The losses continue, and without an end in sight, the New Orleans Saints may fall near the bottom of many power rankings.
NFL.com – 27 (-7)
“I’m losing faith in my pick to win the NFC South. I thought the Saints had enough defensively to keep Minnesota’s low-ceiling offense within reach, and also believed Tyler Shough was capable of getting the ball out consistently against the blitz. I was wrong. Shough finished with 96 passing yards, threw two interceptions and New Orleans’ offense finished under 150 net yards against Brian
Flores’ fierce defense. This team doesn’t seem quite ready for the big time.”
Fox Sports – 27 (-4)
“If this were a ranking of the biggest disappointments in the NFL, the Saints would be No. 1, and no one else would be close, because there is no team in the NFL that has disappointed me more. I was sure they had the talent to be a worst-to-first story, one of the surprise teams to make the playoffs this year. And I believed that Tyler Shough was one of the next generation of QB stars. But three losses in a row, including five turnovers by Shough (eight for the team), have me out.
I know the Vikings defense is good, but come on, just 142 yards of offense on Sunday? Apparently they’re not nearly as good as I thought.“
Bleacher Report – 25 (-1)
“The Saints provided a glimmer of hope late last season with a four-game winning streak. The optimism that once surrounded this roster and its coaching staff quickly evaporated during the team’s 1-4 start, including an ongoing three-game losing streak.
The most depressing aspect of the Saints’ current situation is how thoroughly the Vikings defense dominated Kellen Moore’s offense. New Orleans may have fielded a top-10 offense entering the contest, but the group had no answers against Brian Flores’ play-calling. The Saints managed only 142 yards Sunday.
What looked like an ascending team is now on its heels with a need to respond in the coming weeks. However, New Orleans doesn’t face another team with a losing record (currently) until the weekend before Christmas. — Sobleski”
CBS Sports – 26 (-3)
“The optimism of the first two weeks has really faded. They’ve lost three straight to fall to 1-4. Tyler Shough-mania has slowed.”
Sports Illustrated – 25 (=)
“The regression in utilizing the play action pass is a strange development in New Orleans. I felt like this team was destined for an NFC South first-place showdown at some point this year and is now staring down a major identity crisis at 1–4.”
