One of these weeks picking studs and duds from a Saints matchup might be a more pleasant experience, but that is not this week.
The Saints laid another full-team dud in a 20-10 loss to the Steelers and now sit at 3-7 on the season. So what all went wrong? Here's how stood out and who fell flat as broken down on the latest episode of Inside Black & Gold.
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Listen to the full podcast for the breakdown on the following:
STEVE'S STUD: LB Kaden Elliss
- Why: The Pete Werner replacement was one of the bigger questions going into the game, but by the end he was one of the few bright spots. He logged 7 total tackles, a sack, forced a fumble (that the Steelers somehow recovered) and held up in coverage. He wasn't perfect, but he was more than good enough to be confident at the Will linebacker spot until Werner returns from an ankle injury.
JEFF'S STUD: P Blake Gillikin
- Why: Blake Gillikin hadn't been "bad" this season, but he had been a letdown after a 2021 season in which he frequently sent booming punts that flipped the field and changed games. He finally did that again in Week 10, with a 58-yard net punt that took a right turn out of bounds and forced the Steelers to begin a drive at their own 2. The game was tied 10-10 at that point, and the Saints defense was set up in prime position to take advantage and swing momentum. They didn't, allowing an 83-yard drive for a field goal that signaled the beginning of the end for the Saints in this game. Still, that's not on Gillikin, all he can do is set the table, and he definitely did that in this game.
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STEVE'S DUD: The running game ... all of it.
Why: No one gets a pass here. Not Alvin Kamara, not Taysom Hill, not the offensive line, not the less-than-creative offensive attack or play-calling. When you 1.9 yards per carry in a game, there's more than enough blame to go around.
JEFF'S DUD: WR Jarvis Landry
Why: Jarvis was making his debut after five weeks out, so this might be a bit harsh, but he still just doesn't look quite right. He's a guy who has always relied on violent cuts more than athleticism to get open, and he just didn't have that in this one. He had two catches for 37 yards, but more often than not he was plastered on a defender. He was also called for OPI and a ball tipped off his hands and went for an interception. My expectations were high and you really needed him in the 3-step passing game to help mitigate the pass rush. That meant getting open early. You just didn't have that.
- Dishonorable mention duds: LB Demario Davis; DEs Payton Turner and Carl Granderson
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