NFL Playoffs 2012: 10 Questions About San Francisco 49ers vs. New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints will travel to face the San Francisco 49ers in a Divisional Round clash of the 2012 NFL playoffs.
Both have everything to play for, and both have everything to lose.
San Francisco's season was built on its strong defense, and New Orleans' year was dominated by Drew Brees and the offense; all will be wondering as to what style will prevail in the end.
With all the hype, drama and tension that surrounds playoff games, here are 10 burning questions that need answering leading in to the big game—10 questions that will provide us with insight as to who will walk away the winner, and whose season will end.
1. Just How Good is This 49er Defense?
Statistically, the answer would be pretty good.
They've allowed 14.3 points per game all season, and just 230.9 passing yards and 77.2 rushing yards. Add to that only 20 passing touchdowns compared with their 23 interceptions, and only three rushing touchdowns for 3.5 yards per carry, the answer reads incredibly good.
But against the most explosive offense in the league, they will be tested; it's only a matter of how much.
Advantage: San Francisco 49ers
2. Can the Saints Win Away from New Orleans?
It's been well documented all week that the Saints will struggle outside of the Superdome. Whilst going 4-1 on the road this year, they did so against weaker defenses, and still only managed an average of 13 points per game.
Since all these touchdowns came via Drew Brees, the Saints need their main man to be firing on all cylinders to get a win. And even with Brees, it's no guarantee.
Advantage: San Francisco 49ers
3. Is Alex Smith Good Enough to Match It with the Saints?
As the Saints try to turn this one in to a shootout, pressure will fall on Niners quarterback Alex Smith to score points for the offense, and not simply rely on the running game.
San Francisco's passing game ranks in the bottom four in the league, averaging only 183.1 yards per game. Having said that, Smith has been better than this year, and is completing over 60 percent of his passes for the season, for 18 touchdowns and only five interceptions.
Taking all that in to account though, Smith is not good enough to go strike-for-strike with Drew Brees and the New Orleans offense, and I don't think he'll be at all trying to.
They will want to pound out a win, rather than try and win in a shootout.
Advantage: New Orleans Saints
4. What Happens if Drew Brees Doesn't Get It Going?
The question that most New Orleans fans won't want to admit they're asking: What will happen should the Niners defense stop Drew Brees. I mean, then what do they do?
Option No. 1 would be to look to the running game.
Despite chalking up 132.9 rushing yards for 18 touchdowns this season, the Saints might have to get the running game going outside of the Superdome and on real grass.
Will they be able to do it then? We'll come back to this one.
Option No. 2 is to rely on the defense.
Sitting in the bottom three for passing yards and in the bottom three for interceptions, the Saints will need some huge plays by their defensive unit to keep them in this one.
If they can't stop Smith picking up first downs, they'll struggle to rein in the 49ers. I don't like the defense to keep the Saints in this one.
Advantage: San Francisco 49ers
5. Is New Orleans' Running Game Good Enough?
After losing Mark Ingram earlier in the year, Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas will need to play huge games to keep the Saints in this one.
As mentioned above, the Saints statistically have a solid running game, but away from New Orleans, it's a totally different story. Since Brees took over the reins in 2006, the 16-14 Saints have only scored three rushing touchdowns.
Three rushing touchdowns on grass in five-and-a-bit years?
Advantage: San Francisco 49ers
6. Whose Offensive Line Will Have a Greater Impact?
For the Niners to win, they must control the pace of the game and not allow Drew Brees to just throw it around as he pleases.
In order for that to happen, they must convert on short-yard downs and give Smith enough time to make big-time throws. They've given up 44 sacks all year, and must not allow the Saints defense to get the better of Smith.
The Saints offensive line holds the key for me.
If the line gives Brees enough time to throw the ball, they will flourish.
If they can create good holes in the San Fran run defense, they will flourish.
And after only allowing 24 sacks all year, they should stand tall against the Niners offensive line.
Advantage: New Orleans Saints
7. Will the Time-of-Possession Battle Win the Game for Either Side?
With a lot of talk about the San Francisco 49ers needing to control the clock and carry out good drives, the real emphasis should be on scoring at the end of their drives, and not allowing the Saints to score.
They can drive all they want, but if they can only manage a field goal, and then allow Drew Brees to march it down field in a couple of minutes and score a touchdown, the "time-of-possession" battle counts for nothing.
The real battle therefore rests with stopping Brees and finishing clinically themselves.
Advantage: New Orleans Saints
8. Can the 49ers Corners and Safeties Make Big Plays on the Ball?
The Detroit Lions dropped potential interceptions against Drew Brees. And simply put, you just can't drop them should he give you a chance, because next time, they'll be sailing past your hands in to the end zone.
After allowing only 14 interceptions all year and completing at over 70 percent of his passes, the 49ers know they have their hands full trying to stop Brees. And it'll be up to their secondary, particularly Donte Whitner and Dashon Goldson, to come up with big stops.
Ranking third in pass deflections and interceptions, it does appear the 49ers have a great chance. Still, it is Drew Brees we're talking about.
Advantage: New Orleans Saints
9. Who Will Win the Coaching Battle?
Jim Harbaugh will be named coach of the year, but I'm sure he will feel that's all for nothing if the Niners are knocked out before the NFC Championship game.
He has been simply incredible for San Francisco this year, and will his impact and relationship with Alex Smith trump that of Sean Payton and Drew Brees?
One thinks yes to the first, and probably no to the second. Still, Harbaugh's presence definitely will be felt in this one.
Advantage: San Francisco 49ers
10. What about the Weather?
I'm not thinking the weather will play as big a part in this one as it is hyped to.
Yes it's outside and the Saints don't like the outside, but it's not that cold and the weather is not that bad in San Francisco.
The Saints have been talked about and talked about, and there has been very little coming out of the San Francisco camp about how the weather will impact the game.
It will be a factor, undoubtedly, but in the end, it won't stop Drew Brees and the Saints marching on.
The Saints will win 32-25. After an early field-goal battle, a touchdown just before halftime and one just after, the Saints will take the game away from the Niners.
Take Devery Henderson to score the first touchdown of the game for a little bit of New Year's cheer.
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That day was when Marshawn Lynch left Saints defenders scattered all over Qwest Field like a busted bag of Skittles in what has become the lasting moment of New Orleans' 2010 season. It's the day the Saints endured one of the biggest upsets in NFL playoff history when the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks stunned the defending Super Bowl-champion Saints in the NFC wild-card round. 
