After an encouraging start to 2026, the New Orleans Saints sit on the brink of another lost season. The Saints own a 1-4 record as they come into a Week 6 game at the New York Giants. They look like a one-win team in nearly every aspect. Only the New Orleans passing attack has looked like it may belong among the NFL's better teams, but even that disappeared in a Week 5 home loss to the Vikings. Here's how New Orleans ranks offensively as they enter the second third of the NFL season.
New Orleans Saints Total Offense
- 23.6 points per game (16th)
- 322 yards per game (20th)
- 11 turnovers (30th)
- 106 first downs (8th)
- 45.8% third down efficiency (6th)
- 81.3% red-zone percentage (3rd)
Passing Attack
- 240.2 yards per game (11th)
- 66.8% completion percentage
- 9 touchdowns (11th)
- 5 interceptions (24th)
- 205 attempts (2nd)
- 13 sacks (25th)
Running Game
- 81.8 yards per game (29th)
- 3.5 per carry (29th)
- 5 touchdowns (11th)
A nonexistent running game has crippled the New Orleans attack from the first snap of the regular season. Only three teams have managed fewer yards on the ground or a lower average per attempt than the Saints. Running back Travis Etienne
(hamstring) on injured reserve hasn't helped, but this running game was putrid even before Etienne went down in Week 3. Neither Alvin Kamara or Kendre Miller have done anything as runners or receivers, allowing opponents to key all their efforts on the passing game and pressuring Tyler Shough. The Saints have fewer than 65 rushing yards in three of five outings. While the backs and play-calling shoulder partial blame, awful performances from the offensive line are the heart of the problem.
Left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. (ankle) remains out and Asim Richards has not played well as his replacement. However, the issues lie across the entire front. Center Erik McCoy and guards Cesar Ruiz and David Edwards have gotten no push at the point of attack or provided cutback lanes for the runners. Etienne, Kamara, and Miller have often simply had no place to go, with defenders often on them before they can get off tackle. The line has been equally bad in pass protection. Richards has been overwhelmed and the Saints have been unable to even slow down interior blitzers. Perhaps most perplexing is the massive regression of right tackle Taliese Fuaga, who should be their best blocker with Banks out but at times has been a revolving door for defenders.
Quarterback Tyler Shough has been sacked 13 times but is the most-hit passer in the NFL through five weeks. With a porous offensive line and no threat of a running game, opponents have blitzed the Saints heavily. Yet, coach Kellen Moore refuses to call screen passes or adjust protection schemes to ease the strain on Shough. As a result, the second-year quarterback has taken a tremendous beating.
Despite the pressure and some resulting turnovers (5 interceptions, 3 lost fumbles), Shough has also stood tough against the rush and has made some plays. Before the debacle of just 96 passing yards against the Vikings in Week 5, the Saints had one of the most productive passing games in the NFL. This was in spite of coaching and because of tremendous individual efforts from Shough and a few receivers.
Wideout Chris Olave had at least 8 receptions and averaged 105 yards through the first four weeks. Olave has 39 catches for 537 yards so far, with only an illness against Minnesota and into this week slowing him down. Fellow receiver Devaughn Vele and tight end Juwan Johnson are also trusted targets of Shough. Each has 25 receptions, with Vele going for 252 yards and Johnson 248 yards. All three have made big plays in crucial moments, with Shough showing no hesitation in going to them in any situation. An effort has been made to get rookie wide receiver Bryce Lance involved, but he has yet to have a breakout performance. Tight end Noah Fant has also been productive in the middle of the field. Lance and Fant are each capable weapons, giving Shough a nice variety of targets to attack defenses.
New Orleans has slowed themselves with a lack of running game, pathetic blocking, and Kellen Moore's inability to make adjustments. Because of this, only monumental efforts from Shough, Olave, Vele, and Johnson have kept this team in games. With the Minnesota game an outlier, these four have made the Saints entertaining offensively. It also feels painfully clear, however, that they are also the only path to success for New Orleans the rest of the way.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Concerns rising for unbalanced New Orleans Saints offense
