Only a Slight Favorite, Saints Could Whip the Broncos
By Bob Rose
Oct 28, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) in the third quarter at Sports Authority Field. The Broncos went on to win 34-14. Mandatory Credit: Byron Hetzler-USA TODAY Sports
The New Orleans Saints begin the second half of their 2016 season this afternoon with a showdown against the defending World Champion champion Denver Broncos at home inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome — and enter into the contest as a slight 3-point favorite according to the oddsmakers out in Las Vegas.
On paper, it’s a match-up of strength vs. strength (Saints #1 passing offense against the Broncos #1 ranked pass defense), and weakness vs. weakness (the abysmal Saints defense against the struggling Broncos offense).
It’s a contest between an experienced and battle-tested team (Denver has won 5 consecutive AFC West titles) against a Saints squad that will have eleven players either starting or seeing significant action with 3 years or less of NFL experience — with even more than that never seeing a single down of post-season / playoff football.
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Denver’s formidable “No Fly Zone” secondary against the Saints young, under-publicized trio of young and emerging superstar wide-outs (Brandin Cooks, Willie Snead, and Michael Thomas).
The Broncos’ chaotic defensive Front 7 trio of Von Miller, Demarcus Ware and Shane Ray vs. the Saints previously underwhelming offensive line (remember, the one that was supposed to get Drew Brees “killed” this year?).
Broncos Pro Bowl wide-outs Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders eyeing up New Orleans’ beleaguered and patchwork secondary that just got starting #1 CB Delvin Breaux back from a season-opening Week #1 leg injury.
Now before any of us start practicing Vince Lombardi’s famous sideline quote of “What the hell is going on out here?!” and thinking that the home team is going to get thrashed today; let’s take a quick look at a few things that just might have Saints fans going to dinner after the game today with a smile on their faces.
Starting first with this…….