Follow us:

What we learned: It's time to be concerned about this defense. A week after Derek Carr went up and down the field against the Saints, Rodgers and the Packers did the same. The Saints' defense has been on the field for 18 possessions the past two weeks, and 13 of those have resulted in scores (eight touchdowns and five field goals). New Orleans' defense ranks 30th in EPA per snap, ahead of only the Texans and Jaguars.

The defense is having major issues, which is surprising. They have to turn it around quickly. The offense was fine against the Packers, but they need Michael Thomas back.

Has Alvin Kamara elevated himself as league's premier back? He's certainly its most productive, topping charts with six TDs and 438 yards from scrimmage ... though it helps to follow a freak lineman like Erik McCoy.

What we got wrong: Emmanuel Sanders would be an instant success in the Saints' offense.

Honestly, I could have picked about 15 different statements here after a disappointing 1-2 start -- including one that focused on Drew Brees' lack of downfield throws. But Sanders stands out because I was so convinced that he would be a perfect go-to guy for Brees on short and intermediate routes -- especially after Michael Thomas was sidelined by an ankle injury in Week 1. Instead, Sanders had just four catches for 33 yards and a TD over the first two-plus games before he and Brees finally started to develop a rhythm Sunday night with a 10-yard TD catch just before halftime and three catches for 46 yards in the second half. -- Mike Triplett

While much of the critical attention on the Saints has been focused on the possible decline of Drew Brees, not enough notice has been paid to a defense that continues to underwhelm. Aaron Rodgers attacked New Orleans at every level on Sunday night in a 37-30 Saints loss. Penalties continue to be an issue, as well. New Orleans had eight for 83 yards against the Packers, including a killer double infraction with less than four minutes to go in the fourth quarter: An offside penalty (which gave Rodgers a free play) followed seconds later by an end-zone pass interference on Janoris Jenkins that set up Green Bay's clinching score. Finally, not all home-field advantages are created equal -- the Saints missed their screaming home fans on Sunday night. Not much they can do about that.