Welcome!
I will start with the Hawks. We're tough to play up here, similar to how you guys are playing in your dome now. The biggest difference from this year to last is that we get pressure on the QB. Crowd noise helps that, which is why your defense is much better getting to the QB this year. Well, that and Jordan's development and a new scheme, but crowd noise helps both.
If we get pressure up the middle on Brees and force him to roll out, we'll be doing well. Brees is still good throwing it on the run, but most QBs aren't as good as in the pocket and Drew is no exception. It also cuts the field down; if you throw it across the field on our defense, it's going to get picked. We also need to be able to stop the run, as you guys have at times this year, looked dominant there. We've had some problems with run fits in a few games (TB, STL) and it caused us some issues. Our secondary matches up will with your WRs.
The other key to the game is shutting down Graham. Most of our fans say put Kam Chancellor on Jimmy, but I see that as a mismatch. We'll probably bracket him with a LB and a S over the top. Which means we're going to have to stop the run game with 7 and sometimes 6 guys in the box. The neat thing about your offense is you don't use Graham much as a TE; you're constantly spreading him out. So Bellichick's idea of putting a physical CB on him will work. Too bad we don't have Browner this game; I think he's tailor made to cover a guy like Graham: in-line fast but not great chance of direction speed, which B. Browner can keep up with.
For you guys, you need to stack the box, check to blitzes with all them guys in the box on passing downs, and hope you overwhelm our OL. You have to stop the run against the Seahawks. Two problems which I'm not sure how to answer for you: we got both of our starting Tackles back so our pass pro will be better and blitz pickup will be more solid, and Percy Harvin is back, which gives us instant separation in the short passing game...in other words a blitz beater.
The other issue I see for NO is that your secondary has some holes. Our starting 3 WR's are a mismatch against your 2nd starting CB, and I'm guessing that your #1 CB is even with 1 or 2 of them. An even matchup for a CB means you'll give up about 4-6 receptions a game.
The best way to compare the two is a common opponent, played in the same venue with mostly the same personnel. I watched the ATL game. Surprisingly, they had success running the ball on you guys with an aging Steven Jackson and a terrible OL. This should distress Saints fans, as we're a much more physical and polished run team, and Lynch plays on another planet than Jackson does. Also, they had a rookie WR ring up 9 receptions on your #2 CB. That's not good news as either Tate, Baldwin or Harvin is going to eviscerate that poor guy. Bringing safety help over the top on his side will open up the TE on the opposite side, and you guys didn't play well against Gonzalez (to be fair, most teams don't. and Miller isn't as good in routes as Gonzalez). You don't have an answer for Harvin, and your ST are average, meaning that we'll probably win the field position battle at home.
We played much better against Atlanta. The caveat is that the Falcons hate you guys more than us and were up more for that game. They also have more familiarity. It should be a good game, and if both teams execute well, I still see us winning the game as we have more talent on both sides of the field.
