NFL makes multiple Saints players' week even worse after awful loss to Broncos on Thursday night
The New Orleans Saints (2-5) are absolutely reeling after an awesome start to the season and that was on full display during Thursday night's 33-10 blowout loss to Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos (4-3). Injuries are the primary culprit behind the Saints' five-game losing streak, but there's also been plenty of poor play, mistakes, and […]
The New Orleans Saints (2-5) are absolutely reeling after an awesome start to the season and that was on full display during Thursday night's 33-10 blowout loss to Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos (4-3).
Injuries are the primary culprit behind the Saints' five-game losing streak, but there's also been plenty of poor play, mistakes, and questionable coaching decisions that have contributed to the current mess.
Thursday night was bad enough and two Saints players' week got even worse on Saturday when the NFL fined them for two separate violations during the 51-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6. Cornerback Alontae Taylor was fined $10,916 for taunting in the second quarter and offensive lineman Connor McGovern was fined $6,722.22 for unnecessary roughness in the third quarter. Both players were flagged during the game.
Taylor's penalty was pretty costly. It occurred after fellow cornerback Paulson Adebo picked off Baker Mayfield and returned it to the Bucs' 13-yard line. But, instead of a 1st and 10 from that spot, the penalty pushed the Saints offense all the way back to the Bucs' 28-yard line. It was a 17-10 game, at the time, and the Saints ended up settling for a Blake Grupe 29-yard field goal that made it a 17-13 contest.
There's obviously no guarantee the Saints score a touchdown if the penalty doesn't happen, but at the same time, it's impossible to debate the fact that a shorter field of play would have been a lot more beneficial for rookie fifth-round quarterback Spencer Rattler.
McGovern's penalty was a costly one, too. The Saints failed to convert a 3rd and 6 from the Bucs' 35-yard line and they would've been in field goal range, even if it would've been a 52-yarder. However, the penalty pushed the offense back to midfield and out of field goal range. Punter Matthew Hayball made the most of a bad situation, though, and pinned the Bucs at their own 8 with a 42-yard punt.
