The New Orleans Saints are hosting the New York Giants in a Week 5 matchup. The Saints are still looking for their win of the season after falling in four contests, while the Giants are entering with momentum after a change at quarterback sparked the team to their first win of the season. If the black and gold want to spoil the Giants’ momentum, they’ll have to take advantage of this matchup.
Saints’ defensive line vs. Giants QB Jaxson Dart
Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart made his first career start against the then-unbeaten Los Angeles Chargers.
Dart led New York to its first win of the season after throwing for 111 yards and a touchdown while also adding 54 yards on the ground and another touchdown.
Despite the rookie quarterback starting his career with a win, Sunday will be the Saints’ best chance to get in the win column this season. Dart is a rookie and is bound to make mistakes, and the New Orleans defense can force him to be one-dimensional. If the Saints’ defense can limit Dart’s rushing ability and make him throw the ball more than 20 times, they’ll likely be able to force turnovers.
The Saints’ pass rush also has a chance for another big day. The Giants’ offensive line has allowed 13 sacks in four games, while the black and gold are tied eighth in the NFL in sacks. Defensive end Carl Granderson is off to a great start for New Orleans, with 4.5 sacks through four games, ranking him third in the league in sacks. If the Saints can force Dart to be a passer, their strong pass rush can take advantage of the inexperience of the rookie quarterback and force him into mistakes.
Saints run game vs. Giants run defense
The biggest emphasis on the game for New Orleans on Sunday will be the running game. The Giants are allowing 153 rush yards per game to opposing offenses, while the Saints are top-10 in the league in rushing yards per game. In the loss to the Buffalo Bills, New Orleans had a strong run game, splitting carries between Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller.
Alvin Kamara is a star in the NFL and has already proven it, but Miller has yet to reach his third-round value. But in Buffalo, Miller finally got a glimpse of his potential after rushing for 65 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. The third-year running back’s performance was a perfect complement to Kamara’s 70-yard rushing day on 15 attempts.
The Bills’ run defense is bottom 3 in the league, but New Orleans has been consistent running the ball all year. The black and gold are poised for another strong day on the ground and could take advantage of their strong running game against a weak Giants run defense to get their first win of the season.
