New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave enters the Paris matchup with a coverage split that could give him a route back to the production he delivered early in the season. Locked On Saints host Ross Jackson said Olave has recorded 456 receiving yards against zone coverage, putting him among the NFL’s most productive receivers against those looks, as the Pittsburgh Steelers bring a more zone-oriented approach than the Saints’ most recent opposing defenses.
Olave opened the year with three 100-yard games in his first four appearances, but his yardage has dipped to 46 and 43 yards over the past two weeks. Jackson noted that the receiver still drew six targets against the Minnesota Vikings and seven against the New York Giants, but those totals fell well below the 10-to-13-target workload he saw in each of the first four games. Opponents have increasingly tried to remove Olave from the Saints’ first read and push quarterback Tyler Shough toward other options.
Jackson’s case for a rebound starts with how Olave has handled zone coverage. He said Olave has caught 69.6% of his targets against zone, averaging 14.3 yards per reception with 103 yards after the catch. Olave has seen 46 targets against zone compared with 15 against man coverage, according to the figures Jackson cited, giving Shough a clear target when Pittsburgh settles into softer coverage areas.
Jackson also pointed to four Olave drops against zone coverage, per Pro Football Focus, as missed opportunities that could have made his production even more imposing. Olave has caught 73.3% of his man-coverage targets, though he has generated fewer yards after the catch in those situations.
Pittsburgh could also change the equation by increasing pressure. Jackson said defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has indicated that blitzing will become a larger part of the Steelers’ plan as the season progresses, and teams have regularly pressured Shough this year. The Saints need Olave to find the openings Pittsburgh concedes before the rush disrupts the timing of their passing game.
Olave’s matchup with Pittsburgh’s coverage choices will be one of the clearest indicators of whether New Orleans can revive the downfield rhythm that fueled its early offensive output.
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