Player the Saints Need to Get Going Down the Stretch
The bye week might have come at a great time for the Saints. They've got a lot to figure out going into their final stretch of games for the regular season, and the hope is that the time to refocus will allow them to come in refreshed and ready to execute. The NFC South title is their best way to ensure they crack the postseason for the first time in a couple of seasons, but to do so, there's some players that need to be featured and come to live to thrive.
Juwan Johnson
It's been a rather underwhelming season for the Saints tight end, who was out of the lineup following Week 3's game against the Packers and made his return against the Colts over a month later. Since he came back from injury, he's had one decent game against the Bears (5 catches, 29 yards, TD), but that's about all the production he's had this year. As of now, he's sitting at 14 catches for 97 yards and a score.
Johnson was a frequent target and weapon in training camp, and attacking the middle of the field has been something we've missed from the Saints offense this season. He's someone who can help move the ball and plays a ton of snaps while also being a red zone threat. He needs to be a bit more featured down the stretch, especially with Michael Thomas set to miss time.
Taysom Hill
There's no secret to what Taysom Hill can do when his number is called upon, and the frustrating thing is seeing how much his touches were scaled back against the Vikings after having two very impactful games in a row. Part of that could be attributed to the Saints going down 24-3, but the ground game was working early on with Alvin Kamara.
The Saints rushing attack has left a lot to the imagination this season, with Hill leading the way with a 5.2 yards/attempt. The other New Orleans running backs are all sub-4.0 with Kamara (3.7), Kendre Miller (3.0), and Jamaal Williams (2.9). It's hardly rocket science here, as the game plan needs to incorporate him more consistently, even if Derek Carr is healthy or not.
Oct. 15, 2023; New Orleans Saints defensive end Carl Granderson could not sack Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX; Credit: Kyle A. Mosley, Saints News Network
Any Pass Rusher Not Named Carl Granderson
The Saints pass rush has been tough to watch, especially working against these quarterbacks who take off. Carl Granderson has been their most consistent pass rusher, but the entire line needs to get things going. When you see almost sacks and an inability to finish the play or a player finally getting a sack only to be wiped out by penalty, that's a big problem. The New Orleans defense has started very slow in the past several games, and that has to be fixed.
Getting back on track will go a long way when they take on the Falcons, and we'll see if a veteran like Jason Pierre-Paul adds any boost to the lineup, assuming he gets called up from the practice squad. Many have asked about Payton Turner for weeks, but we should not expect him back until the December timeframe. Last I saw, he was in a walking boot and we were told he's making good progress. Regardless, someone has to step up from the interior or edge, and preferably it's both of the spots. that do it.
Blake Grupe
Points are going to come at a premium for the foreseeable future for the Saints, which means they're going to need to rely on their undrafted rookie kicker. He's 19/24 for the season, and the team understands there's going to be some growing pains here. When New Orleans went with Wil Lutz in 2016, he finished 28/34 (82.4%) for what it's worth. Something I wrote about during my season preview was judging the decision to go with him will be whether or not he makes the big kicks in December and January when something major is on the line. The Saints can't leave points off the board.
Of course, looking at everything means the Saints have to get their best from players like Derek Carr, Chris Olave, Alvin Kamara, and many more on both sides of the ball. This final stretch of seven games will be crucial to the Dennis Allen regime, and anything less than a postseason appearance (and even a win) will be met with a lot of questions for what's to come.
