The New Orleans Saints don't have a running game. And they still might be the most complete team in the entire NFL.
On NFL Network
NFL Replay
will re-air the
New Orleans Saints' 26-18 win over the
Chicago Bears from Week 5 on Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 2 p.m. ET.
The Saints went to 5-0 on Sunday by showing they can beat a tough opponent on the road, winning 26-18 in Chicago. New Orleans played complementary football once again because it has a ball-control offense and an aggressive defense that plays well with the lead.
Yes, the Saints have a ball-control offense without a running game. They led the league in time of possession before Week 5 and held the ball for 36 minutes Sunday. Drew Brees had just six incompletions on 35 passes, getting rid of the ball before defenders could reach him. And the defense harassed Bears quarterback Jay Cutler with an array of blitzes all afternoon.
Here's what else we learned:
- The Bears fell to 3-2, but they have to be thrilled with wide receiver Alshon Jeffery's development. He continued to make incrediblytough catches on his way to 10 grabs for 218 yards and one touchdown. Brandon Marshall had just 30 yards on four catches.
- Rob Ryan's Saints defense hasn't blitzed much this season until Sunday, when he decided to blitz on seemingly every snap. Cutler and Chicago's offensive line had a lot of trouble recognizing where the pressure was coming from.
- Jimmy Graham continues to be one of the most valuable players in the league, and it's rare that a tight end doubles as a team's most dangerous vertical threat. Graham's 10-catch, 135-yard performance gave him four consecutive 100-yard games, tied for the longest streak by a tight end in NFL history. Graham did it in 2011, as did Tony Gonzalez in 2000.
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