The New Orleans Saints walked out of MetLife Stadium on October 18 with a 34-27 win over the New York Giants, snapping a three-game skid and getting back to 2-4. It was the kind of result that gives a team something to cling to - but only if the next step is cleaner than the finish.
For long stretches, New Orleans looked like the better team. Then the game tightened fast.
The Saints built a 24-point lead, only to watch the Giants reel off 17 unanswered in the fourth quarter before J.J. McCarthy’s last throw to tie it sailed incomplete in the end zone.
That split-screen performance is exactly why the result feels encouraging and unfinished at the same time.
The biggest swing came from defense and special teams. Isaiah Stalbird forced a kickoff fumble that Oscar Delp recovered, helping New Orleans erase an early 10-0 hole.
Martin Emerson Jr. picked off both Jameis Winston and McCarthy, and Julian Blackmon added another interception. Chase Young and Carl Granderson each chipped in 1.5 sacks as part of a five-sack day for the Saints, a reminder that disruption can tilt a game even when the offense is still searching for its rhythm.
On the other side, Tyler Shough delivered what the Saints needed most: points. He went 16-of-30 for 144 passing yards and threw three touchdowns, while also adding 32 rushing yards and a score on the ground.
That production matters, even with the passing total still modest. It also leaves the door open for more consistency once the offense starts stringing together more efficient drives between big moments.
Shough offered some clues afterward about how those touchdowns came together. He said Bryce Lance’s score came on a rub concept after New York missed a coverage switch.
He also described Kamara’s touchdown as a flat-route completion that turned into a big play. Those are the kinds of details that suggest the Saints can lean into simple reads and give their playmakers room to work.
The run game offered another positive. The official game notes listed a season-high 175 rushing yards, and Kendre Miller carried the ball 20 times, giving New Orleans a steadier ground identity than it has shown at other points this season. Alvin Kamara’s 31-yard touchdown reception also carried a milestone edge, making him the sixth NFL player with at least 5,000 career rushing yards and 5,000 receiving yards.
There were also line concerns tucked into the win. In his postgame comments, Kellen Moore said Cesar Ruiz left with a knee issue and praised Jeremiah Wright’s blocking. That puts more attention on the Saints’ depth and how they’ll handle the next combination up front without losing the physical tone that showed up against the Giants.
Moore also said the effort to rest Shough and Erik McCoy did not work the way the team hoped. That matters because the final stretch wasn’t just about the players on the field - it was about control slipping away late. The Saints need longer possessions on offense and fewer explosive breakdowns on defense if they want a comfortable lead to stay comfortable.
So is this a turning point? The ingredients were there: turnovers, pressure, rushing production and touchdowns from multiple sources. But the follow-through is what will tell the real story.
New Orleans gets its next shot against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Stade de France on October 25, with kickoff set for 8:30 a.m. Central.
The Saints can take confidence to Paris. They also have a clear job to do: turn strong stretches into a full four-quarter performance.
In Other News...
LSU Heads To Auburn With Two More Starter Questions
LSUs injury picture got a little murkier coming out of the Mississippi State game, and now the Tigers are heading into Auburn with two more starter questions hanging over the week. Princewill Umanmielen and Jackson Harris both went down in the contest, and both figures are likely to land on the injury report as LSU starts sorting out who will be available for a road trip that already figures to test the depth chart.
Umanmielens issue is an upper body injury believed to be head-related, which could put him into concussion protocol, while Harris left with a foot injury and was seen in a boot afterward. Brian Kelly didnt offer any medical updates, though he did indicate Harris is expected to be fine, and LSU is prepared to lean on backups if either player cant go against Auburn. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Lost A Key Piece In Will Wades First Season
LSU has settled one eligibility fight before the season even tips, and the result leaves Will Wades first roster with a notable hole. Guard RJ Luis Jr. will not be cleared by the SEC to play for the Tigers after the league determined he violated conference rules tied to signing a professional contract, ending the programs battle over his status and shifting the focus to getting ready for the year ahead.
There is at least one brighter note in Baton Rouge, though, because forward Saliou Niang has been ruled eligible for the season. Niang was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers, but his decision to attend college came before recent NCAA rule changes, allowing LSU to keep him in the mix as it tries to move past the Luis situation and sort out its rotation. [Read more 🡒]
LSU-Auburn Just Got More Complicated At Linebacker
LSUs trip to Auburn took a hit when linebacker Whit Weeks suffered a fractured right leg and is expected to miss the upcoming game. Weeks has been a key part of the Tigers defensive plans, so his absence adds another layer of uncertainty to a matchup that already carried plenty of weight.
Auburn is dealing with its own linebacker shakeup after Xaiver Atkins was dismissed from the team ahead of the game, following an earlier suspension for undisclosed disciplinary reasons. Atkins has said he plans to enter the transfer portal, while Auburn coach Alex Golesh has not revealed what led to the discipline, leaving both sides with major questions in the middle of a conference matchup that was already shaping up to be tricky enough. [Read more 🡒]