Last season, a dynamic offense and a bend but don’t break defense led the New Orleans Saints to a Super Bowl championship, but this season a stingy defense is keeping the Saints in contention as the offense is struggling for an identity while missing their top two running threats in Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush. This week, it was about finding a way to win after last week against the Cleveland Browns, it was all about finding a way to lose.
This game was a defensive struggle for nearly the entire game, as the Saints defense terrorized Ben Rothlesberger and held a good Steelers rushing attack to 70 yards on 20 carries outside of the lone touchdown of the game, a Rashard Mendenhall 38 yard scamper that brought the Steelers back to within 3 at 13-10 after the Saints scored early in the fourth quarter on a Brees to Marques Colston touchdown pass.
The Saints running game was almost completely ineffective, as Julius Jones, Ladell Betts and Chris Ivory combined for only 30 yards on 20 carries. Brees used nine different receivers on a 34 of 44 for 305 with 2 TDs and 1 INT. Coach Payton and Brees utilized the short passing game in the old West Coast offense style as a replacement for the running game. Garrett Hartley looked solid on his two kicks, making from 31 and 23 yards respectively.
Most impressively, the Saints depleted secondary started the game with only one bona fide cornerback on the active roster, and 1st round pick this season Patrick Robinson went out early in the game, leaving safeties Darren Sharper, Leigh Torrence, Malcolm Jenkins, Roman Harper, Usama Young and Pierson Prioleau to cover the likes of Antwaan Randle El and Hines Ward, and held the Steelers passing game to only 171 passing yards. Altogether the Steelers had only 279 yards of total offense, and this was the fifth straight opponent that the Saints defense has held to less than 300 yards of offense.
Talk around New Orleans has it that Reggie Bush may be available for next week’s game at Carolina, along with starting cornerbacks Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter. Pierre Thomas was seen on the sidelines this week, but was still on crutches from the ankle injury he suffered several weeks ago. The addition of Bush back into the offensive mix would definitely open up the options of the Saints offense, and with Porter and Greer back would only mean an even stronger Saints offense. There is ground to be made up in the NFC South, but the Saints could be starting to get healthy at just the right time of the season. Perhaps the storm has been weathered, but the next few weeks after the bye will tell the tale.
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Kenneth works full time as the general manager for HomeSmart of Monroe, LA, a division of Aaron's Inc. 2002 graduate of Louisiana Tech University, he is a long-time Saints and Auburn Tigers fan, and watches all four major North American sports when he has the opportunity. 
Some good points that you have here. Think this bye week will help replenish our ranks in time for our game against Seattle?
Looks like we’re back in the saddle again after today. Wow what dominance.
No kidding. I really hope that this is the wakeup game that gets the Saints back in business.