route runner against zone coverage and knows how to find open space. He is complemented by Boston, who brings physical size, the ability to beat press-man coverage, and the talent to make contested catches.
The Saints will have to generate pressure on the quarterback, regardless of who is under center.
Playing against an offense that has allowed 33 sacks this season, while having Chase Young, one of the league’s sack leaders on your defensive unit, should make the coaching staff very excited.
Stop the run and generate pressure. Doing those two things will help a secondary that has been looking to return to its top-10 form from a season ago.
But stopping the run is a lot easier said than done for this squad.
The Saints are currently allowing 139 rushing yards per game, ranking 29th in the league, and the answers to fixing this run defense may not be found in 2026.
Hopefully, this game can ignite a renaissance of sorts for the Saints’ rushing defense.
How do you think the Saints will match up against the Browns defensively? Do you expect the Saints to have an edge when their defense is playing against Cleveland’s backup quarterback?
