Game Balls From Saints New-Years Win Over Eagles

The Saints push for the playoffs may have fallen short, but they were still impressive in a road win over Philadelphia.

Author:
Bob Rose
Publish date:
Jan 2, 2023 7:47 AM EST

In this story:

The New Orleans Saints got their 2023 calendar year off to an impressive start with a 20-10 road upset of the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. The win improved the Saints record to 7-9 and dropped the Eagles to 13-3. Unfortunately, New Orleans was still eliminated from playoff contention during the day because of other events throughout the league.

Offensively, New Orleans came out strong with a 15-play drive for 75 yards that ended with a touchdown run by Taysom Hill. The Saints kept Philadelphia's top-ranked defense off balance through the first half with their use of Hill, Alvin Kamara, and an efficient performance from Andy Dalton. However, the team squandered a few chances when Dalton threw an interception in the red zone on one drive and took an unnecessary sack on another.

Dalton completed 18 of 22 throws on the day, finding Rashid Shaheed, Juwan Johnson, and Chris Olave for the bulk of his 204 yards. Hill and Kamara combined for 120 rushing yards, with Kamara leading all runners with 74 yards.

New Orleans went ultra conservative in the second half on offense yet again. After 247 first half yards, they were bottled up for just 66 and no points in the second half. They were saved by the unit on the other side of the ball.

New Orleans played an outstanding defensive game. Facing an Eagles attack without QB Jalen Hurts but still plenty of explosive playmakers, the Saints held Philadelphia without a single first down until 12 seconds left in the first half.

There were a few breakdowns in the second half, but New Orleans allowed only 11 first downs and held an opponent under 20 points for the fifth consecutive game. Eventually, a unit that has been playing championship-level football for six weeks sealed the win with a huge play. Here were the top performances from their stirring upset.

Kaden Elliss, LB

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Gardner Minshew (10) is sacked by New Orleans Saints linebacker Kaden Elliss (55). Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY

Elliss got the Saints defense off to a resounding start by sacking Minshew on Philadelphia's first play. He and Carl Granderson, who also had a strong outing, teamed up on another big sack in the first half. Finally, his pressure of Minshew late in the fourth quarter set up a key sack by Cam Jordan to help clinch the win.

Elliss was also a critical member of a Saints defense that held Philadelphia's explosive running game to just 67 yards. He had several key stops at the line of scrimmage, not only one-on-one in the open field but also by tying up Eagle blockers to clog running lanes.

The whole New Orleans front seven was active and disruptive all afternoon. Philadelphia had a meager 11 total yards over their first four drives and were held to a season-low 10 points.

The 27-year-old Elliss has played spectacular football over the last half of the year. He's been one of the biggest keys to the defensive dominance. A free agent at season's end, re-signing him should be one of the team’s top priorities.

Marshon Lattimore, CB

New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore (23) returns an interception for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

After missing the last 10 games with rib and abdominal injuries, Lattimore returned just in time to face the Eagles two 1,000-yard wideouts, DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown. It took a little time for him to knock some game rust off.

Philadelphia targeted Lattimore three times with some success through the middle of the contest. As the game wore on, Lattimore grew stronger, looking closer to the perennial Pro Bowler we're used to seeing.

The entire New Orleans secondary had an incredible first half, leaving no place for Minshew to look even when he did have time. There were some hiccups in the second half, including a huge breakdown by Paulson Adebo that led to a 78-yard score by Brown. Otherwise, the unit held up well, led by the return of their elite cover corner.

With just under six minutes to go, Lattimore jumped an out route to Brown for an interception. He returned the pick for the game-clinching touchdown. Incredibly, it was only the team’s fifth interception of the year and it's first from the cornerback position.

Cameron Jordan, DE

Saints DE Cameron Jordan (94) sacks Eagles QB Gardner Minshew (10). Credit: SportsMax

Jordan's late fourth quarter sack of Minshew put the Eagles in a third and 17 situation on their final drive of the game, ultimately sealing the win. It also gave Jordan 115.5 sacks over his twelve-year New Orleans career, moving him past Hall of Famer Rickey Jackson's official total for the all-time franchise record.

Jordan had three of the Saints six sacks on the day and hurried Minshew several other times. He also was part of an outstanding effort by the run defense. Jordan was nearly unblockable on the edge, whether the Eagles tried to contain him with single or multiple blockers.

The 33-year-old Jordan has at least 7.5 sacks for the eleventh straight season. Like the Saints defense, he's finished the year strong. He was in Philadelphia's backfield most of the afternoon, disrupting several plays and helping to keep their top-ranked offense in check.

Rickey Jackson is one of the all-time greats in Saints franchise history. Cam Jordan has etched his name alongside him in team lore. Jordan also showed that he's not done yet, with perhaps his ultimate place ending up beside him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.