Bell Tolls: Saints, Drew Brees looking to remain turnover-free
Paste BN Sports' Jarrett Bell breaks down the keys for Week 6 across the NFL:
Who’s hot
Drew Brees. The New Orleans Saints (2-2) head into Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions (3-2) looking to become the first team in NFL history to open the season with five consecutive games without committing a turnover. That reflects how careful Brees has been with the football in helping New Orleans transition out of another early-season funk (0-2) to suddenly get back into the potential playoff stratosphere. Brees has thrown 152 passes without a pick, with 8 TDs and a passer rating of 108.3 that ranks third in the league. Just as striking as the turnover stat is this: Beat the Lions, and the Sean Payton’s team will get above .500 for the first time since 2013. The Saints have been doomed by ugly beginnings in recent years, but with the defense playing better the past two games, they have reason to hope that this is the year they finally produce another winning record. Then again, Detroit looms as a trap, even with Matthew Stafford hobbling. The Lions, whose defense has feasted on turnovers this season, have won the past three meetings against the Saints.
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Pressure’s on
Ben Roethlisberger. After a disastrous, five-interception performance last weekend that was arguably the worst of his career, followed by the armchair psychoanalysis that persisted after Roethlisberger cracked about not “having it anymore,” the heat is on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback. No, Big Ben hasn’t been as prolific as we’ve often seen him (6 TDs, 7 INTs, 75.8 passer rating), but it’s still too early – and there’s too much healthy talent around him -- to panic. The entire Steelers’ offense has been slow to find its rhythm. Le’Veon Bell, the multi-tasking running back who missed training camp and the preseason amid a contract matter, could be the biggest key for relieving pressure and helping Roethlisberger get out of his funk. Bell hasn’t been himself, either. All of which makes the Steelers mighty dangerous heading into Sunday’s game against the NFL’s only undefeated team at Kansas City. Pittsburgh swept both matchups against the Chiefs last season, including the divisional playoff game at Arrowhead. Now the Chiefs may loom as the perfect matchup for Ben and Co. to send the statement that they remain the top contender that many envisioned them to be.
Key matchup
Mike Evans vs. Patrick Peterson. Chances are good that the Arizona Cardinals will assign Peterson, arguably the NFL’s best cornerback, to shadow Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Evans, maybe the most athletically-gifted wideout in the game. Generally, Peterson doesn’t get many balls thrown in his direction. But Jameis Winston will have to occasionally try it, nonetheless, with the 6-5 Evans providing such an inviting radius. The Cardinals should be more worried about whether Justin Bethel can handle the other Tampa Bay receiver, speed merchant DeSean Jackson. Chances are that he can’t. If Winston and Jackson can establish the flow they’ve been seeking, it could be the big swing factor. Then there’s the other Peterson in the mix for Arizona. Recently acquired Adrian Peterson makes his Cardinals debut against a Bucs defense solidified by two of the best young linebackers in the game, Lavonte David and Kwon Alexander.
Next man up
Roger Lewis and Tavares King. Who? With ankle injuries decimating the New York Giants receiving corps last week – Odell Beckham, Jr. and Brandon Marshall are done for the season, while Sterling Shepard is hobbling – Lewis finished the loss against the San Diego Chargers last weekend as the only receiver on the field. King has since been called up from the practice squad. And now the patched-up receiver corps has a Sunday night encounter into the “No Fly Zone” of the Denver Broncos defense as the winless Giants look to pull off a shocker. New York quarterback Eli Manning probably wouldn’t wish this scenario on his worst enemy.
Rookie watch
Aaron Jones. Green Bay Packers starting running back Ty Montgomery is expected to return for Sunday’s NFC North showdown at the Minnesota Vikings after missing a week to nurse fractured ribs. The converted receiver causes so many issues with his skill in the passing game. But Jones, a fifth-round pick from Texas El-Paso, showed during a 19-carry, 125-yard outing at Dallas that he has plenty to offer with his quick burst and decisive running. The 125 yards were more than Green Bay had rushed for in the past seven games combined. So, yes, suddenly, Green Bay has options with multiple backfield threats as yet another player has emerged during what is shaping up as the Year of the Rookie Running Back in the NFL.
Stomach for an upset
New England Patriots at New York Jets. It has been a while since the franchise that Bill Belichick resigned from as “HC” long before he ever came close to coaching a game has been viewed as a legitimate threat to New England’s dominance in the AFC East. And maybe now’s not that time, either. But as Belichick’s former boss, Bill Parcells, would put it, “You are what your record says you are.” And both of the teams that will meet at MetLife on Sunday are 3-2, with Todd Bowles’ squad riding a three-game winning streak that pushed the Jets above. 500 for the first time since 2015. Then again, winning a contest at the Cleveland Browns last Sunday in which rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer is one thing. Beating Tom Brady is another matter. Maybe Brady’s sore left shoulder will be something of an equalizer. Or maybe not, as Brady insists that despite missing a practice this week, he’s good. We’ll see. Of course, there would be a lot more pre-game noise if Rex Ryan were still coaching the Jets.
If the playoffs were today…
The Jacksonville Jaguars would be your AFC South champs. Yeah, Tom Coughlin’s team. Again. Coughlin’s not coaching the Jags, with that job handled by Doug Marrone. But his fingerprints are all Jacksonville’s resurgence, and it’s rather striking when flashing back to the mid-1990s when Coughlin quickly built an expansion team that advanced to the AFC title game in his second season. Sure, there’ a lot of season left and Blake Bortles (who threw just two passes in the second half of the big upset at Pittsburgh) is the shaky quarterback. But Jacksonville, one of three NFL teams with more rushing attempts than passes, has some foundation with Leonard Fournette fueling a ball-control offense while the emerging, big-play defense leads the NFL with 20 sacks and (thank you, Big Ben) 15 takeaways.
Did you notice?
The Sammy Watkins frustration line: 2 weeks, 1 catch, 17 yards. The big-play Los Angeles Rams wideout, shut out by the Seahawks last weekend, has gone quiet since his big game at San Francisco in Week 3. This is also a reflection of life with a second-year quarterback, Jared Goff, still in development in operating an improved offense that revolves around Todd Gurley, the team’s leading rusher and second-leading receiver.
Stat’s the fact
With Mitchell Trubisky heading to the Big ATM on the heels of his NFL debut for the Bears last Monday night, it’s time for a warning: Under John Harbaugh, the Ravens are 10-0 against rookie quarterbacks.
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