With the Saints trailing Baltimore 14-0 late within the first half, Andy Dalton overthrew open receiver Marquez Callaway ultimately zone. It was that sort of an evening for New Orleans’ offense.
Every week after a complete 24-0 shutout of the Las Vegas Raiders, the Saints had been held to a season-low 243 yards in a tepid 27-13 house loss to the Ravens that dropped them to 3-6. New Orleans settled for a area purpose on the final play of the half after Dalton’s misfire, which sailed off Callaway’s fingertips, and didn’t get a landing till the sport was out of attain late within the fourth quarter.
“Everyone sort of had a hand in it tonight,” Dalton mentioned. “They did job with their plan. We have to discover methods to make extra performs than what we did tonight.” That quantity was near zero for many of the first half. The Saints picked up two first downs on their first 4 possessions, and one among them got here due to a flag for interference on a tipped interception.
Dalton’s longest completion by way of three quarters was 19 yards, and the working sport was simply as ineffective. Alvin Kamara, who was stuffed early for no acquire on third-and-one, completed with 30 yards on 9 carries. “They did numerous good issues defensively that induced us numerous challenges,” Dennis Allen, the Saints coach, mentioned. “We’ve received to return to the drafting board, make some corrections and get higher subsequent week.”
New Orleans transformed solely three of 11 third downs after coming into with a hit price of 43.8% — the eighth greatest in the NFL. Blitzing linebacker Tyus Bowser ran in untouched to power a Dalton throwaway on the Saints’ first third down, setting the tone. Linebacker Justin Houston sacked Dalton on the final play of the primary quarter, forcing one other punt. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey dropped him on third-down blitz to cease the Saints’ first drive of the second half, forcing a 37-yard area that solely closed the hole to 17-6.
After a Ravens punt, Houston hit Dalton once more, and finish Calais Campbell completed him off from the other aspect. “We’ve received to search out methods to carry up in safety, discover methods to get the ball out of my hand,” Dalton mentioned. “Guys received to get open on time.”
Lamar Jackson threw a landing cross late within the first quarter to place Baltimore up 7-0. The Ravens then managed the ball on the bottom, dashing for 188 yards on 40 carries whereas profitable time of possession 37:47-22:13. Baltimore put the sport out of attain when Houston intercepted a deflected cross and returned it to the New Orleans 17 halfway by way of the fourth quarter, organising Kenyan Drake’s four-yard landing run for a 27-6 lead. The Saints scored their lone landing on a 41-yard catch-and-run by tight finish Juwan Johnson with 4:13 left when Ravens defenders let up as a result of they thought he had stepped out of bounds.
Requested if a sport like which may make him rethink sticking with Dalton over season-opening starter Jameis Winston, Allen mentioned no. The Saints had scored at the least 25 of their final 5 video games, averaging 29.6 factors. “Our offense has been fairly good and moved the ball successfully,” he mentioned. “This was not sport tonight. We had a foul day on the workplace offensively and we’ve received to enhance from it.”
