The New Orleans Saints have kept it close for the first three weeks of the 2023 NFL season.
They could have remained undefeated without the Green Bay Packers’ valiant come-from-behind effort to snatch away a Week 3 victory.
Despite that loss, their defense has remained sneaky good.
That string of excellence puts them in a position to tie a record by a Bill Belichick-coached squad.
Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith said the Saints can match the 1994-95 Cleveland Browns record of 12 consecutive games, limiting opponents to 20 points or less.
Saints seek to match Bill Belichick's Browns with 12 straight games allowing 20 points or less. https://t.co/ySNo5ZGoB9
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 28, 2023
Belichick was at the Browns’ helm from 1991 to 1995.
After the 1995 season, the Browns franchise left Cleveland, becoming the Baltimore Ravens.
Meanwhile, the Saints last gave up more than 20 points in Week 9 of the 2022 NFL season.
Coincidentally, the Ravens defeated them at home, 27-13.
Since then, they’ve kept opponents under 20 points.
However, the stellar effort by their defense didn’t guarantee victories, as they went 6-5 since Week 10 of last season.
Standing between the Saints and this impressive record are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Their division rivals average 19.3 points per game, a shade under the 20-point limit.
But playing at home should motivate the Saints to keep the streak intact.
If the record remains, New Orleans can establish a new record in Week 5.
Ironically, they would have to do it against Belichick and the New England Patriots, a team averaging 17.3 points per game.
After Week 3, the Saints rank sixth in points allowed per game at 16.7.
The Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, and San Francisco 49ers have better averages than them.
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