The NFC will see some tough battles this season, as it always has. For New Orleans Saints fans the matchup in Week 2 will be a preview of what they can anticipate, providing what I think will be a major test for both teams.
For the New Orleans Saints, who get a some what less than challenging contest against the Detroit Lions as their home opener in the Super Dome, the Philadelphia Eagles provide a much stronger challenge. The Saints high octane offense will see an Eagles defensive unit that finished 2008 third in the NFL in total yards allowed, and 4th in points allowed. So there’s some real competition here and it won’t be hard for the Eagles defense to get stoked about playing.
The real crux of the matter for Saints fans will be how their defense does against Donovan McNabb and the Eagles offense. The Eagles offense was the sixth highest scoring offense in the NFL in 2008. This was while McNabb struggled late in the season with turnovers. But the Eagles will see a big rebound offensively if Brian Westbrook returns healthy. The whole scheme of their offense went out the window in 2008 when he wasn’t available. Bottom line? I can’t discount the Detroit Lions, and I have a lot of confidence in the Saints offense. The crucial factor is the success of the New Orleans Saints in 2009 is the defense. A good performance against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia will boost hopes for a playoff spot.
