A bad L.A. Rams team came to the Caesars Superdome, and the scuffling New Orleans Saints were able to make them look like exactly that.
New Orleans' offense hit hard and fast. So did the defense. No one shot themselves in the foot. For one day at least, all is good in the Who Dat Nation with a 27-20 win over L.A. to improve to 4-7 and pull a half-game closer to the Bucs in the NFC South.
With all that in mind, here are my three quick takeaways and a bit of lagniappe from a MUCH-NEEDED Saints win.
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SAINTS GOT CREATIVE ... FINALLY
In fairness, it's a lot easier to get deeper into the playbook when you're actually extending drives, but there was no question the gameplan got a lot more varied in this game.
For one thing, Pete Carmichael made a concerted effort to get Taysom Hill involved early in the game. Now, I get it -- the Taysom QB snaps won't always work, but you really have to establish it early, even if it's not generating exactly what you'd hoped. That's what happened in this game. Taysom had 7 QB snaps by the Saints' first drive of the second quarter. It helped slow the rush and opened up things as the game went on. Taysom finished with a line of 9 carries for 51 yards, 1 completion for 14 yards on three attempts, 1 catch for 8 yards. He also had a handful of handoffs. That's the type of usage you want to see.
There was also an Alvin Kamara wildcat snap and a double-reverse that looked like it'd have worked but something got bungled. Dalton was reading the right side of the field as AK was wide open on the wheel route. It was a 13-yard loss. No matter. Two plays later Dalton stood in under pressure and sent a bomb downfield to Chris Olave for a huge TD.
Creativity does a lot more than generate big plays. It can help set up others and slow the defense down. That's something the Saints did well in this one.
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ATTACKING CHRIS HARRIS
The Saints have made due without Marshon Lattimore and Bradley Roby the last several weeks with some up-and-down results. Alontae Tylor and Paulson Adebo have held up reasonably well when they've been able to avoid the yellow laundry, but that's been easier said than done.
They were able to in this one. The Saints as a team got through the first three quarters with only one penalty, and it was on special teams. You'd be better than 3-7 if you could've said that in the first 10 games.
But another issue emerged in this one: Chris Harris on the edges. The Rams schemed it up well multiple times to force him to run on the edge of the field. The first time he was forced to try to run with Tutu Atwell. It didn't go well. The Rams scored a 62-yard TD on the first play after the Saints took a 3-0 lead. Suboptimal.
L.A. was able to generate a similar look later in the game with a Ben Skowronek route out of the slot. Matt Stafford missed it.
Now, don't get me wrong, Chris Harris has played well since he's been brought up to the active roster and he's still an effective slot corner, but it's on Dennis Allen and staff to make sure he's not constantly getting put in compromised positions against speed. If it crops up in bigger moments, it could be costly.
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THE RAMS AREN'T GOOD
I feel like I've had to make this observation after a handful of Saints games this season, but it definitely applies here.
This was true after a 24-0 shutout against the Raiders as well: Don't overreact to this game. The New Orleans football team still has some glaring holes and weaknesses, particularly along an OL and DL that's been decimated by injuries. But for one day there are positive vibes, and hopefully they can be built off.
That broken OL group held up well against a pass-rush group that featured Aaron Donald. They sustained several long drives. They hit big plays. They ran the ball. They got to the Rams QB. They did all the things you need to win a game (beyond forcing turnovers, which, geez).
But a lot of that could be explained away by the Rams' inability to really do anything. Matt Stafford left the game with a possible concussion in the third quarter and Bryce Perkins struggled as you expected he would (but not as much as you'd hope he would).
This was a game the Saints HAD to win if they wanted to continue to say they have a chance in the NFC South, and they did pick up a half-game on the inactive Bucs who are sitting at 5-5. But this won't be a performance you rest on for very long. An ugly loss to the 49ers next week and we're right back here again.
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LAGNIAPPE
Saints RB David Johnson was active for the first time just a few days after signing a deal with New Orleans. He was used sparingly, but did have a nice catch for a first down early in the 4th quarter on a drive that ended in a field gaol. He's got an impressive skillset and could be a weapon as the season continues. ... The 53-yard TD pass to Chris Olave was the first real shot play connection between Dalton and Olave this season. Good to see. It was Olave's second 100-yard game in his young career. ... Payton Turner went out with a serious-looking ankle injury in the second quarter and was carted off the field. He was listed as questionable to return, a positive sign that he possibly avoided a major injury, before being downgraded to out later in the game. ... Alvin Kamara became the second Saints player all-time to surpass 9,00 yards (Marques Colston). ... Juwan Johnson now has 5 TD receptions, a new career high and the most by any Saints player in the 2022 season. ... Blake Gillikin had an excellent game, and he even made a big stop on a a punt throw across the field where he was able to get in the way. It would've come back for a hold either way, but it was still good effort that deserves praise. He also pinned the Rams inside the 5 earlier in the game. He's been really good after a slow start to the year. ... Carl Granderson and Kaden Elliss got through for sacks on back-to-back plays that effectively ended the game.