Bills brace for steady Brees, Saints
By John Wawrow ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. » Don’t bother asking Sean McDermott if he’s glanced where the Bills are in the standings after matching their best first-half record in 17 years.
Buffalo’s rookie coach shook his head, no, before saying he’s far too consumed with preparing to host the NFC South-leading Saints on Sunday. New Orleans has an offense that gave McDermott fits during his previous six years as Carolina’s defensive coordinator.
“Drew Brees, Sean Payton,” he said, referring to the Saints quarterback and coach, while rolling his eyes. “How’s your week look?” in suggesting his is filled.
New Orleans (6-2) has won six straight and features an offense that ranks second in the NFL in yards gained.
Buffalo (5-3) has been one of the league’s midseason surprises in overcoming a major offseason overhaul.
The Bills, however, remain a work in progress, particularly on defense, where they feature six new starters from last year and are coming off a sloppy 3421 loss at the New York Jets on Nov. 2.
McDermott’s focus is solely on the Saints, a team he faced twice a season and enjoyed a 7-5 record against while with the division rival Panthers.
The challenge in prepping a non-conference opponent such as Buffalo is getting his players to appreciate how dynamic the Saints are under Brees.
“Seeing it on TV is one thing, seeing it live is another,” McDermott said. “One of the hardest parts to get people to understand, especially your first time going against this type of offense, is what it takes to have any type of success against it.”
Brees has been efficient in completing nearly 72 percent of his passes with 13 touchdowns with four interceptions, while being sacked a league-low eight times. The Saints also feature a productive duo at running back. Veteran Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara have combined for 852 yards rushing and seven touchdowns, and another 533 yards receiving and two touchdowns by Kamara.