As has been the case all year the New Orleans Saints will have to find their way without a key piece on offense, the latest being Taysom Hill.
But this something of a different scenario after the do-it-all TE went down with a season-ending ACL tear, as Saints GM Mickey Loomis explained on WWL Radio this week.
"There is no next man up for Taysom, because no one else fills all those roles like he does," Loomis told WWL's Mike Hoss. "But I think just as important as, he’s got, man, he’s just got a love for the game and a love for playing that you feel, you know, when you watch him play or certainly when the guys play with him or against him."
Listen to the full, exclusive interview with Saints GM Mickey Loomis in the player above. Can't see the embed? Click here.
"I thought it was really telling how many Rams players paid their respects to him, and he’s just one of these guys that is – he’s a throwback football player," Loomis continues, "and regardless of whatever position you want to identify him as, and man, that’s well respected around our league, he’s well respected and obviously loved in the Saints community, loved by us upstairs just for everything that he brings, and yea, that’s why I’m disappointed, I’m disappointed for him and his family and this injury, and look, he’ll bounce back from it.”
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MORE FROM LOOMIS
On loss to Rams
“That game was a bit of a tale of two halves. Man, the first half really was a fantastic job by our defense, we moved the ball offensively. At the end of the day, though … first of all I thought it was a pretty well played game, there weren’t any turnovers as I recall, there was not a lot of penalties. At the end of the day, though, they were 3-for-3 in the red zone and we were 0-for-2, and that’s what it came down to, that situational football in the red zone and not being able to, you know, finish in that area. I thought there was a couple tough calls that, you know, in a low penalty game when you don’t get a call on a big play or you get a call against you on a big play, that you think is marginal, those are tough to take. You know, it always seems like it happens against the Rams.”
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On potentially getting Erik McCoy/Lucas Patrick back for Week 14
“Erik’s one of the best centers in the league. He’s one of the leaders of our offensive line and our offense in general, and you know, he’s a difference-maker, no question, and I thought Shane Lemieux did a good job in this game playing for him. Lucas Patrick has been a good player for us this year and we’ve missed him when he hasn’t been able to play, so it’ll be good to get those guys back, I’m not sure that offsets the disappointment in losing Taysom Hill. That’s a devastating injury, both for him and for us and really disappointed about that, but it will be good to have Erik and Lucas back on the field.”
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On facing Giants in Week 14
“Look, I think every team is dangerous in the NFL, because every team has talent, the – whoever has the worst record in the league can beat the team with the best record, it’s been done before and I don’t think we’re a sport that lends itself to lack of effort. I think, you know, very few times do I see teams that display a lack of effort. Everybody is competitive, everybody wants to win every game regardless of what the circumstances are and everybody has something to play for, and so we’re gonna face a team that’s desperate for a win and oftentimes in our league the most desperate team wins, and so we have to come in there and be desperate and put our best foot forward in order to win a game.”
