NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans Saints rookie coach Kellen Moore is less than a year removed from celebrating a Super Bowl triumph in the Superdome as offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles.
That same famous stadium has been home to a lot of losing for Moore's new team during the first half of this season — and going on the road has been even worse.
The Saints (1-8) now have their worst nine-game record since 1980, when they lost their first
14 games before finishing 1-15.
“We haven't met our goals. We haven't met the standard. We're not playing winning football enough. And so, it's obviously frustrating,” Moore said on Monday.
“Can we grow? Can we get better? Is there plenty of football ahead of us? Certainly, you can look at it from that lens,” Moore added. “But we've got to go through some challenging times right now. We've got to push through them.”
Moore noted that there are “plenty of good examples” of rebuilding teams that have had miserable starts to a season, but ultimately turned a corner and began winning more regularly again.
“By no means is it fun right now,” Moore said. "But it shouldn’t be fun right now. We’re not winning football games. And so we’ve got to get through that and come out on the other side a better team, better individuals — and once we get there, we can head where we ultimately want to go.”
The Saints' lone victory came in Week 5 against the also-struggling New York Giants (2-7).
Since then, New Orleans has changed quarterbacks from second-year pro Spencer Rattler to rookie Tyler Shough, a second-round pick who made his debut as a starter in Sunday's 34-10 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Shough, who finished his first start 15 of 24 for 176 yards, one touchdown and one interception, “made some big-time throws," Moore said, referencing specifically a 27-yard completion to Chris Olave after his QB had escaped pressure.
“I thought there were some trends going upward,” Moore continued. "I really like Tyler’s performance — something he can build on.”
Still, the loss in Los Angeles was the Saints' second straight by 20 or more points and third this season.
“We’re still building and growing," Moore said. "But we’ve got to have some urgency to get there.”
One of the few officially measured statistics in which the Saints rank near the top of the league is in fumble recoveries. The Saints have recovered six, putting them in a five-way tie for third most in the NFL entering Monday, behind only Pittsburgh (8) and the Rams (7).
While the Saints rank near the bottom of the NFL in most categories, their competitiveness seems to have been particularly hampered by their inability to run the ball, which would ease pressure on, and open opportunities for, a young, inexperienced QB.
The Saints, who had just 57 yards on the ground against the Rams, have not rushed for 100 yards in a game for five straight games. Their 89.6 yards per game rushing ranks 27th in the NFL.
“We've got to do a better job on first down runs so we can keep running," Moore said. "We've got to look at it from a schematic standpoint. ... We're not getting it done yet.”
Receiver Chris Olave leads the Saints in catches (55), yards receiving (560) and TDs receiving (3) this season.
Meanwhile, after missing the first five games of this season with a calf injury, defensive end Chase Young has three sacks, a forced fumble, fumble recovery, six QB hurries and three batted passes in four games.
Alvin Kamara's yards per game rushing (41.9) and receiving (16.7) have left the 30-year-old, ninth-year pro on a pace to finish with the lowest production of his career in either category. However, age might have less to do with his decline in production than playing in a new offense that is struggling generally.
RT Taliese Fuaga and TE Jack Stoll both are rehabilitating a high ankle sprains from Sunday's game.
“Those will be week to week,” Moore said. “Probably going to be tough to play this week, but we'll see how those guys progress.”
26:38 — That's the Saints' average time of possession per game this season, which ranks last in the NFL.
The Saints play this Sunday at NFC South foe Carolina before their bye arrives in Week 11.
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