Sean Payton breathes collective sigh of relief after Week 17 win
By Kristen Wong
And breathe. The New Orleans Saints’ playoff hopes are still alive after a Week 17 win over the Carolina Panthers.
If any game were to be deemed a “must-win” game, it would be this one.
Had NOLA lost, they would have missed the postseason. They also would never have rid the stinking shame of losing to Sam Darnold’s Panthers.
The game stayed too close well into the fourth quarter, and there were whispers that New Orleans was going to botch this game, too.
In the end, the Saints won not because Taysom Hill went pick-free or Alvin Kamara got involved in the passing offense.
They won because of defense. Sean Payton knows it, and everybody knows it.
Saints coach Sean Payton with the ultimate understatement, describing what the defense has done in the past 3 weeks (and all season):
— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) January 3, 2022
"It’s a big reason right now why we’re at 8 wins."
Ceedy Duce. Cameron Jordan. Marcus Davenport. These were the shining stars of Week 17’s grueling victory, and they’re the reason the Saints still have a shot at playoffs.
New Orleans Saints’ Sean Payton praises team defense after Week 17 win
The Saints’ Week 18 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons will determine the team’s fate, and Payton noted that the game could get flexed to primetime.
Payton says that he thinks there's a chance the game could get flexed. https://t.co/ZVjFKyTQJp
— John Hendrix (@JohnJHendrix) January 3, 2022
As much as we love the team, God, we hope not.
The 2021 New Orleans Saints are a total snorefest to watch — the offense, anyway.
Hill went 17-of-28 for 222 yards and one passing touchdown, but the same offensive woes that have plagued the Saints all throughout this season continued to plague them in Week 17.
The Dome is almost completely empty but there's someone just screaming for no reason. Maybe they're trying to get their feelings out about the offense.
— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) January 3, 2022
NOLA ranks second to last in the league in average passing yards per game (187 yards), worse than bottom-feeder teams like the Houston Texans (#MillsMafia) and the New York Giants.
Mike Glennon’s neck was longer than some of the Saints’ offensive drives tonight, and this far into the season, the Saints’ problems are too multi-layered to fix.
3 takeaways from Saints’ season-saving win in Week 17 vs Panthers. dark. Next
The New Orleans Saints can barely keep their head above water after Week 17, and Sean Payton knows the job’s not done yet. One more week to go.