Saints vs. Patriots has makings of all-time great shootout

Saints vs. Patriots has makings of all-time great shootout

9 years ago
Brace Hemmelgarn / USA TODAY Sports

Are you a fan of offensive fireworks, and looking to get the bland taste from Week 1 out of your mouth? Well, two future Hall of Famers have got you covered.

Tom Brady and Drew Brees are set to face off for just the third (!) time in their careers, having split their previous two matchups. And though both insist the end of the line isn't close, it could be their last battle, barring an unforeseen Super Bowl run for the New Orleans Saints.

And what a final outing it could be Sunday.

Both the New England Patriots and Saints are coming off embarrassing Week 1 losses and will be highly motivated to bounce back. Brady and Brees are arguably the two most competitive players in the league, so expect both offenses to come out hot, looking to re-establish the dominance that's been the norm for the past decade.

Neither unit should encounter much resistance, either.

Few doubt Bill Belichick's defensive genius, or defensive coordinator Matt Patricia's talents, but there are limits to their powers.

New England's lack of playmakers and athleticism on defense was on full display in the shock loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The linebackers had no answer for Kareem Hunt, the inconsistent pass rush allowed Alex Smith, of all people, to torch the secondary - the supposed strength of the unit - time and time again with deep shots, and Tyreek Hill ran wild - a significant concern given Belichick's love of taking away an opposing offense's main threat.

Not only do they now face the most prolific passer in NFL history, they'll have to do so with without linebacker Dont'a Hightower, one of the few Pro Bowl-level players they have.

Outside of defensive end Trey Flowers, who on the Patriots' front seven can make game-changing plays? It's a question that might dominate New England's season.

Yes, the Saints' offense looked lethargic in the loss to the Minnesota Vikings, as head coach Sean Payton attempts to navigate the crowded backfield, a frustrated Adrian Peterson, and an injury-hit offensive line. But the Saints will play in the comfort of the Superdome, and will undoubtedly put the ball in Brees' hands in order to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start.

New England's secondary likely won't make the same mental errors as they did against the Chiefs, but after that performance, it's hard to believe Brees won't pick them apart, likely peppering Michael Thomas with targets after a quiet Week 1.

Luckily for the Patriots, the Saints' defense is still, well, the Saints' defense.

If you thought Sam Bradford took advantage of New Orleans' young secondary during his three-touchdown performance, just wait until an angry Brady gets his hands on them.

The Patriots have been hit hard by injuries at receiver. Julian Edelman is out for the season, Malcolm Mitchell is on injured reserve, and Danny Amendola will miss Week 2 with a knee injury and a concussion. However, while most teams would crumble, the Patriots are a different beast.

The Saints still have to deal with Rob Gronkowski, Chris Hogan, a nightmarish four-headed backfield, and, oh yeah, some guy called Brandin Cooks who might be motivated to drop a few scores on the Saints.

New Orleans' group of talented corners, including first-rounder Marshon Lattimore, will be good in the future, but they're about to run full speed into a buzzsaw like they've never seen before.

Neither team started the season how they would have liked, and while the loser will exit with serious questions to answer, NFL fans are in for a feast of points.

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