The 26-7 defeat was the insult added to the injuries, but there were still a handful of bright spots for the Saints. One was clearly bigger than others.
That came in the form of rookie Payton Turner, who was making his debut a week after not seeing the field in a win over the Green Bay Packers. He had a couple rookie moments in the first half, jumping offside to hand Carolina a free first down and getting flagged for roughing the passer as he wrapped up QB Sam Darnold's ankles.
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But the big man out of Houston feasted in the second half, a big part of what kept the Saints in touch well into the fourth quarter despite next to nothing productive happening on the offensive side of the ball.
“I was encouraged. It was his first … full-go exposure," coach Sean Payton said. "I like how he’s wired. I think it’s important to him. I think he’s worked hard and it’s something to build off."
He spent much of the day in the Carolina backfield, multiple times just bulling his blocker into the pocket to disrupt the action. He finished with a sack, six total pressures and three tackles for loss in the game.
One play in particular showed the elite combination of size and strength that led the Saints to pick him at the back end of the first round, despite many analysts calling the selection a bit of reach. On that play he lines up wide in a two-point stance, and drives upfield off the snap. He's unblocked by design, but Panthers left guard Dennis Daley is pulling around and has the rookie lined up for a bulldozing block to clear space for star running back Christian McCaffrey.
The Panthers' play design worked. What they didn't account for was Turner's ability. In one smooth motion he makes a juke step inside, then flashes outside while turning his body to shrink the blocking target. As Daley makes contact, he shrugs off the hit, resets parallel to the play and makes such an easy tackle that he never even had to bring McCaffrey to the ground before the officials blew the play dead.
Turner also wreaked havoc against the passing game, drawing at least one holding penalty and often shrinking the pocket around Darnold's feet.
This was just the type of day Turner managed to have in his first NFL opportunity to rush a passer. The rookie didn't see the field in the preseason as he battled injuries, but he'll step into a much-needed role with defensive end Marcus Davenport on injured reserve through at least Week 4.
The rookie will get his next chance in New England when the Saints face off with the Patriots in Week 3.
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