Saints 2023 Week 3 Recap

Jamie UK • September 25, 2023

        Brutal, that’s all I can say about this game. The Saints were up 17-0 going into the 4th quarter before hemorrhaging 18 unanswered points in the final quarter to lose 18-17. There are a lot of storylines to take from this game sadly, most of them are bad, so let’s dive in.


Team Stats 

(Saints/Packers)

Final Score: 17-18

First downs: 15 - 21

3rd down efficiency: 4/14 - 8/18

Total yards: 252 - 340

Red Zone Efficiency: 1 / 2 - 2 / 3

Penalties: 7 for 102 yards - 11 for 90 yards 

Turnovers: 1 - 0

Time of possession: 27:25- 32:35


Takeaways


Offense

        A putrid display on offense, is that harsh? Before Derek Carr went down with an injury the Saints had scored 17 first-half points, but frankly it was still awful. Seven of those points were from an excellent punt return from Rashid Shaheed. The offense just looks harder than it should be. Yes, a lot of that has to do with the massive issues with the o-line, but also the play-calling doesn’t look to be helping.


Every yard looks so hard, there’s very little designed quick game. No quick hitters in the passing game to get the offense into a rhythm, and no drive starters to keep them ahead of the sticks. It looks like Pete Carmichael wants to use the running game for this but the run blocking for the second year in a row now is flat-out bad. Pete saw Sean Payton for years use the short passing/scream game as an extension of the run game, I’m not sure why he’s not able to do it as well. It would help the protection issues as the ball would be out faster and would help the Saints avoid 3rd and medium/long where routinely teams have been teeing off on Saints QBs.


It is not like he doesn’t have the right personnel for it, he had the right QB in Carr before he went down. He’s got arguably the best rhythm WR in the NFL in Mike Thomas, add to him Chris Olave who has elite short area quickness/route running, Rashid Shaheed, and Juwan Johnson. I just can’t get my head around why this isn’t the core principle that the offense is built around. Right now, it feels like Pete wants the deep/intermediate passing game to be the primary option and then the quick game to be the fallback. With the o-line playing how it is, with the weapons they have it should be the quick game first with deep shots sprinkled in, not the other way around.


This conundrum only gets harder now with Carr expected to miss some time, quick rhythm passing has never really been Winston’s game (although, ducks for cover I don’t think he was terrible in relief in this area yesterday), so trying to work that into a more focal point of the offense will be harder now than before. The Saints have Kamara back this week and he should bring energy and explosion to the offense but with this QB and play-caller can they use him effectively? 


Defense

        This always felt like an unsustainable model, the Saints defense needed to be perfect for 60 minutes for the team to win, they weren’t perfect today, and no shocker the Saints lost. The defense for 3 quarters was pretty much lights out, being down a starting safety and cornerback didn’t even stop them. 


        However, there were warning signs for the eventual 4th quarter collapse, the Packers had plays where players were at times wide open in crucial situations but were unable to connect. A play early in the game where Luke Musgrave was streaking down the middle of the field and was wide open Love just flat-out missed him. Both the Packers failed 4th down efforts were the right play calls for Gb just poorly executed, especially the first where Jordan Love looked like a baby giraffe trying to take its first steps. Both 4th down-plays had players open if the Packers could have executed better.


        The 2 key areas missing this week for the Saints defense were pass rush and discipline. The pass rush was way too quiet in a game where the opposing o-line was missing 2 starters. This gave Love way too much time and allowed him to be way too comfortable, especially in the second half. The D-line did, however, arguably play their best game defending the run. 


        On the discipline front, it feels unfair to critique and I’m not going to be too harsh but the back-to-back PI penalties on Taylor and Yiadom were killer (although I thought the PI on Yiadom was soft) those penalties cost the Saints 67 yards, and took the Packers from their own 20 to the Saints 13, eventually ending the Packers first touchdown of the game. Unfortunately, Taylor and Yiadom were on the wrong side of those penalties because I think they both were excellent today, Taylor had a massive 5 PBUs, 2 TFLs, and a Sack, and Yiadom for a guy who’s mainly been a special teams player held up well and he was tested often. I’ve included a stat below that illustrates how good they both were in coverage today.


Next Gen Stats on X: "Isaac Yiadom forced the tightest window targets (7) in a game over the last two seasons. His teammate Alontae Taylor also had 5 tight window targets. Yiadom and Taylor allowed a combined 5 receptions on 18 targets, recording 9 total passes defensed. #NOvsGB | #Saints https://t.co/OV66Itbtha" / X (twitter.com)


        The expectations on the defense will only continue to be high going forward, for those expectations to be met the pass rush needs to return to week’s 1-2 levels.


Saints Stock Exchange (Sponsored By… Nobody)

Just a quick hit section each week to highlight which Saint has their stock value increasing and decreasing after each game, 3 up and 3 down:


Stock up

Chris Olave

Lonnie Johnson Jr

Alontae Taylor


        Olave was excellent again, making a brilliant one-handed grab, showing again the work he did in the offseason was worth it with an excellent contested catch down the right sideline late in the game, Olave looks like an all-pro so far this season. 


        I wanted to give Johnson his flowers for 2 great plays, the interception of Jordan Love and the crucial block that sprung Rashid Shaheed for his punt return touchdown. Johnson has been really good on special teams so far this year so got to see him make a play on defense too. For the final up I went with Taylor for the reasons I highlighted above, not a perfect performance by any means but Harvey has proved to be a playmaker for this defense.


Stock Down

The whole O-line

Doug Marrone

Blake Grupe


        I’ve cheated here a little bit, but I can’t single out one player from the o-line, everyone must be accountable for this display at the end of the day their starting QB got hurt because of the frankly awful play. Again, as highlighted above it's not just the pass blocking but the run blocking too has not been remotely good enough. 


        At this stage it doesn’t feel fair to just blame the players, I highlighted above how Pete needs to help the o-line, I also think some responsibility needs to fall at Doug Marrone’s door, it is his second year coaching this o-line the run blocking was a massive issue last year and it still is this year and the pass protection issues are completing de-railing this offense and this team overall, he has the talent something has to change otherwise this team is going nowhere this year.


        Finally, Blake Grupe, this was his first true pressure kick, there was pressure on some of his other kicks but all of them were sub-30-yard attempts. Today he had a 46-yard attempt to put the Saints up by 2 with just over a minute to play. In his words the snap and hold were perfect, and he just missed it. The Saints made a big decision this off-season to go with Grupe over the vet Will Lutz, granted Lutz hasn’t been great either but this was Grupe’s first test to prove he is legit and unfortunately wasn’t successful. 



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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