This Week 2 matchup features two teams coming off high-scoring losses, as Drew Brees’ New Orleans Saints travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns.
Brees was PFF’s second-highest graded quarterback last season at +29.8 overall and his 77.0 Accuracy Percentage was tied for third with Peyton Manning. The Saints’ signal-caller is one of the premier players at his position and will look to spread the ball around to the likes of Marques Colston and Brandin Cooks, who is coming off a solid NFL debut (+1.0 receiving). New Orleans’ passing attack could match up well against Cleveland’s secondary.
Always a playmaker in the passing game, Browns’ cornerback Joe Haden had a strong season in 2013. Haden earned a +9.3 overall grade while placing fifth among cornerbacks playing at least 350 snaps with 0.89 Yards per Coverage Snap figure. That being said, the Browns' secondary as a whole struggled against Ben Roethlisberger in Week 1, earning a -6.1 team pass coverage grade; fourth-lowest in the league.
Here are three more notable numbers for each side:
New Orleans Saints
Jimmy Graham – Led all tight ends with a +18.2 receiving grade last season while also leading the pack with 2.26 Yards per Route Run.
Cameron Jordan – His 11.5 Pass Rush Productivity score was second-highest among 3-4 defensive ends in 2013. Jordan began 2014 right where he left off, earning a +1.1 pass rushing grade and tallying five hurries in Week 1.
Junior Galette – Ranked second in the league among 4-3 defensive ends with a +3.1 run defense grade and third with an 11.1% Run Stop Percentage in Week 1.
Cleveland Browns
Karlos Dansby – Was PFF’s fifth-highest graded inside linebacker last season while with the Cardinals (+16.0) and quarterbacks earned a NFL rating of 75.0 while throwing into his coverage (fifth among inside linebackers).
Joe Thomas – His +23.4 pass blocking grade was tops among offensive tackles in 2013. It was more of the same to start this season, as Thomas compiled a +2.2 pass blocking grade in Week 1.
Terrence West – In his first career game, West forced six missed tackles and collected 4.13 Yards After Contact per Attempt. Ben Tate’s knee injury will force West to start against the Saints.
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