Saints quarterback Drew Brees like to throw deep.
Wide receivers Willie Snead IV and Brandin Cooks both average over 16 yards per reception and the Saints are working rookie Mike Thomas into the action.
The Falcons consider Snead and Cooks dangerous.
“The Cooks kid has really good speed,” defensive coordinator Richard Smith said. “They use him on jet sweeps, reverses and things of that nature. He can beat you vertically, where Snead is a little bit more shifty. He kind of reminds me of Wes Welker. He’s also a very good route runner.
The Saints’ offense hasn’t hit its stride in an 0-2 start. They scored just 13 points in last week’s loss to the Giants.
“We missed out on some opportunities to score points,” Brees said. “We weren’t very good on third down, so we didn’t sustain drives. I feel like we moved the ball well in the third and fourth quarter. Unfortunately, the first half wasn’t very good.”
The Saints have high hopes for Thomas.
“Mike has done a great job,” Brees said. “Whenever he’s called upon, he’s done a great job. So, we’ll continue to develop him. I think that whole receiver group, as a unit, is just chomping at the bit to take advantage of the opportunities given to them.”
