By Mike Detillier / Sports Correspondent
In the past under coach Sean Payton, the New Orleans Saints were known as a football team built around a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Drew Brees and a top of the line passing attack.
That element is still in place with Brees and star wide receiver in Michael Thomas, who each week sees coverage rotated toward him and still gets open and is on a record-breaking pace for receptions in a single season, but the big difference in 2019 has been the play of the defense.
The Saints have invested a lot of money on the defensive side of the ball and the results are a big part of why the Black and Gold are 10-2 overall today and just finished winning the NFC South title for the third straight year with a 26-18 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
This off-season at the Louisiana Line Camp at Nicholls State University Saints defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen laid out what he thought was the key for the Saints to make a strong run into the playoffs for 2019.
“We understand that with the talent of Drew Brees, Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, our offensive line and the development of some of the offensive players we acquired either through the draft or free agency over the last few years we just have to do our job and get teams off the field,” Nielsen said. “Our first order of business is stopping the run. While everyone wants to see the quarterback sacks and turnovers and that is a huge key you get to that position to create turnovers and get sacks because you put teams in long-yardage situations. That’s how those numbers jump up, but you have to stop the run first and that is where everything starts.”
Full Story - houmatoday.com
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