Kellen Moore desperately needed a win against the New York Giants. The New Orleans Saints were in the midst of three game skid, and owner Gayle Benson calling him out was the talk of town all week. One could argue more than just a win, Moore needed to a definitive statement victory with style points.
The Saints got the former, but they're still searching latter. If Sunday's game was a statement victory, it's saying everything you don't want it to say. The only statement made by the Saints is that they're incapable of playing four full quarters of football. The first quarter by the offense was bad, and the fourth quarter was a full on trainwreck.
#Saints HC Kellen Moore's review of the win over the Giants:
— NOF (@nofnetwork) October 19, 2026
"I thought that middle eight was a critical part of that game, put us in position. Obviously, we know there's going to be opportunities to focus on some things we need to improve on, certainly the finish. Ultimately,… pic.twitter.com/0fTmIC6FZ2
Saints nearly choking away the game keeps Kellen Moore's seat at 212° F
Benson's comments made Moore's seat scorching hot. We can debate whether a move in the midst of the season is on the table, but Benson made it clear she isn't afraid to make changes to improve this team. Those changes start with who is the general manager and coach is in 2027.
It's impossible to not view the rest of the season through that lens, and one game since Benson's statement, Moore's grasp on the head coaching job is anything but firm. The offense started slow for yet another game, and we may have forgiven it if the fourth quarter didn't happen.
When the Saints responded to their slow start with a 34-0 streak, it looked like the team was well on their way to securing the dominant win they needed. Then the final 10 minutes happened, and that wiped away much of the positivity.
The Saints' slow start is magnified along with their inability to close games. The latter takes the most focus, but the former still stands out and both come back to coaching. It's a lack of preparation and consistency.
Preparation was a constant theme of Benson's comments, and the team immediately looked unprepared. Once again, the first quarter could have been forgiven if the result was a blowout, but nearly choking away the game like that furthers the question of if Moore is the man for this job.
Not only does the near-choke take away from a lot of the positives in this game, it keeps the pressure on the Saints' trip to Paris. Benson mentioned the game in her speech, and it feels like a moment in which they could make a change at head coach if they're going to do it midseason.
Moore is on thin ice already, and he could have used the Giants game to earn some good will. Despite winning, it feels like he did the exact opposite. The Saints can't start or close games, and the only time they played a consistent 60 minutes of action was when they played poorly for 60 minutes vs the Falcons and Vikings.
Moore's seat is the exact same temperature it was before Sunday's game. A loss to Paris still feels like something he can't afford, especially if it's bad.
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