The New Orleans Saints lost their second consecutive contest as they were defeated by the Pittsburg Steelers 20-10. Both the Saints and Steelers were coming off a loss and needed a win badly. Neither franchise has had a season to write home about. The Saints (3-7) and the Steelers (3-6) have had many issues throughout the season, from quarterback play to injuries all over the field. Both teams came into Sunday looking for that all too illusive W.
Quarterback Troubles
Ever since Saints legend Drew Brees retired, New Orleans has had a big question mark at the quarterback position. The Saints started the season with former Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston under center. Winston got off to a rough start. He went 1-2 in the first three contests, picking up his only win of the season against Atlanta in week 1. Unfortunately for Winston, he picked up an injury that led to backup quarterback Andy Dalton taking over in the backfield.
The Saints stuck with Dalton over Winston, even after the FSU national champion returned from injury. Dalton hasn’t done much better since becoming the starter. Since he was awarded the job against Minnesota, Dalton has thrown for 10 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. In those 7 contests, Dalton has won 2, including a dominant victory over Las Vegas. Aside from that, Dalton’s performance has been less than thrilling for New Orleans.
Dalton continued to struggle against Pittsburg. The former TCU leader threw for only 174 yards against the Steelers secondary. Dalton had only 1 touchdown versus 2 interceptions. It didn’t help the Saints offense that Pittsburg star linebacker TJ Watt returned from injury Sunday. Despite his lack of numbers, Watt had a major impact in the game, putting lots of pressure on Dalton and recording 2 tackles for a loss.
Dalton’s poor performance has not gone unnoticed by the Saints coaching staff. According to reports, New Orleans is considering reinstating Jameis Winston as the starting quarterback in the next game against the LA Rams.
Standout Players on Defense
Despite the Saints’ struggles, there were some bright spots in Sunday’s game. Despite allowing 20 points, New Orleans’ defense played well. Cornerback PJ Williams had a season-high 11 tackles, including 9 solo tackles. In terms of pressure, the Saints defensive line was able to get to the Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett, sacking him 6 times. In addition, in a fantastic display of athleticism, long-time Saints defensive end Cam Jordan was able to drop back in coverage and broke up a passing play.
One thing that had Saints fans worried was linebacker Pete Werner, who is currently out with an injury. Kaden Elliss, a 2019 round 7 draft pick out of Idaho, took Werner’s place and performed excellently against the Steelers offense. He notched 7 total tackles and recorded a sack. On top of that, Elliss played very well in pass protection. He had a couple of key plays where he saved 2 touchdowns by breaking up a pass.
This season has certainly not lived up to expectations for New Orleans fans. However, the Saints defense continues to be a bright spot for the franchise. If the Saints can find a solid quarterback to pair with their newest offensive star, Ohio State’s Chris Olave, then New Orleans will be back to their winning ways sooner rather than later.
