Saints Dominate Jets for Third Straight Win Behind Defense, Special Teams, and a Big Day from Olave
The New Orleans Saints made it three straight wins on Sunday, taking care of business in the Caesars Superdome with a commanding 29-6 victory over the New York Jets. It wasn’t always clean, but it was the kind of complementary football that head coach Dennis Allen has been preaching all season - a defense that takes the ball away, a kicker who stays automatic, and just enough from the offense to pull away.
Let’s break down how it happened, quarter by quarter.
First Quarter: Early Mistake, Quick Recovery
Things didn’t exactly start smoothly for New Orleans. On just the second play of the game, Taysom Hill coughed up the football, handing the Jets prime field position. New York didn’t do much with it, but they did cash in with a 29-yard Nick Folk field goal to take the early 3-0 lead.
That wake-up call seemed to settle the Saints down. Tyler Shough, getting the start at quarterback, leaned on his playmakers early.
Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson both got involved with a pair of early catches apiece, helping move the chains. The drive stalled just outside the red zone, but Charlie Smyth knocked through a 35-yarder to tie things up at 3-3.
The defense responded with a quick stop, and Shough went right back to work. A 20-yard strike to Olave and a 17-yard connection with Hill had the Saints driving again as the quarter came to a close.
Second Quarter: Field Goals Galore, But Saints Take Control
Smyth opened the second quarter with his second field goal of the day, this one from 49 yards out, giving the Saints their first lead at 6-3.
The Jets answered with their best drive of the day to that point - a 47-yard series highlighted by a 25-yard grab from Isaiah Davis. But once again, the Saints’ defense tightened up in the red zone, forcing another Folk field goal to tie it at 6-6.
New Orleans looked poised to retake control after a 14-yard pass to Olave jumpstarted the next drive. But a failed fourth-down attempt by Hill turned the ball over on downs. No harm done, though, as the Saints’ defense forced a quick three-and-out.
From there, Shough orchestrated one of the more methodical drives of the day - 15 plays, 73 yards, mixing in passes to Kevin Austin Jr., Johnson, and Mason Tipton. It didn’t end in the end zone, but Smyth stayed perfect, drilling a 36-yarder to make it 9-6.
The Saints had one last shot before halftime after another Jets punt, moving past midfield in under a minute. But Smyth’s 61-yard attempt came up short as time expired.
Third Quarter: Long Drive, First Touchdown
The second half opened with a bit of a slog - both teams traded three-and-outs, and the Jets followed up with another short drive that was derailed by penalties.
Then came the turning point.
Shough led a statement drive - 93 yards, chewing up clock and stacking completions. He found Olave for 18 yards, Audric Estime for 12, and finally hit Olave again for the game’s first touchdown, a 23-yard strike that gave New Orleans a 16-6 lead.
It was the kind of drive that shows you what this Saints offense can be when it’s clicking - steady, balanced, and opportunistic.
Fourth Quarter: Defense Closes the Door
The Jets showed a little life early in the fourth, moving into Saints territory. But just as quickly, the momentum shifted. Nathan Shepherd got to Brady Cook for a sack and forced a fumble, which Chase Young jumped on to give the Saints the ball back.
Smyth stayed busy, nailing a 50-yard field goal to make it 19-6.
On the next Jets possession, Cook tried to force the issue - and paid for it. Jonas Sanker stepped in front of a pass for the interception, and the Saints turned that takeaway into more points. Another short drive, another Smyth field goal - this one from 39 yards - and the lead stretched to 22-6.
New York tried to keep the game alive with a gutsy 4th-and-long conversion, a 26-yard strike to Adonai Mitchell. But three plays later, Young came through again with a sack on fourth down, snuffing out any hope of a late comeback.
Hill put the exclamation point on the win with a 38-yard touchdown pass to Olave, who continued his big day with his second score. That made it 29-6, and the Jets simply ran out of time.
Final Thoughts: Saints Finding Their Identity
This win was about more than just the scoreboard. The Saints are starting to look like a team that knows exactly who it is.
The defense continues to set the tone - forcing turnovers, creating pressure, and keeping opponents out of the end zone. The special teams, led by a rock-solid Charlie Smyth, continue to deliver.
And the offense? It’s not flashy, but it’s efficient - especially when Olave is cooking the way he was on Sunday.
Three straight wins, and now the Saints are trending in the right direction at the right time. With the playoffs looming, this is a team that’s quietly building momentum - and doing it their way.