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New Orleans Saints key ingredients to victory over Cleveland Browns
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New Orleans Saints key ingredients to victory over Cleveland Browns

It’s impossible to put together a 1-0 week streak without posting the first one, and the New Orleans Saints did just that last week against Atlanta.

Another 1-0 week is possible for New Orleans (3-7), when it will face Cleveland (2-7) and its old friend, quarterback Jameis Winston, who was a Saint from 2020-23, at noon on Sunday at Caesars Superdome. He will make his third straight start for the Browns.

Here are a few ways the Saints can make this visit an unpleasant one:

1. GET WHAT YOU GIVE

The Saints’ second tier will be on high alert for a few reasons. First, New Orleans allowed 306 passes to Atlanta quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​in the last game and committed several pass interference penalties, and until the unit shows it can play significantly cleaner, there’s no reason to believe the opponent won’t continue that approach. Second, Winston’s history suggests there will be opportunities to intercept a pass or two: He threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in his first start, but several potential picks were dropped; and followed that up with a one-touchdown, three-interception game in his next outing. He can run hot and cold, often during the same game, so the Saints should take advantage of the opportunities presented to them. Safety Tyrann Mathieu could add another three points to his team-leading interception total.

2. SLAM THE BRAKES

New Orleans allowed 181 rushing yards against the Falcons, and frankly, you’re lucky to win when you give up that many rushing yards. In part, this helped Atlanta score a whopping 35:07 in time of possession. The missed tackle problem has cropped up — unfortunately it hasn’t really gone away this season — and the Browns will put it to the test. Linebacker Demario Davis had a game-high 10 tackles against Atlanta and may have a chance to rack up a similar total on Sunday if the defense is again weak against the run.