Week 11: New Orleans at Houston

Just when you thought the Saints had righted themselves and headed toward the playoffs, they got blasted by then-winless St. Louis last week. And that was even after the rat traps!

The Saints were warned by their coaches that St. Louis was a “trap game” in an unusual – and ineffective – way. Rat traps were strategically placed around the Saints’ practice complex to indicate that St. Louis, although 0-8 at the time, was getting healthy and looked like a dangerous team.

That was correct – the Saints scored on their opening drive and then allowed a stunning 34 consecutive points. A late comeback came too late, and New Orleans lost, 37-29. That snapped a four-game winning streak for New Orleans, which still only trails Tampa Bay by a game in the NFC South.

Houston is another dangerous foe for the Saints. The Texans are coming off a bye and just now rounding into healthy form. QB Matt Schaub, WR Andre Johnson and RB Ahman Green should all be ready to go for this game, and that hasn’t happened since September. Johnson, in particular, has been very missed – he’s a Pro Bowl caliber receiver who went down in Week 2 with a knee injury and hasn’t been back. The Texans were 2-0 in those first two games and are 2-5 since.

Houston may have a field day against a Saints defense that is average at best. CB Jason David was the culprit on a couple of touchdown passes last week. The Texans defense also no doubt noticed that St. Louis found an effective strategy against New Orleans. QB Drew Brees didn’t play well under pressure last week, as St. Louis blitzed him constantly and hurried him into a number of bad throws. LT Jammal Brown is questionable this week due to a lower left leg injury, and if he plays, Houston will test him.

RB Reggie Bush had a mild concussion last week but expects to return against Houston. That will give the Texans another look at one of the players they could have had in the 2006 draft – it’s a continuing issue in Houston that the Texans drafted Mario Williams No. 1 in 2006 rather than Bush or QB Vince Young.

The Texans aren’t totally healthy. They are having to move FS Von Hutchins to cornerback to replace Dunta Robinson, who’s finished for the season due to a torn knee ligament. That shake-up could fire up Brees, who points out that the Saints still “have the division right in front of us.”

To make that matter, though, they will have to squeak through this one. We think they will.

New Orleans by 2