The script was written. Despite all of the early-game struggles. Despite all of the drops and nifty plays by the Falcons, the Saints ended up right where they wanted to be.
The star-studded defense was on the field in the final minute with a lead. One stop, the game is over, much like it was a week ago in a win over the Bucs.
But then the unthinkable happened. Falcons RB/WR Cordarrelle Patterson got on top of rookie Paulson Adebo in coverage for a 64-yard catch and run that put Atlanta in position for a chip-shot game-winner as time expired.
So what went wrong? Malcolm Jenkins, who sees himself as the quarterback in the secondary, pinned it on communication. They'd seen the same set on the initial drive of the game, he said.
"We knew what the route was, they ran it earlier … in the game. It’s up to me to make the checks to put us in the best position to stop that," Jenkins said. "They made a play, especially when they needed it. So hat’s off to them."
It's unclear exactly what checks Jenkins would have made if given another opportunity, but some things are clear just off a second glance. Saints coach Sean Payton said the defense was a "three-deep zone." There are variations of how you'd run such a zone coverage, but one tenet will remain consistent: The outside corners want to force an inside release, however possible.
Whether it was an attempt to design the coverage or simply poor execution, Adebo was set up inside at the snap and giving a man-to-man look. He hops outside and flips his hips in an attempt to force the inside release, but he doesn't get far enough. There's no jam. Patterson is given a release break off the line, and easily outpaces the rookie with Falcons QB Matt Ryan delivering the ball in a perfect location. The outside release allows Patterson to get where no zone help can be an impact.
Payton wouldn't delve too deeply into what went wrong before seeing the film, but he made one thing clear.
"You want to stay on top of your coverage in that situation," the coach said.
It was a perplexing finish for a defense that had stood up each of its past two games in similar scenarios. Both the Seattle Seahawks and Bucs took over the ball in the final minutes needing a drive into field goal range to either tie the score or take the lead. The defense came up with a stop both times.
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The group that was playing light's out, even in the fourth quarter of this game, stumbled at the worst possible moment. It was an inauspicious way to reach the de factor midway point of the 2021 seasons. But the ups and downs haven't been lost on the veteran Jenkins, and he knows there's quite a lot of this story to be written.
"We’re a team that doesn’t make excuses. We don’t care about what’s going on outside of the game, who’s on the field or whatever. And so for us, if we want to be the team that we want, we’ve got to figure out how to continually be consistent," Jenkins said. "Even, obviously, when there’s going to be some adverse situations that’s gonna come."
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