The New Orleans Saints were able to improve to 2-0 to start the 2023 season, and here are the three biggest takeaways from the Saints first divisional win.
The New Orleans Saints got the job done on Monday Night Football as they brought home a 20-17 win over the division rival Carolina Panthers. The win by no means was perfect, but the Saints now stand firm in a three-headed tie for first place in the NFC South.
Derek Carr completed 58.3 percent of his passes on Monday for 228 yards and no touchdowns, while Chris Olave, Taysom Hill, and Tony Jones Jr. led the Saints offensively. The Saints' defense was top notch and is deservingly receiving praise as one of the best defensive units in the NFL.
The Saints get a quick 2-0 start to the season for the first time since 2013, but it wasn't all peaches and roses. Let's take a look at the three biggest takeaways from Monday Night's game.
Saints takeaway number one: Offensive Line
The Saints' offensive line has got to get things figured out sooner, rather than later. In the past two weeks we've seen Derek Carr have to evade defenders and make throws on the run more than he should have to. Carr has been sacked 8 times in two weeks, including four from Carolina Monday night.
The lack of production from the offensive line wouldn't be so frustrating had it not been for the hefty investments made to the unit. Trevor Penning, Ryan Ramczyk, and Cesar Ruiz were all first round picks while Erik McCoy was a second round draft pick (but the Saints' first pick in 2019). Not to mention, McCoy, Ruiz, Ramczyk, and James Hurst have at least two full years of experience playing with each other, so you'd think there'd be a bit more fluidity up front.
While there was some ugly, it wasn't all bad as second year tackle Penning really improved greatly against Carolina. He was doing a great job of finishing blocks and thrived in the run game. Most of the mishap was happening in the interior of the offensive line.
While it's easy to point the blame on the offensive line, and at times rightfully so, they were facing off against a team that knows them very well. The Panthers currently have four players who used to play in New Orleans; three of which spent last season in New Orleans. That is an obvious advantage for Carolina who easily were able to comprehend the strengths and weaknesses of each player individually.
This isn't a 'bad' offensive line by any means. The Saints invested heavily into their front five for a reason and they've shown flashes of being a dominant unit. It'll be fun to watch them face off against a good but neutral Packers team on Sunday.
Saints takeaway number two: Offensive Stability
The Saints scored 20 points in the win over Carolina on Monday night, but there were opportunities to score far more than that. The Saints missed an opportunity to score a touchdown early in the second quarter, when Carr wasn't able to squeeze the ball into the end zone to Chris Olave. That was a theme in week one against the Tennessee Titans as well, and it carried over into week two.
Overall however, the way the offense is moving the ball shouldn't be a concern. The Saints have struggled up front, which in turn has made the run game a non-factor for Carr and the offense. Tony Jones Jr. did a solid job in relief of Jamaal Williams last night, picking up first downs on the ground and finding the end zone twice, but we'll need to see more consistency from the running backs before anyone should feel comfortable trusting the run game. It's also worth noting that the Saints only have to play one more game before multiple time Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara will be stabilizing the backfield once again.
Olave and Michael Thomas played great on Monday Night, but Carr struggled quite a bit to make the easy throws. In Carr's defense, he was under duress early and often, but we still need to see more of an effort to keep plays alive and/or throw the ball away. Carr is still in just his second game with the Saints, and camaraderie with his wide receivers will take a few weeks to develop. With that being the case, we shouldn't be worried that Carr is a bust. He seemed to be confused with something for the majority of the game, whether it be the play calls, headset, or any other reason, and that should all get cleared up in a good week of practice and film study.
Saints takeaway number three: Defense
The Saints may have the best defense in the National Football League. Seriously.
The Saints were relentless on the defensive side of the football and if they keep playing the way they have been the first two weeks of the season (and even in the preseason for whatever that's worth), they'll be recognized as the league's top defense. The Saints' defense has nine returning starters, and the two new starters are a first-round draft pick (Bryan Bresee) and a marquee free agent signing (Khalen Saunders).
The Saints were able to generate consistent pressure all night long on the rookie Bryce Young, sacking him four times and making him throw the ball away often. Marshon Lattimore and Demario Davis were incredible as always and if this unit stays healthy (knock on wood) the league should be on high alert.
There's no doubt that the Saints' defense has carried the team to a 2-0 record thus far, and if they keep playing the way they are now, there should be a lot of buzz in the Big Easy. It's not an exaggeration saying this: This may be one of the best Saints defenses we've ever seen in New Orleans.
It will be fun to see this New Orleans Saints defense, and team as a whole, face off against first-year starter Jordan Love and the Packers on Sunday.