The Saints found a real spark from their tight ends in the Week 3 loss to the Raiders, and it may wind up being one of the clearest paths toward getting Kellen Moore’s offense where it needs to go.
Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant were both productive, both dangerous, and both impossible to ignore once the Saints started leaning on them. Johnson finished with eight catches for 53 yards and two touchdowns.
Fant added four receptions for 33 yards and two more scores. In the red zone, they were a problem, and when the Saints found a mismatch, they took advantage.
That connection mattered because the offense looked sharp for much of the game while the tight ends were central to what New Orleans was doing. The first three quarters had a rhythm to them.
The fourth quarter did not, with Johnson’s fumble ending the game serving as the most painful example. Still, the overall takeaway was hard to miss: when the tight ends are involved and steady, the offense has a much better chance to function.
That matters even more with Tyler Shough in the mix.
Johnson, Fant and Oscar Delp are not going to be the centerpiece of the passing game, but they can make life a whole lot easier for Shough. They give him a dependable outlet, especially when the play breaks down, and they create the kind of matchup problems that can turn a contested throw into a much more favorable one. A tight end who can stress a linebacker or a safety gives a quarterback somewhere safe to go without giving up big-play potential.
Johnson, in particular, brings more than just catches. He may be the Saints’ most dangerous option after the ball is in his hands.
The former wide receiver has the kind of blend of power and elusiveness that makes him tough to corral once he gets into space. Ideally, someone else eventually grows into that role - Barrion Brown was mentioned as a possibility - but for now, Johnson is the one New Orleans is counting on.
There’s also a bigger tactical edge here. When a team lines up in 12 or 13 personnel, defenses usually expect run.
But if those tight ends can block and catch, that look stops being so predictable. It becomes harder to read, harder to defend, and a lot more useful for an offense trying to keep a defense off balance.
That is exactly the kind of flexibility Kellen Moore wants. It could help a run game that is still searching for traction, and it gives Shough dependable targets without forcing the offense into obvious passing situations.
So the tight ends are worth watching closely as the season goes on. After what they did against Las Vegas, the Saints have every reason to keep featuring them. If they keep producing like this, they can become one of the most valuable parts of an offense trying to turn efficient into explosive.
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