Shedeur Sanders didn’t exactly hand the Saints defense a compliment, and Carl Granderson made sure the message landed.
What Sanders said after being asked about what he saw from New Orleans gave the Saints plenty to work with, even if Browns fans might argue he wasn’t aiming at the defense itself. That nuance isn’t likely to matter much inside the Saints locker room. Granderson said the group heard it, and they took notice.
He told the media, "we're going to come in with a chip on our shoulder for sure. They’ve been chirping a little bit. We see what the quarterback said."
Sanders’ exact intent may be up for debate, but the reaction is not. The Saints defense clearly viewed his response as something worth circling, and in the NFL that’s often all it takes to turn a passing comment into fuel.
New Orleans could use that kind of edge. The result against the Steelers didn’t look disastrous on the scoreboard, but the defense spent too much of the game bending.
Pittsburgh had seven drives and scored on four of them, with the Steelers also getting inside the 15-yard line on their final possession before kneeling out the clock. That drive included a field goal before a penalty gave Pittsburgh its last first down.
So yes, the Saints limited the damage to field goals on most of those scoring possessions, and that’s the one positive they can point to. But it’s not a standard they want to live with.
For now, Sanders has given the Saints something to lean on. Granderson and the defense will have to turn that into more than talk.
In Other News...
Saints Suddenly Face A Browns QB Twist That May Change Sunday
The Browns quarterback picture took a quick turn this week after Deshaun Watson was placed in concussion protocol following their Week 8 loss, only to clear the protocol in time to potentially be active for Week 9. For a Saints team preparing for Cleveland, that kind of late-week movement matters, even if it does not yet change the official depth chart heading into Sunday.
Shedeur Sanders remains the Browns designated starter for the matchup in New Orleans, keeping the focus on the rookie as the Saints game approaches. Watsons status still leaves the door open for another shift soon after, with the expectation that he could be back in line to start in Week 10. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Just Made A Backfield Move Fans Didnt See Coming
The Saints have been reshaping their ground game in a hurry, and the latest move came with a jolt: Kendre Miller is out after seven games, even though he had led the team in rushing attempts and rushing yards. For a backfield that has already gone through a coaching change with the firing of run game coordinator T.J. Paganetti, it is another sign that New Orleans is not waiting around to see if the current formula eventually clicks.
Miller, a third-round pick in the 2023 draft, never quite found his footing in New Orleans because of injuries and inconsistency, and the Saints have now added another layer to the competition by claiming Audric Estime off waivers. The roster churn leaves the backfield in flux as the team tries to sort out who fits best in the weeks ahead, and it also raises the possibility that more moves are coming as New Orleans continues to rework the offense. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Suddenly Face A Season Pivot With NFC South Still Within Reach
The Saints are getting a little healthier at a time when their season is hanging in the balance. Kelvin Banks Jr. and rookie wide receiver Jordyn Tyson are both back in the mix after being placed on injured reserve, and the team has opened 21-day windows to decide whether they can be activated before Sundays game. With New Orleans sitting at 2-5 and only one game behind Carolina in the NFC South, even a modest boost to the roster could matter in a division that still feels open.
The timing is what makes this week so important. New Orleans has struggled to find consistency on offense, and the front office now has to weigh whether the current record is misleading enough to keep pushing for a run at the division or whether the roster needs a different approach before the trade deadline. A strong showing in the coming days could change the conversation quickly, but the Saints are still waiting to see how much help they can actually get back on the field. [Read more 🡒]