St. Louis at New Orleans Wild-Card Playoff Game Previews
The St. Louis Cardinals and New Orleans Saints are set to clash in a wild-card playoff game at the Louisiana Superdome on Saturday, December 30. The Cardinals, second in the NFC West with a 10-6 record, will look to advance to the divisional round for the 24th time in franchise history, while the Saints, champions of the NFC West with a 10-6 record, aim to break their playoff curse with their first ever postseason victory.
Key Takeaways:
- St. Louis quarterback Kurt Warner has led the team to a 10-6 record, throwing for 3,429 yards and 21 touchdowns with 18 interceptions, boasting a rating of 98.3, second in the NFC.
- New Orleans quarterback Aaron Brooks has struggled with a 58.2% completion rate, throwing for 1,514 yards and 9 touchdowns with 6 interceptions, but has shown promise in the fourth quarter with a 101.8 rating, second in the NFC.
- St. Louis wide receiver Torry Holt leads the team with 82 catches for 1,635 yards and 6 touchdowns, while Issac Bruce follows closely with 87 receptions for 1,471 yards and 9 touchdowns.
- St. Louis running back Marshall Faulk has been a workhorse, carrying the ball 253 times for 1,359 yards and 18 touchdowns, while New Orleans' Ricky Williams (doubtful for playoffs) has accumulated 248 carries for 1,000 yards and 8 touchdowns.
- St. Louis has dominated on offense, ranking 1st in the league, while New Orleans' defense has been a strength, ranking 8th in the league.
Statistics:
- St. Louis' offense averages 17.4 points per game, 4th in NFC.
- New Orleans' defense has allowed 362.2 yards per game, 5th in NFC.
- St. Louis' quarterback rating is 98.3, 2nd in NFC.
- New Orleans' red-zone offense has a 50% touchdown percentage, 6th in NFC.
- St. Louis' red-zone defense has allowed a 58.6% touchdown percentage, 12th in NFC.
Sources:
- St. Louis at New Orleans Wild-Card Playoff Game Program (no date)
- NFL Week 17 Game Statistics (no date)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
- ESPN.com