Final Prediction for Saints-Browns Week 9 Matchup

After two weeks without New Orleans Saints football, we are finally back. The Saints are also making their return to New Orleans, which may honestly be bad news for this team. The Saints have been unable to win a game at home this year, and some of their worst performances happened in New Orleans. For a team that has always valued the impact of playing at home, this is a really bad situation to be in, especially given how vocal fans can be. It also doesn't help that the pressure on the coaching staff to perform is palpable. 

The Saints also made some really important changes before this game. The Saints fired run game coordinator T.J. Paganetti, and they cut some players, including kicker Daniel Carlson and RB Kendre Miller. Each move made sense, and it is the first time we have seen real consequences from Kellen Moore’s coaching staff. As I mentioned, the pressure is on this team, so we might as well try new things. 

For their opponent, it is a winnable game. The Cleveland Browns have been surprisingly one of the best teams in the NFL this season. They have had to make some crazy comebacks to make it happen, but QB Deshaun Watson is having a resurgence in his career. The defense is also playing really well, with the pass rush and pass defense standing out. But Watson is likely going to be out for this game. 

As of now, Watson has missed practice all week and is questionable for Sunday, so Shedeur Sanders will likely start for Cleveland. Although Sanders has not played yet this year, the Saints shouldn’t overlook what the young QB can do. He had ups and downs throughout his rookie year, and if he is on point when facing the Saints' defense, it can be difficult to stop. The real worry for New Orleans is the Browns' defense. They have had run defense issues, so if the Saints defy all odds and fix the run game, that could be a way to win this game, but the rest of the defense will cause issues for the Saints. 

Now on to the prediction. Even with Watson likely being out, it’s extremely difficult for me to choose the Saints. I do think it’s going to be a close game, just not a victory for New Orleans. They need to prove the changes actually mattered first before I can believe something will change. 

For the score, I have the Browns winning 30-28.