The subterfuge will exist in the "how" and the "how often," not in the "what." Because the New Orleans Saints offense knows exactly what the "what" is.
Blitzes.
Entering Sunday's game against the Giants (3-1-1) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Saints quarterback Tyler Shough has been sacked 13 times and hit 39 times, numbers that can largely be linked to his eight turnovers this season (five interceptions, three lost fumbles). And coming off a game in which New Orleans (1-4) saw the blitz-happy Vikings send extra rushers on its first offensive snap, and have seen opponents effectively employ the tactic before the Vikings sent a flood, the Saints correctly expect nothing less from future opponents.
"There's always a self-scout component with everything that you do," Saints coach Kellen Moore said. "If someone does something against you and maybe you don't have the success you hope for, there's obviously going to be a replication of that plan and you've got to do a good job of just solving those things and continuing to grow."
The Vikings entered last Sunday with a blitz rate of 70 percent and because of it, held the Saints to 87 net passing yards.
"That's who they are," Shough said of the Vikings. "I think that's how they build five-man fronts and (are) able to create loaded boxes and playing some palms and shell on the back end, and they do a good job switching up some of their coverages."
It also is who the Giants will be, based on recent history.
In the past two games New York has blitzed on 56.6 percent of opponents dropbacks, second only to Minnesota, and defensive backs accounted for three of their five sacks last game against Washington. They'd blitzed 23 percent of the time in the first three weeks this season
"I think more than anything, that's a trend of the league right now, is being able to kind of heat up certain scenarios and try and get linebackers on running backs," Shough said. "We've got to have answers for those situations and more than anything, it starts with being disciplined on our play call, making sure we're not having penalties, making sure we're not moving — got to get set pre-snap and then just go out there and play.
"I feel like when we are on the ball, we've got good tempo, when we're all on the same page, we're hard to stop. We're a really, really good offense and right now we're stopping ourselves. And when you get put in those long-yardage situations, you're going to get taken advantage of."
And whether by penalty or sack, New Orleans has been in more long-yardage situations than is healthy; the Saints have faced third downs of 10-plus yards 19 times, with three conversions. On third-down plays of seven or more yards, the Saints are 9 of 33.
The blitz has been a thorn, and opponents will continue to use it.
"Absolutely," center Erik McCoy said. "I think blitzing is one of those things that doesn't stop until you show that you have the answers for it in protection and you can gash in the run game. So, I expect it to continue until we execute the answers."
The answers are available, McCoy said.
"I think it's finding our fits in the run game and then in protections, I think it is following the plan and executing the plan," he said.
INJURY REPORT: Receiver Chris Olave (illness) didn't practice for the second consecutive day. Also not practicing was linebacker Kaden Elliss (calf), edge Anfernee Jennings (knee) and defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd (illness).
