The Saints got the win over the Giants, but it came with plenty of anxious moments attached. New Orleans built what looked like a comfortable cushion, then let the game get messy late before hanging on for a too-close-for-comfort victory.
It was the kind of finish that left little room for celebration, especially with Kellen Moore hoping for something that looked more like a statement. Instead, the Saints put together one of their best offensive stretches and one of their roughest fourth quarters in the same game. A win is a win, but this one did not exactly settle anything.
For a long stretch, the Saints looked like they might cruise. They scored 34 unanswered points and owned a 24-point lead with 11 minutes left.
Then the Giants chipped away until they were within one score at the 2-minute warning. At one point, Spencer Rattler even came into the game, which tells you how secure the Saints thought things were.
Special teams again played a major role, and not just in a good way. Daniel Carlson’s day started badly when he failed to kick the opening kickoff into the landing zone, giving the Giants the ball at the 40-yard line to begin the game.
That didn’t lead to points, but it immediately gave New York a better setup than the Saints wanted. Carlson also missed a 55-yard field goal later on, and he has now missed a kick, whether field goal or extra point, in all but one game this season.
Two made 50-plus-yard kicks should keep him around for now, but the Saints would not be out of line to make a change.
The flip side of that was the impact from the return game near the end of the first half. Barion Brown ripped off a 41-yard return to the 44-yard line, and that set up the Saints’ first points of the day. Brown had already done something similar against the Ravens before halftime, and this time the return helped jumpstart a huge stretch of scoring.
Then came another special teams break. On the kickoff after the field goal, Isaiah Stalbird forced a fumble, and the Saints finished that last drive of the half with a touchdown. Instead of heading into the break down 10, New Orleans went in tied because of those two plays.
Up front, the Saints got a positive sign when Cesar Ruiz left with an injury and Jeremiah Wright stepped in for his first action. The rookie handled it well.
The run game improved noticeably once Wright entered, and the offense looked more explosive with him in the mix. Run blocking was his calling card, and he showed why right away.
In Other News...
Kellen Moore Enters A Saints Game He Cant Afford To Mismanage
The Saints head into Week 6 against the Giants carrying far more than a 1-4 record, and the scrutiny around Kellen Moore has already reached the point where every decision feels magnified. With New Orleans struggling on both sides of the ball, the focus is no longer just on getting back in the win column. It is on whether Moore can put together a plan that looks organized, adaptable and worthy of a team that expected more than this kind of start.
Gayle Bensons public frustration only sharpened the spotlight, since the message around the building has been hard to miss: this level of performance cannot continue without consequences. So the matchup with New York comes with more than standard early-season urgency. It is a chance for Moore to show that his offense can function, his staff can adjust and the Saints can look like a team with a clear direction instead of one searching for answers week to week. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Get A Needed Boost But Week 6 Concern Still Lingers
Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave should give New Orleans a much-needed lift heading into Sundays matchup with the Giants, easing some of the early-week concern around two of the offenses most important players. Kamara has been dealing with a back issue, while Olave was battling illness, but both are expected to be available as the Saints try to keep their game plan intact in a Week 6 spot that already carried some pressure.
The same positive injury trend extends to New York, with left tackle Andrew Thomas and edge rusher Abdul Carter also expected to suit up despite their own injury concerns. For the Saints, the broader picture is simple: getting Kamara and Olave on the field matters because their availability shapes what this offense can be, even if the health questions around the week are not fully gone. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Backfield Shift Puts Cam Skattebo Under Pressure In Week 6
The Giants are making a notable backfield adjustment heading into Week 6 after Cam Skattebos ball-security issues became too big to ignore. ESPNs Jordan Raanan reported that New York plans to reshuffle its running back rotation, a response to Skattebos multiple fumbles this season and the critical one he put on the ground in Week 5 against Washington, a mistake that nearly swung the game the wrong way.
For New Orleans, the matchup now comes with a little extra intrigue because Najee Harris is expected to take on a larger role while Skattebos snap share is trimmed but not erased. The Saints will still have to prepare for both backs, yet the more pressing question is whether New Yorks change can steady the offense or simply shift the pressure somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]