With 24 hours to digest the result and pore over game film, the most glaring issue from a loss to the Panthers was confirmed as what the Saints need to get fixed first -- and quickly.
That would be communication and protection for quarterback Jameis Winston, who spent much of the day on his back or running for his life.
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“It’s the group in its entirety," coach Sean Payton said Monday afternoon. "It’s our offensive line. It’s the quarterback.”
Those communication issues were also spelled out by left tackle Terron Armstead after the loss, and were the culprit in multiple breakdowns that resulted in 11 quarterback hits and 4 sacks. The Saints only rolled up 128 yards on the day, the lowest output of the Payton era.
Free rushers were in Winston's face all game, in multiple instances Panthers OLB Haason Reddick pinned his ears back and fired upfield before an arc block (by Chris Hogan and Adam Trautman, respectively) could find its mark. Second-year lineman Cesar Ruiz also struggled in his first career start at center, a week after holding up well after Erik McCoy left with a calf injury.
But the coach also pointed to the game plan, which didn't put players in optimal positions. The wide receiver position has been notably absent the first two weeks beyond a pair of touchdown strikes to Deonte Harris a Chris Hogan in the opener. Still, Payton points to the protection as the immediate issue to fix. Separation doesn't really enter the equation unless the QB has enough time to set and throw.
“We’ve got to have a better plan to put our guys in a better position," Payton said. "But it’s not one group.”
Neither Payton nor his players had an interest pointing to coaching absences as an excuse for the performance, but there's no question that getting some of those faces back to work would help heading into a Week 3 matchup with the New England Patriots.
The Saints did get one of those coaches back, and an important one, in OL coach Brendan Nugent. But none of the eight coaches absent in Carolina had cleared COVID protocols by Monday afternoon, Payton said.
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