The Seahawks' two-game road trip ends this weekend, as Seattle faces the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. Here are five things to know about the Seahawks' opponent as they look to break the four-way NFC West tie to climb to the top of the division:
It's Me: Demario
At 33, New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis continues to age like fine wine on thxe gridiron. Coming off his fifth-consecutive 100-plus tackle season in 2021, Davis is a jack-of-all-trades. In pass coverage, Davis has recorded five or more passes defensed annually for the past three seasons. New Orleans allows Davis to roam free in their scheme in a sense, coming in hot as a blitzer at times. Davis has 25 tackles, 2.0 sacks and two tackles for loss through four weeks.
Davis was ranked No.74 on the 2022 NFL Network Top100 list last month, and is currently New Orleans’ top-rated performer per Pro Football Focus.
Everybody Hates (Covering) Chris
New Orleans Saints rookie wideout Chris Olave is already giving defensive coordinators fits just four games into his career. Olave currently stands at No. 9 in the NFL's receiving yards rankings with 335, along with 21 receptions and a touchdown. According to Larry Holder of The Athletic, Olave is now the leading candidate for the 2022 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year race.
Seattle will have to prevent Olave from taking the top off the secondary, as he continues to develop into a deep threat for New Orleans.
Per Pro Football Focus, Olave is one of the league's elite receivers on throws of over 20 yards.
The Andy Dalton Show
Following injury to starting quarterback Jameis Winston, the New Orleans Saints are letting it ride with longtime Cincinnati Bengal Andy Dalton. After 133 starts under center for Cincinnati, Dalton is on his third stop in three years. In his first start in week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings, Dalton went 20-28 for 236 yards and a touchdown. Saints Head Coach Dennis Allen ranked Dalton’s performance ‘pretty good’ as the team figures out how long Winston will remain sidelined.
At 35-years-old, Dalton is no spring chicken - but that doesn't mean Seattle shouldn't be prepared. Dalton is completing 71 percent of his passes, and has gone over 60 percent completions in 8 of his 11 past seasons.
Major Inactive: Michael Thomas; Jameis Winston
Wideout Michael Thomas is one of the league's premiere wideouts, but the Seahawks likely won't be facing him this week. Thomas has missed several practices while dealing with a nagging foot injury that kept him out of last week's game. Thomas has recorded 16 receptions for 171 yards and 3 touchdowns. Per Pro Football Focus, Thomas' eight contested catches are a league-best heading into Week 5.
New Orleans Saints wideout Michael Thomas leads the NFL in contested catches (8) despite missing last week's game.
Saints quarterback Jameis Winston did not participate in the Saints Thursday practice while dealing with back and ankle injuries and is also unlikely to go. Winston participated in New Orleans' first-three games, going 73-115 for 858 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Alvin Kamara: Back In Action
After being ruled inactive for Week 4’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara is expecting to be in the backfield Sunday. Kamara is one of the league's most-dangerous offensive weapons, recording over 1,300 yards from scrimmage in each of his first five seasons. The 2021 season was the first time Kamara recorded under 80 receptions in a season, as he played just 13 games due to a knee injury suffered in Week 10. Seattle will have its hands full with a back that's equally as dangerous catching the ball as he is carrying it. In two career games versus the Seahawks, Kamara has 19 receptions for 220 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
The Seahawks face the Saints for Week 5 of the 2022 season at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Take a look back at photos from the past games between the two teams.
Kicker Garo Yepremian (1) of the New Orleans Saints attempts a field goal in 1979. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Floyd Turner (88) begins the celebration after catching the winning touchdown in the Saints Seattle Seahawks game on Sunday, Sept. 3, 1991 in New Orleans. Looking on is Seahawks James Jefferson (26). Turner took the pass from quarterback Bobby Hebert late the fourth quarter to give the Saints a 27-24 victory. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
New Orleans Saints cornerback Eric Allen (21) stops Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Joey Galloway (84) during NFL action Sunday Nov. 16, 1997 in New Orleans. Galloway took a pass from quarterback Warren Moon, making a first down on the play. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)
Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is sacked by Saints' defenders Charles Grant (94) and Willie Whitehead (98) during the second quarter on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2003, at Seahawks' Stadium. Even through being sacked, Hasselbeck completed 12 of 23 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Seahawks over the Saints, 27-10. (AP Photo/Jim Bryant)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (8) throws against the New Orleans Saints Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004, in New Orleans as guard Steve Hutchinson (76) blocks Saints linebacker Roger Knight. Hasselbeck completed 19 of 29 passes for 246 yards and one touchdown in Seattle's 21-7 win. (AP Photo/Travis Spradling)
New Orleans Saints' Tebucky Jones (34), right, grabs the face mask of Seattle Seahawks receiver Darrell Jackson (82) on a pass play during the second quarter at the Superdome Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004, in New Orleans. Jackson picked up 22 yards on the reception and the Seahawks picked up 11 yards more on the penalty to help set up their second touchdown of the quarter. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)
New Orleans Saints' Reggie Bush (25) is tackled by Seattle Seahawks' Brian Russell during the first quarter of their NFL football game in Seattle, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2007. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
RETRANSMISSION FOR ALTERNATE CROP OF SEA163 Seattle Seahawks' Marshawn Lynch (24) breaks away from a tackle by the New Orleans Saints defenders to score a touchdown in the second half of an NFL NFC wild card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
FILE - In this Dec. 2, 2013, file photo, Seattle Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril hits the arm of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees causing a fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett in the first half of an NFL football game in Seattle. The Seahawks finished the regular season as the best pass defense in the NFL with three All-Pro selections in the secondary. Their best performance came when they suffocated New Orleans in Week 13. Now comes the challenge of duplicating that in Saturday's NFC divisional playoff game against the Saints. (AP Photo/Scott Eklund, File)
Seattle Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor (31) stops New Orleans running back Khiry Robinson (29) during an NFL Divisional Playoff game on January 11, 2014. The Seahawks defeated the Saints 23-15 in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game. (AP Photo/Kevin Terrell)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse (15) leaps for a pass just outside the end zone as New Orleans Saints cornerback B.W. Webb (28) covers as time expires in the second half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016. Kearse came down out of bounds and the Saints won 25-20. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Seattle Seahawks defensive group tackles New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) during an NFL regular season football game on Sunday, Sep. 22, 2019 in Seattle. The Saints won, 33-27. (Ric Tapia via AP)
