New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill rallied his team to come back from a 17-3 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers in the second week of preseason, and his efforts earned him the top spot in the Team of the Week from Pro Football Focus.
Hill’s overall grade of 93.8 was fueled by 20 total dropbacks as a passer, and he was credited for some eye-catching passes in addition to his always-impressive mobility (forcing four missed tackles as both a runner and while maneuvering in the pocket). Hill connected on three of his four throws that went 10-plus yards downfield, gaining 56 yards and scoring a touchdown.
However, he wasn’t alone on the list. Hill was joined by two of his Saints teammates on PFF’s list of the week’s best players, with right guard Larry Warford (75.3 overall grade) and linebacker A.J. Klein (90.4 overall grade) each making the cut. Warford produced a perfect statline in pass protection, keeping his quarterbacks clean on 10 dropbacks and not allowing a sack, hit, or hurry. Klein limited his opponents to just six yards gained on passes into his coverage, and came up with an interception off of a deflected pass early in the game.
It was a big day for Hill and the Saints at large, who showed up repeatedly on defense with a tough, disciplined attitude. That’s a far cry from their preseason opener, when the Minnesota Vikings bullied the Saints defense and took advantage of over-aggressive linebackers in run defense.
Now, if only the offense can make similar progress before sinking into a double-digit deficit. With starting quarterback Drew Brees expected to return to his spot in the first-team lineup next week, they should do just that. And if not, Hill is around to keep things entertaining.
