Don't look now, but the New Orleans Saints just broke a 23-game streak. That's how long it's been since the black and gold exited the first quarter with a lead -- Juwan Johnson's touchdown catch on a pass from Tyler Shough ended up being even more significant than it looked when it gave them an early lead against the Las Vegas Raiders. The last time the Saints managed this feat, they were visiting the New York Giants on Dec. 8, 2024. That's the same game where Derek Carr injured himself diving for a first down. He didn't play in another game for New Orleans. after that.
Slow starts have been a recurring problem for the Saints under head coach Kellen Moore. Whether he's struggling to prepare his team for Sundays or not putting enough time into
advanced scouting, his opening-game scripts haven't been up to snuff. They even started this Raiders game with a three-and-out and a quick punt before rallying on the second drive.
Instead, Moore has been more effective calling plays in the second half, where Shough has seemed more eager to let it rip and test defenses deep downfield. It's just one score, but it's a start. Let's see if this can be the start of a new streak.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints snapped a 23-game streak with early TD against the Raiders
