Through 8 weeks, Saints WR Chris Olave is currently leading the team in both catches and yards, so why do things feel so uneven?
The situation has come to a head in recent weeks, with Olave being yelled at on the field by his quarterback after appearing to quit on a route, being arrested for reckless driving near his home in Kenner, and then losing track of a ball on a potential touchdown pass -- among other issues -- in a win over the Colts.
“That’s just life, man," Olave said this week, via NewOrleans.Football. "There’s always going to be ups and downs. I've been in a little slump like the past month, but it’s just a standard. I work hard in the offseason. That’s just what life throws at us. I’ve just got to keep going. Like I said, adversity just tests your character, so I know I’ve got to get through it. One good game, that’s going to allow me to bounce back.”
The second-year pro has 44 catches for 517 yards, but those have come with 77 total targets, first on the team by a wide margin. Michael Thomas is second on the team with 61 targets.
Olave was able to laugh at himself a bit, describing the ball clanging off his helmet as looking "hella goofy." He said he just didn't see the ball until too late, the larger frustration coming in the fact that the plan had otherwise worked to perfection.
"It was so open," Olave said. "It was something we’d been planning for like three weeks, so we finally called it in a game and that shouldn’t have been happening."
Again, it's not all bad. Olave has made some spectacular plays this season, and the coaching staff has made it clear that the ups and downs of a young wide receiver are normal. No one is quitting on Chris Olave, and he's taken coaching well.
The next step is everything coming together on the field.
"He’s got a good mindset going into this week," head coach Dennis Allen said. "I’m excited about watching him play. He’s going to be a big part of what we do offensively the second half of the season.”
Olave's next opportunity to break out of his slump will come on Sunday when the Saints (4-4) host the Bears (2-6) a defense that's allowed the second-most passing yards in the league through 8 weeks, along with 17 passing touchdowns while registering the fewest sacks in the NFL (10).
