Saints’ Aggressive Play-Calling Ends Up Coming Back To Hurt Them In Loss To Rams

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — New Orleans coach Dennis Allen knew the Saints couldn’t be conservative in their decisions against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night, not against a resurgent Rams offense and with the Saints’ playoff chances on the line.

However, New Orleans’ aggression became one of its worst flaws in its 30-22 loss.

The Saints turned the ball over on downs three times, allowing the Rams to score 13 points. Derek Carr’s only interception of the night resulted in a touchdown for Los Angeles on the ensuing possession.

“We came into this game with the intention of being aggressive. Knowing the type of squad and offensive we were facing, kicking field goals wasn’t going to be the way to win this game,” Allen explained.

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Saints’ Aggressive Play-Calling Ends Up Coming Back To Hurt Them In Loss To Rams

Allen’s second fourth-down gamble would prove to be the most deadly. The Saints trailed 10-3 with a minute remaining in the first half and had fourth-and-5 on the Rams 42. Carr sensed pressure from linebacker Ernest Jones on his right side and had to throw it before tight end Juwan Johnson realized it was in the air.

With 21 seconds remaining before halftime, Matthew Stafford connected with Demarcus Robinson for a 4-yard touchdown throw, and the Saints trailed by two scores.

“That was huge, and it hurt when we didn’t convert,” Carr said after finishing 27 of 40 for 319 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.

The Rams also got the ball to start the second half and stretched their lead to 13 points on Lucas Havrisik’s second field goal.

“That 14-point swing (at the end of the first half), that’s huge momentum to lose,” defensive end Cameron Jordan said.

New Orleans rallied for 15 points in the fourth quarter, but their dreams were shattered when Puka Nacua recovered an onside kick with 3:52 left. The Rams then ran out the clock because the Saints had no timeouts.

The loss was comparable to the Saints’ 33-28 setback to the Detroit Lions on December 3. New Orleans, too, fell behind early in that game, only to see its comeback fall short.

The Saints have lost four of their last six games after leading the NFC South at the halfway point. At 7-8, their only realistic path to the playoffs is division victory.

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Saints’ Aggressive Play-Calling Ends Up Coming Back To Hurt Them In Loss To Rams

New Orleans will face division opponents in its final two games, including Tampa Bay, on December 31. The Buccaneers are 7-7 heading into Sunday’s game against Jacksonville after defeating the Saints 26-9 on October 1.

The Saints will play Atlanta (6-8) on January 7. On November 26, the Falcons won the first meeting 24-15.

“We are who we are at this point.” “There’s no sugarcoating it, we only have two games left,” Jordan said. “It’s difficult to be in this situation. At the end of the day, we must triumph. There are no justifications.”

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Saints’ Aggressive Play-Calling Ends Up Coming Back To Hurt Them In Loss To Rams

The New Orleans Saints, a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana, compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league’s National Football Conference (NFC) South division.

The team was established in 1967 and has since garnered a dedicated fan base and achieved significant success in the NFL. The Saints play their home games at the Caesars Superdome and have a storied history that includes winning the Super Bowl in 2009.

SOURCE – (AP)