The Saints had a game that was slipping away by the end, but the first three quarters still left them with a few clear positives - and two of the biggest came in the trenches.
Taliese Fuaga was one of the standouts on a night when New Orleans’ protection eventually unraveled. The right tackle was matched up with Maxx Crosby in the game’s most important one-on-one battle, and Fuaga held up well enough to earn one of three game balls from Saints experts afterward.
Crosby had been part of the conversation because Kelvin Banks Jr. was out with an injury, but that didn’t fully capture where the All-Pro edge rusher spent most of his time. He worked largely against Fuaga, and the Saints tackle answered the challenge. Crosby was quiet as a pass rusher, with Fuaga allowing just one hurry and a QB hit, according to PFF.
Going against a player of Crosby's caliber is no easy feat. It was easily the biggest and most impactful one on one matchup of the game.
The pressure numbers alone show who won the matchup, and the fact Fuaga kept Crosby from making any game changing plays drives home the point. ~ Darrion Gray
Khristian Boyd also made his presence felt, even without a heavy snap load. The 2024 sixth-round pick put together an unexpected breakout against the Raiders, finishing with two tackles for loss and one sack. His work against the run stood out, and there were signs that his pass rush is coming along, too.
Boyd’s role may be small for now in a deep defensive tackle group, but performances like this give him a chance to force his way into more snaps. If he keeps growing into a dependable run defender and rotational lineman, that would be a real boost for Brandon Staley’s defense in 2026.
Khristian Boyd is my player of the game after an unforeseen breakout performance. The 2024 sixth-round pick had a quiet first two seasons, but impressed against the Raiders with two tackles for loss and one sack. His prowess as a run defender was evident, and clearly his pass rush is improving.
The Saints have a crowded defensive tackle unit, but Boyd can continue carving out bigger roles with these showings. Him developing into a dominant run defender and rotational piece would be huge for Brandon Staley’s defense and help them in 2026.
The potential is there, now it’s time to see if he can capitalize on it. ~ Drew Collings
Travis Etienne’s injury came late, but before that point he had put together his strongest outing as a Saint. He handled the kind of tough, unglamorous work that can shape a game, finishing with 57 rushing yards and helping create enough balance for Kellen Moore to call play-action for the first time. That stretch helped build the early lead.
Etienne’s running game was also a key reason the passing attack had room to breathe. The injury to his hamstring changed the feel of the finish, and one view from inside the evaluation was that the game might have ended differently if he had stayed healthy.
Even though he got injured and the Saints lost, I don’t think Travis Etienne's game should be ignored. He was having his best game as a Saint yet, doing a ton of dirty work as he got his 57 yards on the ground.
Etienne’s consistent running also opened up the passing game. Because of him, Kellen Moore was able to call some play-action plays for once as well, which led to the initial lead.
If he didn’t hurt his hamstring, I think the game would’ve had a different outcome. ~ Molly Bauer
In Other News...
Saints Fans Have Every Reason To Hate This Tyler Shough Ruling
The Saints had another rough Week 3 finish against the Raiders, and one sequence involving Tyler Shough has only added to the frustration. The NFL upheld the ruling on the field, saying Shough lost control of the ball before his arm started moving forward, leaving the play as a fumble and not an incomplete pass.
For Saints fans, the irritation is obvious because the league handled a similar-looking situation differently in Week 1 when Jared Goff was involved. NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth explained why the two plays were separated, but the explanation is unlikely to make New Orleans feel any better about how the call broke in a game already going the wrong way. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Collapse Came Down To Tyler Shough And One Brutal Call
The Saints had their best early footing under Kellen Moore on Sunday, jumping ahead after the first quarter and giving themselves a chance to carry that edge into a needed win over the Raiders. Instead, the game unraveled late in a 35-27 loss, with New Orleans giving the ball away four times in the fourth quarter and watching a promising night slip into a frustrating collapse.
Tyler Shough was at the center of it, with multiple turnovers and a strip that led to one of the games most contentious moments, when Las Vegas came away with the fumble recovery. A late Juwan Johnson fumble only deepened the damage as the Raiders kept answering with offense, leaving the Saints to sort through how a game they once controlled turned so quickly in the final period. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Fans Have Every Reason To Be Furious Over This Replay Ruling
The Saints already had plenty to argue about during their game against the Raiders, and the replay decision only deepened the frustration. Adrian Hills crew drew heat for a series of controversial calls against New Orleans, including multiple penalties on the defense, but the play that really stuck with fans was a quarterback drop that ended with the Raiders coming away with the ball.
NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth upheld the ruling after review, saying the quarterback lost control before his arm came forward. The problem for New Orleans is that the explanation landed differently than another similar play earlier this season, when the league ruled it an incomplete pass, leaving the Saints and their fans to wonder why a key judgment can look so different from one week to the next. [Read more 🡒]