The Recap- Saints Vs Falcons

Jamie UK • January 8, 2024

The Recap- Saints Vs Falcons


Well, wasn’t that fun? By far the most fun I’ve had watching the Saints this season. Anytime you drop nearly 50 points on the Falcons there’s no way not to find that enjoyable, regardless of how the rest of the season has gone.


Possibly for the last time in the 2023/2024 let's break down this epic Saints win.



Team Stats 


(Saints/Falcons)


Final Score: 48-17

First downs: 27-14

3rd down efficiency: 3/10- 4/11

Total yards: 400-389

RedZone Efficiency:4 of 6 - 1 of 3

Penalties:  3 for 15 yards- 8 for 75 yards

Turnovers- 0-3

Time of possession- 26:10 - 33:50


Takeaways 


Offense


Feels like I’ve typed this a lot over the past 5 weeks but here we go again, this was Carr’s best game as the Saints QB. He finished 22/28 (79%) 264 yards 4 Touchdowns and 0 interceptions. He spread the ball out well with 4 players finishing with over 40 receiving yards receiving. His ball placement was excellent, especially on 2 contested throws to A.T. Perry both back shoulder types of throws, one for a TD. 

The biggest change that has led the way in Carr’s late-season resurgence? His improved play in the RedZone. He threw 2 TD passes in the RedZone today with the team finishing 4/6 in the red area ( granted 1 of those was the fake kneel at the end, more on that later). 

Perry continued his late-season progression, finishing with 3 catches for 56 yards and 2 touchdowns. With it seeming unlikely that Mike Thomas will be back with the Saints for next season, Perry developing into a legit WR with a highly contested catch upside is crucial. With his first regular season now over he finished with 12 catches for 246 yards and 4 TDs in only 10 games.

Perry was a 6th-round pick in the 2023 draft, and the 3rd-round pick from that draft Kendre Miller showed a lot of promise today too. Finishing with 73 rushing yards from 13 carries (5.6 YPC) and 1 catch for 6 yards. Miller had noticeable juice and elusiveness which we haven't seen much from the Saints RBs this season, the difference in burst between him and Jamaal Williams today was huge. On his touchdown run Per Nick Underhill, he was touched by 6 different Falcons defenders and he still managed to punch it from 3 yards out. It was a very encouraging end to the season for the rookie runner.


Other offensive notes

  • Jamaal Williams, unfortunately, continued his struggles averaging 1.9 YPC on 14 carries, he did end his season on a small high thought scoring his first TD of the year on the fake kneel down.


  • Chris Olave’s TD catch almost seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle of this game but it was an incredible play, great concentration to catch it after it bounced off the defender, and after some early struggles, he ended up having a great year.


  • Rashid Shaheed caught another TD bomb, yes we’ve all heard that before, however, something we don’t talk about enough is how many tough catches he makes. The catch today wasn't easy the throw was a touch late and he had to adjust and make a strongly contested catch and that's exactly what he did.


Defense

A tale of two halves for the defense,  226 yards and 17 points given up in the first half, 163 yards and no points in the second. They held the Falcons to only 3.1 YPC which is a big change from the first meeting and rookie sensation Bijan Robinson was held to only 2.5 YPC.  That's certainly encouraging for the Saints run defense which has struggled. 


The Saints struggled early, mainly due to 2 busted coverages, the first resulted in a 56-yard pass to Scotty Miller setting up the first Falcons TD, and the other resulted in a 71-yard catch and run TB by Bijan Robinson.  This resulted in Alontae Taylor being benched for the 2nd time in 3 weeks (as the slot CB). 


From here the Saints flipped a switch, in the second half, the Saints forced 3 turnovers, 2 INTs and fumble recovery off a botched snap. Taylor, who as mentioned was benched was back in the game with Ike Yiadom out with a concussion, Had the first INT whilst playing outside CB, a role I think he will move back to next season when/if the Marshon trade happens. 


Unfortunately, the Saints pass rush still looks inept, if the Saints do trade star CB Marshon Lattimore this off-season (which sadly looks likely) the coverage will regress, especially against a harder schedule. For this defense to not regress mightily they have to improve the pass rush, if they can’t I expect the defense to struggle much more than they did this year.


Saints Stock Exchange (Sponsored By… Nobody)


Just a quick hit section each week to highlight which Saints players/staff have their stock value increasing and decreasing after each game, 3 up and 3 down:


Stock Up


  • Derek Carr
  • Kendre Miller
  • Jameis Winston


Great way for Carr to finish the season, with his best game as a Saint and a great game by anyone's standards. His final season stat line: 68.4% completion % 3878 yards passing, 25 TDs and 8 Ints, It's a pretty good year, considering the o-line play and the injuries he’s sustained, if not for the early season conduct issues I think Saints fans would be talking about Carr very differently. 


Miller finally got on the field and was finally given some opportunities and he showed why the Saints drafted him, really excited to watch him next season. I think he could be the future at RB health permitting.


Finally, Jameis Winston, for 2 reasons for changing the play at the line to give Jamaal his first and only TD of the season and 2 for owning that decision postgame. For being a great teammate and for being accountable for his decisions. DA could learn a lot from his players and their comments following today's game.



Stock Down



  • Dennis James Allen 


I was going to ride into the sunset on a wave of positivity and have nobody in the down but frankly, Dennis Allen ruined it. All he had to do was back his players publicly that's it, even if he couldn't do that just don't mention anything at all about the last play and handle the fact that the players chose to directly go against him and run the ball instead of kneeling in private.


He didn't and because of that, he’s driven yet another wedge between him, the team and the fans. He could have said the players felt strongly about it, so I agreed and then handled it behind closed doors. Sadly, again he called his players out in public when there was no need to, which again shows what a poor communicator and leader he is and why he will never be a successful HC.


My final conclusion from this whole debacle is the most damming of all. I'm sure we will hear this off-season how the Saints credit DA for how the team stayed together to win 4 of their last 5 games, as one of the reasons why the Saints chose to keep DA, the issue with that idea is it's pretty clear that's not true. 


The players kept this team together, they chose not to quit and banded together to make sure everyone in the locker room stayed the course, not DA. The players chose today to do something for one of their own, despite their coaches' orders to not do it. That shows they don’t respect DA and that they decide how this season ends not the HC and theirs no way to spin that positively for DA.


The Saints will be making a mistake by keeping DA, not because he’s a bad defensive coach but because the players don’t respect him, he has no idea how to hold his players accountable and no idea how to be the coach his team and its fans need him to be.


Conclusion 


Another Saints season comes to an end, in only the way a DA coached can in a mess. They waxed the Falcons by scoring the most points a Saints team had against the Falcons and won by the 2nd largest margin of victory in the history and yet we still have to end on the same conclusion #fireDennisAllen. They won’t but they should, for the good of the players and for the good of the fans.


Thank you to all those who have read even one of these recaps this season and if there are any of you reading this that have read that have enjoyed my content this year please let me know. Another interesting off-season ahead and honestly I can't wait.



Make sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram @SaintsReportUK, for much more Saints content and discussion throughout the 2023 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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