The New Orleans Saints were a bit of a trainwreck in 2022. Compared to expectations before the season, truly nothing went their way.

They lost a handful of nail biter, one score games in the final moments, and the coaching staff got deserved heat after some questionable decisions.

Every facet of the Saints' game last season didn't get it done at time.

On defense, they started off incredibly slow. The second half of the year was much better, but it was a bit too late at the point. The offense showed glimpses of improvement at times, but there was very little consistency under Pete Carmichael Jr. with subpar quarterback play.

Injuries were an issue. No one is denying that, but the Saints needed to be better no matter what.

One piece of the Saints team that had been a strength for years saw another rigid decline in 2022. Actually, it has been a downward slope for New Orleans for multiple seasons in a row now.

The unit where flaws have arisen is special teams.

The Saints' DVOA on special teams has declined every season since 2019, according to Football Outsiders.

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In 2019, New Orleans owned the third-best special teams unit, according to DVOA. In 2020, they ranked fifth, and in 2021, they slipped to 16th.

The Saints fell to a measly rank of 25th in special teams DVOA in 2022.

The return game has still been a bright spot at times, but the kicking game has been mediocre at best.

Will Lutz has endured some injuries, and his play has simply declined as well. That may be partially due to those scattered injuries, but the issue is clear for the Saints.

Accordingly, New Orleans will have a tough decision to make this off-season.

It is a possibility that they move on from Lutz, a player who has given the Saints and their fans plenty of fond memories over the past handful of years.

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