The New Orleans Saints are entering Week 15 with a 5-8 record, but they have won three of their last four games, dating back to when Darren Rizzi took over as interim head coach. Despite how disastrous the season has been, New Orleans still has a path to the postseason. To keep that path open, the team needs to pick up a win on Sunday against the Washington Commanders.
The Commanders are coming off their bye week, and they’re currently 8-5, considered one of the biggest surprises of this season. On Sunday, Washington’s big trade-deadline acquisition, Marshon Lattimore, is expected to finally make his debut. Lattimore, of course, spent his entire career in New Orleans prior to being traded earlier this season.
If the Saints are going to spoil is return to the Superdome, the need to clean up a few things before the game.
Although New Orleans won in Week 14, their offensive output was disappointing, only scoring 14 points. This was especially discouraging because the starting offensive line was finally healthy and playing together. Still, the Saints only rushed for 92 yards on 33 carries (2.8 yards per carry).
That could be because the starting offensive line hasn’t played many snaps together this season and o-line is a unit that needs reps to gel. Whatever the case, New Orleans needs to get the ground game going in Week 15.
On the other side of he ball, New Orleans needs to be better stopping the run. This season, the Saints have been one of the worst defenses in the league against the run. That uncharacteristic trait says a lot about the direction of the franchise.
Against the New York Giants, the Saints limited them to only 11 points, but the Giants gained 112 rushing yards on 23 carries, for an embarrassing 4.9 yards per rush. If New Orleans is going to win on Sunday against the Commanders, it has to be better at stopping the run.
Turnovers weren’t really a problem for New Orleans in Week 14— the team had just one: a Derek Carr interception. However, with Carr sidelined with a hand injury, the Saints will either start Jake Haener or Spencer Rattler. Both are inexperienced, young quarterbacks, and young QBs typically struggle with protecting the football.
Whether it’s throwing interceptions or getting strip sacked in the pocket, whoever is under center has to be smart about ball security for New Orleans to have a chance to win this game.
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