3 Saints are most to blame for another double-digit blowout and sixth straight loss

Saints actually led the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday before losing their sixth straight game for the first time in the regular season since 2005 after Hurricane Katrina. The 26-8 loss also marked New Orleans’ fourth straight shutout in double figures and third straight shutout by three or more touchdowns.

But from the 10:20 mark of the first quarter until the end of the 14:55 mark of the second quarter, the Saints led 2-0, securing the safety. It was New Orleans’ first lead since Alvin Kamara took a 24-23 lead in Atlanta on Sept. 29 with a 1-yard touchdown run with 60 seconds to play. The Saints trailed 26-24 on Younggo Koo’s 58-yard field goal with :02 left.

They’ve been playing catch-up ever since, and a New Orleans sports radio talk show host called coach Dennis Allen “The Walking Dead” because he’s 2-6 after going 9-8 last year and 7-10 the year before. its first season.

“Look, we all understand this is a results-oriented business and we need to play better football,” Allen said.

At least the competition gets a little easier on Sunday, when the Saints play at 1-7 Carolina (11 a.m. ET, CBS), which has the worst record in the NFL and a 47-10 loss at New Orleans in the opener.

The Saints returned starting right guard Cesar Ruiz from a knee injury after he missed four straight games, and he often led Alvin Kamara with 67 yards on 10 carries. But the rest of the line continued to struggle.

Left guard Lucas Patrick converted two of five penalties at the line in the game with a pair of -20-yard receptions in the first half. Center Connor McGovern went too far downfield and was called inappropriately in the second quarter. In the second half, Trevor Penning was whistled for holding and Taliez Fuaga, who gave the left, a false start.

“We’re a team that’s not very focused on the details right now,” Kamara said. “We’re not a very execution-focused team. We don’t really pride ourselves on details. We have a lot of bad things now.”

The offensive line also allowed five sacks as the Saints punted nine times, including eight on their first 10 possessions. New Orleans was 2 of 16 on third down and didn’t score a touchdown in a game for the first time since a 24-15 loss at Atlanta last Nov. 26, when it got five field goals from Blake Grupe.

“We just couldn’t do anything offensively,” Allen said.

“We go forward, then back, forward, then back,” freshman defensive end Spencer Rattler said.

Rattler fell to 0-3 as a starter for the injured Derek Carr (oblique), who is expected to play against Carolina on Sunday. Rattler completed 12 of 24 passes for 156 yards including three sacks. He doesn’t help himself under pressure as he looks slow and unsure, often taking too long to release the ball. Its accuracy was also suspect.

Sophomore quarterback Jake Hayner replaced Rattler in the third quarter. He wasn’t as hot either, but seemed more determined with quicker throws. He completed 9 of 17 for 122 yards.

“I felt like we needed to do something to try to attack something,” Allen said. “We couldn’t move the ball and we had to do something to try to create some spark.”

An injury to starting quarterback Derek Carr in Week 5 against Kansas City leaves the Saints without rookie Spencer Rattler and inexperienced sophomore Jake Hener. The Saints could plug in very experienced backup Jameis Winston instead if Allen and Loomis let him go after last season.

Winston, who played well here and there as the Saints’ backup and starter in 2020-23 after five years in Tampa Bay, wanted to stay in New Orleans. But Allen never seemed to think about Winston. He also didn’t like how Winston changed his kneeling challenge during Atlanta’s blowout in last season’s season finale to a touchdown pass. Still, Winston’s teammates loved it, and many still believe that’s when Allen lost the locker room. Next thing you know, Winston is a Cleveland Brown.

And on Sunday, Winston started his first game in two years for the injured Deshaun Watson and came up big, completing 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in a 29-24 rout of Baltimore. All three TD passes of 23, 22 and 38 yards put Cleveland up 13-10 in the third, 20-17 in the third and 29-24 with 59 seconds to go.

He also gave an impassioned pregame speech to his teammates, telling the then-1-6 team to keep believing.

“He had a lot of confidence going into the game,” Browns guard Joel Bitonio said. “He was ready to go. He has a lot of energy. But he’s been that way since he’s been here.”

The Saints could certainly use some of that energy and confidence.