Things couldn't have gone much worse for the New Orleans Saints in their Week 5 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. They watched head coach Kellen Moore get outmaneuvered by another opposing coach who once competed for the job; Vikings DC Brian Flores won decisively, limiting Moore's offense to just 142 yards of total offense, the third-lowest output since 2000. Second-year quarterback Tyler Shough threw 25 times and only gained 96 yards. It's as low a moment as we felt during the two and a half years Dennis Allen spent mismanaging the team.
But that's not to say there weren't some positive moments. They just came few and far between. Let's break it down by asking and answering several key questions.
What went right?
Kendre Miller got his legs under him, consistently
rushing for positive yardage and the team's only touchdown on offense. Defensively, Carl Granderson popped off with 1.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, and a couple of quarterback hits while limiting big runs off the edge. He's a good compliment to Chase Young who split a sack with him rushing off the other side. And shout out to second-year safety Jonas Sanker. The nickel was credited with seven tackles and a game-changing fumble recovery, which he returned 87 yards for a defensive touchdown to tie up the game. Veteran punter Ryan Wright had a good day with four punts for 229 yards, dropping his average down to 57.3 after a 55-yarder late in the game.
What went wrong?
Everything else was disappointing. The passing game never came to life and Shough threw two gnarly interceptions (to the same defensive back) on poor decisions. As a team, the Saints ran for just 55 yards on 17 attempts, and the offensive line had no answers for all of the extra pressure Flores threw at them. Defensively, New Orleans was without two starting defensive tackles and looked the part while giving up 164 rushing yards (not including an 11-yard tackle for loss on a trick-play pass attempt). Two of Minnesota's best pass catchers were unavailable due to injuries and Kyler Murray was still efficient, completing 24 of 30 passes for 229 yards and a touchdown while consistently hitting the middle of the field. The special teams units were gashed on both punt returns (57 yards on two tries) and kick returns (83 yards on three attempts) and Vikings kicker Will Reichard connected on each of his three field goals. Did we mention the Saints fumbled the kickoff to open the second half?
And what's the bottom line?
This is a bad team. Between a lack of talent after so many unproductive draft classes (thanks, Mickey Loomis) and ineffective coaching during the week (does Kellen Moore know how to prepare for different opponents?) the Saints are trying to fight with two hands tied behind their back. Moore installed a playbook short on answers for adverse conditions, like a blitz-heavy defense. It's no accident that their best plays come when Shough has to move outside structure and throw to Olave on the move. There just aren't any answers for the problems that come their way. Defensively, the Saints lack athletes who can make a difference or catch an agile quarterback in the open field. They don't have a CB1 who can match up with a superstar receiver like Justin Jefferson. All of that early-season optimism has flown out the window.
So what comes next?
The Saints are going to spend life on the road until they return to New Orleans for their next home game on Nov. 8 (against a Cleveland Browns team currently 3-2). They'll travel to face the New York Giants next Sunday before going overseas for the NFL's first game in France, set to play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 25. After that is the bye week to start November. Dropping three losses in three weeks at home is incredibly disappointing. We'll see if the Saints can pull a win out of their hats against a frisky New York Giants squad or a Steelers team that just put up 34 points. There's a very real possibility they go into the bye at 1-6. If Moore had the answers for what's challenged them, we'd have seen them by now.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Instant analysis: What went wrong, what went right in Saints-Vikings?
