Another rough and disappointing showing for the New Orleans Saints as they drop their seventh game of the season this time in the road taking in the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was a game riddled with penalties, injuries and turnovers yet again for the Saints. One that has resulted in more questions and conversation about a potential quarterback change for the second week in a row.
And now, the decisions may have off-season impact as head coach Dennis Allen tried to avoid a one-and-done situation in the Big Easy. Sunday in Pittsburgh did not provide a shimmering outlook on either account. Here is how we grade the performance of each phase of the game and coaching in this Ween 10 stinker at Acrisure Stadium.
Offense: F
Three numbers are most telling when it comes to the Saints day on offense. 3, 1.9, and 4.1. New Orleans converted only 3 of their 12 first downs for an inefficient 25%. The offense could not stay in the field, putting together only one drive of more than six plays and one (separate) drive of more than. 50 yards, aided by 15 from penalty.
Part of why those drives did not extend comes down to the Steelers defense completely demolishing the Saints’ rushing attack. Pittsburgh held New Orleans to just 1.9 yards per carry on Sunday. Lastly, 4.1. That is how many yard the Saints averaged per play with only 186 total net yards gained on offense. That average is more than a half-yard shy of the NFL’s lowest per game total of 4.9.
Defense: D
The key number on the defensive side: 79. That’s how many offensive snaps the Steelers took that counted. Add in multiple penalties and that number jumps to 84. Each of those five penalties were ones that resulted in first downs.
While the Saints offense had trouble staying on the field, the defense could not find its way off. Six sacks and several important plays that gave quarterback Andy Dalton and the offense some additional opportunities raise the grade a little. But with undisciplined plays resulting in more missed tackles and penalties as well as allowing over 200 rushing yards, the Saints defense could not be given a passing grade in this one.
Special Teams: B
No missed field goals, some nice return work by specialist Rasheed Shaheed, good punt coverage by gunners JT Gray and Kevin White and finally a coffin corner punt that pinned Pittsburgh back to their own two-yard line. It was a much better day for the New Orleans special teams unit. Punter Blake Gillikin forced the first series of the season in which a Saints opponent took snaps from within their own ten. A baffling stat considering the perennial success of this unit in the very recent past. Sure, that drive would eventually result in a touchdown. But that is not in the punt squad who did their job pinning the Steelers offense back.
Coaching: D
The undisciplined play has to eventually lead back to coaching. Missed tackles and penalties again plagued the team and created additional opportunities for their opposition. The team continues to take the ball out of the hands of the most talented players and there is a noticeable lack of fire and energy that is hard to look past. Yes, injuries are absolutely a factor in some of these points. But the same questions and concerns are popping up following Week 10 as those that rang true Week 1.
There is only one place to turn the focus on when that is the case: coaching. Darren Rizzi found something with his special teams unit on Sunday with an efficient return game (minus a Tre’Quan Smith penalty) and a much needed bounce back game for Gillikin. Also, credit to linebackers coach Michael Hodges for getting a great game out of backed Kaden Elliss who lived up to his potential on Sunday in his expanded role in place of injured linebacker Pete Werner.
