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Saints Look to Avoid Dreaded 0-3 Start

The New Orleans Saints are 0-2 but their two defeats were only by a combined four points. Both losses have come in the final minute of each game.

That is something that a team still looking for its first win can build upon. New Orleans is in danger of missing the playoffs with their slow start, however.

This team started the last two seasons at 0-2 and finished 7-9 both years. http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/schedule/_/name/no/year/2014">In 2014, the Saints started with two losses by a combined five points, and http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/schedule/_/name/no/year/2015">in 2015, they started with three straight losses with only the third loss less than six points.

Just once in the Saints’ history have they made the playoffs after a 0-2 start, and that was in 1990. History gives New Orleans a http://bills.buffalonews.com/2016/09/17/history-views-bills-0-2-start/">12 percent chance of making the playoffs this season.

The Saints face a must-win game on Monday Night Football against their most hated rival, the Atlanta Falcons. While a 0-2 start is bad, http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/pattisonave/Making-the-NFL-playoffs-is-difficult-when-teams-start-0-2.html">only five teams have reached the playoffs since starting 0-3, and that was the 1998 Buffalo Bills.

It has been a strange start to the season for New Orleans. The team had a shootout to begin the season http://www.espn.com/nfl/game?gameId=400874543">against the Oakland Raiders but were in a defensive battle http://www.espn.com/nfl/game?gameId=400874529">against the New York Giants.

The Saints’ passing offense looks like its normal self http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/no/new-orleans-saints">with 333 yards per game for fourth in the NFL. New Orleans needs to get more out of the rushing attack, which is averaging 64.5 yards per game, tied for 28th in the league.

Play-calling could be one reason why the Saints rushing attack seems lacking. New Orleans has http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/passing/sort/passingAttempts">attempted 78 passes in two games. The Saints have http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/rushing/sort/rushingAttempts">only 35 rushing attempts over the same span.

Only the Washington Redskins, also 0-2, have few rushing attempts. The five teams with the fewest rushing attempts are Washington, New Orleans, the Miami Dolphins, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Of those five teams, only the Bengals have a victory this season. In fact, http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/rushing/sort/rushingAttempts">all eight of the teams that are 0-2 have 44 or less rush attempts this season. Only two teams, Cincinnati and the Kansas City Chiefs, have a win with fewer than 45 rushing attempts.

On the reverse side, the http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/passing/sort/passingAttempts">top four teams in passing attempts are Washington, Jacksonville, the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans. All four teams are 0-2 to start the season.

The Colts only have 40 rushing attempts. Of the other 0-2 teams, the Chicago Bears have 38 rush attempts, the Buffalo Bills have 43 rush attempts, and the Cleveland Browns has 44 rushing attempts.

Buffalo, Cleveland and Chicago are in the bottom five in passing attempts. That tells us that the Bills, Browns and Bears are very bad offensive teams.

Some of the teams that are at the bottom of the rushing attempts and top of passing attempts could have found themselves in a hole early and had to try to comeback.

But what about New Orleans?

The Saints have been in two close games and still are at the bottom of the league in rushing. One would think that being in close games would lead to more rushing attempts than New Orleans has this season.

Is New Orleans leaving hidden seconds on the clock by being a pass-happy team from incomplete passes?

That is possible, but it also could have another effect.

New Orleans is tied for 26th in third-down conversions on defense. The Saints’ opponents are http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/downs/sort/thirdDownConvPct/position/defense">converting 42.3 percent of their third downs.

The Saints’ offense is http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/downs/sort/thirdDownConvPct">converting 29.2 third downs. That could lead to a tired defense by the end of a game.

This is especially concerning since the Saints have injuries all over their defense. Those injuries could be why the Saints’ http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/defense/sort/fumblesForced">defense has just two sacks and no interceptions in two games.

Lack of depth, a pass-happy offense and a lack of quarterback pressure could be the things that are hurting the Saints’ defense. New Orleans might want to run the ball more and become a more physical team on the offensive line.

By running the ball, New Orleans can protect its defense, and the Saints just might stave off a 0-3 start.

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