REBOOT: New Orleans Saints’ Tyler Shough, Devaughn Vele Bring FUTURE HOPE Amid DISAPPOINTMENT
The New Orleans Saints are a bad football team and in no way does that matter anymore. [Music] You are Locked On Saints, your daily New Orleans Saints podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. What is good Hudet Nation and Hudet family? I am your host, your friend Ross Jackson, New Orleans native, your New Orleans Saints expert and credentialed member of the media covering those New Orleans Saints as a Saints beat writer over at louisianaapasports.net. And on today’s episode of Locked on Saints, the Saints defense led by Brandon Staley has been very, very good and it’s getting better here down the stretch despite what the scoreboard might say. The New Orleans Saints offense gets off to a slow start again. And even with the ups and downs, the consistent issues are sewing doubt in Kell Moore’s process and system. And we’ll kick everything off with a simple fact. The New Orleans Saints are not a very good football team. But that no longer matters to the rest of the 2025 season. Let me tell you now exactly what matters about this New Orleans Saints team. We got all that and a little bit of land for you on today’s episode. We appreciate you very much whether it’s your first time or your next time being here with us this time making us your first listen and being an everydayer here on the Locked on Podcast Network, the number one sports podcast network. Thank you so much for helping us get here as we bring you your team every day. Today’s episode brought to you by our friends over at Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account, and use the promo code locked on NFL for $20 off of your first purchase. Terms apply. The New Orleans Saints fall to 2 and 10. It is now the third season out of four years over the course of the past four seasons in which New Orleans has finished with doubledigit losses and it is now the fifth consecutive season where of course they will miss the playoffs. But that’s not a new discovery to you at all. The fact of the matter is that this is not a very good football team from a can they win football games standpoint. The fact is no, they’re not. And no, they might not win another football game throughout the rest of this year. Very different than where we thought that they might be coming out of that really strong performance up against the Carolina Panthers. But honestly, none of that matters when it comes to the New Orleans Saints anymore. How they finish in terms of record, how they finish on the scoreboard over the course of next five games is no longer the most important part of the story about this New Orleans Saints team. What is its young talent? And even on Sunday in its 17 to21 loss to the Miami Dolphins, the young talent impressed. Tyler Shock might have thrown two interceptions on the game. One that will count, another was on uh two-point conversion, which was like the absolute worst case, darkest timeline scenario for a two-point conversion. Put one behind the wide receiver, it gets picked off, and then brought back to the house. So, not only do you miss out on your chance to tie up a game, but you give the team a four-point lead. that would end up being the difference in this matchup. But his late rush in the game or not rush but like his late rise in this game despite the continued slow starts for this New Orleans Saints team helped to keep the team in the game. He completed over 68% of his passes. He remains the uh player the quarterback in this year’s draft class with the highest completion percentage amongst all rookie passers. And he threw two touchdowns in the game. One to Chris Olive, another one to Devon Vele. both of them again outside of structure and we continue to raise the question marks about why does everything outside of structure seem to work nothing inside of structure seem to work but we’ll get to that here in a little bit but Tyler Shuck had a fantastic game in this one minus the interceptions uh Charlie Smith gets his first ever opportunity as an NFL kicker and drills one from 56 yds away and converts an onside kick that gave the New Orleans Saints life at the end of this matchup where they should have been down and out at a earlier point because of how inept the offense looked throughout the early goingings of the game. Devin Neil got his first starting experience and exposure. Evan Hull getting in there and taking snaps away from Audrey Esté who’s been on the active roster for weeks. Evan Hull gets signed and all of a sudden he leaps ahead of him and starts getting some carries and opportunities there. And then you go outside of that too, Devon Vele, fantastic game for the secondyear wide receiver who still has two years left on his contract. It’s why the Saints paid such a high price to get him here to New Orleans and his performance catching all eight of his targets outside of the two-point conversion where the ball was thrown behind him for 93 yards and a touchdown on the day including some impressive grabs particularly on inbreaking routes. Something the New Orleans Saints have not been able to consistently do throughout this entire season so far. Now all of a sudden they’re using their big physical body in a way that you should be using your big physical body even though Kell Moore tried to turn him into a blocking tight end during the first half of this game and that ends up giving up a strip sack at an earlier point in the matchup. So once everything continues to fall into place for how these young players can be utilized and that’s just the offensive side, the defensive side you saw guys like Kool-Aid McKenry coming up with a big interception to go turnover for turnover, takeaway for takeaway up against uh Miami in this matchup. You saw Chase Young get out there and get another sack on the day. You saw Quincy Riley come up with with what should have been an interception. Danny Stzman with the Goldberg spear on a run play. a lot of impressive stuff from the players young or excuse me from the Saints young players. And so you have all of this going the right way on a developmental side. It’s just not showing up on the scoreboard. Team still has only scored 20 points twice this season. Once against the San Francisco 49ers, once in their win up against the New York Giants. So that’s two games within the first five games of the year where they scored 20 points. They’ve not been able to do it since then. Uh, and then you look at the slow starts. The Saints have scored 19 points in the first quarter over the course of this year. You heard that correctly. 19 points, 19 first quarter points in 12 games. These slow starts have been a big time issue for New Orleans and something that they’re going to have to continue to navigate and eventually find a solution to. We’ll dive into some of those solutions here in a bit. But for the Saints right now, looking ahead, week, you know, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, what this team needs to be able to do is show that it could continue to successfully develop its young talent. That’s what the rest of the season’s about. It’s not about the win loss record anymore. It’s not about the scoreboard anymore. You want to see some improvements 100%. Would you like to see this g this team win games? Sure. But maybe the best thing for them is that they continue to develop this young talent that has been impressive. this 2025 draft class, which is clearly the future of this team when it comes to its new era, but then put itself in position to walk away with an even better 2026 draft class if they can stay in the top three. Right now, the Saints are at the uh number two overall selection at the moment with the New York Giants left to play up against the New England Patriots later on today. So for the Saints, their focus moving forward needs to be on this young talent, continuing to develop them. Whether it’s Tyler Shuck, whether it’s Devon Vele, whether it’s Devin Neil, whether it’s uh uh Charlie Smith, I mean, even just figuring out who your field goal kicker is for 2026 is more important this year than the win loss record throughout the rest or at least winning games for the rest of the season. Now, for any player out there, especially those that are towards the twilight of their career, would you like for them to win some football games towards the end of this, yeah, absolutely you want to go out there and you want to win for this team? And there’s nothing wrong if this team goes out and wins games towards the end of the season. But at this point, what’s most important for this team is that it develops its young talent on both sides of the football and on special teams when it comes to Charlie Smith and puts itself potentially in position to add even more impressive, impactful young talent over on uh this off seasonason. They’re going to have to do a lot of that over in the offensive side, which is where I think the Saints are going to have to look when it comes to improving some of the ups and downs that they have had throughout the season and turning them into things that are more consistent. because right now there’s a lot of doubt around Kell Moore and it’s hard to argue against it. Let’s get to that next as we continue on with today’s episode of Lockdown Saints, part of Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Today’s episode of Locked On Saints, brought to you my friends over at Game Time. The World Cup is finally back in North America for the first time since 1994 and for the first time ever with 48 teams. That means your opportunity to hit the World Cup is absolutely realistic, especially thanks to our friends over at Game Time who allow you to be able to track price drops, get notifications when great seats open up. You can even buy tickets the moment that they hit the app. No frrills, no nothing in your way. You have the power over at Game Time and you’ve got the power to actually go and see some World Cup games. How awesome is that? Prices include fees upfront, which I love. That means no last second fees taking you by surprise at checkout. So take all the guesswork out of buying your World Cup tickets and every match, concert, or event as well with Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account, and use the promo code locked on NFL for $20 off of your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, download the app and use that promo code locked on NFL for $20 off. Swipe, tap, ticket, go. Download Game Time today. All right, family. With all of the ups and downs for the New Orleans Saints offense, which has been crazily inconsistent, and I’ll give you a perfect illustration of that here in a second, the doubts that are beginning to sew when it comes to Kell Moore and the New Orleans Saints offense are completely warranted. Now, I think that in 2026, a lot’s going to look different. I think coaching staff is going to look different on the offensive side of the ball around Kell Moore. I think that offensive personnel is going to look different, adding talent, all those other things. I even know an idea I think of what I think would add the best opportunity for New Orleans or the best sort of boost in talent for New Orleans going into 2026 is clear, but where the doubts are right now are completely earned and completely understandable. And it’s up to Kell Moore and the New Orleans Saints offense to change people’s people people’s minds at this point. just no consistency, no specific improvements that are going from game to game and that are showing consistency throughout. And so obviously that’s going to create a lot of concern. Now, once the talent gets a boost going into 2026, once the coaching staff probably changes over a bit going into 2026, ideally you’ll see more of the Kell Moore that you know from his days in Dallas, from his year in Philadelphia translating here in New Orleans because there are some things that he does that I really, really like. The issue is that none of the things have been able to be made consistent on a weekend to weekout basis. Let me give you an example. up against Carolina. The Saints with Tyler Shuck found several big explosive plays over the course of the last two weeks. Over the last two games, Atlanta and this game in Miami. New Orleans longest play on offense was 18 yards. They didn’t have a play over 18 yards against Atlanta. They didn’t have a play over 17 yards up against Miami. So, those are going to be things that you look at that go, “Wow, okay, there was a little bit of a glimpse of that, but it has not become a consistent part of their recipe for victory. has not become a consistent part of their identity. Similarly, the Saints have one of the worst red zone offenses in the last decade in the NFL, 34 12% over the course of the first 12 games of the season. Now, you get into this game against Miami, you go two for two in the red zone. A nice touchdown pass to Chris Olive after Tyler Shuck escapes, get out gets outside the pocket and then finds him open in the end zone. Another one to where he lofts one up for Devon Vale in the back of the end zone. Great catch by Vale and honestly the Saints had another touchdown that went through Chris Ave’s arms that could have been a gamewinner for them or at least a go-ahead score for them in the final possession. And so some good plays being made outside of structure, but not a lot happening in structure. Not a lot that you look at and you go, “Oh man, that’s Kell Moore’s scheme really working.” And again, the run game, longest rush in this game up against Miami, just eight yards. So, the concerns around play calling, system, scheme, uh, talent, execution, it’s all warranted. We we don’t know exactly where you can find improvement at this point in the season when it comes to those things. And so, you’re hoping that you can see schematic improvement or systemic improvement, systematic improvement, uh, improvement in the system. But until we can see that and until it’s consistent enough to be able to kind of hang a hat on it, it doesn’t truly create a lot of confidence for fans and for those that are watching to see what this New Orleans Saints team does. So, what are some of the things that can help? Well, being able to string together that improvement in the red zone that we saw on Sunday for New Orleans and carrying that over in a week 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, I think that would maybe be the most important thing that this team does because in the losses that the team has kept close, they’ve come up empty in red zone possessions. And so in those games, if you could translate success in the red zone to those matchups, those might be W’s for you instead of L’s. But unfortunately, Saints haven’t been able to do that. So, you can’t go back in time and fix those things, of course, but can you show consistent improvement? Right? We’ve talked a lot about the incremental improvement that needs to be seen week to week. You’d like to see that incremental improvement in the same things week to week. Not just, hey, one week the deep ball’s back, but then the next week it’s not there, but the red zone’s better and then the next week the red zone’s bad, but the run game’s working. It can’t be that. It’s got to be something consistent so you can actually begin to build an identity off of this team. If you ask me right now what the identity of the New Orleans Saints team is outside of telling you that they’re a slow starting team that doesn’t run the football successfully, I can’t tell you what their identity is. I can’t tell you what it is that they, you know, can hang their hat on or say we are this, right? This aggressive attacking, deep threat, quick pass, slice and dice, death by paper cuts type of team or big chunk yards, explosive offense type of team. I can’t tell you even what it is that they hope to be right now. And that might be because they don’t know because the offensive talent is going to be changing going into 2023. Kell Moore inherited a lot of Dennis Allen and Clint Kubak and Pete Carmichael’s offense more so than anything actually changed over. You look at the week one starters from 2024 versus the week one starters from 2025 and it’s effectively the same group with very few exceptions. Some change on the offensive line obviously with the draft pick of Kelvin Banks Jr. at left tackle, the addition of Brandon Cooks, and the injury to Taesm Hill, and then the change at quarterback were all the things that changed for New Orleans going from 2024 week 1 to 2025 week one. And so with that, you’re operating with somebody else’s team. You’re not operating with your team yet. And so, how do things change getting into those opportunities? If I were to add one thing to this New Orleans Saints offense right now that I think could make this team better, it is a playmaker on offense that can make something happen with the ball in their hands. For whatever reason, the New Orleans Saints have gone away from the yards after catch team build for the past several years, and that’s got to change. It’s 2025, soon to be 2026. Hello, welcome to December, everybody. Um, soon to be 2026. You got to get with the times. You got to start team building like it’s 2026. You got to start roster building like it’s 2026. And when Brandon Staley came in, the Saints started doing that over on the defensive side. More athleticism being injected into the second level. Look at what Danny Sutzman has been able to bring to this team and the limited exposure that he’s been given. Updated safety play in terms of guys that can cover and come down and play in the box. We’ll get more information on what went on with the knee injury to Justin Reed hopefully later on today when we speak with head coach Kellen Moore. the standup pass rushers, the 43 or excuse me, 34 system. All of those things are updated 2026 2025 NFL defense looks. You’ve seen the update there. And if the Saints remain here in the top three, adding a modern-day disruptive player like a uh Ruben Bane or even better yet, an Arll Reese, the linebacker, pass rusher hybrid out of Ohio State would be an even better addition for this team and put them in an even better position than where they are right now on that side of the football. But on the defensive side of the football, very few upgrades or updates have happened roster building wise. And so I think 2026 presents you with that opportunity. And I think a player that would be able to come in here and help you out with what they can do with the ball in their hands and all those other things would be an excellent addition uh to this team. You look at the uh Texas A&M uh wide receiver um Casey Conpion like him and his oper his ability to be able to catch the football and then go and create yards. If a guy like Devon Vele plays like he played on Sunday against Miami for the remainder of his time with New Orleans, you can roll with that as your outside exceiver. Chris Olive as your other guy and then get a guy like Casey Conpion that can come in and be a big- time catch and run threat. A guy that can create with the ball in his hands. The Saints lack that ability right now on offense and therefore lack a very important key dynamic to modern-day NFL offenses. And so until the Saints begin to show or begin to have the opportunity rather to update and change their roster a bit, they’re not going to show the development that they’re looking for. But I don’t think that updating and changing the roster is the end. I think you’re going to have to make some adjustments on this offensive coaching staff as well. So very, very interested to see how the Saints approach the off seasonason on both of those accounts after this season is done. But the one thing you absolutely can look at is that this New Orleans Saints defense is getting better and better every week. And that is fantastic news for the Saints going into their off seasonason. Let’s get to that next as we wrap up today’s episode of Locked On Saints, part of Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Today’s episode brought to you by our friends over at Prize Pix. You and I make big decisions every day, but over at Prize Pix, getting those decisions right can get you paid. It’s the best time of the year with almost every sport going at it right now. Bowl games, big time basketball matchups, playoff pushes in the NFL as well. You can get in on all of that action over at Prize Picks today. Here’s how you do it. You download the Prize Pix app and then all you got to do is set your lineup. Setting your lineup is super simple. It takes less than 60 seconds. You just choose more or less on two or more players in terms of their stat projections. You get those right, you can be walking away with some big time winnings. And with their stacks feature, it gets even better because you can pick the same player up to three times. So you can go with Tyler Shuck, passing yards, passing uh completions, and passing touchdowns. You can take each one of those, and then bang, you’re in and ready to go. So just download the Prize Pix app, create an account, and use the promo code locked on NFL. That’ll get you $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup. That’s code locked on NFL for $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup. Prize picks. It’s good to be right. Let’s get it, Had Nation. Wrap it up today’s show with a look at the New Orleans Saints defense, which has probably been the most promising part of this team throughout this 13 game stretch. The New Orleans Saints defense has been looking good. Now, I know that the scoreboard’s going to read 21 points surrendered, but honestly, if you take away the two-point conversion that was intercepted and run back for a touchdown by Miami, it’s 19 points. If you’re holding a team to 20 or fewer points, you should be able to win those football games with when your defense is doing that. The Saints offense though has kept them from being able to do that. And listen, I know I I give the offense a lot of flack. I hold Kell Moore’s feet to the fire on the show, talking about things that need to be going better over there and stuff like that. Let me let me say real quick that I do understand that this team is without its starting center, that they traded away two of their, you know, best wide receivers, that there are changes in the offensive side that they can’t control that have had some impact. Their offensive line was hurt up against Atlanta, all those other things. So, like contextually, it’s important to recognize those things. But the big things that I’ve kind of been focusing on there are things that aren’t really indicative of the talent that you have on the field. It’s what you’re doing with the talent that you do have. And so that’s why I’ve been so critical of the offense. The defense, you’re not finding much criticism for me for because it’s the best part of what this team has to offer right now. The Saints defense every week has gotten better and better and better. And yes, they gave up a touchdown on that opening drive. Couldn’t hold Devin uh Devon uh Aken A. Chain to less, you know, to to under 100 rushing yards. He’s now a thousand yard rusher for the first time in his career. That’s all fine and dandy though because we’ve said this many many times on the show that if you’re a run defense that’s around middle of the pack or even low 20s or rather high 20s in the NFL, if you’re not giving up the scoring in the passing game, you’re giving your team a chance on the offensive side of the football. Especially if the offense is able to put points on the board. If you struggle as a rushing defense, you have two ways to improve that defense. by getting better on the defensive side of the football or by outscoring your opponent on the offensive side of the football so that they have to turn to their passing defense. And the Saints passing defense has consistently been within the top 10 in terms of yardage allowed throughout this season and have not given up a lot of passing touchdowns over the course of this season as well. And so for the Saints, that is something that this team should build its identity on. The identity on the offense, big time question mark, waiting to see. I don’t think they can figure it out until they actually have Kell Moore’s offense and offensive personnel on the on the team and on the roster, which I don’t think that they have right now. But on the defensive side, there’s an identity there. That is a aggressive, fast, flying around the football type of defense that’s able to win with pressure right now. And we’re seeing that. Two sacks for Cam Jordan in this game now. 127 128 somewhere around there. 127 or 128 on his career so far. Made himself a good chunk of change today with his interceptions. Not only surpassing his five sack incentive threshold, but also his six sack incentive threshold. He’s got another one at seven if he can get there as well. Chase Young getting yet another sack, who’s been outstanding for this team since getting back into action for New Orleans. Brian Breazie with a couple of pressures. actually a pressure that caused the first sack by Cam Jordan who got the play clean up on that one and then getting a sack later on in the game as well. The Saints front between Cam Jordan, uh, uh, Chase Young and Brian Brezie. And I’ll shout out Nathan Shepard as well. I know he didn’t come up with a sack, but he has continued to play well and he continues to leap off of the field in terms of tape and watching on the weekends or watching after the weekends. That defensive front is better than advertised right now. I know that the pressures aren’t there. They’re the the the team with the least raw pressures in the NFL, but they’re one of the highest converting teams when it comes to converting pressures to sacks. So, what Brandon Staley, defensive coordinator, has done, what defensive line coach Bo Davis has done, who focuses on the interior guys, and what edge rushers coach who focuses focuses on the edge rushers, uh, Jay Rogers have done is that they have created a defense that when it is disruptive, it is impactful. very unlike last year’s defense which converted at a very low rate when it came to sacks versus pressures where they were a high pressure team but did not convert those opportunities and convert that disruption into impact. And so now you’re seeing a defense that is turning disruption into impact. They add one or two more pieces on the defensive side and all of a sudden we’re going to be talking about this New Orleans Saints defense in a very very good way. uh because maybe they don’t improve immediately in the run game, but what they’ll be able to do as a pass rushing team, what they’ve been able to do as a coverage secondary, and what they’ve been able to do as an athletic second level has been absolutely impressive throughout this season. And so if the Saints can find a way to build off of that over the course of the offseason, whether that’s through free agency or through the draft, and I think the draft is a perfect place to do it, especially if you feel good enough about where Tyler Shuck is to give him the 2026 season, that gives you a chance to go out there and get the best defensive player in this draft that could have a major impact for an already ascending defensive unit. Then you look at the young pieces that are only going to naturally get better. Jonas Sanker is only going to get better. Quincy Riley is only going to get better. Kool-Aid McKinstry has consistently gotten better over the course of this season. Three interceptions now leads the team in that number. The New Orleans Saints defense is its strength. Even with an offensive head coach, the defense right now is its strength and that is worth building around. Now, you build around that. You continue to like build strength on strength by making that defense better and better every opportunity that you get. And then you continue to catch up the offense with that defense as well. And then you’re into a a formula that can win you some football games. Right now, the Saints do not have a formula for winning football games because of how much the offense lacks. The offense doesn’t run the football well. It doesn’t protect well up front. It doesn’t generate explosive plays on a consistent enough basis. Those are all things that the Saints are going to have to find solutions for. And I think a lot of it comes down to the offensive line and rebuilding that offensive line. I don’t care if you have a bunch of first round or second round picks invested in that offensive line. You need help there. And so whether it’s adjusting the coaching or whether it’s adjusting the talent, you need to catch this offense up to the defense and the in the offensive line, the protection unit is the best way to get that done in my opinion. Looking at where the Saints are and where they’re headed, but as of right now, build around Brandon Staley’s defense because it has been excellent throughout the season. it is getting better and you have the fodder and ammunition now to make it even more impactful by the time that you walk into the 2026 season. It’s time to build around that defense. All right, a little bit of land here for you. I want to just focus on a good positive story around the New Orleans Saints and I want to talk about how cool this moment has been watching Charlie Smith. I talk to Charlie in the locker room all the time. Charlie to me is one of those very nice, genuinely good people players. He is just one of those dudes that’s so easy to root for. Even if I’m covering the team, that’s a guy I want to see be successful. And to so to see him go out there in his first ever NFL start and his first ever regular season game and boot that 56 yard through, I don’t know if you’ve seen the video. Michael Mcuade on Twitter posted the video of uh the I guess it was like a bar in his hometown where everyone just went nuts when that field goal went through. I’m sure the same thing happened for Saints fans too who have seen a lot of missed field goals this year and a lot of Saints fans have been rooting for Charlie Smith as well in terms of their introductions to him and their opportunities to see him. I just think that one of the best stories in the NFL period over the course of this year is going to end up being and so far has been Charlie Smith. Then you look at the precision that comes from a soccer player on an onside kick. We didn’t even think about that or talk about that coming into this premier opportunity for him. But to be to to have your guy who like Blake and Blake Groupy and Charlie Smith were close. And so to have him cut, to then see the team go out there and audition two kickers, one of which that would have brought a complete, you know, uh uh uh uh I’ll call it a poop show, uh to your team, and then to have them sign one of those quick kickers, put you through a competition with them on Thursday, and then to walk in on Sunday knowing that you earned the job on Friday and do what it is that Charlie Smith did. Just an awesome story. And how about his family? his family found out Friday night as well. I was talking to somebody close, you know, a source that’s close to the the folks that have knowledge of like him and his family and all that that’s close to his camp and um talking a little bit about how like they got on a plane that next day on Saturday and they uh on the broadcast talked about them arriving there at 1:00 a.m. to be ready and to be there to see Charlie Smith kick on Sunday and then to see him do what he did. It it it’s there there’s so much around the New Orleans that needs to improve, that needs to get better, all those other things. I understand, but man, when you get one of these really really cool stories like this, that’s something to really build some momentum off of. And so to see Charlie go to the sideline and see everybody congratulate him, slapping him on the helmet, all this stuff. Really, really cool moment. And uh just just a little bit of positivity as you walk into kind of the final stretch of this 2025 New Orleans Saints season. Way to go for Charlie’s. All right, family. In tomorrow’s episode, we’re going to be taking a look at the off season for the New Orleans Saints. Free agency, the draft, where they should go. We’ll take a look at all of it because the present is now all about the future for the New Orleans Saints. We appreciate you very much as always making us a part of your day, part of your routine for saying yes to me on the show. If you see me, please say hi. If you need anything else around your New Orleans Saints in between these episodes, make sure you follow me on your favorite social media, Rossjackna. Hit me up, the family’s doing them, and how you living. Let me know how you moming them. and trusted nation. I’ll holl at [Music]
The New Orleans Saints’ hopes of proving themselves in 2025 are out of reach, shifting the spotlight to the necessary rise of their youthful roster. Tyler Shough continues to lead the rookie class tossing touchdowns to Chris Olave and Devaughn Vele, while Charlie Smyth’s kicking heroics provide memorable highlights. With double-digit losses and postseason dreams dashed, developing young talent now matters more than chasing wins.
Brandon Staley’s defense gains momentum each week, anchored by standout performers Kool-Aid McKinstry and Chase Young in Week 13’s loss. Despite offensive inconsistencies casting doubt on Kellen Moore’s system—marked by sluggish starts and a poor run game—the Saints’ defensive identity has emerged as their greatest asset.
0:22 – Saints’ Season: Young Talent Focus
9:36 – Kellen Moore & Offensive Struggles
19:26 – Defensive Improvements & Standouts
26:19 – Charlie Smith Highlight & Positivity
BECOME A LOCKED ON SAINTS INSIDER: https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonsaints
Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-saints/
Locked On NFL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft & More
🎧https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-nfl/
LouisianaSports.Net’s Ross Jackson hosts the Locked On Saints Podcast keeping the Who Dat Nation up-to-date with everything you need to know about your beloved New Orleans Saints.
And follow Ross on Twitter, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the New Orleans Saints and talking with fans.
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/RossJacksonNOLA
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
Aura Frames
For a limited time, save on the perfect gift by visiting https://AuraFrames.com to get $35 off Aura’s best-selling Carver Mat frames – named #1 by Wirecutter – by using promo code LOCKEDON at checkout.
FanDuel
If you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, visit FanDuel.com and place your NFL live bets all season long.
PrizePicks
Download the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.
Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFL
Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
21 comments
Why you never mentioned how in five games he has thrown five interceptions and five TDs how can you say a QB had a impressive game and he fumbled and threw two interceptions plus a potential pick I am really beginning to you as a hypocrite Bru rattlesnake played against stiffer competition and played better than their QB but you not saying nothing about that
Wear your bagheads for the rest of the season.
Imagine if our offense could have sustained drives better this season how many fewer points opposing offenses would have scored. And that number is already pretty good considering the young defensive starters and our major struggles on offense.
We NEED A POWER PUNCH RB & ELITE WR!!!! #1+
The Saints do not have anyone on their offense that puts fear in opposing team's defense. In about three seasons 80% of the current Saint's players will not be with the team. It is going to take three to four seasons to turn the Saints into a good football team. It is better for Kellen Moore to make coaching mistakes right now in his first season as an NFL head coach than in his third season.
We need someone who can run the ball, someone who can get over 80 yards 90, or 100 occasionally.
Moore needs to give the play calling to the OC for a few games. See if something changes. Yesterday was a terrible day for play calling. Velle blocking a LB was crazy work
Our defense kept us in the game, but we lost because Shough threw two interceptions. That's why we lost this game.
Nice suit
Three out of the last four seasons, double digit losses, yet the GM of this dumpster fire is still in charge of the management of this team. Anywhere else in the NFL, this type of record would get you canned. Not here. Not in New Orleans. Gayle Benson is clueless. She only knows what Loomis tells her, and unfortunately, she believes him. The previous years, post Sean Payton/Drew Brees era, are his trump card, in other words, those two were the major reasons why this team was successful, and since their departure, Loomis has struck out, hiring a head coach that was a proven loser at the position, (DA), made terrible draft choices, (Penning, etc.), and you can't ignore the salary cap debacle that has plagued this team for years. 20+ years as the Saints GM is long enough. His management of the Saints is stale. If Kellen Moore proves to be another DA, a coordinator that cannot make the transition from an OC/Play caller to a viable HC, it will be time for Gayle Benson to move him from the GM role for the Saints.
Mckinsty is a safety
Execellent breakdown Ross!! I think when it comes to addressing any additions to the roster must start at the Offensive Line. What Brandon Staley is doing with our defense is phenomenal but the defense can’t win the game on the scoreboard. Also, I can see Audric being activated against the Buccaneers next week. This may have been Kellen Moore trying out Evan Hull this past Sunday. We’ll see though. Evan had some solid runs but I think Audric can take it to another level.
Shough/vele good reason for optimism
I know people want to justify the second round pick, but I’m still team Rattler.
Not at all a fan of Shough … Moore needs the right pieces like he had in Dallas n Philly. It's a team in rebuilding mode n searching for it's identity also. I don't think we have the franchise qb on the team yet. But honestly this team needs help at every position .. go saints
Who dat
What kills me is that the interior o line has proven all season that they can't get push for the run and breakdown on pass rush but moore seems to refuse to adapt to that. Run outside. Screens and pitches. Bootleg whichever QB is in there. At least make those calls a part of the plan.
Ross needs to go – he’s really not that good on the poscast
Vele will be cut from the team as soon as Kellen Moore's done. Shuck is hard to predict, but he doesn't look good.
Kellen Moore should be out now or 2025 season end, but they'll probably have him back to ruin whatever QB they draft 2026 also?? Terrible.
It has been beyond bad. How can you play in NFL's easiest division and be bottom in scoring? It's just mind boggling.
They are mathematically out of playoffs with still 5 games left to play. Pathetic.
Olave dropped the game winner. Our #1 receiver. Olave would be a 2 or 3 on a good football team. On Loomis’ team Olave is a 1.
It’s crazy how most of podcasts I listen to just skip pass how bad the first half was on offense. 3&out , 3&out over and over again. Ok Shougb went 2 for 2 in the endzone this game but look how long it to our offense to get there lol this is a joke . I’m not bashing Shough but it’s same exact games we were watching Rattler play earlier in the season all we heard was Rattler isn’t the reason we’re loosing. I believe it’s more coaching and game planning for offense. If it wasn’t for our defense Miami would’ve put up crazy points . So it’s not Shough fault of how everything played out but come on Ross you can’t say he played a great game with damn near 30 yards of offense in the first half.
The bright spot for saints fans this week is Ross looking spiffy. LOL