I can answer this one... They kept an extra blocker in at all times, Gronk, A RB, or they threw quickly...Teams were allowed to hold much more this season, as holding penalties were down 70%!! Also, unlike the last time we played them they had Ali Marpet who is a talented guard.
All that being said, if you think we got mauled in the pass game you should go back and watch Jensen’s (their center) thorough and utter destruction of “Thor”, It looked like a high school kid bullying the fork out of a 4th grader. It was the most embarrassing game film I’ve seen on a Saints player in 15 years.