Saints 2023 Week 9 Preview
Bears head to the Bayou for Battle with Saints
What a difference can a week make? New Orleans has suddenly found themselves tied for first place in the NFC South division with hated rival Atlanta after a 38-27 win against the Colts. The Saints are now 4-4 and will look to move above .500 with a home date versus “da” Bears next on slate. Chicago is coming off a 30-13 loss to the Chargers on Sunday Night Football.
The Matchup:
The Saints scored their highest point total of the season against the Indianapolis Colts by putting up 38, a hopeful sign of good things to come. The Bears wound up on the opposite side of the spectrum last week. After defeating the Raiders 30-12, the Los Angeles Chargers flipped the script and downed Chicago 30-13. One team will seek continued success while the other attempts to preserve their season. This week's matchup will be broadcast live from the Caesars Superdome on Sunday, November 5, 2023, at noon CST on CBS.
Series History:
New Orleans leads Chicago all-time with a record of 18-15. Although the wins and losses nearly split, the Saints have been victorious in the past seven contests. The most recent game between the NFC foes came in the 2021 postseason when New Orleans defeated the Bears in the wildcard round 21-9. Chicago has a playoff victory of their own against New Orleans. They bested the Saints 39-14 in New Orleans’ first trip to the NFC Championship game in 2007.
Team Rankings Comparison:
| Rank (Week 8) | Saints | Bears |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 4-4 (2nd NFC South) | 2-6 (4th NFC North) |
| Scoring Avg. | 21.4 (18) | 21.4 (17) |
| Opp. Scoring Avg. | 19.3 (9) | 27.3 (28) |
| Total Off. | 349.1 (12) | 320.6 (19) |
| Rushing Off. | 106.0 (20) | 132.8 (6) |
| Passing Off. | 243.1 (9) | 187.9 (26) |
| Total Def. | 296.4 (5) | 341.0 (23) |
| Rushing Def. | 106.9 (15) | 78.8 (3) |
| Passing Def. | 189.5 (7) | 262.3 (30) |
| Turnover Margin | +3 (9) | -4 (25) |
| Penalties | 54 (3) | 52 (9) |
| Penalty Yards | 513 (1) | 439 (7) |
Current Injury Report:
Saints-
Demario Davis, OLB, Probable, Knee
James Hurst, G, Questionable, Ankle
Taysom Hill, QB, Questionable, Hip
Lynn Bowden Jr., WR, Questionable, Illness
Michael Thomas, WR, Questionable, Illness
Andrus Peat, G, Questionable, Ankle
Bears-
Nate Davis, G, Questionable, Ankle
Justin Fields, QB, Questionable, Thumb
Terrell Smith, CB, Questionable, Illness
Jaquan Brisker, S, Questionable, Concussion
Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Questionable, Knee
Braxton Jones, T, Questionable, Neck
Final Thoughts/Prediction:
Don’t look now, but New Orleans may be in the driver’s seat for the divisional title. Atlanta has benched starting QB Desmond Ridder and has not touched on any timeline for him to return to first-team reps. The Saints should pick up a win in week nine against Chicago, but they seem to like making things worse than they should be. In week 10, Minnesota will now be without Kirk Cousins, so that will play in favor of the Saints. Going into the bye week, New Orleans should be 6-4. A weak Bears squad will have a tough go at things in a rowdy dome. I think the Saints have their best overall performance of the season in this game, 36-17 New Orleans.
Like what you’re reading? Follow JWatsonJr__ on Twitter/X for more!
Now You Kneaux!
A quick share helps us a lot!
