NFL fans across the pond in London, England were treated to a great game on Sunday between the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings. However, Saints fans were displeased after the team dropped its third-straight game and fell to 1-3 on the season. While New Orleans only missed sending the game into overtime by an inch or two, things feel much further away when it comes to turning the corner.
However far away things may feel, the Saints believe they’re close. Certain signed of life throughout the international matchup warrant that confidence. But New Orleans still has a lot to prove after a disappointing start of the season so far.
Here are our takeaways from today’s loss to the Vikings:
1
Chris Olave's first touchdown a glimpse of much more to come
One of the bright spots of the Saints’ season so far has been the rookie wideout. Olave caught his first touchdown pass of the season on Sunday and it’s clear that he will continue to be a major factor as the season continues and his career progresses. In a game without all-pro wide receiver Michael Thomas and with a little less Jarvis Landry than we’ve seen this season, Olave as the guy and performed as such.
Though he had only four receptions in the game, his team-leading 67 receiving yards were bigger than just the yardage total. He brought in a 4-yard touchdown catch and then added a huge 32-yard reception that put the Saints in position to tie the game with a 61-yard field goal. Olave has been clutch when called upon in big moments, has made some nice plays downfield and has been a reliable three-level threat all season. He doesn’t seem to be slowing down, but a late ankle injury may be something to watch throughout the practice week.
2
Latavius Murray made a case to be back on the active roster
In a game in which the Saints finally got some rushing attempts going in the fourth quarter, Murray was their best option. And not by necessity by any means. Murray may have been taking his first snaps of the 2022 year, but he looked polished and effective. The veteran running back averaged 5.2 yards per carry in his return to the New Orleans Saints. He also had a rushing touchdown which he scored by sheet force of will.
Murray was stood up at the goal line, but fought through the defenders and stretched out to break the plane. On top of that he helped the Saints move the ball efficiently with several chunk runs that felt inches from being explosive plays. Not bad for a guy who spent the first few weeks of the season at home. There’s a legitimate argument that Murray should be added to the active roster and be a viable option moving forward in the run game. Certainly hard to believe he’ll last on the practice squad for long.
3
The Saints defense is good, but can't make up for mistakes elsewhere
The Saints snagged their first interception of the season on Sunday and now sit at an abysmal -7 turnover margin following two giveaways by the team’s offense and return units. Despite New Orleans not creating the turnovers we’re accustomed to seeing from them, what they have done well is limit scoring. The two turnovers and a fake punt that converted a fourth down for the Vikings could have been a 21-point detriment. But the defensive unit made some great stops to force three field goals and just 9 points.
That’s a 12-point swing forced by Demario Davis and the Saints defensive unit. But explosive plays to Justin Jefferson and penalties are hard to avoid when the opposing team controls time of possession by nearly five minutes. We saw the New Orleans defense respond well when their offense stayed on the field and led longer drives, if the team wants to win more games this season, this will be a necessity.
4
Putting together a complete game has eluded New Orleans so far
By the time the Saints offense was clicking a bit more in the fourth quarter, the defense looked tired. When the defense was on, the offense was inefficient. When the offense built momentum, the special teams unit gave up big returns or committed mistakes which shot them in the foot.
New Orleans has yet to put together a full game in which the engines are firing on all cylinders. Sunday in London was no exception. Whether its a stammering offense, inefficient play on special teams or key explosive plays given up on defense, the Saints are struggling to piece it all together.
5
The window is closing, but isn't closed just yet
While the tam is struggling to put it together, it is important to keep perspective. That’s why Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu did after the game. “I think there’s a lot of positives that we could take away from it,” Mathieu said of the loss. “It’s just week 4 of like a 17-round bout.” Leaders on the New Orleans roster are not going to let themselves be down for the count after just four games. However, things will have to shape up quickly if they want to avoid an early-season TKO.
Next week the Saints host a beatable Seattle Seahawks team who can prove to be pesky for the Saints as they have to other teams. For New Orleans though, this is the last possible get-right game that could feel achievable before the schedule gets far more challenging. On the other side of that matchup, the Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers await. That’s a treacherous stretch to walk into a 1-4 with a loss to one of the league’s most questionable rosters. So keeping focus is the right thing for the team, but things will have to shape up quickly to avoid further complications with a challenging stretch on the horizon.
6
Change at kick/punt returner could be warranted
After losing a fumble on what could be considered an ill-advised punt return, it’s reasonable to begin to raise questions about return specialist Deonte Harty. It seems Harty has struggled this season to generate the returns the Saints, and certainly he, expects. Some questionable decisions on when to return or call fair catch, injury concerns and the arrival of his fumbling issues (which he’s experienced in the past) may necessitate some evaluation.
UDFA and collegiate record-holding return specialist Rashid Shaheed is waiting in the wings of the practice squad. Perhaps a look at what he can provide is warranted. It wouldn’t be the first time the Saints have gotten a look at an alternative option when they feel they need more from a position. Just two weeks ago first-round selection Payton Turner was inactive in favor of defensive lineman Tanoh Kpassagnon. Allen said the decision was about seeing if they could get more from the position than they got the week prior. They could make a similar decision at returner.
7
Saints players, coaches remaining confident
One of the worst things a losing team can do is lose confidence. That’s what makes a good team a bad team. With leaders like Mathieu, Jordan and Davis on the roster, they become the catalyst for saving the season. New Orleans has spectacular leadership on the roster. Better than most teams around the league. They’re uniquely equipped to handle a rocky start like that. But the team will have to rally around their leaders in a tangible way before anyone will start to take solace in potential.
