Following a busy week full of practices, scuffles, and injuries, the New Orleans Saints trudged into their second preseason game on Saturday when they squared off against the Los Angeles Rams. In a lopsided blowout, the Rams demolished New Orleans by a final score of 34-0. Let’s recap.
First Quarter
New Orleans booted the opening kickoff to Los Angeles, and both sides would exchange punts on their opening possessions. However, the Rams would then methodically down the field with a 14-play drive resulting
in the game’s first points, a field goal. LA was setup with a first-and-goal inside of the Saints’ ten-yard line, but a false start penalty would back the Rams up, forcing them to eventually settle for the red zone FGM. 3-0, LAR.
Second Quarter
The Saints’ ensuing drive would leak into the start of the second quarter- barely. On the first play in the next period, New Orleans quarterback Zach Wilson attempted to hook up with wide receiver Bub Means but instead threw an interception to Rams’ cornerback Al’zillion Hamilton.
Stetson Bennett and the Rams would take advantage of the turnover as he scampered into the endzone on a play action rollout. New Orleans would turn the ball over on downs during their next series leading to another Bennett TD run. A Saints’ drive that took less than two minutes off of the clock ending in a punt would give the Rams another opportunity to score before halftime which they converted into another FGM as time expired. 20-0, Rams.
Third Quarter
Zach Wilson, out. Spencer Ratter, in. Result? Just about the same. New Orleans looked like it was driving with a new QB at the helm to begin the second half, but after reaching a goal-to-go distance, Rattler threw an unwarranted pass into near triple coverage resulting in a 100-yard pick-six by LA’s Alex Cook. Suddenly, 27-0. Both teams would then exchange three-and-out drives before the Saints’ third turnover of the game.
On a 32-yard catch and run connection from Rattler to running back CJ Donaldson, New Orleans would retain possession after a fumble at the end of the play bounced harmlessly out of bounds. Just two plays later, Saints’ RB Ty Chandler would fumble inside of the Los Angeles five-yard-line to end the scoring threat.
Fourth Quarter
Los Angeles’ Ty Simpson took over QB duties in the second half of the contest and led the Rams down near the red zone in the fourth quarter before a turnover on downs of their own. New Orleans would go three-and-out once more before Rams’ RB Jarquez Hunter put the cherry on top of LA’s dominant victory, a 12-yard TD run.
Penalties, sloppy play, mental mistakes, and likely some exhaustion all factored into the poor performance from the New Orleans Saints in this one, but when it’s raining, it’s pouring and anything that could go wrong did. On the Saints’ final possession of the game, Rattler took the Saints down the field on a 12-play drive setting New Orleans up with a chance to escape the shutout bid. However, K Tanner Brown sailed a 39-yard FGA wide right as New Orleans finally lost 34-0 and if anything, realized there is still not a reliable kicking option on the roster.
