Saints vs Bears | Saints destroy in OT | 3 Pros and 3 Cons

After taking care of the Panthers last week the Saints traveled to the Windy city to take on Da Bears and it certainly had its moments. Saints vs Bears 2020 was a great game to watch, so let’s recap this game with 3 up’s and 3 down’s.

Link to last weeks review

Saints vs Bears | 3 Pros

Play calling

Give Sean Payton a lot of credit for calling what I thought was a tremendous game given he was down Michael Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, and recent breakout star Marquez Callaway, on the road, against one of the best defenses in the league. Sean put the Saints in the best position to win this game and utilized every player.  

Marshon Lattimore

With the exception of the touchdown and the 15 yard reception late in the 4th on Allen Robinson I thought Lattimore played his best game this year against Robinson, and even though he had some moments where he gave up plays his awareness is what got him the interception during the 3rd quarter. Heading into a big week against the Bucs there’s reason for optimism. 

Malcolm Jenkins

I’ll just say ever since the Green Bay game I’ve been more impressed by Jenkins play each week and against the Bears he was just all over the field with 8 tackles, 1 sack, and towards the end of the game he was glued on Jimmy Graham and just looked more comfortable in this defense.

Saints vs Bears | 3 Cons

Secondary

I know I had 2 starters listed as up’s, but secondary is too talented by be getting beat and still giving up the big plays, it seems like this is now a weekly occurrence Dan Orlovsky said on NFL Live that the Saints allow teams to take deep shots because there’s usually a blown assignment on the secondary sad thing he’s not wrong. 

Red zone defense

A huge problem from Saints vs Bears that was on full display is that the Saints have the worst red zone defense in the NFL and there is no other way to put it teams are scoring touchdowns at an alarming rate of 83.3% once they get inside the 20. In order to compete with teams like Seattle, Arizona, or Green Bay the Saints have to fix this red zone defense. 

Chauncy Gardner-Johnson

For the second week in a row Chauncy Gardner-Johnson again got picked on in the slot late as the Bears were driving for the game tying field goal 4th and 7 what looked like a busted coverage CGJ’s man Anthony Miller is wide open, 4th and 2 CGJ slips and Allen Robinson gets the first down, 3rd and 19 he allows Miller to beat him for 17 yards and sets up the field goal.