Credit where it’s due: Dennis Allen and the New Orleans Saints finally turned the narrative around with their first signature win. We all said Allen couldn’t beat a good team with a winning record. We doubted Derek Carr’s ability to make plays with the weapons available to him. We surveyed 52 different expert game picks going into this game, and everyone but Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton sided with the Bucs.
And the Saints pulled it off. They won 23-13 and it wouldn’t have been even that close if linebacker Pete Werner hadn’t gotten matched up with star wideout Chris Godwin on the Bucs’ final possession. The Saints dominated in all three phases by making big plays on offense, defense, and special teams.
The defense intercepted Baker Mayfield three times (thanks to Alontae Taylor, Johnathan Abram, and Paulson Adebo on the penultimate two-point attempt), also recovering a pair of fumbles (one forced by Abram and recovered by Demario Davis, the other picked up by Isaac Yiadom). Running backs Rachaad White and Chase Edmonds were limited to a combined 58 rushing yards.
Offensively, Derek Carr finally got into rhythm with his tight ends; Juwan Johnson set new career-highs in catches (8) and receiving yards (90) while Taysom Hill and Foster Moreau both chipped in with some much-needed first downs and a Hill touchdown catch of their own. Jamaal Williams had his best game of the year after Alvin Kamara exited the game with an ankle injury, running for 58 yards.
Blake Grupe nailed all five of his kicks (three field goals from distances of 45, 28, and 38 yards; plus a pair of extra point tries) and Lou Hedley dropped three of his six punts inside the Tampa Bay 20-yard line. The game was sealed by Moreau recovering the Bucs’ attempted onside kick.
This is a big win. It isn’t the end of the road, and the Saints have not clinched a playoff berth. There’s plenty of work left to do and they still need a lot of help from other teams. But it’s encouraging, and it’s the kind of performance that the Saints will point to in the offseason when trying to sell Allen’s vision of the team to a disgruntled fanbase. But today, a win is a win.
