The New Orleans Saints lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 7 in a game that was closer than many expected. The Jaguars now sit at 5-2, their best start since 2007, while the Saints fall to 3-4 and have a lot of work to do to get their offense on the right track. In this article, we will identify and discuss four personnel to blame for the New Orleans Saints losing in Week 7.

Saints' Loss in Week 7

The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading blows throughout. The Saints' offense struggled to get going in the first half, with quarterback Derek Carr failing to get any touchdowns. The Jaguars' defense was able to get pressure on Carr, sacking him and forcing him to throw an interception. The Saints' defense also struggled in the first half, allowing the Jaguars to score 17 points and take a 17-6 lead into halftime.

In the second half, the Saints' offense started to find its rhythm, with Carr throwing for 204 yards and one touchdown. However, it was not enough to overcome the Jaguars' lead, as the Saints' defense continued to struggle. They allowed the Jaguars to score 14 more points in the second half. The game ended with the Jaguars winning 31-24.

Dennis Allen angry

Here we will look at the four New Orleans Saints to blame for their Thursday Night Football loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Derek Carr

Derek Carr's performance in the first half of the game was notably unimpressive compared to his previous showings this season. His second-half performance was not as flawless as the final score might suggest. In one red zone series, Carr threw a risky pass to Foster Moreau that nearly led to his tight end's injury. Additionally, he had a miscommunication with receiver Chris Olave resulting in an incomplete pass. Although the pass wasn't catchable, Carr's response was to express frustration towards his receiver. That's rather than taking responsibility for the poor pass. This reflects poorly on his leadership and his chemistry with Olave. Carr actually notched more yards than Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence. However, Carr was also less efficient, finishing with a sub-75 passer rating.

Chris Olave

Speaking of Chris Olave, we're bummed to say that he has just failed to meet expectations in his second season. Whether it's due to a more severe injury than reported or the challenges of working with subpar quarterback play, he is not performing at the level the Saints require. On Thursday night, he dropped several passes and finished the game with just seven receptions for 57 yards. That was despite being targeted 15 times. It doesn't take an expert to say that Olave really needs to step up his game in the coming weeks.

Kicking Group

The kicking group, comprised of the rookie specialists, did not perform well during Thursday night's game. Blake Grupe missed a 51-yard field goal. This marked his third miss in two games. Meanwhile, Lou Hedley's punts covered distances of 28 yards and 39 yards. These fall way short of what the Saints needed. Hedley's inconsistency, in fact, has become a recurring issue for Dennis Allen's team. It might be time for the Saints to reach out to other available kickers. Perhaps they can talk to Blake Gillikin if they haven't already.

Dennis Allen

Dennis Allen continues to be one of the NFL's least aggressive head coaches. He often chooses to kick the ball when it would be more strategic to go for it. This is whether on field goal attempts or punts when close to the opponent's territory. The question then arises: Why spend all those years working towards another head coaching opportunity, only to falter when making crucial decisions during games? Last year, his excuse was a lack of trust in his quarterbacks to perform in high-pressure situations. However, he can't use that excuse anymore. This is especially true after making significant efforts to recruit Derek Carr and present him as the savior of the offense. Allen has the pieces to succeed, but he doesn't seem to have the chutzpah at this point.

Looking Ahead

In the wake of the New Orleans Saints' disappointing loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday Night Football, it's evident that there were several culprits in this defeat. From the underwhelming performance of Derek Carr and Chris Olave to the struggles of the kicking group and the conservative decision-making by Coach Dennis Allen, there is room for improvement across the board. The Saints need to address these issues promptly if they aim to achieve success in the remainder of the season. Otherwise, they risk falling short of their aspirations and missing out on their potential. It's a pivotal juncture for the team. As such, the lessons learned from this loss must be harnessed to push forward and secure better outcomes in the future.