Welcome everyone to the latest edition of #4Downs where I break down what went right and what went wrong for the New Orleans Saints! This week, I look at the Saints loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
1st Down: Offense Gets Into a Funk
The Saints offense had been firing on all cylinders the last few weeks, but they hit a brick wall on Sunday in Los Angeles. It seemed like a simple strategy for the Saints to employ: get it done on the ground and chew clock.
Outside of the big touchdown run for Alvin Kamara in the first quarter, the run game was held in check by a defense that usually has a hard time keeping the run game honest. The Saints had three drives go three-and-out, but it’s those other drives that tell the story with only three drives going more than five plays.
2nd Down: Strong Second Half Adjustments Defensively
The Saints kick coverage gave the Rams some excellent field position to start the ballgame and looked like they were getting shredded on the opening drive. They did make some adjustments in the second half and it paid off, allowing only nine points and getting an interception in the final five minutes.
If the offense was performing as well as they had been the last few weeks, this could be a win for the Saints because of how that second half performance. The only real negative thing defensively worth noting is how poor of a performance Kenny Vaccaro had. There was one big play allowed in the first half that looked like he had given up on. It really showed how important it is to have rookie corner Marshon Lattimore and Ken Crawley back for a very important NFC South contest next Sunday.
3rd Down: Give Kamara Rookie of the Year
Put the ballots in right now, Alvin Kamara has to be the NFC’s choice for offensive rookie of the year. His numbers tell you everything. In 11 games, the third-round pick out of Tennessee has almost 1,100 all-purpose yards.
Just go watch that 75-yard touchdown run. The vision he has is amazing and makes you wonder why Butch Jones didn’t use him more frequently during his time in Knoxville (might’ve also answered the question as to why he was recently fired as the head coach).
4th Down: Road Only Gets Tougher
Look back at the Saints schedule and tell me if you saw a recurring theme during the winning streak. For the most part, the Saints either faced offenses handcuffed with inexperienced quarterbacks or a banged up star player.
Jared Goff may only be in his second year in the league, but first-year coach Sean McVay found out how to use him to his fullest potential. The defense hadn’t been tested against a consistent quarterback with some solid options at wide receiver. Sure Robert Woods is out for the rest of the year, but the Rams have Sammy Watkins and emerging wideout Cooper Kupp leading the way offensively. They also have Todd Gurley starting to become the type of player many expected him to be coming out of Georgia.
All that being said about the loss on Sunday, the Saints road to the playoffs doesn’t get any easier with a Carolina team that is starting to get its legs underneath them and the Falcons twice in three weeks. The next 11 days for the Saints will undoubtedly be the most important part of their schedule and determine if this team can make it to the playoffs after three straight 7-9 seasons.
-Clint Domingue