New England Patriots links 10/06/23 - Week 5 Patriots vs. Saints: Previews, matchups, keys to victory

Reading the previews for Patriots-Saints this week isn’t doing much to boost my confidence. Sure there are plenty of ways for New England to come out with a win, and if last week wasn’t the debacle that it was, I don’t think many fans would be worried about New Orleans. The experts who get paid to pick games however are tortured by this one. No one wants to touch it because frankly, both offenses are terrible. Neither Mac Jones nor Derek Carr inspire any assurance that this time things will be different.

Nothing radical has to change. For the Patriots to win it comes down to the same things: Ball security, Mac making good decisions, O-line offering protection, getting the run game going, tackling, no stupid penalties. Also, if the defense could create more turnovers, that would be great.

The loss of Christian Gonzalez and Matt Judon will hurt, no question. I’m curious to see how the coaches will try to replace what their effectiveness. Rookie Keion White will be thrown into the fire with more snaps and I’m looking forward to watching what he can bring. Could be fun. Go Pats!

TEAM TALK

• Patriots-Saints updated Injury Report.
• Transaction: Patriots acquire CB J.C. Jackson in a trade with the L.A. Chargers.
• Evan Lazar’s Patriots Gameplan: Keys to victory for the Patriots vs. the Saints. ‘The old cliche in football is that you need to stop losing before you can begin winning, and that’s where the Patriots need to start.’
• Mike Dussault picks 10 things to watch as the Saints come to Foxborough to face win-hungry Patriots.
• Evan Lazar’s Film Review: Will the Patriots revive J.C. Jackson’s career in second stint in New England?
• Press Conferences: J.C. Jackson - Deatrich Wise - Jabrill Peppers - Lawrence Guy - David Andrews.
• What they’re saying: New Orleans Saints.
• Belestrator: Previewing the Saints playmakers going into Week 5. (4 min. video)
• Patriots Unfiltered TV: Cowboys recap, Saints preview, More. (22 min. video)
• Patriots Unfiltered TV: One-on-One with Myles Bryant. (3 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Murph (E2GSports) Monster Keys to Patriots vs. Saints. 1. Mac needs to get back. “...Mac was drafted as the QB that may not win you games with his arm but wont lose you games with his head. That has not been the case in 2024.”
• Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Patriots-Saints Week 5: Key matchups, prediction: What the Patriots really need is for the defense to start generating some turnovers. The unit is too good to have just one INT and one FR.
• Taylor Kyles’ Scouting Report: 3 keys to the Patriots bouncing back vs the Saints. 1. Stay on schedule. The Patriots offense has been surprisingly effective on 1st downs...
• Alex Barth previews Patriots vs. Saints: What to watch for, key matchups and more. 1. Mac Jones’ ball security. 2. Hand the ball off when it’s time to hand the ball off.
• Mike Kadlick spotlights 3 crucial clashes in Patriots’ Week 5 matchup vs. Saints. 1. Saints wide receivers vs. Patriots banged-up secondary.
• Michael Hurley tells us what to watch for: Patriots desperate for a win against the Saints. 2. Keying on Keion.
• Nick O’Malley’s Pats-Saints anti-analysis: Just call him Boomerang Belichick, because Patriots keep coming back.
• Mike Kadlick’s Patriots-Saints Week 5 odds, preview, and prediction: ‘As bad as Week 4 was, I think the Patriots will bounce back in Week 5. Not a complete, 50-point, ‘I told you so’, bounce back, but one that at least puts them in the win column as they head to Las Vegas next week.’
• Eric Wilbur rounds up what experts are predicting for Sunday’s Patriots-Saints game.
• Mark Daniels writes Mac Jones knows he needs to be better, and the coaches devised a plan this week to help him
• Alex Barth notes 23 total players were listed on Thursday’s Patriots-Saints injury report.
• Zack Cox reports Jabrill Peppers’ hit on Jets RB Breece Hall in Week 3 didn’t draw a penalty but earned him a hefty $43,709 fine. Peppers disagrees with the fine, laments ‘softer’ NFL.
• Alex Barth’s Patriots Mailbag: Too soon for doom and gloom?
• Chris Mason’s Patriots Mailbag: How did Patriots get JC Jackson so cheap?
• Nick Goss reports the Patriots are only paying J.C. Jackson $1.5M to play for them in 2023, making the trade a worthy gamble. The rest of his contract is not guaranteed.
• Tom E. Curran and Andrew Callahan discuss whether Mac Jones’ Week 4 performance is an aberration or a trend.
• John Rooke wonders about Bill Belichick’s job security and much more.
• 98.5 The Sports Hub guest Albert Breer explains how he thinks the Patriots should proceed with Mac and handle theQB position next year.
• NBC 10 News reports JC Jackson resolves traffic case, arrest warrant lifted.
• A Clare Perspective podcast: Clare Cooper welcomes Mark Schofield to discuss the Patriots QBs. (36 min.)
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate and Ross Jackson (Locked On Saints) talk Mac Jones ability to rebound, Derek Carr’s ability to test the Pats’ injury-depleted secondary and make their predictions. (34 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Dr. Jess Flynn (The33rdTeam) Patriots shutting down CB Christian Gonzalez was right move long term.
• Staff (Football Zebras) Week 5 referee assignments: Saints at Patriots — Alex Kemp.
• Jeremy Cluff (AZCentral) Week 5 announcers. Saints-Patriots (CBS): Kevin Harlan and Trent Green.
• Matt Johnson (SportsNaut) Coaching hot seat: Seat getting warm for Josh McDaniels, Bill Belichick after Week 4.
• Brad Gagnon (Bleacher Report) Next NFL superstar QBs? Ranking best young QBs who could join elite tier.
• Edward Sutelan (Sporting News) NFL odds, picks, predictions for Week 5. Saints-Patriots: Win probability: 54.5%, Saints. Only the second time the model and oddsmakers have disagreed on the winner, the model is taking the Saints while markets are taking the Patriots. ...Ultimately, the difference here is that the model still thinks this Saints roster is considerably more well-rounded.
• Will Brinson (CBS Sports) NFL Week 5 picks, best bets: Patriots steal one. “More gross! The Pats look awful right now and Mac Jones was “benched” last week against the Cowboys. He wasn’t really, though, and Bill Belichick can cook up a good enough defensive gameplan against a lifeless Saints offense where the Patriots will only need like 17 points to win the game.”
• Around the NFL (NFL.com) Week 5 NFL picks. 2 out of 5 pick Patriots to win.
• Sheil Kapadia (The Ringer) Week 5 NFL picks against the spread. Pats win. “Is there a way to fade both of these teams?”

VIEW FROM NEW ORLEANS

• Jonny Camer (Canal Street Chronicles) Weekly Preview: Saints vs. Patriots. Can the Saints end their losing streak?
• Luke Hubbard (CanalStreetChronicles) Our defense vs. their offense: New England Patriots. Two stifling defenses are facing off this Sunday.
• Darrion Gray (SaintsWire) 4 things we learned about the Saints through their first four games.
• Luke Johnson (NOLA.com) Saints focused on fixing red zone efficiency. ‘Our percentage right now is terrible.’
• John DeShazier (NewOrleansSaints) Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael working to get offense on run of productive consistency.
• John Sigler (SaintsWire) LT Trevor Penning is developing into the player the Saints knew he could be
• John DeShazier (NewOrleansSaints) Saints quarterback Derek Carr has seen adversity before, believes offense is close to breakthrough.
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Derek Carr: We have the right people to get offense going.
• Rod Walker (NOLA.com) Saints at Patriots: Our staff makes its predictions for Sunday’s game at Gillette Stadium.