The New Orleans Saints are coming off a terrible loss to the Carolina Panthers. They had a dominant Week 1 performance, defeating the Green Bay Packers 38-3, but they struggled against the Panthers. New Orleans lost to the Panthers by a score of 26-7.
Quarterback Jameis Winston went from having a phenomenal week one to having a horrendous week two. They have good talent but have not executed well. With that said, here are three takeaways from the shockingly ugly week two loss to the Panthers.
3. The Saints need better receivers
The Saints struggled to pass the ball against the Panthers. A big reason for that is the lack of talent at the wide receiver position. Star receiver Michael Thomas is injured, and the Saints don't have any other elite receivers. Marquez Callaway is the current number one receiver, who was signed as an undrafted receiver back in 2020.
Callaway played great in the preseason, but he should not be the top receiver. If the Saints want to compete for a playoff spot, they need to trade for a receiver.
2. Alvin Kamara needs more touches
The biggest part of the Saints' offense is Alvin Kamara. Kamara is an elite back in both the rushing and receiving game. He is one of the best running backs in the NFL but has not gotten many touches. Kamara only had eight rushing attempts against the Panthers and four receptions.
He is always a big-play threat and could pick up the slack of the Saints' offense. Head coach Sean Payton has been an offensive guru over the years and will address Kamara's touches.
1. Jameis Winston is inconsistent
Many people were praising Jameis Winston after week one, and for a good reason. However, Winston had a horrible performance against the Panthers. In week one, Winston threw for five touchdowns and zero interceptions with a 70 percent completion percentage.
Winston flipped the script in week two and threw for zero touchdowns and two interceptions with a 50 percent completion percentage. His inconsistent play will be challenging for the Saints to overcome. He needs to have a bounce-back game next week and play consistently.
That doesn't mean he needs to throw five touchdowns, but rather a few while not turning the ball over. He is an excellent passer, but turnovers have always been his kryptonite.
In his last season as a starter in 2019, Winston struggled with turnovers. He threw for 5,149 yards as well as 33 touchdowns but 30 interceptions. Winston was the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in a season. After throwing for two interceptions on Sunday, the Saints need to prioritize getting Winston back on track.
Saints road ahead
The Saints have a favorable schedule moving forward with the 10th easiest strength of schedule. They need to continue what they are doing defensively but work on the offense. Getting more production out of Kamara is the first step, as it will allow the lack of receivers to open up. After that, the Saints need to make sure Winston can play consistently throughout games.
At that point, the Saints can look to add another weapon via trade. It will be challenging for the Saints to make it to the playoffs without adding a receiver.
Next week will be an excellent test for the Saints as they take on the New England Patriots. If the Saints can make these adjustments, they have a shot at making the postseason.
Follow Us
Subscribe