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Week 3 of the NFL regular season is now in the books. Here are all of the major outlets’ power rankings. So how do the New Orleans Saints rank? (change from the previous week are in parentheses)
ESPN - #5 (+4)
The Saints have allowed nine pass plays of at least 30 yards and five touchdown passes of at least 30 yards, both of which are most in the NFL. The Saints gave up four such touchdown passes all of last season..
USA Today - #3 (+9)
Drew Brees on pace for 5,749 pass yards, 80.6% completion rate. Michael Thomas on pace for 203 catches. Sick numbers even by New Orleans standards.
CBS - #8 (+7)
They have major defensive issues that need to be fixed, but that offense can score on anybody.
NFL - #6 (+6)
Heckuva bounce-back for the Saints on the road following a sloppy loss to the Bucs and a sloppy win over the Browns. Against the Falcons, the offense simply couldn’t be stopped. As a sub-conversation, Michael Thomas might be the most underrated superstar in the NFL. In three games, he’s posted 38 catches for 398 yards and three scores. That’s redonkulous. Consider also thatMark Ingram will be returning from suspension in two weeks, and that this defense has been playing far under its potential. Ingram’s return should allow New Orleans to play more ball control while giving the other side of the ball a blow.
SB Nation - #7 (+7)
Bleacher Report - #4 (+9)
The New Orleans Saints pulled off their most impressive drive of the 2018 season Sunday in Atlanta, taking the opening kickoff in overtime and methodically marching the length of the field for the winning score.
It was a thrilling end to an important divisional game. A game in which Drew Brees broke the NFL record for the most pass completions in a career.
The game was a showcase for wide receiver Michael Thomas and tailback Alvin Kamara. Thomas continued his red-hot start, catching 10 passes for 129 yards. Kamara touched the ball an eye-popping 31 times for an equally eye-popping 190 total yards.
This game made a lot of fantasy owners happy.
It did not, however, please Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. The Saints surrendered over 400 yards of total offense and five touchdowns to quarterback Matt Ryan.
In that respect, the 2018 Saints are looking eerily like so many teams in New Orleans during the Brees era.
They can move up and down the field at will. But they can’t stop opponents from doing the same.
Yahoo - #12 (+4)
What Drew Brees did on Sunday was simply incredible. What a player. But let’s not just ignore that for the second time in three weeks, the Saints defense was terrible. It’s strange because it’s basically the same group that was very good last season.