10 things we learned from Saints' win vs. Dolphins in London

LINK by Jeff Duncan


1. The Saints have weathered the 0-2 start
After starting the season with losses to Minnesota and New England, the Saints have to feel good about themselves now that they’ve evened their record at 2-2. The Saints enter the open date on their schedule with confidence and momentum. And the slate gets easier.

2. Dennis Allen has resurrected the defense
As bad as the Saints' defense looked in the opening two games, they’ve looked just as good the past two. The Saints dominated their second consecutive opponent. Miami gained 81 yards and six first downs on its opening drive and was limited to 6 total yards and two first downs on its next five series as the Saints took control. Amazing how different things look when Tom Brady isn’t the opposing quarterback.

3. Ken Crawley needs to clear room on his mantle
The second-year cornerback from Colorado picked an opportune time to make his first career interception. His interception of Jay Cutler in the red zone thwarted a serious Dolphins scoring threat on the opening drive. Miami marched from its 15-yard line to the Saints’ 4 and had a first-and-goal when Crawley jumped the fade route by Julius Thomas and made a leaping, two-handed pick. It was a huge momentum-swinging play, and Crawley understandably kept the ball for posterity.

4. Adrian Peterson didn't sign up for this
The former NFL MVP running back was rendered a non-factor for the fourth consecutive game. Peterson’s longest gain from scrimmage this season is an 11-yard run against Carolina. He finished with 4 yards on four carries with a long run of 4 yards vs. Miami. It’s been a forgettable start to Peterson’s Saints tenure.

5. The Saints continue to not beat themselves
Although they came perilously close at times, the Saints did not commit a turnover for the fourth game. The Saints have never started a season without a turnover in four consecutive games. They were whistled for eight penalties but few of them were particularly egregious or harmful. All in all, it was another clean game for the Saints execution-wise. The 1995 Rams and the 2013 Titans are the only other teams in NFL history to not have a turnover through the first four games.

6. Zach Strief's rough season continues
Just when it looked like the 12-year veteran offensive tackle was back and ready to solidify the right side of the Saints' line, he went down with another ugly knee injury. The severity of the injury remains unclear, but Strief was in serious pain while laying on the field in the fourth quarter. The Saints have an open date to determine a plan of action along the line if Strief is sidelined for an extended period of time, but the injury is a setback. If this indeed is Strief's final season in New Orleans, it's off to a frustrating start.

7. The rookie class continues to shine
Rookies Marshon Lattimore and Alvin Kamara are coming on.
Lattimore matched up one-on-one with Miami receiver DeVante Parker and more than held his own. He gave up a few short throws but largely held the Dolphins’ primary weapon in check. Lattimore was credited with five tackles and also had a cagey forced fumble just before halftime, but the ball bounced out of bounds before the Saints could recover it. Kamara, meanwhile, had another fine all-around day, gaining 71 yards and a touchdown on a team-high 10 receptions and adding 25 yards on five carries.

8. Miami is not very good, especially on offense
Miami couldn't get anything going against the Saints. Jay Cutler had a nice first drive, but that ended with a pick in the end zone. Cutler was sacked four times, and the Dolphins also were only 1-of-8 on third down. The defense held tight for a half, limiting the Saints to a field goal, but wore down as the game progressed from a lack of support by the offense.

9. The league can burn the tape of the first half
The ugly first half did little to help the NFL’s mission to attract international fans to the sport. The teams combined for 11 penalties, one interception, two fumbles (none lost), a missed field-goal attempt and a handful of dropped passes. The execution was so dreadful by both teams the thought crossed my mind that head coaches Adam Gase and Sean Payton, whose contempt for international games is well known, might have personally sabotaged their teams’ game plans in an effort to prevent future invitations by the NFL.

10. The English weather lived down to its reputation
The game was played in classic fall British weather. It was cold. It was cloudy. It was gray. It was bleak. Highs reached 60 degrees, but most of the game was played in mid-50s temperatures. In short, it was exactly the kind of weather you’d expect to find in London in October.