If not for one spectacular fourth quarter, the discussion of this Saints team would be how an anemic offense undermined a defense in back-to-back games.
Jameis Winston was able to right the ship in Week 1, but that wasn't the case in Week 2 with the Saints falling 20-10 in a game that went to the 4th quarter tied at 3 apiece.
That makes it pretty easy to identify which sides of the ball you'll find the standouts, and vice versa. Scroll below for the studs & duds picks from a rough Week 2 from myself and Steve Geller on Monday morning's Inside Black & Gold, and listen to the full breakdown in the player below.
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It's always best to start with the bad news, so let's begin on the duds side of this equation:
STEVE'S DUD: RB, Mark Ingram
The biggest point of frustration as it pertains to Mark Ingram: He ran well, and averaged 6 yards per carry (10 for 60 yards) filling in for an injured Alvin Kamara. But his fumble in the red zone completely derailed any positive vibes for a veteran back who has to be dependable. It's his second lost fumble in as many weeks (tied for the most of any season in his 12-year career). That type of play can lose you games, and it sure felt like it was the tipping point that sent the Saints to a loss in this one (and he knows that). He's got to be better.
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JEFF'S DUD: QB, Jameis Winston
I'm not quitting on Jameis Winston, and I'd be more than happy to give him the out of saying his back simply isn't right at the moment. But he won't take that excuse, so we have to look at his line as it stands. That finished as: 25-40 for 236 yards, 1 TD and 3 interceptions (one returned for a touchdown). And that honestly looks better than it was, with a good chunk of that yardage coming in the final frame. If it wasn't for the Super Saiyan performance in the final 12 minutes against the Falcons, this discussion would be even louder. Too many passes sailed. Too many opportunities were missed. If the back is a serious issue, there has to be some consideration of giving Jameis a week off to heal (and to be clear, he's coming back to the job). You brought in Andy Dalton for a reason and the bye week is a looooooong way off. If a week off now can help you be closer to 100% for the majority of the season, it's got to be seriously considered.
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STEVE'S STUD: LB, Pete Werner
Another 8 tackles and a pass defensed. His 21 stops is tied for 8th in the NFL through two weeks, and he's effectively erased any concern you have at the WILL linebacker spot next to Demario Davis, assuming he can stay healthy. The Saints defense has been very good through two weeks, and he's a huge part of that.
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JEFF'S STUD: DT, Shy Tuttle
When's the last time you saw a defensive tackle lead the team in tackles? It doesn't happen very often, but that's what you got from Shy Tuttle who had 9 tackles and was credited with the team's lone sack along with David Onyemata. The Saints had to take the run away in this one, and they did. DT is far from the strongest group on the team, but he's put on a pair of good performances thus far.
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HONORABLE MENTION (GOOD): RB, Dwayne Washington
Tony Jones Jr. was the "lead" RB2 in this one, but it was Dwayne Washington that took the second-most carries in this one. He had 4 carries for 18 yards, and was pounding the ball into the Bucs' red zone prior to Ingram's fumble. He was hurt during the joint practices with the Packers, and he looks like he's earned more run in the real offense.
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HONORABLE MENTION (BAD): TE, Adam Trautman
A dud is defined as: A thing that fails to work properly. And when your presumptive TE1 goes through the first two weeks without a single target, that's really the only way you can describe it. Trautman is healthy, but he's apparently a blocking TE in this offense. That's disappointing.
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HONORABLE MENTION (GOOD): CB, Alontae Taylor
Marshon Lattimore's ejection meant rookie Alontae Taylor was thrown into the fire and he responded in a way that helps you understand why the Saints loved this guy enough to make him a second-round pick at arguably the deepest position on the roster. He's also put down good reps as a gunner. He'll be a major contributor at some point in the near future.
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