What we learned from the Saints' abysmal loss to Cardinals in Week 7
Stop me if you've heard this one before -- The New Orleans Saints lost a game.
Not only did the Saints lose a game, they basically gift wrapped the game to the Arizona Cardinals, who proved to be just as bad as the Saints, if not worse.
Andy Dalton threw three total interceptions with two of them going the other way for pick-sixes. That gave the Cardinals 14 easy points.
Let's just get to what we learned about the Saints after this one so we can move on with our week.
The Saints are a bad football team
After climbing back to 2-3 in Week 5, people started to think the Saints' offense was okay and that this team might be salvageable. Haha NOPE. This is a bad football team, folks.
If the defense is on point, Dalton throws two pick-sixes. If Dalton and Chris Olave have something cooking, the defense then forgets how to tackle. It's like the two sides can't play well at the same time or the world will end or something. I don't know what the heck the deal is but if the offense is good, the defense is bad and vice versa. It's beyond frustrating, man.
Can't stop the run. Can't get to the QB. Can't defend the pass. Turn it over on offense. Fail in the red zone.
— Jeff Nowak (@Jeff_Nowak) October 21, 2022
Everything you can do to lose a game, the Saints made sure to do it tonight.
What is the deal with red-zone play-calling?
Pete Carmichael had the offense slicing and dicing early on but then, for whatever reason, when the team would get into the red zone, they'd go away from what was working for them. In most cases, it was Taysom Hill and Alvin Kamara running the ball.
I'm not sure I get why Taysom Hill has a role in this offense until they get in the red zone, which has been historically where Hill has thrived as a player
— Luke Johnson (@ByLukeJohnson) October 21, 2022
I know he had the TD catch tonight, but he was also not a factor once they got inside the 10 just now
In the third quarter when the Saints ended up having to settle for a field goal, Hill and Kamara got the team down to the red zone but Carmichael went away from getting them involved. The 3rd-and-Goal call was a pass to Tre'Quan Smith of all people and it went about as well as one would expect with him not coming up with the catch. What the eff?
Where have all the turnovers gone?
I hope you all sang that to the tune of "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone" by Paula Cole because that was what I intended there.
The Saints defense last year was so dominant because they were able to force takeaways. This year's team has not been able to do that and it's hurting the 2022 Saints.
Saints were last in the NFL in turnover ratio heading into this week at minus-7. Two worse than any other team.
— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) October 21, 2022
They're at minus-10 now. Wouldn't hurt for the defense to get one back.
If the Saints offense continues to cough up the football and the defense can't get the ball back, it's going to be hard for this team to win games.
Next. All-Time Sack Leaders in Saints History. dark
What's next?
Fortunately, we don't have to watch this team play on Sunday and we get a long week off. They'll host the Raiders in the Superdome in Week 8 in what should be another game that makes us want to gauge our eyes out.
One thing's for sure though -- The seat is getting hot for Dennis Allen with the 2-5 start. We're seeing why things didn't work out with him in Oakland.