Five Reasons Why The Saints Win Or Lose Vs. Raiders

Here are five reasons the Saints will win or lose against the Raiders in Week 17.

Oct 30, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham (3) calls a play in the huddle against the New Orleans Saints during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Undoubtedly, Sunday's game against the Raiders is crucial for the Saints (5-10), not only for themselves but also for the Who Dat Nation. New Orleans must confront many questions as they conclude this disappointing 2024-25 season in Tampa next week.  

Before Las Vegas (3-12) and New Orleans kickoff at noon, here are five reasons the Saints will win and lose in Week 17.

SAINTS LOSE IF...

1. The Saints' Defense allows Aidan O'Connell to have a solid game. The New Orleans pass rush couldn't get to Jordan Love at Green Bay, but they must make an effort to affect O'Connell in the pocket and watch out for him extending drives with off-schedule rushes. They must have a few sacks to help with multiple pressures!
2. The Saints Offense cannot establish a rhythm early with Spencer Rattler executing Klint Kubiak's playcalls.  
3. Force Turnovers: New Orleans must win the turnover battle on Sunday...Period! The Saints defensive unit has 13 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries on the season.  
4. Stop 3rd & 4th Down Conversions:  The Saints defense allows 37.89% of 3rd downs to extend drives. More troubling is that teams convert 50% of 4th downs against the black and gold.
5. Explosive Plays:  New Orleans' secondary looked flat-footed against the Packers and lacked aggression against their receivers.

RELATED ARTICLE: Raiders vs. Saints: Odds, Prediction, And Money Line

SAINTS WIN IF...

1. QB WINS: Spencer Rattler must win in two areas: PROTECTING THE FOOTBALL and DON'T TAKE UNNECESSARY SACKS. Zero turnovers is a win. A couple of sacks may be a win. He has to be more decisive in this game. Also, using his legs against a porous Raiders defensive front will help.
2. WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE: No interceptions, fumbles, or muff punts. On the flip side, New Orleans has to create turnovers.
3. Steady Rushing Attack from Miller and Williams: The Saints must grind up the Caesars Superdome turf with a 110+ yard effort rushing against the Raiders. An effective ground game will take pressure off Rattler and chew up time on the clock.
4. Steady Play-Calling: Is it just me, or is first-year offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak sometimes struggling? Without his starting quarterback and weapons like Kamara, Olave, and Hill, it would be challenging to have the big plays. Still, the playcalling has become predictable and lacked the creativity that was expected from Kubiak.  
5. Red Zone and 3rd Down Efficiency:  For the moment, the New Orleans offense ranks 20th in the league by executing 37.31% of their 3rd downs. However, against Green Bay, they dropped to 36.3% on 4 of 11 conversion attempts. The team's red zone scoring efficiency is at 60%. Today, it has to be no less than 75% to defeat the Raiders.

These two losing NFL teams, New Orleans and Las Vegas, are combating futility with each other this afternoon at Caesars Superdome. Expect the Saints to deliver a passionate effort. Las Vegas lost rest by sitting in the airport most of Saturday due to mechanical issues with an airplane. According to reports, they didn't arrive in New Orleans until midnight.

Will it affect the game? We shall see.

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