The New Orleans Saints abruptly swung to the dark side of chaos in Sunday’s 23-21 loss to the Tennessee Titans. New Orleans ran out of chances to win ugly while the victors led by an utmost professional commanding control. They sit at 5-4 for the first time since 2016, with the “late-season mystifying losses quota” filled last weekend against the Atlanta Falcons.
Injuries have permeated every unit; the depletion of a well-rounded roster is impossible to ignore. It’s hard to point to that as an absolute excuse for this loss when fairly surveying the opponent, with Tennessee missing key contributors of their own like Derrick Henry and A.J. Brown.
One team rose above the adversity, while the other inflicted itself with mistakes in all three phases. Most obviously for place kicker Brian Johnson, whose two missed extra points would have meant the final two-point conversion penalty never had to happen. It’s even more painful when you look at Titans kicker Randy Bullock’s blemish-free 11-point outing. The Saints often win games via special teams. Deonte Harris recorded 110 yards in kick returns alone; the one he fumbled made more of a difference, leading to a crucial Tennessee touchdown to open the second half.
As for the other two units: the defense had its moments, but those moments included several opportunities poised for exploitation – should the offense have any bite. No one said the team identity following Drew Brees needed to be solidified right away. The lack of an even feasible foundation through Week 10 is troubling for a playoff-aspiring team. Sunday’s loss held roots in several season-defining trends, but this week required a deeper read between the statistical lines. What matters for New Orleans at this stage is anything but by the numbers:
