Calling this game a tale of two halves would be an understatement for the Saints. Heading into halftime with up 17, a 3-0 start seemed well in reach. But it all came crashing down for the Saints following Derek Carr’s early second-half injury. The offensive ineptitude was finally too much for the defense to overcome. The Packers roared back with 18 unanswered points, and the Saints couldn’t muster a single one as they fell to 2-1. Here are three key takeaways from the Saints first loss of 2023.
Three Key Takeaways from the Saints Week 3 Loss to the Packers
Collective Collapse
While a loss always hurts, doing it in the fashion the Saints did makes it that much worse. Even holding the 17-point advantage into the fourth quarter was not enough time to put the game away. Carr’s injury seemed to suck the life out of the offense and compounded their struggles. Carr wasn’t lighting up the score by any means, but it felt like he had another opportunity to work through second-half adjustments as he’s done successfully in Weeks 1 and 2. With Jameis Winston having to enter the game, though, it was right back to square one for an already clunky offense.
Not even one short year ago, the Saints were in a similar situation in Tampa Bay. Up 13 in the fourth quarter, they began losing their footing collectively and gave up two late touchdowns, ultimately suffering a one point loss. Sunday afternoon in Green Bay felt eerily similar. Once the Packers got on the board for the first time, momentum had clearly begun to shift. The Saints offense managed to scatter a few first downs, but never enough to sustain a drive. Their best opportunity to put points on the board came in the game’s final minutes. And with Blake Grupe failing to connect on a relatively short field goal, it was a fitting end to the half. Where it could go wrong, it did go wrong.
Losses like these are never just on one unit. The offense certainly needed to do better, and failing to put up a single point in the half is inexcusable. But the defense also has to shoulder some of the blame after allowing the Packers to reach the end zone twice in such a short span. And of course, Dennis Allen and Pete Carmichael are at fault here, too. Conservative playcalling early in the fourth quarter, and questionable decisions to throw late all ended up costing the Saints. As with everything in the second half, it was hard to find much that went right.
Some good news: #Saints QB Derek Carr seems to have avoided a more serious injury than originally expected, sources say. He could still miss some time, but this does not appear to be a season-ending scenario. pic.twitter.com/71xbLZ2ntq
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 24, 2023
Protection Problems Continue and May Prove Fatal for Offense
Through the first two weeks, issues in protection had clearly been the Saints most glaring concern. But with a 2-0 record, it was much easier to gloss over worries. Protection had to be fixed yes, but improvements would come with time and there was belief the offensive line just needed to gel with its new quarterback.
As it turned out, that plan might have been put on hold. Quarterback injuries can obviously happen on any given play, but the risk becomes exponentially higher with a poor offensive line. For the third week in a row, the line surrendered four sacks. The third, and the last on Carr, was the costliest of them all. Dennis Allen emphasized after the game that it needs to be better, and something they’d have to correct. But with Carr down already, it might be too little too late. The extent of Carr’s injury is unknown at this point, but regardless of who is in at quarterback, things need to improve and improve quickly.
There are too many talented weapons on this offense for the group to be performing the way they currently have been. Right now, this offensive line has been the team’s fatal flaw. Both the pass and run game have yet to find a consistent groove, largely due to the fact they’ve been put in so many tough situations due to blocks not holding up. There has been spurts of brilliance from the offense, yet absolutely no semblance of consistent rhythm. Whether it be the development of Trevor Penning, or veterans the Saints have invested in significantly like Cesar Ruiz and Ryan Ramczyk, every member of the offensive line as it stands has to step it up.
Defense Finally Gives In During Saints Loss
Without the defense playing at an absolutely incredible level, the Saints would likely be 0-3. It looked to be heading towards another dominant showing through 3 quarters. Unfortunately, when the team needed it most, the defense finally crumbled. The Packers and Jordan Love, who made some perfect throws to get their offense back in position, do deserve credit. Additionally, the offense did them no favors not being able to put drives together late in the fourth quarter. The defense ran on fumes late in the game and ran out of gas at the wrong time. Going against a team missing its starting left tackle, best receiver and running back, though, the defense should be held accountable.
In spite of the disastrous final few minutes, the defense managed yet another game holding opponents to under 20 points. In today’s NFL, it’s an extremely impressive achievement. And it should be enough to win nearly every game. Even with some expected regression, this defense should be among the league’s best.
Carr’s absence is going to leave little margin for error, though. It’s likely that the Jameis Winston show on offense will further stress Dennis Allen’s defensive mindset. He will try to rely on this defense to win games and hope the offense can do just enough. It’s not a terrible approach, especially with the talent this group has proven to bring. But there’s only so much the defense can do when their backs are constantly against the wall. Like it or not, the Saints under Allen have built themselves around a defensive identity. And with adversity coming on offense, this identity will only be leaned on more. Whether or not it’s a sustainable, winning approach moving forward, remains to be seen.
Main Photo: Dan Powers – USA Today Sports
