Marshon Lattimore finds a way to help the Saints without either of them playing in Week 12
With the New Orleans Saints on bye in Week 12, they got to look around the league at different game outcomes. In their division, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers got a blowout win over the New York Giants, and the Carolina Panthers fell to the Kansas City Chiefs. Elsewhere in the NFC, one of the more […]
With the New Orleans Saints on bye in Week 12, they got to look around the league at different game outcomes. In their division, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers got a blowout win over the New York Giants, and the Carolina Panthers fell to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Elsewhere in the NFC, one of the more notable outcomes for New Orleans was the Dallas Cowboys beating the Washington Commanders. It was the biggest upset of the weekend, according to many circles and betting outlets.
Dallas makes a move up in terms of a potential run at a Wild Card spot, but that seems unlikely without Dak Prescott for the rest of the year. As for Washington, they continue a downward trajectory. They've lost three games in a row.
Lattimore misses, Commanders lose
The Saints traded top cornerback Marshon Lattimore to the Commanders at the trade deadline. They got notable draft compensation in return, too.
Lattimore was forced to miss yet another matchup due to his hamstring injury. He hasn't played a down for Washington, and that continued in Week 12. Their secondary struggled in the loss to Dallas.
Cowboys backup QB Cooper Rush had one of his best games as a pro, completing 24 of 32 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns. Clearly, Washington could have used Lattimore's abilities in the secondary.
Lattimore has dealt with a plethora of injuries over the past three seasons, including the current one. That was probably one reason that New Orleans felt comfortable in moving on from him if they got the right offer.
Saints' outlook
Since they did not play in Week 12, the Saints sit at 4-7 still. The playoffs are still quite a lofty expectation for Darren Rizzi's team, but their second half of season schedule is not overly difficult.
Not to mention, they are healthier than they have been all season at most positions, especially in the trenches.
To get back in the hunt, New Orleans will need to win all three of their next games. Two of those come against Wild Card contenders in the Commanders and Los Angeles Rams. The other is against a New York Giants team that may be the worst in football at the moment.
Jumping back to 7-7 would have them in a prime position to fight for a playoff berth over the final month of play.
Will it be easy or simple? Absolutely not. That does not ever seem to be the case for the Saints in recent years, though. We will see how it all shakes out in the NFC.
