Saints coach Sean Payton didn't try to disguise his frustration after a deflating Week 4 loss to the Giants in overtime, a game the Saints led by 11 halfway through the final quarter.
But he wouldn't heap any undue meaning on the result in that regard. Any opponent has the talent to get it done if you leave the door open, he said. That's what happened at a raucous Caesars Superdome, with the Giants threading the needle on a touchdown drive, 2-point conversion and then a final drive for a field goal in the final minutes to force overtime.
"There were just a number of things that ended up happening that, hindsight, any one of a few things if we do differently we have a chance of maybe keeping it from getting to overtime," Payton said.
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The game ended in reverse to how it started, with the Giants methodically marching down the field on a xx-play, xx-yard drive to start overtime. Saquon Barkley finished it off with a short touchdown run that ended the game without the Saints' offense every getting a chance in front of the first full-capacity crowd since a playoff loss to the Vikings -- in very similar fashion -- to end the 2019 season.
At one point Payton was asked a question that began: "Is it more frustrating..." The Saints coach cut it off to make it clear, there's no more or less. There are a lot of emotions that go into the game of football, frustration is one of them, but it doesn't come with levels. It comes with goals that have to be met so the frustration is replaced with elation when those challenges arise again.
"There’s no 'even more,' though, I say that will all due respect. This game can be frustrating, challenging, all of those emotions. That’s why it feels so good to win, that’s why it feels this way when we lose," Payton said. "But it’s frustrating. There’s a ton of different things. One of the things I said to these guys in the locker room, I said, ‘look, we can’t get the game back. We’re 2-2. It is what it is. Let’s make sure we get something from that game.’ In this league, I don’t care who you’re playing. And I mean that, it doesn’t matter. If anyone hangs around they’re good enough to make plays. And look, 11 points? That went away quickly, didn’t it? It’s frustrating. It’s disappointing. All those emotions.”
The Saints don't have long to learn, but they'll have to do it on the road against a Washington Football Team that's also off to a 2-2 start with wins over the Giants and Atlanta Falcons.
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WHAT HAPPENED ON THE JOHN ROSS TOUCHDOWN?
Sean Payton said he was informed of the ruling on a long touchdown pass to John Ross III in the second quarter, which was that the receiver caught the ball for 51 yards, before fumbling it into the end zone. The play stood as a touchdown because Ross alertly popped up and recovered the ball. Had it goes out of play, the Saints would've taken over for a touchback.
Payton didn't appear thrilled at what happened after the fumble, with neither of Marcus Williams nor Paulson Adebo going after the ball as it bounced into the end zone. It's unlikely they could've beaten Ross to the spot, but forcing him to fight for it could've potentially forced the ball out of the end zone for a touchback.
“We should be running to pick that up," Payton said, "especially with the way the rules are now.”
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ON THE KICKING GAME
It's almost hard to believe, but the Saints have now gone three games without making a field goal -- one of the most glaring signs that it's not quite whole in that department. They haven't tried many, but Rosas has now missed three attempts across Weeks 2 and 3 after not attempting any in Week 2. He made his first kick of the season in a Week 1 win over the Packers.
In Rosas' defense, the miss against the Giants came on an ill-advised 58-yard attempt, and the only bad miss was from inside 40 against the Patriots. An earlier miss was on a kick from 52 yards.
Payton said if he had that kick/punt decision back against the Giants, he knows what he'd do.
"At some point we’ve got to be able to kick a field goal," Payton said. "But, look, hindsight: I would’ve punted."
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Rosas was unable to take advantage of the revenge game narrative against his former team, and his tenure as the Saints' kicker will only last as long as it takes Wil Lutz to recover from core muscle surgery to repair an injury suffered early in training camp. Lutz went on injured reserve before Week 1, and was eligible to return this week -- along with several other players -- but only guard/center Will Clapp among that group was designated to return.
Payton expressed confidence in Rosas earlier in the week. Should Lutz not return for Week 5 (the Saints have a bye the following week), it could be yet another shot for Rosas.
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