The most popular question I have gotten in recent weeks was: would it better for the Saints to play the Falcons or the Panthers in the first round of the playoffs?
My answer was neither.
After all, who wants to play a divisional rival to open the postseason?
But it looked like that scenario would play out for the Saints in the last few weeks of the regular season and it sure enough it did with the Saints hosting the Panthers on Sunday in an NFC Wild Card game in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome at 3:40 p.m. in New Orleans.
Honestly, even though the 11-5 Saints have beaten the 11-5 Panthers twice this season (34-13 on Sept. 24 and 31-21 on Dec. 3) I would rather face
Panthers quarterback Cam Newton again rather than Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan in the playoffs.
I just trust Ryan more as a passer.
With that being said, here are five things the fourth-seeded Saints must do to advance past fifth-seeded Carolina and on to the Divisional Round on Sunday:
CONTROL CAM NEWTON
Now I know I said I would rather face Newton in the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean Newton can’t beat the Saints on Sunday.
Newton will be going all out in trying to win this game and the Saints CANNOT let him get loose on long runs.
Newton is more than capable of beating the Saints with his arm, but New Orleans must make him do that instead of allowing him to break off back-breaking runs.
The Saints must make Newton change the game with his arm and not his legs.
FIND TE GREG OLSEN
Along with controlling Newton, the Saints must find his favorite target – tight end Greg Olsen.
Even though Olsen has missed parts of the season with an injury, you know he would love to put together his best game of the season on Sunday in New Orleans.
Limiting running back Jonathan Stewart, a veteran ball carrier, is always another big key to beating the Panthers as well.
It seems like Stewart is always good for a long run or two against New Orleans and those can’t happen on Sunday.
NO GIMMIES
This one is pretty simple.
The Saints can’t give away points.
That means no pick-6s, no fumbles or interceptions deep in their territory and no kick returns for scores.
The Saints must make the Panthers earn every point they get against the revamped New Orleans defense.
KEEP THE CROWD IN IT
Saints fans have been starved for a home playoff game.
It’s hard to believe, but the last one came in 2012 during the 2011 season in a Wild Card round win over the Lions.
The Saints can’t let the Panthers take the crowd of it.
That means early stops on defense and early scoring drives early will be extra important.
FINISH DRIVES WITH TOUCHDOWNS
And speaking of scoring drives, the Saints can’t kick field goals.
The Panthers, like the Saints, have one of the best scoring defenses in the NFL.
So the Saints must continue to be great on the ground with running backs Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara and in the air with quarterback Drew Brees and the unit must be solid on converting third downs and must finish drives with touchdowns.
The Saints have the top yards-per-game offense in the league but that’s won’t mean anything if they can’t finish drives against the Panthers on Sunday.
IN CLOSING:
People say it’s hard to beat a team three times in a season.
I say it’s not if you are the better team.
Let’s see if the Saints can prove that they indeed are on Sunday.
Staff Writer Kelly McElroy can be reached at 857-2211 or at kelly.mcelroy@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @KMacCourier.