The Saints head into Sunday’s game against the Packers with a chance to win their fourth straight game.
If they do, that will be the first four-game winning streak for the Saints since 2013. That was the last time the Saints didn’t go 7-9 as they finished 11-5 and went to the playoffs, something they’d like to do this season. It seemed like a long shot when their defense was getting run off the field in the first two weeks of the season, but things have since improved on that side of the ball and given the Saints a new look as they near the midway point of the season.
It’s not a look without flaws -- coach Sean Payton pointed to third-down offense and special teams as areas that could improve -- and that’s part of the reason why quarterback Drew Brees says the team is still figuring out exactly what they are this year.
“We want to continue to win. Winning feels good. Winning cures a lot of ills. But I don’t think we ... we still don’t know how good we can be,” Brees said, via ESPN.com. “But each week I feel like we get a better idea of what we’re capable of, and we’d like to keep that going in the right direction.”
After this Sunday’s trip to Lambeau Field, the Saints will be home for three of the next four weeks with an opportunity to both learn about themselves and gain some breathing room over other NFC playoff aspirants. If the defense can remain opportunistic -- nine turnovers in the last three weeks -- while Brees and the passing game find their footing, that kind of run may be in the cards.