This loss against the Atlanta Falcons will be looked back on as three-quarters of ineptitude. Forget the comeback in the end. Sure, it was admirable. The New Orleans Saints fought like demons in the fourth quarter. But in the end, Saints fans wake up to another disappointment.
[pickup_prop id=”15050″]
New Orleans Saints Sleep through Three Quarters to Wake up with a Loss
Who Dat Nation was ready to print up the 24-6 T-shirts after taking the lead 25-24 late in the fourth quarter. Every single time in the past 10 years normality spoke of another Falcons collapse. The Saints looked as if one-quarter of solid football would be enough to beat a desperate Atlanta team. Even Falcons fans were all ready to bury their heads in the sand after dropping an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter. It would’ve been the biggest collapse since the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots. History repeating itself looked to be inevitable.
But this time the football Gods were forgiving to the Falcons. And honestly, the Saints were simply not the better team on Sunday. And the Saints wake up now at 5-3.
“There were too many penalties, too many long-yardage situations,” said Payton after the game. We put ourselves behind the eight-ball a number of times on offense in the first half. We did not do the things that winning teams do consistently in our league.”
The Saints were beaten in a close score, but the reality was the black and gold slept through three-quarters of football.
Atlanta Falcons Always Collapse Except for Sunday
The 15-play drive for 92 yards for a touchdown emulated the Saints many drives the same way. The Falcons scored a touchdown with a pass from Matt Ryan to Olamide Zacchaeus made a statement. With six seconds left, the Falcons punched it in to make the score 10-0 before halftime. That gut-punch felt unusual. Something felt off. The Saints are usually the team to make a statement before the half but this time the Falcons flipped the narrative.
The game was hardly over. But the narrative continued through the third quarter. When Ryan scampered into the end zone to make it 17-3 things looked bleak. The Falcons scored again to make it 24-6. An 18 point lead for Atlanta definitely wasn’t the end.
As bad as the Saints played, there was plenty enough time to make another Falcons collapse Part X more than possible. The Falcons even tried their best to fumble away the game in Saints territory. Determination to lose almost overcame the will to win.
The kicker Younghoe Koo did not flinch though. And then it was over. The Atlanta Falcons pulled the rug out in front of the stunned crowd who watched on silent. Usually, it’s the other way around. The Saints now wake up on Monday to another day of being in a mechanics shop looking for things to fix.
Inconsistency is the Word that is Consistent
Ultimately, the word that keeps coming up is inconsistency. The one thing that is consistent is the inconsistency of this team. Playing like Super Bowl contenders one week to fall to a hapless team the week after. This is a dangerous pattern especially come playoff time. If the Saints end up making the playoffs — the one consistent pattern will continue. Getting knocked out eventually with better teams playing more consistently.
Getting it fixed. This is another aspect of a recurring sentiment this season. This team is 5-3 and only one game out of first place in the NFC South. Fixing a car with a few miles is one thing. The season is now halfway through. In other words, the warranty is about to expire on this team. Can these things be fixed now? Yes. But time is running out as the schedule now gets real. Fixing things is not an option any longer. Even new quarterback Trevor Siemian understands this very clearly.
Fixing a Problem in November is Cutting it Close
“It’s frustrating for all of us,” said Siemian about staying levelheaded. “You’re worried about the next play, and we’ve got to get that fixed. The urgency certainly rises, but you do what it takes to get it right. Worrying doesn’t really help the cause so just focus on the next play and getting it right.”
Easier said than done. And this loss doesn’t fall on Siemian at all. Make that crystal clear. Siemian played ok. This fixing problem is at the doorstep now. And Christmas is coming up quickly. The Saints better figure out their delivery problems now or the chirping will get louder as the team enters November.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
