Saints’ Best Path to Beating the Giants Is Making Jameis Winston Uncomfortable Again

There will be plenty of attention on Tyler Shough when the New Orleans Saints walk into MetLife Stadium on Sunday, but I'm looking at the other quarterback, Jameis Winston.

The former Saints quarterback has helped keep the New York Giants afloat after Jaxson Dart's season-ending knee injury. New York is 3-1-1 and sits atop the NFC East, while New Orleans enters Sunday's Oct. 18 matchup at 1-4 and riding a three-game losing streak. 

If the Saints want to finally change the direction of their season, they don't necessarily need Shough to throw for 400 yards.

They need their defense to make Winston uncomfortable.

Anybody expecting the Saints to see the reckless version of Winston might want to rethink that.

Last week against Washington, Winston completed 33 of 54 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns, helping New York erase a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit in a 27-27 tie. According to the Giants, he became their first quarterback since 1950 to record at least 300 passing yards, three touchdown passes and 25 rushing yards in the same game. 

That's the Winston New Orleans cannot allow to settle into rhythm. Saints fans know his personality as a quarterback better than most.

When Winston gets comfortable, starts pushing the football vertically and gets confidence flowing through an offense, he can become dangerous quickly.

But pressure changes the conversation. Winston has been sacked 11 times as the Giants' starter, giving New Orleans an obvious area to attack. 

And the Giants' offensive line isn't entering Sunday completely healthy.

There is another layer here that can't be ignored.

Winston spent four seasons with New Orleans from 2020-23. He knows the organization. He knows several of the players. Granderson even acknowledged this week that facing his former teammate adds something to the matchup. 

But once the ball is kicked off, none of that matters.

This can't become the feel-good Jameis Winston revenge story where the former Saints quarterback throws for 300 yards and New Orleans spends another week explaining what went wrong.

The Saints are already 1-4. They don't have room for that.

Of course, pressuring Winston won't matter much if New Orleans repeats last week's offensive performance.

The Saints produced only 142 total yards against Minnesota, while Shough finished 16-of-25 for 96 yards and two interceptions. 

And New York's defense isn't exactly waiting around to help Shough regain his confidence.

The Giants produced a season-high five sacks against Washington last week, and edge rusher Abdul Carter is questionable with a calf injury. 

The Saints' own official preview identified pass protection as one of Sunday's primary keys. 

So this could become pretty simple. Whichever defensive front bothers the opposing quarterback more might win the game.

At 1-4, the Saints don't need style points. They need a win. 

Winston showed last week that if you allow him to get hot, he can bring an offense back from two touchdowns down. Don't give him that opportunity.

Hit him early. Collapse the pocket. Force him to throw before routes develop and make the Giants prove their questionable offensive tackles can hold up for four quarters.

The Saints defense gave New Orleans a chance against Minnesota. It needs to do it again against the Giants.

Only this time, the offense has to meet them halfway.

Because if the Saints leave MetLife at 1-5, the conversation surrounding this season is going to become much less about fixing things and much more about what this franchise should do next.