Friday, November 28, 2014

Saints vs. Steelers: Dissa 'n Datta

Photo credit: Maury Burgwin, Pittsburgh, Pa.
On paper, the Saints-Steelers game on Sunday at Heinz Field appears to be a matchup of two potent offenses.

Both teams have scored an average of 26.2 points per game. The Saints are third in total offense with 433.6 yards per game; the Steelers rank fifth, with 406.4 yards per game.

Both are passing-based offenses:
  • The Saints and Steelers are ranked fourth and fifth in passing attempts per game.
  •  Saints and Steelers rank third and fourth in passing yards per game (308.8 and 286.9 yards per game, respectively). 
  • With the Saints ranking 10th in rushing attempts and the Steelers 12th in rushing attempts, New Orleans has the edge in rushing yards per game (124.8 vs. 119.5).
The  New Orleans offense ranks first in the NFL in first downs (290) and first in third-down efficiency (50.7 percent).

What do these numbers portend? Who knows, but the forecast could be for a Breesy day in Pittsburgh on Sunday. Let's hope the Steelers secondary is ready for a busy day.