The New Orleans Saints didn't come running out of the gate in week one; in fact, they nearly didn't come out of it at all, putting up a goose egg in the first half against the Detroit Lions. It looks like the same slow starts that plagued Kellen Moore's offense last year are still very much a thing with this team.
The offense didn't score until there were under four and a half minutes left in the third quarter, thanks to an eight-yard run by Kendre Miller. Unfortunately the momentum was too little too late, as the Saints would eventually fall to the Lions 30 to 31 on Sunday afternoon in overtime.
Even with the win, the slow start is frustrating for the Who Dat Nation, but no one should be more mad than the Saints themselves. Slow starts were something that everyone and their mom knew the team needed to work on this past offseason, and yet the problem still persists. All that work had to have been for something, as the Saints couldn't be planning to play a comeback during every game this year.
The Saints can't have the fix to their starts be just as slow
This is a problem that has to be fixed as soon as possible, unless the Saints are trying to have their fans go bald by pulling their hair out. If this keeps happening as the weeks go on, then there might not be any optimism for the season by the time the team plays in France.
New Orleans could start by changing whatever script they have for second and long after an incompletion. Time and time again during the first half, Detroit handed the ball off in the backfield for a short gain, putting the team in third-and-long situations. An obvious passing situation, it's something that has been severely limiting the offense to only a portion of Moore's playbook.
In fact, the Saints only had six third-and-short situations the entire afternoon. To make this whole matter more frustrating, the offense was pretty decent if you only include those situations. They seemed more sure of what they would do and just generally more comfortable.
Unfortunately, Tyler Shough and the offense were more rattled than anything else through the first three quarters, and it's honestly a miracle that the game didn't manage to get out of hand. If it wasn't for the defense, then the Lions would've run away with the game in the first quarter and a half.
Hopefully next weekend in Baltimore, the defense won't be doing 95% of the leg work. If not, then it's going to be another infuriating three hours of football.
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