The New Orleans Saints went out to France and had, by their own accounts, an excellent week of preparation.
Unfortunately it didn’t show on the field with the Saints shut out in the second half of a 16-10 loss. What made the result particularly frustrating, though, as the Cajun Cannon highlighted in his postgame rant from Stade de France, was a brutally inefficient day running the football. The Saints managed just 18 yards on their 17 rushing attempts, and that was somehow even worse than it seems because 7 of those yards came on three Tyler Shough scrambles.
"Very frustrating what occurred here in France,” Hebert said, "because I thought we’ve have a chance, but if you can’t run, you can’t win.”
Hear Bobby Hebert's postgame rant and the full Point After in the player above
Despite the run game struggles, the Saints had opportunities to win. After trailing 13-10 at halftime, New Orleans went on a long drive into Steelers territory before Payton Wilson jumped a ball intended for Chris Olave and took it the other way. The Saints finished the game minus-1 in the turnover margin and are now 0-12 under Kellen Moore when that happens. Shough finished the game 30 for 38 for 278 yards and a touchdown pass, a 1-yard strike to Devaughn Vele that tied the game at 10 late in the first half.
The Saints were also held off the scoreboard in the first quarter for the 6th time in 7 games, and Daniel Carlson missed on a kick — this time from 52 yards — for the 6th time this season.
Familiar issues. Familiar results.
“I’m tired of preaching the same song and dance,” Hebert said.
The Saints now head into their bye week at 2-5, though they still remain in the thick of the NFC South race after the Panthers (3-3) went down to the Bucs (2-5). They’ll have to find the answers to turn their season around at home, with the Browns and the Panthers next up at the Caesars Superdome.
“Just a very disappointing loss and frustrating loss, because … you have to always win those types of games,” Hebert said. "But I think we’ve got the right quarterback, we just have to have more help. You can never have a game where you had 18 yards rushing on 17 attempts and you can’t have your two star running backs averaging under a yard.”
The Saints now hit their bye week at 5-2 and will next be back in action in Week 9 when they host the Browns at the Caesars Superdome. Catch all the action on WWL and Audacy.
