The New Orleans Saints defense came up big at the end of their preseason game versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. It's a trend that wasn't prevalent under Dennis Allen the head coach. It's also a trend that will need to return under Kellen Moore and Brandon Staley for the Saints to find success.
You always want to be careful with how you react to preseason games. There are mirages that often appear. It's important to be weary of training camp and preseason stars who don't show up in the regular season.
Under these circumstances, the Saints third string defense stalled out the Jaguars third string offense. It's not something you're going to write home about. When it is starters versus starters, however, the Saints must show they're capable of doing this.
Saints defense will need big plays in the clutch to exceed low expectations in 2025
In this game, the Saints defense gave the ball back to their offense with a little over two minutes left in the game. The result was a game-tying touchdown drive. Then the defense made another big play, as Jonas Sanker forced the third turnover of the game.
This isn't a sign of the return of a dominant defense, but years of not seeing these timely plays made these moments versus the Jaguars stand out. Under Dennis Allen, it felt like if you put the defense on the field in a one score game, they'd never rise to the occasion. The stinginess that created the confidence in him as a defensive coordinator departed upon his ascension to head coach.
The defense would never seal the game if the team had a lead or give the ball back to the offense with a chance to win. New regime, new habits? They'll need that. This late stand isn't a sign of things to come. It's a sign of what needs to happen.
The New Orleans Saints simply aren't going to win many games big in 2025. The offense won't be good enough for that. The season win total projections vary from publication to publication. They have one common theme, though. All the totals are low. The Saints can exceed those expectations, but they'll have to win close games to get it done.