Jessie Bates sees the Falcons through a different lens when Michael Penix Jr. is under center, and he made that much clear after Atlanta’s latest showing.
“We just want to show the world who we can be,” Bates said, via Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com. “The first two weeks were not up to our standards.
Obviously, when you got [Penix] back there dealing, it’s a whole different team. So, we’re just excited to continue to go with this.”
In Carolina, Dave Canales defended Akayleb Evans after a Week 4 outing against the Lions that included some costly moments. The Panthers head coach said he thought the cornerback did plenty of good work even while allowing the big plays.
“I would say, by and large, [Akayleb] did a really good job,” Canales said, via PanthersWire.com. “He gave up some big plays.
He’d be up here telling you there’s a few opportunities that he would love to have back to play differently. I was able to connect with him on the sideline and just be like, ‘Look, this is a great opportunity.
You’ve given up a few plays, you know they’re gonna come back here. So just be ready for the next opp-because you’re gonna get that.'”
Canales also gave an update on several Panthers players. He said he is hopeful DE Jaelan Phillips (hamstring) and OT Monroe Freeling (knee) can suit up against the Eagles in Week 5, though he couldn’t say that with certainty.
Joe Person reported that. Mike Kaye reported that Canales said RB Trevor Etienne will for sure return after the bye, while DE Tershawn Wharton and OT Taylor Moton still need medical clearance.
Canales added that OT Ikem Ekwonu has more ground to cover.
In New Orleans, Tyler Shough didn’t hide from the mood around the Saints after the Falcons spoiled the anniversary of the team’s return to the dome. Shough said he understood the reaction from the crowd after a rough performance.
“Fans understandably are upset,” Shough said. “We had some opportunities that we didn’t take advantage of and you’re playing the Falcons and you lose like that?
I mean, I’d boo, too. That sucks.
We want to get everybody going. It’s part of it.
You have to have the energy of the crowd and we’re gonna need them next week too against a really good team. That’s the best part about New Orleans.
You feel it and we feel it too, and we’re gonna keep going.”
In Other News...
Saints Are Putting Tyler Shough In A Dangerous Spot
The Saints rushing problems have become impossible to ignore, and they are bleeding into everything else on offense. In the latest game, New Orleans managed only 2.6 yards per carry and 50 rushing yards, numbers that leave the passing game working uphill from the opening snap. For a team trying to settle in around Tyler Shough, that kind of imbalance makes life harder before the quarterback even gets to his second read.
Shough felt the effect in real time, facing pressure on nearly half of his dropbacks as the pocket kept shrinking around him. When a run game cannot force defenses to back off, the hits pile up, the timing gets rushed and the margin for error disappears. For the Saints, improving that ground attack is not just about staying on schedule, it is about giving Shough a chance to stay upright long enough to develop and keep the offense functional. [Read more 🡒]
Saints DC Fires Back After Falcons Loss Sparks Defensive Criticism
Brandon Staley did not spend much time letting the criticism linger after the Saints loss to the Falcons. The defensive coordinator pushed back publicly on ESPN commentator Troy Aikmans assessment of New Orleans defensive issues, saying the comments were false and arguing the performance did not reflect what the unit is supposed to be.
Staley framed the setback as an outlier and pointed to the kind of game-changing mistakes and missing pieces that can tilt a divisional matchup. He said he still believes in the players in the room and in the defenses ability to bounce back, which matters for a Saints team trying to steady itself after a frustrating loss. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Suddenly Have A Tyler Shough Concern They Cant Ignore
Tyler Shoughs first injury note as the Saints quarterback is one the team would rather not be dealing with this early, but all signs point to him being available for Week 5 against the Vikings. The left hand issue showed up after the Week 4 game against Atlanta, and it was enough to make him a limited participant in practice as New Orleans started turning the page to Minnesota.
The bigger concern on the practice field may be the collection of other absences around him, including Alvin Kamara sitting out with a back issue and several other Saints missing work ahead of Sunday. Chris Olave was back on the sideline but only resting, which is at least a healthier kind of quiet for New Orleans, though the offense still has a few moving parts to monitor as the week goes on. [Read more 🡒]