The New Orleans Saints are finally getting healthy just in time for a few matchups that could get the 2024 season back on track, or send it hurtling into a complete tailspin. No pressure, right?
The Saints are sticking with rookie Spencer Rattler for another week, but he may finally have a cast of characters around him that'll allow for a fair evaluation. The rookie has been at the helm for the last two losses of a five-game skid. The Saints have had 10 days to come together after a Thursday Night Football debacle, while the opponent is coming off a short week.
With all that in mind, here are the 3 things I'm looking for when the Saints face the Chargers at SoFi.
1. DO THE RETURNS MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
This honestly might be too broad to even say you’re watching it specifically, but the answer to a key question is important in both the short- and long-term: How much of the five-game losing streak, and in particular the past two debacles, has been a product of circumstance and attrition, as opposed to an inevitable result of sketchy drafts and a continued reliance on aging, veteran players in key positions?
There are fair arguments to be made on both sides of that debate. On the one hand, we saw prolific performances on both sides of the ball when this team was fully healthy. On the opposite side, this is a “next-man up” league, and simply missing key players can’t be a valid excuse for losing the plot in such glaring ways. Perhaps the truth is somewhere in the middle?
Regardless, the list of players the Saints will be getting back this week after multiple weeks missed is pretty impressive. That group consists of:
- RG Cesar Ruiz (knee) … missed Weeks 4-7
- TE Taysom Hill (rib) … missed Weeks 5-7 and a majority of Week 4
- LB Pete Werner (hamstring) … missed Weeks 5-7
- WR Chris Olave (concussion) … missed Week 7 and a majority of Week 6
- LG/C Lucas Patrick (chest) … missed Week 6 and was an emergency option in Week 7
No, it’s not acceptable to full sell when key players go down. But we also don’t need to pretend that going into a game down a majority of your offensive starters should be expected to yield good results. The Saints haven't even had four of their starting offensive linemen in any game since the opening possession of Week 3. Those guys are starters for a reason, it makes a difference.
The wild thing is that the list above still doesn’t include quarterback Derek Carr (oblique … missed Weeks 6-8 to this point) and center Erik McCoy (groin surgery … missed Weeks 4-8 to this point). Both of those players are expected to return, but it won't be this week. The same can't be said for WR Rashid Shaheed (knee surgery) and CB Paulson Adebo (broken femur). Both of those players are done for the season.
I think it’s fair to assess the situation with the idea that at a certain point you can reach a critical mass of injuries that makes it virtually impossible to win. That’s how it’s felt the last two weeks. Rookie QB Spencer Rattler and the offense couldn’t sustain drives. The defense, while largely healthy, couldn’t tackle or stop the run, and that made it impossible to get off the field. The results were what we saw.
I’m not ready to give up on the season yet. The team clearly isn’t either, and if you believe head coach Dennis Allen the return of some of those key players has been “energizing” throughout the week of practice. Taysom’s return should add teeth to the offense that haven’t existed in a while. Werner’s return means Batman (Demario Davis) has his Robin back — those are Joe Woods’ words, not mine. The Saints defensive coordinator points to communication and confidence as things Werner’s return can bring. I sure hope that’s true.
Heck, I hope all of that is true. I hope we see an energized group that looks like the team benefitting from 10 days rest against a Chargers squad dealing with a short week. If that’s the case, there’s reason for hope. If we see another demoralized, apathetic, defeated (pick whatever word works best for you) performance, we can’t point to injuries anymore.
The results matter, everything else is just an excuse. Find a way to win a game, whatever it takes.
2. RATTLER GROWTH
The Saints had the option to pull the rug out from Spencer Rattler this week, and I don’t think anyone would’ve blamed them. Jake Haener finished off a Week 7 debacle with a very impressive drive. The pair was neck and neck in training camp. That’s just the deal in the NFL when you go through the type of struggles we’ve seen.
They didn’t do it, and it’s a more than reasonable approach. The Saints didn’t even slow play for a potential advantage, with Allen announcing on Monday they’d stick with the rookie. Not that anyone cares, but I endorse it. As much as I think Haener put his best foot forward, setting up your young QB to fail, and then pulling the plug when he does what you set him up to do would be a mistake. That said, I’ll bet the leash that didn’t seem to exist in starts 1 & 2 is probably there this time.
Two starts in five days is tough on any QB, particularly when they’re starts 1 and 2 of your NFL career. There wasn’t much time to do anything but get ready for another game. There wasn’t much self-scouting or evaluation, how could there have been? You flushed the Week 6 game plan and did as much as you could to install for Week 7. The results showed that.
But for Week 8? I need to see how that 10 days was put to use. I need to see a QB who looks more comfortable navigating within the pocket. I need to see a quarterback who can ID pressure, in particular when he’s hot and facing a free rusher. Those moments don’t have to turn into big plays, but they can’t turn into turnovers. The vote of confidence is there, now take advantage. If things don’t work out in the first half, then I think you have to consider a change.
We noted this above, but having weapons and a majority of the starting offensive line should help. You’re asking a lot of a rookie at any point, but particularly when your top options in the passing game are rookies in Bub Means and Mason Tipton. This will be the first time Rattler has gotten to throw passes to Olave, at least beyond the one target that ended with a concussion, fumble and return for a touchdown. This will be the first chance Rattler has to work with Taysom, who sure feels like he can unlock the offense.
The Chargers have a quality defense. I don’t need domination on offense, but I do need to see a pulse. Put up a number your defense can protect. Play from ahead, and the opposing offense will have a hard time putting up points. Let’s see what happens.
3. GIVE ME A RUN STUFF
Look, I get it, the Chargers want to run the ball, and that’s smart … because they don’t have much else to work with.
Justin Herbert is an excellent quarterback, but I feel good about my chances 1-on-1 against the fighting Ladd McConkeys and Will Disslys. If those are the guys beating me because I’m forcing them to, I’ll live with it.
But man, I can’t watch another team go off for 200 yards on the ground because I’m helpless to stop it. That’s easily been the most concerning part of the last two weeks, and it’s been that way because a majority of your front 7 has been there. If you can’t survive the absence of one linebacker, you can’t survive much.
The coaching staff has been preaching fundamentals, and maybe that’s all it is. At a certain point I think it comes down to effort, even if that’s not a word coaches and players like to throw around. And fine, pick a different word, call it fight, call it will, call it whatever you want, I need this team to show it, because I don’t buys that this group has suddenly lost the ability to be competitive in the trenches. They’re just getting beat. They’re getting outworked. They’re getting outfought. Willie Green isn’t that far off out in Portland, maybe we could fly him in for a “you gotta fight” speech? Because you can give me all the technical and schematic reasons why the Saints can’t stop the run, I genuinely think it comes down a lot more to want to than anything else. What’s the saying? It’s not about Xs and Os … it’s about Jimmys and Joes, well I need more Joes. Give me more Joes.
Defensive coordinator Joe Woods also pointed to communication as an issue, and maybe it has been. Maybe Werner’s absence has been more impactful than it should be, and his return can spark some things. Maybe the defense was worn down and the 10-day layoff can spur things back where they need to be. Maybe the offense can sustain some offense and put the defense in better situations (I do really think that’s a bigger part of this than we might be giving it credit for).
Whatever it is, something needs to change. There hasn’t been an elite defense in the history of the NFL that can’t stop the run when they need to, and when you’re relying on a rookie backup QB, you need an elite defense to win games. Stuff J.K. Dobbins and Kimani Vidal and whoever else, and I think the Saints win this game. And if the guys I’m rolling out there can’t do it, I’m going to find me someone who can.
LAGNIAPPE
Kendre Miller showed he had the juice last week. It’s time to take of the training wheels. I’m still not sure just how much this team trusts the guy in pass pro, but that trust has to built somewhere. Alvin Kamara is willing to play through a lot, but I think this team would benefit greatly from making this more of a true committee. I’d say one of every four drives should be Kendre’s drive, and you filter him in wherever else he makes sense. Kamara got his extension. It’s not about protecting egos, it’s about finding a combination that is the most difficult to defend. Let’s get weird. … The Saints have wanted Marquez Valdes-Scantling in this offense for a while. Now they’ve got him. I’m not sure exactly how much they’ll trust him less than a week after signing, but it doesn’t take a lot of cmplex understanding to run go routes. Send him out there and let him stretch the defense, and that 6-4 frame certainly won’t hurt in the blocking aspect. I expect to see him involved somewhow. … Glake Grupe is still yet to miss a kick worth 3 points, and I’d love to see this offense give him a lot of chances. I don’t care if you have to kick 6 field goals, I think this can be a field goal game. … The Chargers opened as 7.5 point favorites in a game after averaging 17.7 points over their first 6 games. They’re coming off a 17-15 loss and haven’t scored more than 16 since Week 2. A 7.5-point spread means bettors basically aren’t expecting the Saints to score at all, and maybe they’re right. But man, if this team has any pride at all they should view that as a massive insult. … Replacing Paulson Adebo won’t be easy, but the Saints have the pieces to do it. Much like last year when Marshon Lattimore missed time, they’ll have Alontae Taylor work outside in base reps (3 linebackers), but he’ll shift inside on nickel reps with rookie Kool-Aid McKinstry taking over outside. That platoon worked well when it was Ike Yiadom in that spot last year. I’d bet the Chargers look for ways to attack the rookie, but regardless it’ll be a chance for the kid to show what he’s got.
