NEW ORLEANS (AP) 鈥 The New Orleans Saints are about to find out how competitive they really are.
A pair of one-score losses at home (2-0) and (2-0) left the Saints (0-2) disappointed on one level by their start under rookie coach Kellen Moore, but also encouraged by the fact they were in both games until the end.
Now comes a pair of road tests at Seattle and Buffalo, and the prospect of an 0-4 start is looming if New Orleans can’t pull out one of those games.
This week’s game will be a homecoming of sorts for Moore, who grew up in the state of Washington 鈥 albeit in Prosser, about a three-hour drive on the other side of the soaring Cascade mountains from Seattle. And Moore is eager to see how the Saints respond to their first road game this season in what can be a difficult venue to visit because of how its architecture projects sound from the stands toward the field.
鈥淚t’ll be a lot of fun to be back up there,鈥 Moore said. 鈥淚t’s a really cool environment, really fun environment. There’s a lot challenges with playing up there and the crowd noise. But it will be an awesome opportunity for our football team.鈥
On Sunday, New Orleans kept the Niners close thanks to Spencer Rattler’s best performance yet as an NFL quarterback. The 2024 fifth-round draft choice passed for 207 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. His highlights also included a 39-yard pass down the left sideline to deep threat Rashid Shaheed and he had a couple of key first down runs on third and fourth downs.
鈥淗e made some critical plays with his feet,鈥 Moore noted. “He鈥檚 certainly making progress. He鈥檚 getting better each and very week. I love his approach.鈥
San Francisco didn’t put the game away until Bryce Huff’s fourth down sack of Rattler on a fourth-and-1 play from the Saints 42-yard line in the final minute of the game.
鈥淲e have to grow from this. We have to get better. There is a lot of football ahead of us,鈥 Moore said. 鈥淲e need to take the next steps.”
What鈥檚 working
The Saints were effective running the ball and stopping the run.
New Orleans outgained the Niners 121 yards to 77 on the ground, with Kamara rushing for 99 yards.
鈥淔or Alvin to get the touches, we felt like that was a real positive,” Moore said. 鈥淗is patience in the run game, his ability to get to the edge a couple times. I just felt he had a really good game.鈥
Moore also saw “a lot of good鈥 in the Saints’ run defense against star running back Christian McCaffrey.
鈥淲e put ourselves in favorable third downs because of what we did on first and second down,鈥 Moore said. 鈥淲e didn’t allow the explosive run game to happen.鈥
What needs help
The Saints allowed the Niners to convert on more than half of their third downs (8 of 15), including a handful of plays when the Niners needed 10 or more yards.
All three of Mac Jones’ TD passes came on third down, too, including Jauan Jennings’ 42-yard TD reception on third-and-11.
Stock up
Receiver Devaughn Vele, acquired in a trade with Denver just before the start of the regular season, caught his first touchdown pass as a Saint. The scoring play came on a 3-yard pass over the middle with 6:18 left.
Stock down
Blake Grupe missed a field goal for the second week in a row, but Moore had his kicker’s back on Monday.
鈥淗e’ll be fine,鈥 Moore said. 鈥淭here’s too much good over the course of the sample size I’ve experienced with him to have a bunch of concerns. ... I have all the confidence in the world in him.”
Injuries
Defensive tackle Vernon Broughton was not listed as an injured player during Sunday’s game but Moore said Broughton told team officials later that his hip was bothering him. It turned out to be 鈥渟ignificant”, Moore said, adding that Broughton is now expected to be placed on injured reserve this week and possibly have surgery. Meanwhile, the Saints continue to await the 2025 debuts of guard Trevor Penning (foot) and defensive end Chase Young (calf), who are week to week.
Key number
14 鈥 The number of regular-season games the Saints have lost in their past 17, going back to Week 3 of last season.
Next steps
The Saints embark on a tough, two-game road trip, beginning at Seattle on Sunday and at Buffalo the following week.
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