What can you say about the Saints that you didn’t say last week? And we are all hoping that we’re not saying the same thing about the Saints next week.
In the first 2 games of this season - which was supposed to be so promising because it was Coach Kellen Moore’s second year and QB Tyler Shough had more experience - the Saints seemed to have a winning spirit. The Saints lost to the Lions in OT in the first game and went to Baltimore to beat the Ravens - a team expected to be a Super Bowl contender. But then - a disappointing loss to the Raiders in the Caesars Superdome. Next - an embarrassing loss to the Falcons on Monday Night Football. And now - another loss with the typical characteristics of a Saints loss to the Vikings. Yes - the Vikings were 4-0 going into the that game but there did not seem to be as good as the record might indicate. But it’s not that the Saints lost to the Viking - it’s the WAY they lost to the Vikings.
The Saints loss to the Vikings was too typical of a Saints loss for any Saints fan to be comfortable. There were exciting moments that gave fans hope - only to be disappointed by the all too typical blunders. Pre-snap penalties should not be so routine for a time at this point in the early season. Those senseless penalties have got to be a mental setback for the players every time they happen. The scoop and score was the kind of play that usually happens to teams that end up winning the game - but not the Saints.
I AM A SAINTS FAN! But as a Saints fan I am worried. I’m worried about a team that does not seem mentally prepared for a game from the beginning. Once again - no points in the 1st quarter. But the Saints led at halftime! Then we just let the Viking steal back the momentum. The Saints don’t know how to cling to the momentum like you would cling to a puppy in a storm. And that’s concerning.
Saints Coach Kellen Moore was a little - and I mean a little - more up than he was the first few weeks - but it was the same message. It was concerning to read the body language of Coach Moore when he came to the podium and looked down at the podium while he was giving his opening remarks. It was as if he didn’t want to look at the media. Throughout - he often looked down as if he knew what he was saying was hard to hear.
What I don’t understand is why do we have a coach who was hired because he was a brilliant Offensive Coordinator with a Super Bowl Championship team who doesn’t appear to be calling good plays? I was at the game so I didn’t see the national broadcast - but Drew Brees took part in the broadcast and even Drew questioned Moore’s play-calling. During the press conference after the game - Coach Moore was asked if he would consider giving up play-calling and Moore said that “We’ve got folks doing a great job in that department” and he said we obviously are not getting it done and we have to find a better way.
The complacency of Coach Kellen Moore continued this week after the loss to the Vikings. Moore was asked about placekicker Daniel Carlson. The question from the media was: “Where do you stand with him?” Carlson missed an extra point and has missed field goals that are within range and has not been consistent. Coach Moore responded: “We just have to look at that - obviously - we missed an opportunity there. We’ve just got to get better there - we’ll certainly look at that.”
What kind of answer is that? “We’ll have to look into it?” And do you notice that Moore only uses the pronoun “we” - it’s never “me” or it was other coaches. I know it’s not good to call out players but if the team isn’t doing their job then it’s okay to talk about the team not doing their job.
Did you hear any of Coach Jim Harbaugh’s press conference after the Chargers lost to the Broncos making the Chargers 0-5? He didn’t rave about it - but he was pissed and you knew it and he accepted a lot of responsibility himself. The same with Eagles Coach Nick Sirianni after the eagles lost to the Jags. Coach Sirianni said: “I lost us that game - and that’s what I said to our guys” in the locker room. Both Harbaugh and Sirianni were in total control but there was a definitive intensity in their attitude about their losses and they sounded determined to fix things.
Coach Moore was again calm and complacent and seemed too satisfied with the status quo. And Saints fans are speaking out.
During “The Point After” - Bobby Hebert said the last time the Saints started a season with a 0-3 record in the dome - the Saints went 1-15 that year.
Something needs to change and quickly. But what Saints management is willing to do is yet to be seen. Let’s hope there’s a sudden change - but right now the Saints are bad.
