A 16-point output doesn't exactly jump off the scoreline in the Saints' Week 1 victory, but the score only tells part of the story.
As Saints GM Mickey Loomis made clear on the Saints Coaches Show on WWL Radio this week, Derek Carr's performance in his first game with his new team was exactly what the front office was hoping to see.
Listen to the full interview with Mickey Loomis in the player above. Can't see the embed? Click here.
“I think he did more than [manage the game]. I mean, he made some plays that we haven’t seen made here for a while," Loomis said. "Off-platform throws, plays breaking down, him solving problems. He did a lot of really good things."
Carr finished the game with an efficient line of 23-33 for 305 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception.
One reason it's easy to overlook the scoreline is because Carr's biggest throw of the day didn't lead to points, but it did hasten the end of the game as the Saints salted away a victory without ever getting the ball back. It was 3rd and 6 on the Saints 33. There was 1:55 left and the Titans had two timeouts, seemingly in prime position to get the ball back for a potential game-winning drive. The Saints offense knew running the ball and punting likely wouldn't get it done, so they got aggressive with Carr unleashing a deep ball down the right sideline that was hauled in by Rashid Shaheed for 41 yards.
Some teams might've erred on the more conservative side and trusted a defense that had held up all day. The Saints took matters into their own hands, and Loomis said that's exactly what he wants to see.
"I always appreciate when you go out and you try to win a game as opposed to trying not to lose a game," Loomis said. "It was a hallmark of Sean Payton’s time here as a head coach, he was always trained call plays to win games and I appreciate that when you do that. Look, sometimes it doesn’t work out, but I think that’s the best way to play in the NFL."
Three plays later Jamaal Williams burst through the line for an 11-yard run that allowed the Saints to win without ever giving the ball back. A satisfying result after a back-and-forth, physical game.
"That’s the kind of ending that we weren’t able to do a year ago," Loomis said. "And so that’s good, in Week 1, to finish off a close game like that against a good football team.”
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MORE FROM MICKEY LOOMIS
On defensive stop to open game (after fumble)
“It’s not very often that you would point to the first series of the game and say that was one of the turning points, and yet it was," Loomis said. "We turn the ball over deep in our own territory and the defense runs out there and causes them to lose yardage. They have to kick a field goal and set the tone for the entire game, I felt like. And look, I think it gave the defense a ton of confidence. … That’s a good football team.”
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On Demario Davis
“He’s a great leader for our team and honestly, we didn’t know that he was going through that with his daughter this week," Loomis said. "And so for him to come out and focus and play great football, it’s a testament to just his character, the kind of person he is. We’re so proud of him, not just on the field but off the field. Just praying for him and his daughter and his family. … He’s a spectacular individual and a spectacular representative of the New Orleans Saints.”
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On impressive skill players
“It was really good to see Mike Thomas look like Mike Thomas," Loomis said. "I felt like Mike really looked like his old self. Physical, violent route-runner, catching balls in traffic, and that was great to see. Obviously Chris Olave had a great game for us, as did Rashid Shaheed. It was good to see. There was a lot of good things on offense and look, we can grow from there.”