Key Things We Need To See From The Saints In Week 1

Jamie UK • September 6, 2023

        Finally, after a long off-season week 1 is here with New Orleans Saints taking on the Tennessee Titans in the Caesars Superdome. It’s natural after a good off-season to expect the Saints to be the completed article right out of the gate, with all the new signings gelling together perfectly, and players coming back from injury looking exactly as they did before but realistically, we can’t expect that straight away some things will take time. 

However, there are some things that we need to see this week to show that the team is on track to be where we (the fans and media) expect them to be…. Winning the NFC South and being a factor in the NFC playoffs. So, let’s break down what those are. 


Pete Carmichael Jr. Being Firmly In His Bag

        We’ve all heard the saying live each day as if it is your last, well I’m introducing a new one for Saints OC Pete Carmichael Jr. Call each game as if it’s your last. Last season the Saints offense was stale and predictable, with very limited creativity. Yes, you could argue that having to plan a whole off-season for Jameis Winston to be your starting QB only to have Andy Dalton stay the majority of the season could have had something to do with it.

I’m not letting Pete off that easily, regardless of who was at QB there was no excuse for Alvin Kamara to be used so sparingly in the passing game, especially in the screen game and there was no excuse for the only thing at times that was working on offense (Taysom Hill at QB) completely disappeared for large portions of games (see the first half in Cleveland).


        This can’t happen this year, Pete now has a QB who’s a perfect fit for his system in Derek Carr. In camp, we’ve seen more use of motion (the Saints were 31st in the league last year in the use of motion) we’ve seen Rashid Shaheed lined up in the backfield. Kamara practicing with the WRs and being used more in the slot and out-wide and Taysom Hill is being used not just as a rusher and passer but also as a receiver. 


        More about how I would use Shaheed and Taysom here- Could This Be The Most Versatile Saints Backfield Combination....Ever?. These things are all encouraging that we won’t see the same predictable and stale offense that frustrated every Saints fan last year but if nothing changes when the games begin then that could be an ominous sign that Pete is still stuck in the past and unable to turn up when the lights come on.


The Saints Have Stopped Shooting Themselves In The Foot

        Last season the Saints totaled the 12th most penalties in the NFL, if not for an improved end to the season this would have been even higher, and they were tied for the most in the NFL with 25 false start penalties. They were tied for 4th most in giveaways, within that they had 11 lost fumbles (this would have been even higher counting the ones they didn’t lose) 11 lost fumbles meant they were tied (with 3 other teams) for the 4th most in the NFL. I don’t bring up these rather grim stats to force Saints fans to think back too much to a frankly depressing 2022 campaign, I bring these up to highlight that the Saints were a distinctly undisciplined team last year. Pre-snap penalties and fumbles are largely within a team’s control to avoid.


        The 2023 preseason also gives some cause for concern in this area, in game 1 Vs the Chiefs the Saints were flagged 9 times, in game 2 Vs the Chargers they were flagged a ridiculous 14 times, whilst things improved in the 3rd and final game VS Texans as the Saints were only flagged twice.  Yes, this was only preseason and some of the players who committed those fouls aren’t even on the team anymore. However, the same issues plagued the Saints in the 2022 preseason and then we all saw them bleed over into the regular season. It starts with HC Dennis Allen and the Saints coaches being able to hold players more accountable for their mistakes and making repeat offenders pay (via playing time) to keep others sharp and in check. The Saints ability to not fix these avoidable errors last year not only cost them on individual drives but it cost them games and we need to see things improved from the get-go this year.


The Saints Defense Line Wasn’t An Off-Season Mirage 

        The 2022 New Orleans Saints finished tied for 4th in the NFL with 48 sacks, so at face value you’d think the D-line was a strength last season but if you did a little deeper you realize that wasn’t at all the case.  18 of those sacks came from non-d-line players that’s 37.5% of the team’s sacks. To compare the Saints were tied with the Ravens, only 12 of their sacks came from non-D-line players (25%), and the Ravens weren’t particularly known for their fierce D-line in the 2022 season.


        The Saints’ D-line struggled mightily to generate pressure using just the 4 down linemen an ability that the Saints had been known for prior to last season since 2017. It wasn’t just the Pass rush that took a step back, the previously top 3 run defense did too, the Saints allowed the 10th highest YPC (4.5) in the league. Now you can’t put this all down to the D-line, but it did have a lot to do with the drop-off. That’s why heading into this off-season the biggest concern outside of QB for me was rebuilding the d-line. The Saints did that by drafting DT Bryan Bresee and Isiah Foskey in the first 2 rounds of the draft. They also added DT’s Khalen Saunders and Nathen Shepherd in free agency. 3 of those 4 look to be immediate impact players, especially Bresee as a pass rusher and Saunders as a run defender. Shepherd seems to be more of a base DT who will be solid against both run and pass. Foskey sadly has struggled early and is likely to be a health inactive for a lot of this year if the rest of the line is healthy whilst he adjusts to the NFL game.


        When the Saints drafted Foskey if you told me that would be what I’m typing at this stage of the off-season then I would be very concerned about this line entering the year. Enter Carl Granderson, Payton Turner, and Malcolm Roach, all three have had excellent off-seasons, their best as Saints. Turner especially flashed signs of dominance in the preseason the type of playing we’ve all been calling for since the Saints drafted him in the first round 2 years ago. Granderson and Roach showed more of their stellar play in camp rather than in the games. With Roach being called an interior player in camp by Cam Jordan.


        This all sounds very cheery, doesn’t it? I’m hoping it is. The new and old faces have shown everything we could have asked this off-season however we’ve seen this before players flashing in camp and then disappearing when the game starts. In fact, I seem to remember Roach having hype pieces written about him this time last season only for an early season injury and uninspiring play to poor cold water on those very articles. The run defense may take a bit of time to hit their full potential since the Saints had their D-lineman lose some weight and installed a more attacking run defense scheme than the team has used previously. I think we still see improvements Week 1 but I expect it to improve considerably throughout the year. The pass rush that we need to see this week, should get off to a hot start. The Titans have one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL so the rush should be able to disruptive. The interior or the edge it shouldn’t matter, if what we’ve seen from this unit this off-season is not a mirage.


Derek Carr To Prove The Camp Reports Right 

        I’ve saved arguably the most important for last, Carr has had about as good of an off-season since signing with the Saints in March as any of us could have hoped. He’s shown full command of the offense and has hardly had a bad day of practice. His preseason debut came in clutch for the hype train as his lone drive of the preseason ended with 80 yards in 12 plays capped by a patient and perfectly thrown TD pass to Keith Kirkwood. It is hard to not get too hyped about the preseason and the training camp hype that’s been coming from all Saints media this off-season. It is of course exactly what we want to hear and see but it only matters if Carr shows it in the regular season.


        He will face a stiff test against a really good Titans defense, so we don’t need to see perfection from Carr straight away it will of course take time to fully imbed the chemistry with Mike Thomas and the rest of the pass catchers but what we do need to see this week is improvements from what we saw last year at QB.  We’ve all heard the popular trope this off-season that Carr isn’t even really an upgrade on the Andy Dalton we saw last year. I have no doubt over the course of the season that idea will be proved to be completely wrong, but we need to see the evidence of that starting this coming week.


Make sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram @SaintsReportUK, for much more Saints content and discussion throughout this season and beyond.

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Why Peyton "Pop" Houston Could Play a Major Role in LSU's Pursuit of Easton RoyalWhy Peyton "Pop" Houston Could Play a Major Role in LSU's Pursuit of Easton Royal

By Auston Taylor • July 8, 2026
 LSU has made it clear that five-star wide receiver Easton Royal remains one of its top priorities in the 2027 recruiting class. Although Royal is currently committed to Texas, LSU has continued to recruit him aggressively. Based on recent recruiting events and public reporting, one factor that could strengthen the Tigers' position is the presence of quarterback commit Peyton "Pop" Houston. While no outcome is guaranteed in recruiting, Houston's relationship with Royal has become one of the more intriguing storylines surrounding LSU's 2027 class. According to recruiting coverage from The Opening and reports from And The Valley Shook, Houston and Royal showcased noticeable chemistry while competing together on the national stage. Houston also drew attention by winning the event's longest throw competition with a reported 67-yard throw, further reinforcing why many evaluators consider him one of the premier quarterback prospects in the 2027 class. In my view, Houston has the potential to become much more than another highly rated offensive commitment. Elite quarterbacks often become magnets for other top recruits, and early signs suggest Houston could have that kind of influence on LSU's 2027 recruiting class. Why Houston Matters in Royal's Recruitment Quarterback and wide receiver relationships have become one of the most influential factors in modern recruiting. Elite receivers aren't simply choosing a school—they're choosing an offense, a coaching staff, and perhaps most importantly, the quarterback who will help maximize their abilities. If Royal ultimately views Houston as LSU's quarterback of the future, it gives the Tigers another compelling selling point. Rather than asking Royal to imagine what the offense could become, LSU can point to chemistry that has already been displayed during national recruiting events. That doesn't guarantee a commitment flip, but it does provide LSU with something tangible that few recruiting pitches can offer: an established connection between two elite prospects. LSU's History Shows Why This Matters LSU's greatest offensive seasons have consistently featured elite quarterbacks throwing to elite receivers. During the Tigers' historic 2019 National Championship season, Joe Burrow captured the Heisman Trophy while throwing to arguably the greatest receiving corps in college football history—Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Terrace Marshall Jr. That offense rewrote NCAA record books and remains the standard for modern college football offenses. A few years later, history repeated itself. Jayden Daniels won the 2023 Heisman Trophy while benefiting from one of the nation's most explosive receiving duos in Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. Daniels' remarkable development was certainly his own, but LSU's elite receiving talent allowed the offense to reach another level. The lesson is clear: great quarterbacks elevate receivers, but elite receivers also help quarterbacks reach championship-level production. That history gives LSU a compelling message for recruits considering Baton Rouge. Peyton "Pop" Houston's Development Houston's rise as one of Louisiana's premier quarterback prospects is backed by more than recruiting rankings. Evaluators consistently praise his arm strength, touch, ability to extend plays outside the pocket, and willingness to attack defenses vertically. His continued development at Evangel Christian Academy has made him one of the foundation pieces of LSU's 2027 recruiting class. The Bigger Picture If LSU eventually pairs Peyton Houston with Easton Royal, it would represent much more than another recruiting victory. It would signal that LSU landed a quarterback capable of attracting elite talent around him while adding a receiver willing to build alongside that vision. Programs that consistently compete for championships often see recruiting momentum build this way. Elite quarterbacks attract receivers. Elite receivers attract additional offensive talent. Once that cycle begins, recruiting classes can quickly become special. None of this guarantees that Easton Royal will flip his commitment. Texas remains in a strong position, and recruiting decisions can change for countless reasons. However, Houston's emergence gives LSU something every elite program hopes to have: a quarterback capable of becoming the centerpiece of an entire recruiting class. LSU has already witnessed what happens when championship-caliber quarterbacks are paired with elite receivers. Joe Burrow won the Heisman Trophy. Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy. If Peyton "Pop" Houston eventually helps bring Easton Royal to Baton Rouge, it could become one of the defining recruiting stories of LSU's 2027 class—and perhaps the first step toward building another explosive Tiger offense.

Tight End Room Outlook: Revamped and Ready To Roll

By Kaden Arkeder • July 4, 2026
The tight end room has some fresh blood and they look poised to be more impactful heading into next season. With the new arrivals of Noah Fant and third round draft pick Oscar Delp the offense will have the ability to play more in multiple tight end sets to create mismatches for the defense. Multiple tight end sets should allow the Saints to improve the run game and conversely the play action game. Playing in tight end heavy sets was something they were unable to do more of last year due to injuries and lack of talent at the tight end position. Mainstay and the only returning starting caliber player is Juwan Johnson. Johnson had a good year last year as one of the few reliable targets in the passing game aside from Chris Olave. Johnson is looking to build on a solid year where he had 77 receptions for 889 receiving yards with 3 touchdowns. He was a security blanket when Rattler was starting and had quite a few big plays when Shough took over as the starting quarterback. With Shough coming into the season as the presumed starter I expect their connection to be even better next season. Someone hoping to have a better connection with a new QB is Noah Fant. Fant was a first round pick back in 2019 with the Broncos but has never quite lived up to his draft status. Fant will be playing on his third team in three years as he seeks to be a quality rotational piece in the offense and find stability for his career here in New Orleans. Fant should be utilized more in the passing game than in the running game but should be able to hold his own when called upon to do his part on run downs. Fant has been on a statistical decline since his time with Denver as his best receiving season came in at 68/670/4 back in 2021. Although his stats have been declining Fant still has plenty to offer with his athleticism and should produce more given a better opportunity. After Fant in the depth chart should be Oscar Delp who could be the x-factor of the tight end room after being selected in the third round of the draft this year. Delp brings a versatile option to the offense as he can lineup in various spots and handle the rigors of blocking in the run game. Delp’s calling card in college was his elite athleticism which jumps off the screen when you watch his tape. He has the ability to turn a five yard catch into an explosive play with how quickly he can get to top speed. Delp is an adequate, willing blocker where like most new tight ends in the league has room to improve in the blocking area of his game. With his versatility and athleticism I believe Delp will play a pivotal role in the offense this upcoming season. With Delp presumed to round out the depth chart at tight end the remaining tight ends will be competing for spots on the practice squad or spots on another team. This group includes Cody Hardy, Treyton Welch, Moliki Matavao, and Zaire Mitchell-Paden. We’ve seen Welch and Matavao from last season fill in admirably after some injuries but are best served as bench options at this point in time in their development. This group of roster hopefuls should hopefully provide some good competition from one another as we progress through training camp and preseason here shortly. Overall this group has a lot more promise heading into this season as it did last year. By getting younger and more athletic the tight ends will play a more prominent role in Kellen Moore’s offense. Whether it’s Juwan building on last season or Fant having a bounce back year or Delp proving to be revelation, the team is going to have plenty of options to choose from to attack the defense. Exactly what this team needed after not having enough last season.
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