Saints Must Break Their Recent Week 2 Slump For A Winning Start

New Orleans faces a huge challenge against Dallas, but an equally formidable foe might be the one they see in the mirror.

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints seek a 2-0 start to the year by winning a stiff road challenge against the Dallas Cowboys. If successful, it would actually be their second straight 2-0 start under often criticized head coach Dennis Allen.

New Orleans won this year's season opener with a 47-10 thrashing of the Carolina Panthers at home. They've won all three opening games under Allen and an NFL-best six straight season openers overall.

The Saints have gotten off to encouraging starts in recent years. However, they've been unable to sustain that momentum in the immediate subsequent weeks. Over the previous five years, they are a pathetic 1-4 in Week 2 games.

A 20-17 win at Carolina last year broke a four-year losing streak in Week 2 for the Saints. Even then, New Orleans played down to a vastly inferior team and didn't put the game away until late in the fourth quarter.

Weak Week 2 Performances

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) is sacked against the Carolina Panthers / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

UNMOTIVATED

Over the previous five seasons, New Orleans has lost four times to vastly inferior opponents. Those opponents would go on to have a combined winning percentage of .386 in those particular seasons, with only one of those teams finishing that year with a winning record. Playing down to the competition indicates an unmotivated team.

UNPREPARED

New Orleans scored an average of only six points in the first half of their last five Week 2 matchups. This indicates a team that was consistently unprepared.

Oftentimes, they wouldn't get into a groove at all until the latter stages of the second game of the year. In all four of those Week 2 losses, the Saints trailed by an average of 15 points with less than 10 minutes left in the game.

SLOPPY

During the last five years, self-inflicted mistakes plagued New Orleans in Week 2. They've averaged 10 penalties in those games, which often crippled an already sputtering offense or tripped up an already struggling defense.

New Orleans also committed nine turnovers in those games and had a minus-four turnover differential in the five contests. It doesn't get much more sloppy than that.

OFFENSIVE OFFENSE

Sep 25, 2022; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) can't come up with a catch against the Carolina Panthers / James Guillory-Imagn Images

The Saints averaged 29 points per game in their previous five season openers between 2019 and 2023. In those same years, New Orleans came crashing down to earth with an average of only 14 points per game in Week 2. Turnovers certainly played a big part, but that was only one of several issues.

New Orleans averaged less than 95 yards rushing in those five Week 2 games. In their four losses, they managed a meager 81 yards on the ground. That lack of balance exposed awful offensive line play, which also put New Orleans quarterbacks under seige. Saints passers were sacked 16 times in those five Week 2 contests, including 14 sacks in the last three years.

NO DEFENSE FOR NO DEFENSE

Sep 21, 2020; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) drops back to pass against the New Orleans Saints / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Saints have been a strong defensive team for the majority of the last six years. Even that aspect of their game has had letdowns during their Week 2 struggles. Over the last five years in the second week of the regular season, the Saints have forced five turnovers and recorded 13 sacks. Those aren't bad numbers, but not enough to make up for a lack of offense. Additionally, other defensive breakdowns contributed to the team's Week 2 futility.

Between 2019 and 2023, New Orleans allowed an average of 25 points and nearly 330 yards in Week 2 action. Those are not the type of defensive numbers that win a lot of games. Opponents were able to run the ball on the Saints with relative ease. Worse yet, even pedestrian quarterbacks have had their way with New Orleans defenders.

Derek Carr and TE Darren Walker looked like a Hall of Fame tandem in 2020. Former Saints WR Brandin Cooks tore New Orleans apart in 2019. Sam Darnold had over 300 yards passing against the Saints in 2021. Utterly Unforgivable.

BIGGER TEST AGAINST DALLAS, OR THEMSELVES?

New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen looks on against the Tennessee Titans / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Simply put, the Saints came out unprepared, sloppy, and unmotivated for their second game in each of the last five years. Even in last year's Week 2 win at Carolina, New Orleans played down to their competition. Most unforgivable is the fact that in each of those five cases the Saints were playing an inferior opponent.

New Orleans now faces Dallas, defending NFC East champions and a playoff team for the last three years. Over that span, the Cowboys have a 36-15 record and a 1-0 mark to start this season. In two seasons under Dennis Allen, New Orleans is an abysmal 3-11 against teams that are .500 or better when they face them.

The Saints should be riding a wave of confidence after demolishing Carolina to start the season. It's up to the leadership of this team, both on the sideline and in the huddle, to insure that New Orleans maintains a high level of execution and motivation in this early season test against Dallas.