Saints Discover If You Stop Welker, You Slow Patriots

The New Orleans Saints have confirmed what had been suspected for quite some time now: The Patriots’ offense goes as Wes Welker goes.

This season, when Welker catches at least nine balls for 80 yards, the Patriots are 5-1. He was out for their worst offensive game of the year, a 16-9 loss in Week 2 to the Jets. And three of the Patriots’ four highest-scoring games have come when Welker tops 100 yards receiving.

Welker himself acknowledges that the Saints’ defense showed the Patriots looks that they hadn’t seen before.

Using a corner to jam him off the line, the Saints were able to force Welker over the middle, where safety Darren Sharper was almost always waiting to knock him back to New England. As a result, Welker averaged barely more than two yards after the catch — the area of his game where he is considered most dangerous.

Credit New Orleans for also taking Randy Moss out of the picture by flanking him or bracketing him at almost all times, save for one deep ball where it looked like help arrived late.

But clearly, neutralizing Welker was the direct blow to a Patriots offense that honestly felt it had the chops to hang with the high-powered Saints.

After Monday, it’s fair to wonder about that. And that’s not necessarily an indictment of the Patriots’ offense, although even Bill Belichick would admit they have their share of kinks to work through. It has more to do with the indisputable fact that the New Orleans Saints are an offensive powerhouse and not a fluke. They are the reprise of the Greatest Show on Turf (the ’99 Rams, for those of you in the know). They are even the 2007 Patriots, but without a true Randy Moss. Drew Brees just makes it look like they have about five Randy Mosses.

Did the Saints expose the Patriots on Monday night?

Absolutely.

But find me a team they haven’t they exposed this year, en route to an 11-0 start.

Four Downs: Patriots at Dolphins, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
First down: You better lock it up
The Bayou blowout aside, the Patriots still have a chance to essentially lock up the AFC East title on Sunday against the Dolphins, who trail New England by two games with five to play. Listening to the talk coming out of the Patriots’ locker room over the last few days, it’s clear that they’ve shifted their focus to this point.

Second down: Still wild
Ronnie Brown will sit this one out after suffering a season-ending injury, but the Patriots still must be wary of the Wildcat. For starters, Ricky Williams is proving he can still carry the rock. But remember, incredibly athletic rookie Pat White was drafted out of West Virginia with the Wildcat in mind, and he has seen some success this year playing in that formation.

Third down: Maroney grounded
One of the biggest criticisms I had (and heard, too) after the Patriots’ loss to the Saints was their abandonment of the running game. Obviously, at some point, the Patriots had to chuck the run and start throwing to make up a double-digit deficit, but I just thought they bailed on a hard-running Laurence Maroney a little too early in the first half. The fumble — his third in as many games — sure didn’t help his cause, though.

Fourth down: Tighten up
At some point, especially with Welker and Moss blanketed, the Patriots will have to get something from their tight ends (and Sam Aiken, too). The Saints basically dared Tom Brady and the Pats to beat them over the middle with Ben Watson and Co., and we saw how that played out.

Around the NFL

Forward Progress
1. Brett Favre: For those of you who still doubt Brett Favre (yeah you, Chandler), witness that 392-yard, three-touchdown effort in a 36-10 win over the Bears. I’m still leery of December with Brett, for what it’s worth.

2. Vince Young: Huh. A 99-yard, game-winning touchdown drive directed by Vince Young. Who knew?

3. Larry Johnson: Finds new life and legs (albeit for one week against the Browns), rushing for 107 yards in relief of Cedric Benson.

Down and Out
1. Matt Schaub:Wishing he had that second half back against the Colts.

2. Adrian Peterson:The Vikings’ running back coughed up the ball three times (only lost one, though), then gets nailed for doing 109 mph on the highway heading to a team meeting. Which the officer made him late for. Whoops.

3. Brandon Meriweather:Hate to single him out because I like his game, but that blown coverage on the 75-yard touchdown to Devry Henderson on Monday was as bad as we’ve ever seen a Bill Belichick defense look on one single play.

Film Room
Just in case you weren’t impressed with his (ahem, man) coverage of Randy Moss, Darrelle Revis held four-time Pro Bowler Steve Smith to one catch for five yards in the Jets’ 17-6 win over the Panthers. He also hauled in two picks, including this one channeling his inner Franco Harris.

Fantasy Fix
I got nothing. C’mon, have you checked out just how bad More Cowbell has looked this season? The last think you need is fantasy football advice from me.

P.S. Don’t start Tony Romo against the Giants this week. Remember Cabo. I’m just saying.