Taysom Hill, Alvin Kamara has the offensive behavior of the New Orleans Saints, but what about the passing game? – New Orleans Saints Blog

METAIRIE, La. – New Orleans Saints are in uncharted territory for Sunday night’s game at Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

According to Caesars Sportsbook, The Saints (6-7) started the week with 11 teams losing 1/2 point. If that holds up, it would be their first game as a team under double digits since Sean Payton and Drew Brees arrived in 2006 – setting the NFL’s longest record over five years, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

And perhaps the biggest reason for that disparity is that New Orleans no longer possesses the superior passing that made Payton and Brees legends.

The Saints are 29th in the league with just 197.9 yards of passes per game and die in last place with a finish rate (58.0) – by far the lowest total in the Payton era. They haven’t had a match over 300 yards with James Winston, Trevor Siemian or Taysom Hill in midfield.

Payton, person tested positive for COVID-19 and won’t stand on the sidelines on Sunday, has not regretted in recent years about winning even if it “didn’t look aesthetically pleasing.”

The Saints depend more than ever on their run and defense as they won four consecutive NFC Men’s titles from 2017-2020. They just did it again last week while revitalizing this season with a Route 30-9 in New York Jets, when Hill and Alvin Kamara led New Orleans to a peak 203 yards of the season.

But Payton admits that the Saints may need a bit more air in their game to keep up brave cat and Bucs on Sunday (8:20 ET, NBC), as they ranked first in the NFL in points (31.5 per game), total yards (410.2) and yards passed (314.2).

The Saints passed with just 209 yards through when they stunned Bucs 36-27 in the Superdome in Week 8 – even though Winston tore his ACL early in the second quarter. But they knew they couldn’t just rely on a run against Tampa’s rushed third-place defense.

“I think it depends on the game you’re in,” Payton said when asked if he’s worried about mid-race balance. “There are some games where you will have to be adept at throwing. We’re going to have a good throw this Sunday, building on some of the things Tampa does really well.

“But you (always) want to be effective at it. And you want to be able to execute when you are selecting (throwing). ”

Perhaps Kamara and Hill’s feet will be part of the solution – following the old axiom that running creates a pass. Kamara clearly provided a much-needed spark last week after missing the previous four games with knee and ankle injuries.

“I don’t think we realized how much we missed him,” Saints finished tightly Nick Vannett speak. “Whenever you run that many yards on the ground, it opens up everything else in the game of passing.”

“Alvin brings a lot of things not just on the pitch, but there’s an element of confidence that he brings with him, and that brings offense,” said Payton – who also noted the importance of handling. outstanding leftist Terron Armstead back from a knee injury (and the importance of proper handling Ryan Ramczyk soon returned from his knee injury).

The Saints will also obviously be counting on Hill’s continued development as a passer – an even more complicated challenge when Hill suffered a mallet finger injury in his right pitcher two weeks ago. before the start of the first season.

Hill, who will likely have to wear a splint on his middle finger for the rest of the season, said it definitely affects things like grip strength. But he is learning to adjust.

Hill’s first start (lost 27-17 first Dallas Cowboys) showed some promise as he ran in his 101-meter-tall career. But things turned into a mess when he threw three of his four career-highest interceptions in the fourth round.

Hill last week was much better, completing 15 of 21 passes in 175 yards while running 73 yards and two touchdowns. He scoured twice but recovered both. It was an imperfect but serviceable performance that looked similar to when Hill sealed the score 3-1 when replacing Brees through injury last season.

“I think it’s one of his better games,” Payton said when asked about Hill’s decision making. “He had a couple of throws [that were off]. But just in regards to where he throws and designs and defends, I think it’s fine. I thought he played well.”

Hill agrees, saying, “There are always some plays where you can do better, but overall, I’m happy with where I’m pitching and my decisions – as well as the overall tempo and consistency. rush to attack.”

Winston’s performance in the first six weeks was even more appreciated in depth perception. His big play was significantly missed after he completed 14 touchdown passes with just three interceptions. But even with Winston, the Saints’ passing game lacks volume and consistency – ranking among the bottom three in terms of tries, yards and completion rate.

There are countless reasons for dropping out of school. Obviously Brees’ retirement is one. Trauma is another, starting with the recipient Michael Thomas‘the ankle injury lasted all season. The reduced salary cap was also a big blow, prompting the Saints to launch veteran pass catchers like Emmanuel Sanders and Jared Cook without spending to replace them. Meanwhile, the home players and those on the pitch have struggled all season to get open passes and catch the ball.

The Saints cannot expect a miracle of healing. But the schedule will gradually decrease after Sunday (with home matches against Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers before the season finale at Atlanta Falcons). So if Hill and the pass catchers can make small strides and they might end up with a lucky bit of injury, that could provide just enough thrust for a playoff.