The New Orleans Saints fell to the Miami Dolphins 17-21 on Sunday afternoon despite a late comeback attempt. They are now 2-10 with five games remaining in the year.
Contrary to the final score, the Saints had some amazing performances on both sides of the ball. The fourth quarter should give fans hope of a brighter future.
This list is only reflective of a player's performance this week. A player being a loser doesn’t mean their season is over, and a winner doesn’t mean they are a star. With that being said, let's get into the winners and losers from the Saints loss against the Dolphins.
Devaughn Vele finally shows up, but Chris Olave disappoints in the final moments
Winner: Devaughn Vele
Saints fans rejoice. Devaughn Vele is finally getting the usage that he deserves in this offense. He reeled in all eight of his targets for 93 yards and one touchdown. Not to mention his recovery of the onside kick late in the game. His diving catch in the back of the end zone gave the Saints hope and brought them back into the game. It’s imperative that Vele carries this momentum into future weeks and ends the season strong.
Loser: Run defense
Either the run defense struggles, or the pass coverage does. On Sunday, it was the former. De’Von Achane torched the Saints defense for 134 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries. He was unstoppable, running for 6.1 yards on average. The Saints need to get more consistent and begin improving at stopping the opposing rushing attack.
Winner: Charlie Smyth
It’s impossible not to root for Charlie Smyth, and he delivered on Sunday. The former Irish Gaelic Football player went 1/1 and made a 56 yard field goal in his career debut after the Saints cut struggling kicker Blake Grupe. Smyth showed fans and team that he can be the future special teams ace for the Saints.
Winner: Cameron Jordan
The 15 year NFL veteran is having his best statistical season since 2022 and produced again against the Dolphins. Jordan had two sacks against Miami and earned himself $600,000 in extra incentives. He’s now sacked the opposing quarterback in three straight weeks. Somehow, the 36 year old is still a star player on the Saints defense.
Loser: Chris Olave
Olave was impactful on Sunday, however, he was unable to bring in a go-ahead touchdown late in the game. He’s been amazing for the Saints in 2025, but he hasn’t produced in key moments. Whether it’s a drop on third down, or just missing out on a touchdown, Olave hasn't shown he can be reliable in crucial situations. He needs to improve at it in order to establish himself as a superstar in the league.
Winner: Kool-Aid McKinstry
The roller coaster continues, but this time, McKinstry’s riding high. He tallied his third interception on the season and shut down the opposing receivers. The top-tier games are spectacular, but similarly to Olave, he needs to get more consistent if he wants to be the future No. 1 cornerback on the Saints.