The Saints ran into the same old problem in their Week 5 loss to the Vikings: a defense that couldn’t keep a mobile quarterback bottled up.
That’s become a recurring headache under Kellen Moore, and it showed up again Sunday. Minnesota quarterback Kyler Murray finished with 10 carries for 51 yards, and the raw rushing total barely tells the story. The bigger damage came when he slipped the pocket, bought time, and found open receivers while the Saints’ rush lost contain.
Once Murray started extending plays, Minnesota’s receivers had the room they needed to separate from a New Orleans secondary that has been struggling. Third downs were where it really hurt. The Saints couldn’t get off the field because Murray’s improvisation kept the Vikings’ offense alive and moving.
For New Orleans, the fix has to start up front. The secondary isn’t built to cover for five-plus seconds, so the pass rush can’t just generate pressure - it has to finish the play and keep the quarterback from escaping. That means better gap integrity from the defensive line, with defenders staying disciplined instead of losing their lanes and opening escape routes up the middle or on the edge.
The frustrating part for the Saints is that this isn’t exactly a fresh issue. Mobile quarterbacks have given them problems before, and even passers who aren’t known for running have found success on the ground against them.
Mac Jones and Tyson Bagent each hurt New Orleans with rushing production in recent years. The one clear exception was Week 2 against Lamar Jackson, when the Saints limited him to 34 yards, but that stands out more as the exception than the rule.
If this doesn’t change, the Saints’ defense is going to keep dragging the team down. Even if they don’t face an ultra-dangerous rushing quarterback in 2026, the broader issue remains the same: until New Orleans proves it can contain quarterbacks who can move, the season is going to keep slipping away.
And while it’s not all on Moore’s defense, it does fit a bigger pattern under the head coach. When a problem keeps coming back, the Saints haven’t shown they can adjust fast enough to stop it.
In Other News...
Former Saints Kicker Suddenly Has A New Chance To Prove Himself
Harrison Mevis brief run with the Rams ended after their Week 5 loss to the Bills, when Los Angeles moved on from the kicker and made a change that carries a familiar name for Saints followers. The Rams turned to Blake Grupe, adding him to the active roster from the Jets practice squad as they continue sorting out the position.
For New Orleans, it is another reminder of how quickly the kicker market can turn, especially for a former Saints specialist trying to get back into the mix. Grupe has already worked through stops with the Saints and Colts before landing on the Jets practice squad, and now he gets another chance with a team that clearly needed help in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Face A Telling Week 6 Test With Skid Suddenly Growing
A Week 6 meeting with the Giants arrives at a tricky moment for the Saints, who are trying to steady themselves after a rough stretch and avoid letting the season tilt any further. Even with New Orleans listed as a slight road favorite, the numbers around this matchup speak to how uneven the start has been, especially with the defense failing to make life easier and the overall performance trending in the wrong direction.
The Giants bring their own storyline into the game, staying atop the NFC East after a tie with Washington while Jameis Winston remains under center because of Jaxson Darts injury. For the Saints, the bigger question is how they respond on both sides of the ball, because the recent offensive sputter has left little margin for error against a New York defense that has been forcing mistakes and looking opportunistic. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Pressure Just Reached Gayle Bensons Level
The early-season frustration around the Saints has now reached the top of the organization, with owner Gayle Benson using a public appearance to make clear how dissatisfied she is with the teams 1-4 start. Speaking at the Greater New Orleans Quarterback Club Luncheon, Benson put the spotlight on coach Kellen Moore and general manager Mickey Loomis, making it plain that the results have fallen short of what the franchise expects.
Benson also framed the issue as one of accountability, saying she shares responsibility for making sure the organization is held to a higher standard. For a team trying to steady itself after a rough opening stretch, the message carried obvious weight, especially with the owner signaling that the current level of performance cannot simply be absorbed as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]