After firing head coach Ken Whisenhunt, the Tennessee Titans and new head coach Mike Mularkey still have to travel this week down to the Big Easy for a Sunday date with the New Orleans Saints.
More at Titan Sized: Was Ken Whisenhunt the real problem?
All indications after the Wednesday afternoon presser, are Marcus Mariota will be back under center for this game and everyone is excited to see if there will be positive changes and maybe a week nine win in the Super Dome.
We got together with the FanSided New Orleans Saints site, WhoDatDish and their editor John Hendix for an interesting Q & A session. You can find my answers to their Titans questions at their site.
So lets get down to my questions for this weeks game.
Me:
1. How does Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints offense follow a win like they had on Sunday against the New Your Giants?
WhoDatDish:
It will be important for the Saints to get off to a good start in this one. The Titans defense is much better than many will give them credit for. They’re among the top of the league in terms of 3rd down defense, they’re extremely efficient at getting after the quarterback and taking the ball away, and they have a strong pass defense. This team is taking the Titans seriously, and that’s a good thing. I believe they’ll rely a little more on Mark Ingram in this game, which in turn will open the passing lanes.
Me:
2. Where was the defense in that game?
WhoDatDish:
That’s a great question. I’m going to go with, nowhere to be found. Seriously, the pass rush was able to pressure Eli Manning during the game and even sack him twice, but he was able to get the ball out quickly. Manning took advantage of some clear mismatches and breakdowns in coverage. On the other side of the ball, Drew Brees put Steve Spagnuolo’s defense to shame. It was a subtle reminder that Spags just couldn’t do anything in the Superdome. He didn’t blitz Brees but 5 times, and Brees took advantage of a very clean pocket. You can’t give him that much time to go through his progressions, he’ll just simply carve you up.
Me:
3. The Saints will be facing a new Titan head coach with a new game plan for his rookie quarterback. How do they prepare for an unknown like this?
WhoDatDish:
Sean Payton said in a press conference today that he fully expects some wrinkles to the Titans approach on Sunday, and that he’s sure that there will be some things his team hasn’t seen in the film. Mike Mularkey expressed his intent to get Marcus Mariota more protection, and the Saints defense is really starting to catch fire with their pass rush. They’ll use what film they have, and gameplan accordingly.
The biggest thing I’d have to stress in this game is to not beat yourselves. The defense has had some really bad penalties this season that have negated some big plays. They have to clean that up, and not let Mariota have the opportunities to move the ball. Delanie Walker will be a huge focal point of the game, and something to keep an eye on is if Dannell Ellerbe plays in this game.
Me:
4. It’s been a great run for Sean Payton and Drew Brees in New Orleans, especially after Katrina. With the talk starting to be about Payton moving on, how does it affect the future of Brees and this team?
WhoDatDish:
I firmly believe that Sean Payton has been reinvigorated by this year’s squad. A lot of outside chatter from the national media has suggested that Payton would move on from the team, but that was when the club was struggling. Payton dismissed reports, and the fact is that the team has really built themselves for long-term success with the addition of so many younger players. It’s a huge credit to Jeff Ireland’s scouting abilities, and the fact is that the young players have come together to really make a difference. In the off-season, I talked at length about this being the ‘litmus test’ for Drew Brees’ future with the Saints. As long as Brees is there, you should see Sean Payton there.
Next: Expect a big shift in Titans O-Line
Me:
5. Who wins this game, and why?
WhoDatDish:
The truth is that the Saints haven’t been able to beat the Titans at home since 1993. Yes, it goes back to the old days of the Houston Oilers. That’s how long it’s been. The black and gold have a 2-5 home record against the franchise, so it’s definitely a bad sign. I’m cautiously optimistic with this game, but I do believe given the mentality of this year’s team, they should win their fourth straight game. Drew Brees can dissect even the best defenses, and the protection should be strong for him. I think the weaponry is enough to overcome the Titans looks.
It’ll be closer than many expect, but I have the Saints winning 27-16.