The New Orleans Saints’ defense ruined Bryce Young’s home debut in Week 2.
It will now try to spoil quarterback Jordan Love’s first career start at Lambeau Field when the Saints visit the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
The Saints limited Young, the Heisman Trophy-winning No. 1 overall pick by the Carolina Panthers, to 153 passing yards and recovered his fumble in a 20-17 victory on Monday night.
Young did throw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Adam Thielen with 1:16 left in the game — the only touchdown allowed by New Orleans this season.
Love, in his third season and first as the successor to Aaron Rodgers, is the top-rated passer in the NFL with a rating of 118.8. He is tied for the league lead with six touchdown passes and has not thrown an interception.
“I’ve been super impressed with how he’s done, just in terms of leading our team, leading our offense, and the poise he’s shown and command,” Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said of Love. “I can see his confidence growing every time he gets out there.”
For all the good stuff Love has done, he is just 23rd in the league in passing yards (396). Still, the Packers are No. 2 in scoring offense (31 points per game).
Love will be facing a Saints defense that will be missing starting safety Marcus Maye, who was given a three-game suspension on Wednesday for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
“Missing a player of Marcus Maye’s stature is a blow to us, but yet, we feel good about the guy we have backing him up,” New Orleans coach Dennis Allen said.
The Saints’ defense as a whole has been greater than the sum of its parts, and New Orleans (2-0) has allowed an average of just 16 points per game through the first two weeks of the season.
“They’re going to challenge you on all three levels,” LaFleur said of the New Orleans defense. “They’ve got guys at every level and they’ve got complementary pieces around them. They are a physical bunch and they play with extreme effort.”
Maye joined Saints star running back Alvin Kamara on the suspended list. Kamara is completing a three-game suspension to start the season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
In Kamara’s absence, New Orleans has scored just three touchdowns, and its scoring average (18 ppg) ranks 25th in the NFL.
“Last week we had a couple of long drives (65 and 51 yards) into the red zone where we stalled,” Allen said. “That’s an area we have to improve in and come away with touchdowns and not settle for field goals.”
Jamaal Williams started the first two games in Kamara’s absence but suffered a hamstring injury against Carolina and missed practice Wednesday.
After Williams’ injury, Tony Jones Jr. became the top rushing option and scored his first two NFL touchdowns of his four-year career. Williams finished with 34 yards on a team-high 12 carries.
Rookie third-round draft choice Kendre Miller, who missed the first two games of the season because of a hamstring injury, returned to practice as a full participant Wednesday.
Packers running back Aaron Jones (hamstring) and starting guard Elgton Jenkins (knee) missed practice on Wednesday. Wide receiver Christian Watson (hamstring), who was inactive for the first two games, was limited.
–Field Level Media