First Look: Saints vs. Colts
The Saints (3-4) and Colts (3-4) meet up at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Sunday for a Week 8 matchup that will see one team get back to .500 after it's all said and done. New Orleans is coming off their mini-bye, which gave them a few extra days to reset and refocus for the remaining 10 games of the season. Here's some of the main storylines we're watching closely leading up to the game.
Saints Storylines to Watch vs. Colts
Oct 19, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen walks the sideline before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports
WHO IS THIS TEAM?
That's probably the most important question to ask this week. They're in a spot where they have to deliver, and it's up to them to beat themselves. To say the least, not putting up points has been the biggest problem for the Saints, and the offensive issues have been put on full display. As Dennis Allen revealed on Monday afternoon, no noticeable changes are happening with New Orleans.
What that says about this team is that they feel like they are going to make this thing work, but they have to make it work. You don't know what happens if they can't manufacture a win on Sunday, but you're also wondering if it would actually prompt change. The Saints hopefully found themselves with the extra time, and we'll know whether or not they did soon enough.
HEALTH WATCH
The Saints went into the Jaguars game with a hobbled offensive line that actually played a lot better than we could have anticipated. They should get some guys back this week, as we'll see what the status of Landon Young (hip) and Ryan Ramczyk (concussion) is, while James Hurst (ankle) might take more time to get back into the lineup, but also don't rule him out. So, we're paying close attention to the offensive line for starters.
It doesn't stop there, as we're keeping tabs on J.T. Gray (hamstring) and Juwan Johnson (ankle). Johnson could be a big boost for the offense, and hasn't been in the lineup since Week 3 against the Packers. The first injury report saw Demario Davis as a limited participant due to his knee injury, and it sounds like the plan is for the Saints to limit him as the weeks go on, which includes his rep count in games. We’ll continue to see Zack Baun on 3rd Down it sounds like too.
CAN THE OFFENSE OFFENSE?
The Saints defense has done everything they can and then some, but they're showing signs of faltering. New Orleans enters this week hoping to solve the complex equation that is 3rd Down and the red zone. Derek Carr said in his press conference on Wednesday that he initiated some calls with the offense and felt a greater sense of unity over the past couple days. They had tough conversations and put everything on the table, talking about their problems with an emphasis on how to solve them.
On the surface, it all sounds great. However, the skepticism will be there by the masses for the Saints offense until they prove otherwise. It doesn't have to be perfect, just show marked improvement and some consistency.
