Patchwork offensive line held up well for New Orleans Saints against Jacksonville

The New Orleans Saints (3-4) lost to Jacksonville 31–24 on Thursday night in the Caesars Superdome, which was obviously not the outcome they wanted going into their mini-bye. Nevertheless, the Saints (3–4) had a few standout performances in their second straight loss.

OFFENSE: Despite starting rookies at left tackle (Andrus Peat), left guard (Max Garcia), and right tackle (Cam Erving), the Saints’ offensive line managed to produce 407 yards of total offense, 112 of which came from rushes, and one sack in 56 dropback attempts by quarterback Derek Carr. Although it wasn’t flawless, the line gave the offense plenty of time and opportunities to be effective. Incorporate running back Alvin Kamara as well: 29 contacts for One big portion of the Saints’ offensive was 153 yards. With 12 receptions for 91 yards, Kamara looked like the receiving threat we’ve grown accustomed to seeing.

DEFENSE: Carl Granderson’s consistent playmaking makes it harder to ignore him. Six tackles, a tackle for loss, and a fumble recovery that was as much of a hustle play as anything the Saints saw on Thursday night were all recorded by the defensive end. Granderson pounced on the football to give New Orleans possession, officially 20 yards downfield, after cornerback Paulson Adebo chased down Jaguars receiver Christian Kirk and stripped it away. Only after agreeing to a contract extension did he step up his game and accelerate. It’s also important to remember that linebacker Demario Davis, who had been unable to practice due to a knee injury, played the whole game in just one week. The defensive captain and emotional leader of the Saints recorded four tackles, including a single On the opening offensive play of the game, stop for no gain.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A sparkle play is always the result of a turnover on special teams. When punt returner Jamal Agnew was trying to field a punt in the first quarter, Jacksonville cornerback Tyson Campbell tackled Agnew head-on. That’s exactly what CB Lonnie Johnson Jr. did. After Campbell was hit by the ball and was given a muff charge, Johnson recovered at the Jacksonville 17-yard line. Blake Grupe’s 23-yard field goal six plays later brought the Saints within 7-3.