Tyler Shough and the Saints finally got something they’d been missing, then lost something they usually own.
For one quarter, New Orleans looked like it had cleaned up the one issue that had dogged it early in the Kellen Moore era. After a three-and-out on the opening possession, Shough led the Saints on a touchdown drive capped by a scoring throw to Juwan Johnson. It was the first time the Saints had scored in the first quarter this season, and it also marked the first time they had led after the first quarter under Moore.
That part mattered. A lot.
Through two weeks, the slow starts had been the story. This time, the Saints were on the other side of it.
Then the fourth quarter happened.
The Saints, who had made a habit of finishing strong, completely unraveled against the Raiders. Every offensive possession in the final quarter ended in a turnover, and there were four of them. The offense that had been so reliable late in games turned into a turnover machine in the space of 15 minutes.
That collapse stood in sharp contrast to what New Orleans had done over the previous stretch. Since Thanksgiving of last year, the Saints had scored 85 points in the fourth quarter, most in the NFL over that span. They had outscored the Ravens 15-0 and the Lions 10-6 in the fourth quarter, and they hadn’t allowed a fourth-quarter touchdown in eight games.
Against Las Vegas, none of that held up.
The protection that had held together for most of the game fell apart late, and Shough was suddenly under heavy pressure. That pressure led directly to the first fumble and the interception. The strip-sack fumble was also the first time Shough was sacked in the game.
From there, it snowballed. The next drive ended in another interception, then came another fumble, and the final drive of the game also ended with a turnover.
Four straight turnover drives, in any quarter, is a fast track to a loss. In the fourth quarter, it was enough to bury the Saints.
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Saints Still Control One Crucial Thing After A Brutal Start
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The next stretch is where the season can start to take shape for the Saints. With upcoming games that can change the look of the standings quickly, New Orleans still has a clear path to keep itself in the mix and preserve its playoff hopes, even after an uneven opening month. [Read more 🡒]