The New Orleans Saints have already shown a vulnerability that could become a problem fast in Week 4: tight ends have been getting loose against this defense. Now they have to deal with Kyle Pitts and the Atlanta Falcons, which is exactly the kind of matchup that can turn a quiet stat line into a big afternoon.
That issue was on full display in the Saints’ Week 3 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer combined for 13 catches, 148 yards and two touchdowns, a clear sign that Brandon Staley’s group has not been clean enough in coverage against tight ends. The first two weeks weren’t much better, either, with the Saints allowing 12 receptions for 102 yards through that stretch.
The challenge gets tougher because New Orleans is already stretched thin at linebacker. Kaden Elliss is out, and Pete Werner is questionable for Monday. That matters because those are the players often asked to handle tight ends in coverage.
Pitts, for his part, has not put up the kind of numbers people expect from him yet. He has only two receptions for 20 yards. But that production has come in a Falcons offense that has been dysfunctional outside of Week 3 and hasn’t given him many chances to get involved.
That could change now that Michael Penix Jr. is at quarterback. Atlanta looks more dangerous with him under center, and Pitts could start seeing more usage as a result.
The ceiling is still obvious. Pitts is coming off a season in which he posted 88 catches for 928 yards and five touchdowns. The former fourth-overall pick topped 55 receiving yards in five of the last six games and looked like a true focal point in the offense during that stretch.
At 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, Pitts brings a rare blend of size and movement. He can simply overwhelm smaller defenders at the catch point, and he has enough athletic juice to separate from linebackers. Even when the numbers don’t jump off the page, the threat is always there.
There’s another wrinkle that makes him even more dangerous: he isn’t Atlanta’s top target. That means the Saints probably can’t afford to devote extra bodies to him, especially with Bijan Robinson and Drake London also demanding attention. If that’s the case, Pitts will have chances to win one-on-one matchups.
That’s where New Orleans has to be careful. With the injuries already stacking up, Brandon Staley needs the right answer for Pitts, whether that comes from Jonas Sanker at STAR, a safety or a linebacker. If they miss on that decision, Pitts can become the kind of player who quietly tilts the entire game.
It may not be the headline matchup in Week 4, but Kyle Pitts against the Saints’ defense could matter plenty. Even with modest production so far, he remains a real problem, and New Orleans can’t afford to let him turn into one.
In Other News...
Alvin Kamara Now Faces The Saints Question Fans Can't Ignore
Alvin Kamara is back in the spot the Saints expected him to occupy when he agreed to take a pay cut to stay in New Orleans, and the timing matters. With Travis Etienne injured, Kamara is lined up to return as the starting running back, giving the Saints a familiar option in a backfield that has not produced clean answers yet. The organization has continued to show confidence in him even after a recent statistical dip, banking on the idea that his value goes beyond the raw numbers.
Sean Paytons reflections on coaching Kamara only add to the intrigue, especially his note that Kamara could coast through practice at times and the way the two talked about his career path. Kamaras early season has been mixed, which leaves the Saints weighing the same question fans keep circling: how much of his next stretch will look like the player they remember, and how much will reflect the gradual decline they have already started to see? [Read more 🡒]
Kool-Aid McKinstry Faces A Huge Saints Test Against Atlanta
Kool-Aid McKinstry is heading into one of the more important matchups of his young season with the Saints set to face Atlanta. The rookie cornerback has shown steady improvement and has earned praise from defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, a sign that his role and responsibility have grown as the year has gone on. Now the next test comes against a Falcons offense that just turned in a strong performance, with Drake London likely to be at the center of the attention.
For New Orleans, the appeal of this matchup is easy to see: McKinstry has been trending up, and the Saints need that progress to hold against a receiver who can change how a game is played. Even with the challenges that come with facing Atlanta, McKinstry has stayed confident, and this is the kind of assignment that can say plenty about where he stands right now. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Jordan Gave Saints Fans Four Falcons Memories To Cherish
Cam Jordan has built a career on making life miserable for Atlanta, and Saints fans have plenty of reasons to remember the nights when he turned the rivalry into his own showcase. Few opponents have brought out that side of him more than the Falcons, where he has delivered some of the most disruptive pass-rushing performances of his career and added another layer to one of the NFC Souths longest-running grudges.
Jordan has topped two sacks in a game seven times in his career, and four of those outings came against Atlanta, a reminder of how often he seemed to find his best against the Saints most familiar foe. He also owns the record for the most sacks against Matt Ryan, all of them coming in games against the Falcons, which is the kind of detail that still lingers whenever these teams meet. [Read more 🡒]