Kick-off on the night of Thursday to Friday at 2:15 a.m.
New Orleans Saints (2-4) – Denver Broncos (3-3)
The past and the present. This Thursday evening, Sean Payton returns to the city with which he won the Super Bowl, 14 years ago. Forgotten the 15 years as head coach of the Saints, punctuated in particular by a title of coach of the year, the Californian will this time wear a new costume. Leading the Broncos, this is his first time back at Caesars Superdome since leaving in 2023.
On the field, Saints and Broncos are coming off heavy defeats against their division rivals. This match is therefore the perfect opportunity to clear our minds and get back on track. In an uncommon duel in NFL history, the Broncos have the psychological ascendancy. They lead the series 9 to 3, including 5 consecutive victories between 2000 and 2016. Since then, the Saints have turned things around. On November 29, 2020, the date of the last match between the two teams, the Louisianans indeed won in a picturesque match (31-3) against the Broncos affected by Covid-19, who had had to start the quarterback position the wide receiver Kendall Hinton. The situation will be less original this Thursday, even if the two quarterbacks have barely more NFL experience than Hinton.
Decimated by injuries, the Saints are no longer moving forward
A surprise team at the start of the season, with a 2-0 obtained by crushing their first opponents, the Saints have just lost four games in a row. And the last of these four defeats was probably the most painful. Outclassed by the Buccaneers, the Louisianans took a hurricane head-on (27-51).
A recent drop in performances which can be explained firstly by the slaughter of injuries affecting New Orleans. Of the 11 starters in the attack from the opening match, only 4 remained in training this Tuesday! The line is thinned, the two best receivers are affected, and Derek Carr is on the sideline for several weeks. Alvin Kamara still carries this attack, but he is now supported by a rookie in the person of Spencer Rattler.
Wounds, however, should not be the tree that hides the forest. Built to be a team built on defensive success, the Saints haven't been there for 3 weeks. To the 51 points inflicted by the Bucs, we must add the 26 conceded to the Falcons then to the Chiefs. An average of 34.3 points conceded is insufficient to claim better. Worse still, the defense is 30th in the league against the pass, and 20th against the run. An aspect of the defense which also faltered against Tampa, conceding a whopping 277 yards on the ground. While they will face a less experienced offensive squad, it is a great opportunity to restart the machine.
Sean Payton must find the key to the offense
The Broncos' three-game winning streak ended with a 16-23 loss to the Chargers on Sunday. Colorado's players learned the hard way that you can hardly win a game by playing only one quarter.
The offensive problems were once again glaring, and the defense, without Patrick Surtain II, did not hold its ground. Disconcerted by the loss of its best player in its first game, Vance Joseph's squad took too long to adjust. Justin Herbert then took the opportunity to dissect them for three quarters, enough to win despite Denver's ultimate revolt. Surtain will likely be absent again this Thursday night, but Denver can prepare to play without him this time. Enough to get the squad back into formation?
As sluggish as ever, the attack was still slipping during the majority of Sunday's game. Well damaged on the offensive line, she is unable to put her ground game in place. No Denver running back has exceeded 100 yards in a game this season, and Bo Nix is almost the most prolific runner. A situation far from ideal for this same Nix, while the defenses face an attack which turns out to be predictable. The announced return of Mike McGlinchey on the right of the line, as well as the apparent weakness of the Saints defense should help to free themselves on the ground. And why not rely more on Audric Estime, as Sean Payton mentioned this week?
Players to watch: Spencer Rattler & Bo Nix
7 starts in the NFL. This is the low total presented by the two quarterbacks who will start this Thursday evening. Among the locals, Spencer Rattler posted a 22/40 for 243 yards as well as a touchdown for his professional debut. He also ran for 27 yards on 4 carries, but he made too many youthful mistakes: Two thrown interceptions and a loose ball then lost. He notably showed his limits when the Buccaneers' blitz intensified. It's up to him to take advantage of this first experience and continue his progress during Thursday's confrontation.
On the other side, Bo Nix almost acts as a veteran with his 6 matches under his belt. This Sunday, he once again alternated between the good and the less good. Non-existent in the first period, including an interception on his first throw, he pulled himself together and finished very strong. With a total of 216 yards for 2 touchdowns and an interception, as well as 61 yards on the ground, he has a decent statistical record. He is now expected to be more decisive, and not just play in bits and pieces. Facing a very permeable defense, he will have the opportunity to prove his value.
The prediction: Denver Broncos
Sean Payton shows up on his old home turf with a much better defense than the Saints. Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator of the Broncos, should also strive to blitz at all costs in order to destabilize rookie Spencer Rattler. Denver wants to be a run-oriented team, and if they can get their ground game going against the Saints' shaky defense, they have a good chance of coming out on top. Even more so in the face of locals who are very affected by injuries.
