The New Orleans Saints have their eyes set on the Indianapolis Colts this upcoming Sunday and whereas the season is heading into the midway level, this sport is a must-win. New Orleans is coming off of back-to-back losses towards the Houston Texans and the Jacksonville Jaguars in final week’s Thursday Evening Soccer contest.
They’re 3-4 on the yr and are at present third within the NFC South as they’re behind the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Forward of the important thing sport for the Saints, we’ll be making our predictions for this Week 8 contest.
The Colts themselves are additionally heading into the sport after shedding two straight as they misplaced rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson for the season. Backup Gardner Minshew has crammed in trying to present the Colts with considerably of a spark, however with the Saints of their approach, they’re at risk of dropping three in a row.
With all that being mentioned, let’s transfer on to our Saints Week 8 predictions as they’re going to journey to tackle the Colts:
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Quarterback Derek Carr again on observe, can have greatest sport of the season
It is secure t0 say that quarterback Derek Carr has been a disappointing storyline for the Saints to date. He is thrown for 1,600 passing yards, six touchdowns, and 4 interceptions because the offense has been a slog extra occasions than not.
It might be rising pains after being with the Las Vegas Raiders group for his entire profession. Whereas Carr has by no means been within the higher echelon of top-tier quarterbacks, he has sown previously that he can come up massive and be a quarterback to depend on. Coming into the crew with weapons like Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, and others, it was virtually assured that the Saints could be on the prime of the division early. To date, it hasn’t been like that.
Nonetheless, his season turns round this Sunday as he places up his greatest sport of his younger Saints tenure as followers will begin to see how a Carr-led offense will appear like at its greatest. The Saints offense wants some juice and positivity, particularly after the information of Olave being arrested for reckless driving. Particularly with tight finish Juwan Johnson getting back from a calf pressure, the offense might have a really potent efficiency Sunday led by Carr.
Alvin Kamara can have season-best efficiency
One other season-best efficiency will come from the Saints operating again Alvin Kamara, who since getting back from the three-game suspension, has been dynamite for the crew. It seems like he hadn’t misplaced a step or appear rusty due to the lengthy wait till an precise sport, but it surely’s increase for an ideal day towards the Colts.
Indianapolis ranks within the bottom-half of run protection as they’ve averaged round 118 dashing yards per sport and with the dynamic abilities Kamara has by the air and floor, he’ll feast on this crew. There’s a large chance that Carr might lean on Kamara to make performs on check-down passes when he will get pressured or nobody is open. This particularly occurred final sport when the operating again caught 12 passes for 91 yards on 14 targets.
Nonetheless, anticipate the receiving quantity to go a bit down as he’ll have a profitable efficiency by the bottom sport. Nonetheless anticipate a presence by the air, however not the ridiculous quantity of 14 targets. In the event you’re a fantasy soccer proprietor of Kamara, you in all probability took an opportunity on him within the later rounds. Congratulations, it is paid off and down the road, he might be a league winner. In the event you handed up on him, commerce for him!
Saints protection will frustrate Minshew
Regardless that the Colts offense is with out their thrilling rookie Richardson, Minshew hasn’t been that unhealthy as towards a troublesome protection within the Cleveland Browns final weekend, he threw for over 300 yards and two touchdowns. Anticipate him to come back again all the way down to Earth and set into actuality as soon as he faces the Saints.
The Saints protection has additionally been in a rut these previous two video games as it has been the primary time they’ve allowed 20 or extra factors in a sport since Week 10 and 11 in 2022 in keeping with the Canal Avenue Chronicles. Anticipate that streak to be buried because the Colts will not rating greater than 20 except there is a rubbish time rating late within the sport when the competition is out of hand.
You’d suppose that head coach Dennis Allen, the protection, and all people else is hungry and is wanting to point out the league that they should not neglect about them. The protection led by a proficient secondary of Marshon Lattimore and Alontae Taylor ought to have a strong day towards Colts receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs. Cannot neglect that the Saints protection is likely one of the league’s greatest models and may get again on observe towards the Colts.