On the magnitude of this win considering injury adversity and COVID scares:
“Yeah, I mean there was a lot going on. Obviously, coming off of two losses as well where we didn’t play our best football, we knew that we could play a lot better, we could execute a lot better. Coming up here, we lose some starters this week in practice, and then we had the whole COVID ordeal last night, or a false positive that unfortunately kept a lot of people up late and all of that stuff. But man, I think it just says a lot about this team, about all of the guys that stepped up and filled that voids, filled those roles. And everybody just persevered and found a way to get a big win today.”

The New Orleans Saints had about as many next-man-up scenarios as a team could be saddled with Sunday at Ford Field.

Most of the next men stepped up, in a big way, which was a big reason the Saints (2-2) posted a 35-29 victory over the Detroit Lions (1-3) to end their two-game losing streak and remain a game behind Tampa Bay in the NFC South Division standings.

Minus six starters (receiver Michael Thomas, tight end Jared Cook, left guard Andrus Peat, defensive end Marcus Davenport and cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore and Jackrabbit Jenkins), the Saints erased a 14-0 deficit with touchdowns on five straight possessions and defensive stops on four straight. Logically, there were standout plays and players all around.

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NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
2 – 2
35
DETROIT LIONS
1 – 3
29

Who Dat !

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees said Wednesday he believed the team is “a few plays away on both sides of the ball” from really clicking.

“And that’s usually the way it is especially early on in a season,” Brees said. “You’re still trying to find your rhythm. It’s unfortunate that it’s more glaring because of the losses, plenty of times early in the season, you are still working through things, but finding ways to win games.

“I think at the end of the day you just have to realize what wins and loses them. I can think of one play on offense and one play on defense that I’m sure would have been a big difference in that game the other night.

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NEW ORLEANS — Alvin Kamara revived the New Orleans Saints’ offense with a huge Sunday night performance. But their defense regressed as they fell to 1-2 with a 37-30 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

The Saints’ defense added a new problem to its arsenal, giving up deep passes of 72 and 48 yards to Packers receiver Allen Lazard. They couldn’t catch up even though Kamara had 197 yards from scrimmage and two TD catches, including a dazzling 52-yarder in the third quarter.

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TailgateNola Go from Hoss Communications on Vimeo.

Former New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush will always side with his former club, but he believes New Orleans’ path to a fourth consecutive NFC South title became tougher after the way this offseason unfolded.

Speaking with Playboy magazine to promote his TV show Celebrity Watch Party, Bush said the Tampa Bay Buccaneers addition of quarterback Tom Brady this offseason makes them a “real threat” to the Saints’ divisional supremacy.

“Tampa Bay just quickly climbed the ladder,” Bush said. “… It’s crazy, because now we know it’s going to be Drew Brees’ last year. And most likely Tom Brady’s last year, but who knows? The guy just seems to not age. But Tampa’s a real problem for the Saints. If you think about how good they were with Jameis Winston, despite the 30 interceptions — now you replace him with Tom Brady, who doesn’t turn the football over and is literally the GOAT (greatest of all time).

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From Sean Payton implying that this will be Drew Brees’ final season to Brees inking a post-NFL deal with NBC, it sure seems like 2020 will be Brees’ swan song.

Especially since Brees almost retired a few months ago.

“I think he very seriously considered retiring after the season,” Saints radio voice Zach Strief said on The Zach Gelb Show. “I think he felt at points in the year like this was his last run, and there’s just something that kind of pulled him back. Yet at the same time, it’s got to end. You say that every year. But I do think if I was going to have to bet on it, I’d say that it was his last year, yet I’ll never get him to admit it ahead of time.”

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Pre-Draft Analysis

Trautman ran the third-fastest three-cone time at the combine, is quicker than fast and flashes as a route runner. He’s not a track star, but he plays a little faster than his timed speed and has got the frame to win 50-50 balls downfield. Trautman is good after the catch. His technique is inconsistent, but he’s a willing blocker who plays with an edge. — Steve Muench

Post-Draft Analysis

Trautman is an absolute steal this late in the draft, and while tight end might not be a pressing need for the Saints, adding one makes some sense with Jared Cook turning 33 earlier this month. Trautman can make an impact in a limited role and give coach Sean Payton yet another weapon as a rookie, developing into a starter over time. — Steve Muenc