Week 1 has come to a close, and for the New Orleans Saints, it ended with a victory. In season openers, Sean Payton was 6-7 with a 5-2 record for home games. In the midst of a pandemic and adjusting to a new reality, the New Orleans Saints season opener presented a statement: they can play without the crowd.
It has been said it is difficult to play in the Superdome. The noise from the crowd is like no other and the Saints team thrives from the energy. However, COVID-19 has limited everything we do this year, including how we enjoy the game. The members had to dig deep especially playing against Tom Brady.
New Orleans Saints Season Opener to Remember
If there was anything called a Super Bowl season opener, this would be it. Two NFL legends meet up for the start of the season in Tom Brady and Drew Brees. This is two of the oldest players currently playing football.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady, who has won six Super Bowls, made his debut with the Bucs and scored the first touchdown. However, Brady had a rollercoaster of a game. Brady was picked off twice by the Saints. In his attempt to reach Mike Evans, it seems there was a little bit of miscommunication between Brady and Evans. The second interception resulted in a touchdown from Janoris Jenkins.
One takeaway for the Buccaneers is a pretty good defense. The defense seemed to limit Drew Brees and Michael Thomas. Thomas was double and triple-teamed almost every time he was on the field. The quick defense kept Brees on his toes.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints played a pretty balanced game, but it didn’t start that way. A quick out at the start of the game gave the Buccaneers the momentum needed in their first possession. After that, the game was pretty much the Saints. However, offensively, I feel the team was trying to get in sync throughout the game. There were a few plays that felt weird. The defense may have played their best game in a while. However, they pulled a few unnecessary calls. Defensively, the team needs to work on penalties.
NFC South After Week 1
For Week 1, New Orleans is the only team with a victory under its belt. There is plenty of football left to play, and fans should not use this week’s game to speak volumes on the season. There are plenty of factors to consider. For starters, Tom Brady just left a more developed team and is practically a key feature in rebuilding and strengthening the Buccaneers. Teddy Bridgewater is now at the seat of the Carolina Panthers. Although the Panthers fell short today, they are also in an adjusting phase. Cap it all off with not having a preseason, all teams will have to adjust and learn their strengths and weaknesses during the first couple games of the season. For now, the Saints may have the most consistent team in the NFC South.
