Superdome Finale Gives Clear and Obvious Evidence Of What's Wrong With the Saints

The Saints’ disappointing Superdome finale loss to the Raiders underscores significant shortcomings within the team. It has sparked demands for major changes, including potential coaching shifts and roster revamps to rectify their offensive and defensive struggles. It's not going to happen overnight, and it's not going to be a quick and easy process.

However, that's something that New Orleans is going to have to come to terms with. Everything they thought they could do over the past few years has essentially blown up in their face, and it's not just one thing.

Where does this leave things for the future? What went so wrong? Has this totally messed up Darren Rizzi's chances? Have we seen the last of Cam Jordan? Ross Jackson (LockedOn and Louisiana Sports) and I tackled these topics in our Week 17 post-game show. You can check it out here or click the video below.

Key Raiders-Saints Takeaways

Dec 29, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) does the “Who Dat?” chant before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

The Week 17 loss to the Raiders, one of the NFL's weakest teams, laid bare critical issues on both offense and defense, showcasing a lack of competitive spirit. It highlights the urgent need for significant organizational changes that extend beyond just addressing injuries.
Following their poor performance and a previous loss to Green Bay, the call for substantial changes grows louder, including potential overhauls of the coaching staff and roster.
The defense's shocking inability to stop the run is particularly concerning, with attributing failures to missed opportunities and subpar tackling.
The defense struggled heavily, with Ameer Abdullah of the Raiders achieving a career-high rushing performance against a Saints defense ranked among the worst in the league.
Discussion surrounds the futures of interim head coach Darren Rizzi and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, raising uncertainty about their return next season. Rizzi's bid for a permanent head coaching role appear slim in New Orleans.
The team's failure to compete with both strong and weak NFL opponents emphasizes the necessity of a complete overhaul, raising doubts about the effectiveness of current strategies and personnel.
What excuse does the defense have? They're only down Paulson Adebo and traded away Marshon Lattimore. There's some questions on coaching decisions regarding the deployment of available players, suggesting deeper issues beyond injuries.
The need for the Saints to conduct an honest assessment of their situation, recognizing shortcomings, and making impactful changes in the offseason is strongly emphasized.
The video wraps up with a look ahead to the Saints' offseason, highlighting the urgent need for significant roster adjustments and a possible shift in team philosophy to embrace necessary changes over past familiarity. The team needs to strengthen their foundation by investing in depth and nurturing young talent, rather than solely relying on veteran players.