Well Who Dat Nation — another season in the books.
No playoffs. No late-December home crowd still fighting. And plenty of moments that made you scratch your head. But if you look at the whole picture, this year was more than just a record. It was a story with lessons, growth, and a real sense of direction — even if it didn’t end the way we hoped.
The Good
✦ Signs of growth from the young core
This team didn’t quit. Especially late in the season, they showed fight. Against Carolina and Atlanta, they made opponents work in ways they hadn’t all year. You don’t fake effort — you either have it or you don’t. And this group found it down the stretch.
✦ Quarterback development
Tyler Shough showed growth as the season went on — not always clean, not always consistent, but competitive. You saw better command, more confidence, and moments where the game didn’t feel too big. That doesn’t answer every long-term question, but it does give the Saints something to evaluate and build on heading into next season.
✦ Defense still competed
Even when the offense sputtered, the defense battled. They created turnovers, made key stops, and kept games within reach. That’s no small thing. Defense wins games. It’s biblical — and this unit didn’t take the year off.
The Bad
✦ Mistakes kept piling up
Turnovers, penalties, missed opportunities, blown assignments — these weren’t one-off issues. They were consistent killers of drives and momentum. Against a division you had a shot in, those mistakes matter.
✦ Offensive inconsistency
There were high highs … and way too many low lows. Too many drives that looked promising turning into punts, turnovers, or empty possessions.
✦ Special teams wasn’t always special
There were good moments, but not enough consistency to trust that phase week in and week out. That’s points left on the board.
The Ugly
✦ Beating ourselves more than getting beat
That’s the part that stings most. The Falcons and Panthers weren’t world-beaters this year — and yet too many times the Saints looked like they lost to themselves. Missed blocks, miscommunication, penalties at the worst times … it added up.
✦ Wasted opportunities early
The season felt like a series of chances that could’ve flipped the narrative if just one or two things went differently. You don’t get those back.
The Bottom Line
This wasn’t a good year on paper. No playoffs. A record that hurts. But what you can take away is that this roster showed real signs of life — real growth — especially in the back half of the season.
Winning culture doesn’t come overnight. It comes from learning how to compete, how to finish games, how to stick together on bad days. And this team showed glimpses of that. Not enough to erase the feels of frustration, but enough that you can believe in the direction.
So as the season closes and we look ahead, let’s remember this:
The Saints didn’t fold.
They didn’t tank with no fight.
They competed. They grew.
And next year? You build on that.
Because Who Dat Nation doesn’t quit.
We just get louder.
Who Dat.
— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank
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