Thursday Night Football ended in utter despair for the New Orleans Saints (3-4), specifically tight end Foster Moreau. The cancer survivor, who made a remarkably expedient comeback after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in March, dropped a surefire game-tying touchdown pass late versus the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Quarterback Derek Carr could not link up with Chris Olave on fourth down, as the Saints lost 31-24 at home. Moreau processed the devastating blunder on the sidelines, head in hands. While the play appeared to be straightforward, many were still puzzled as to why it was not designed for fan favorite and end-zone specialist Jimmy Graham.
The explanation provided by head coach Dennis Allen only left people more confused. “Dennis Allen said it’s a staff decision as to who to use when asked why they don’t use Jimmy Graham in the red zone, which is a weird response?” ESPN's Katherine Terrell reported. “Then he said whenever things don’t work, they’re going to be asked why they didn’t use someone. Then said it was a valid question.”
A convoluted reply is just going to leave Saints fans with a big headache, which actually goes nicely with their aching heartbreak. It feels irresponsible to omit Graham's 2023-24 receiving stats, which includes just one catch for an eight-yard touchdown in Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers. Though, these type of situations should be why the five-time Pro Bowler is on the roster in the first place.
This brutal outcome alone is not going to lead to a boatload of more targets for the 36-year-old Jimmy Graham, but maybe Dennis Allen will be inclined to call his number if a similar crunch-time scenario presents itself in the future.
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