The 2024 preseason of the New Orleans Saints came to an end on Sunday when they welcomed in the Tennessee Titans. The Black and Gold offense woke up in the second half but it wasn’t enough as the Titans came out on top 30-27.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
New Orleans received the ball first and Jake Haener was Sunday’s starting quarterback for the Saints as almost every starter rested in this final game. On the third play of the game, Haener’s pass to Equanimeous St. Brown went for 14 yards and moved the chains. On the next third down, the pass to running back James Robinson was slightly overthrown and the Saints punted.
Tennessee began their first drive on their own 16 yard line as starting quarterback Will Levis was under center. Back-to-back completions of 22 yards each to Nick Vannett and Tyler Boyd put the Titan offense in field goal range. A pass interference call on Saints safety Ugo Amadi set up 1st & GOAL as Tony Pollard punched the ball into the endzone from one yard out. Tennessee took the first lead at the 6:23 mark of the opening quarter.
Jordan Mims opened the next drive with a nine yard run and Haener found fullback Adam prentice for a five-yad gain and a first down. On 3rd & 11, Haener went to AT Perry for the first down, but the play was called incomplete after a Tennessee challenge and the replay showed Perry’s second foot hit out of bounds as he backpedalled to the boundary.
The Titans extneded their lead on their second drive. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley had a big gain early in the possession to set up a 39-yard Nick Folk field goal to put Tennessee up 10-0 49 seconds into the second quarter.
Spencer Rattler was thrust in at quarterback on their third drive and led the Saints on their first scoring drive. Rattler’s first pass was completed to rookie receiver Bub Means for a 13-yard gain. Robinson followed that with a 14-yard run. A penalty by Tennessee extended the drive as Rattler capped it off with a 21-yard touchdown pass to St. Brown on 3rd & 11.
Mason Rudolph replaced Levis and he got the offense down inside the New Orleans 10-yard line before Brayden Narveson lined up and knocked through a 26-yard kick with under two minutes to go in the first half.
Rattler drove New Orleans down the Tennessee 36-yard line. Drops by Perry and St. Brown led to a made 54-yard field goal from Blake Grupe with 35 seconds left and make it a three-point game.
A couple a completions by Tennessee set up a 58-yard attempt by Narveson. The kick was short and returned by backup receiver Samson Nacua. Nacua caught the ball nine yards deep in the endzone and returned it 106 yards before stepped out of bounds three yards short of the goalline. New Orleans headed into the half down 13-10.
The Titans got the ball first to begin the second half and turned the ball over on the first play. Linebacker Monty Rice forced Jabari Small to fumble after a five yard gain and Maillard Bradford recovered the ball, returning it to the Tennessee 31-yard line.
Haener was back in at quarterback for the Saints’ first drive of the second half and connected with Jacob Kibodi for a pickup of 13 on the first play. A couple plays later, Haener’s pass to Perry was good for a touchdown, but was called back as offensive lineman Josiah Ezirim was flagged for holding. Grupe ended the possession with 38-yard kick to tie the game.
That following possession, Rudolph moved the Titans back into Saints territory as Narveson knocked through a 31-yard field goal.
Rattler returned to the game a couple of possessions later at the tail end of the third quarter. Kibodi was the main back on the drive as he rushed for 42 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown run to put the Saints up 20-16 with 13:54 left in the fourth.
Malik Willis closed out the game at quarterback for the Titans and went deep for a 34-yard touchdown pass to Bryce Oliver and reclaim the lead with under 10 minutes to go. New Orleans responded as Rattler connected with Perry for a 43-yard gain to set up a two-yard rushing score by Kibodi to put the Saints back up 27-23.
New Orleans was pinned deep in their own terrioty on their next possession after a Tennessee punt. The Saints went three-and-out and the Titans took the punt return to the Black and Gold 25-yard line. On 4th & 1, Willis’ pass to Oliver was good for a five-yard score as Tennessee took the three-point lead with 1:25 to go.
After a couple of holding penalies by Michael Jacobson on the ensuing kickoffs, Haener went out there one more time but couldn’t complete the comeback as Tennessee gets the 30-27 win.
BIG NUMBER: 57
Compared to most other preseason games, this matchup was a barnburner as there was 57 total points scored in the Caesars Superdome on Sunday.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Malik Willis
The third string quarterback for Tennessee was effiecient in his lone couple of drives as he completed 3/4 passes for 51 yards and two touchdowns including the game-winner. Willis also rushed for 29 yards on three carries as the Titans won 30-27.
UP NEXT: The New Orleans Saints will have the next week off as they cut down their roster size to 53 players. That next week is when they’ll start the 2024 regular season as they host the Carolina Panthers. That game will be played on Sunday, Septmeber 8th as kickoff in the Caesars Superdome is set for noon.