I like this matchup. Two veteran, cagy quarterbacks with a nice compliment of receivers going at it. New Orleans protects Drew Brees, than Kurt Warner gets from his line. On the defensive front, the pressure is similar- Arizona has more sacks, but the Saints have more hits. The Saints averaged 60 more yards per game on offense, while giving up 10 more per game. It is worth noting Arizona blew up gained 531 last week, while allowing 493. Those stats could be an abberation, but also show what they are capable of. The Cardinals have been much more efficient scoring red zone touchdowns, and are slightly more effective at preventing those scores. The biggest category-turnovers- is in New Orleans favor by a long shot. They were +11 on the season. I see this as a high-scoring affair with the Saints prevailing at the end. An Arizona victory would not be surprising, though. Final score 38-35 New Orleans.
Baltimore at Indianapolis
The Ravens had a nice victory last week, using mainly their ground game, since Joe Flacco's injury has limited his effectiveness. Indianapolis enters this game with a bitter taste in their mouths, due to management's decision to NOT go for perfection. The Colts protect much better, and have generated slightly more pressure. Offensively, the Colts have a slight edge in yards gained, while the Ravens have an advantage at preventing yardage. The Colts are much more effective scoring in the red zone, while Baltimore is stingy at preventing those scores. Both teams protect the ball well, but the Ravens create more turnovers. Overall, I think this will be a lower-scoring game, but Flacco's injury scares me, especially if there's an early deficit to overcome. Final score 21-17 Indianapolis.
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