Punter Matt Hayball, FIRST DOWN.
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/eXdmpmHjtp
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) November 3, 2024
The New Orleans Saints got a little creative during Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers, and it paid off.
After a week in which head coach Dennis Allen pulled the trigger on the decision to punt the ball in one of the most cowardly manners we have ever seen in football history, the team actually made a smart special teams call here.
On 4th & 1 with just under nine minutes remaining in the third quarter, punter Matt Hayball faked it and carried the ball himself for the first down. Plays like this could be crucial in the ultimate outcome in what’s been perhaps an even closer game than anyone originally expected.
The Saints, despite hading into the game on an abysmal six-game losing streak, were still favored by a slight margin, with some going so far as to expect to New Orleans to record a double-digit victory.
If anything, that’s a testament to just how poorly both teams have performed this season.
The Saints currently trail the Panthers by just one point, 17-16.
