Mixed bag for Saints in loss to 49ers

8/18/2024

Photo By: New Orleans Saints

Da Boot Sports
8/18/2024
Article Courtesy of: Crescent City Sports
By: Ken Trahan

The 2024 training camp for the New Orleans Saints in California is over after 27 days and the Saints are heading home after preseason game No. 2 in Santa Clara.
Game two reminded us of the Saints facing the Vikings last regular season when a guy named Joshua Dobbs got his first start for Minnesota and torched the Saints in a 27-19 Minnesota victory.

In that game, Dobbs put up 24 points in the first half as the Saints had no answer for him.
Sunday night in Santa Clara, the New Orleans defensive reserves had no answer for the now 49ers reserve quarterback.
The Saints leave the great daily weather for the heat of Metairie as the heat gets turned up with battles for final roster spots.
Here are my Quick Takes from the 16-10 loss of the Saints to San Francisco:

**The brotherly love matchup was on display as new Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak returned to go against his former team and its assistant quarterbacks coach, Klay Kubiak.
**Alontae Taylor was good in the run-force game from his cornerback position, resulting in a two-yard loss before forcing a throw-away by Brock Purdy with excellent man coverage on the next play. Taylor had very good coverage again on Trent Taylor on the third series of the game for the 49ers.
**Bryan Bresee got great pressure to force an incomplete pass on the next play but Kool Aid McKinstry came up a bit lame on the play, went into the injury tent, then the locker room. McKinstry did not return.

**Landon Young started in place of Taliese Fuaga at left tackle with Fuaga dealing with a stiff back.

**Foster Moreau committed a false start on the first offensive play from scrimmage. That killed the possession as the Saints made 11 yards but had to punt.

**Shemar Jean-Charles nearly had an interception on the second San Francisco possession.

**Carl Granderson got a sack on the second Niner possession.

**Taysom Hill lined up as a single setback on the second series and was hit for a loss as Chris Olave whiffed on a block attempt.

**Chase Young blew up a play on the third offensive series for San Francisco.

**The Saints had terrible field position in the first quarter, starting possession at their own 17, five and five-yard line.

**New Orleans made its initial first down on a run by Jamaal Williams on the third series, following a good block by Hill. On the next play, Hill rushed 12 yards for a first down.

**Carr then connected with Chris Olave on a 19-yard completion.

**Jordan Mims nearly scored on a third-down run but was stopped inches short of the goal line. On fourth-and-goal, Hill pounded it inside, bounced off a tackler and scored to give the Saints a 7-0 lead with 13:14 to play in the first half.

**The drive covered 95 yards in 16 plays, taking 8:17 off the clock. Carr was calm in the pocket and completed 5-of-6 passes on the drive and the Saints ran the ball very well.

**Joshua Dobbs took over at quarterback for Brock Purdy in the second quarter for San Francisco.

**Rejzohn Wright had a huge tackle for a loss on a completion in the second quarter on a play where Chase Young disrupted the play.

**That stalled a 49er drive and Jake Moody nailed a 47-yard field goal to make it 7-3 with 8:40 to play in the half. The drive covered 41 yards in nine plays, taking 4:34 off the clock.**Dobbs was 6-for-6 for 48 yards on the drive.

**Spencer Rattler took over on the next series for the Saints. He was sacked by Alex Barrett, fumbled, and Barrett recovered at the New Orleans 38-yard line. Rattler held the ball a bit too long and had the ball ripped out.

**Anfernee Orji showed well in pass coverage on several plays.

**The Niners capitalized on the turnover as Moody booted a 24-yard field goal to make it 7-6 with 2:42 to play in the half.

**Shane Lemieux aborted the next drive for New Orleans with a horrendous shotgun snap to Rattler which he had to run down and fall on for a huge loss.

**Rico Payton, who was so good against Arizona, made another outstanding play to break up a deep ball to Danny Gray.

**Jacob Cowling then beat Wright badly with a double move on a deep ball and Dobbs hits him on a 38-yard completion to the New Orleans 4-yard line in the final minute of the first half.

**On fourth-and-goal , Dobbs kept off a play-fake and beat the tackle of Jordan Howden, scoring on 1-yard run to give the 49ers a 13-7 lead with one second left in the half.

**The drive covered 79 yards in 11 plays, taking 1:16 off the clock.

**Dobbs was 12-of-21 for 132 yards and he rushed three times for 25 yards in the second quarter.

**James Robinson showed good vision, cut ability and intelligence to reverse field on one run that was not there, turning it into a first-down run. He also switched the ball to his outside arm when he reversed field, a veteran move.

**Former Tulane star Sincere Haynesworth went down with a leg injury early in the third quarter. Unfortunately, Haynesworth was carted off.

**Blake Grupe nailed a 52-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 13-10 with 12:08 to play in the third quarter. That capped a nine play, 36-yard drive.

**Brandon Allen took over at quarterback in the third quarter for the 49ers.

**Isaiah Foskey displayed poor containment on a jet sweep.

**Payton Turner twice had good pass pressure but missed on sacks both times.

**Jonathan Abram was flagged for tripping on a Niners punt and that backed the Saints up to their own 4-yard line.

**Khaleke Hudson, a hybrid linebacker who is capable in pass coverage, had a nice game.

**Moody missed a 51-yard field goal wide right late in the third quarter.

**Jake Haener took over at quarterback with 2:01 to play in the third quarter.

**Haener made some shaky decisions, throwing across his body and trying to force a throw when getting hit which was nearly a fumble. He also took off early on a quarterback draw.

**Tanner Mordecai took over at quarterback in the fourth quarterback for San Francisco.

**Khristian Boyd went down injured in the fourth quarter. The draft pick is competing for a roster spot.

**Mordecai drove the Niners to a 36-yard field goal by Moody to make it 16-10 with 7:02 to play in the game. The drive covered 62 yards in 13 plays.

**Former Brother Martin and Tulane star Rod Teamer was flagged for holding on a kickoff return.

**Haener bounced back from a slow start, engineering a good drive but former St. Augustine star Stanley Morgan Jr. was flagged for a crucial holding penalty. Morgan dropped a pass on the next play when hit hard and on fourth-and-seven, Haener tried to throw a fade route to the end zone for A.T. Perry but Haener underthrew him.

It was good to see Carr engineer a touchdown drive.

As for the backup quarterback battle, Rattler was 4-of-8 for 27 yards and was sacked twice and lost a fumble.

Haener was 7-of-13 for 76 yards.

If the season started today, Haener might have a slight edge to be the backup, based on experience but the margin is quite thin.

If Bresee has not beaten out Khalan Saunders yet at defensive tackle, that time is coming. Bresee is huge and he is explosive.

Payton and Hudson are making bids to stick. Injuries could play a role there, particularly with the uncertainty of McKinstry and the lingering issue for Marshon Lattimore.

Young looks like he was a brilliant signing, at this point. He is a great, electric athlete who will infuse a pass rush that was lacking a year ago.

Hill is going to be used in more ways than ever by Kubiak. He remains an invaluable asset.

The run game was a positive and we are seeing the beginning of what will be a commitment to the run game.

There are still roster spots available at wide receiver. Who is going to step up?

Howden has not shown the progress anyone hoped he would in his second year. Many would say that is true of Trevor Penning and possibly Foskey as well.

Let’s not even talk about Kendre Miller or Nick Saldiveri.

The Saints play their preseason finale next Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Caesars Superdome against the Tennessee Titans. Do not expect to see very many starters, if any, in the game.

There were some good elements and some not very good elements to take away from the second preseason game as the Saints get closer to playing for real.

John 14:6 - "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior)

*John 3;16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

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