Tag: Saints

Kendre Miller’s long road back from injury has led to a big opportunity

Kendre Miller has a big opportunity in front of him. His long road recovering from injuries has led to a chance to assert himself:

Heading into this past New Orleans Saints offseason, one of the more exciting talking points was the potential emergence of second-year running back Kendre Miller. He’s had to take a long road to get here, but he has a big opportunity through the last three weeks of the 2024 season after an injury to Alvin Kamara.

After an injury-plagued rookie year, Miller caught the attention of many in the 2023 regular season finale. In the first start of his career with  Kamara sidelined due to another injury, Miller delivered a promising performance against the rivaled Atlanta Falcons. In a 48-17 blowout win, Miller rushed for 73 yards on the ground on 13 carries (5.6 yards per carry) to go along with an acrobatic touchdown, the first of his young career.

With hopes high for Miller, many were looking forward to seeing what the offense could potentially be with he and Kamara sharing the backfield in Klint Kubiak’s zone-blocking run scheme.

But unfortunately, the now second-year pro was unable to catch a break. Miller would suffer a hamstring injury on the very first day of training camp, resulting in him being placed on injured reserve for the next three months or so.

Finally at full strength, Miller would be activated off of IR and return to play against Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos. In what was a catastrophe of a game, many got to see that spark again from Week 18 of last season. In his six carries Miller rushed for 36 yards (6 yards per carry) including a 16-yard pick up. It was noticed quickly the burst, the elusiveness and contact balance was all still there post-injury.

In the coming weeks though, Miller would be hit with adversity once again. Now-former Saints head coach Dennis Allen would place Miller on IR for the second time, sidelining him for the next four weeks. It was reported there was a “lack of trust” in Miller’s ability to stay healthy which led to this decision. During this time, Miller was in fact healthy and ready to play despite being placed on IR, which only added more frustration to a player that is waiting to prove himself yet again.

After the firing of Dennis Allen and the elevation of now interim head coach Darren Rizzi, Miller and Rizzi had a positive conversation, giving the green light on his return when eligible. Miller was asked about this and replied with, “I’m ready to get out there and bark a little bit.” This would be indicative of him being out of the “doghouse.” Miller was ready to go.

Miller would get his first opportunity in over a month against the New York Giants in MetLife Stadium and was quick to deliver. Miller would score his first touchdown on a 9-yard outside run in which he and his teammates carried Giants defenders into the end zone. This marked his first touchdown of the season. He would follow this performance up with an exceptional game against the Washington Commanders (9 carries for 46 yards, 5.1 per carry) where he and rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler led a late second-half comeback down 17-0 but falling just short of victory after a failed two-point attempt.

With Kamara’s status in question, Miller has an opportunity to cement himself as the team’s No. 2 back going into the offseason. After much uncertainty due to injury, Miller gets his chance to showcase his abilities and even audition as the teams answer at the position once Kamara decides to hang it up. Now is the time for Kendre Miller to prove that there he’s the guy for the job and that the team can allocate their resources elsewhere.

The lights will be bright for the young buck on Monday night against the Green Bay Packers. Expect him to embrace it.

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Saints sign former LSU star, ex-Chiefs first-round draft pick

The New Orleans Saints signed former LSU star Clyde Edwards-Helaire. The ex-Chiefs first-round draft pick arrives after an injury to Alvin Kamara:


The New Orleans Saints have made a move at the running back position, after Alvin Kamara’s groin injury. The team signed former LSU star Clyde Edwards-Helaire, adding depth to the running back room, announcing that defensive tackle Kendall Vickers was let go from the practice squad to make room.

Edwards-Helaire started his career with the Kansas City Chiefs as the 32nd overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. In his first season with the team, he got off to a hot start totaling 1,100 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns in 13 games. In the following year, Edwards-Helaire still proved to be productive in scoring six touchdowns in ten games but his yardage numbers would dip down a bit.

With the emergence of Isiah Pacheco in 2022, Edwards-Helaire saw his opportunities lessen significantly as a result and there would be more of the same in 2023. This season however, he would spend the majority on the NFI list as he’s battled with post-traumatic stress disorder.

At only 25 years old though, Edwards-Helaire likely has a lot of tread left on the tires and could provide some decent depth behind what will likely be Kendre Miller and Jamaal Williams on Monday night in Green Bay. It will be interesting to see if he’ll fit in as a spell back potentially with Kamara possibly out this week.

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Chase Young is putting it all together down the stretch with the Saints

An uptick in performance and diversifying his pass rush arsenal shows Chase Young is starting to put it together in New Orleans:

Chase Young was a huge addition for the New Orleans Saints in free agency. When he was signed, Young was looked at as the piece to take the Saints pass rush over the top.

That didn’t happen, and fans became critical of Young early in the season. When expectations are high, patience is low.

Over the last two weeks, however, Young has begun to put it together. He recorded a career-high 10 pressures against the New York Giants. Young, then, followed that up with two sacks against his former team, the Washington Commanders.

This was Young’s first multi-sack game since Week 7 of 2023. It was also an example of the defensive end finishing. He ranks high in the NFL in quarterback pressures, and in this game he was able to convert his pressures into sacks.

Joe Woods praised Young for diversifying his pass rush move set, as well. This has all been a part of the development of Young through the season. The manifestation of that is arguably his two best performances in a Saints jersey over the last two games. Soon the question will be whether the Saints can re-sign him so he can keep playing at a high level in black and gold.

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Saints haven’t started the same quarterback vs. Packers in their last 4 meetings

Spencer Rattler will be the fourth New Orleans Saints quarterback to start against the Green Bay Packers in as many games:

The New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers are about to play each other for the fourth time in the last five years, and the Saints have never started the same quarterback in any of those matchups. This is indicative of life after Drew Brees.

Ironically, the Packers have been a picture of consistency at quarterback. They went from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love. The Saints haven’t been nearly as fortunate post-Brees. While the Packers have found their quarterback of the future, New Orleans has struggled to find the quarterback of the present.

Brees started against the Packers in 2020. Since then, Jameis Winston, Derek Carr and soon to be Spencer Rattler have started against Green Bay.

Winston started in the 2021 season opener against Green Bay and relieved an injured Carr in 2023. He’s the only quarterback to play twice in this stretch, but he didn’t start both games.

Since Brees’ retirement, New Orleans has started eight quarterbacks: Winston, Trevor Siemian, Taysom Hill, Ian Book, Andy Dalton, Carr, Rattler and Jake Haener.

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The moment the Saints decided to change quarterbacks may surprise you

Spencer Rattler started the third quarter on Sunday, but knew the Saints made the decision before halftime. This moment could be remembered for a long time:

The New Orleans Saints changed from Jake Haener to Spencer Rattler in the second half against the Washington Commanders, but the decision was made before halftime.

After the game, Rattler revealed quarterback coach Andrew Janocko informed him of the decision with about 30 seconds left in the second quarter. That would be shortly after the Saints’ last possession of the half

Darren Rizzi and Klint Kubiak didn’t need to deliberate during the intermission. While it wasn’t lengthy discussion, it also wasn’t impulsive either. The lethargic offense required a spark, and they felt that spark was a change at quarterback.

It was a gambol from Rizzi, one that certainly paid off. Rattler provided a spark that kept Matthew Hayball off the field for the final 30 minutes. It’s a decision we could be talking about for a long time.

That moment could have changed the trajectory of not only this season, but also the trajectory of Rattler’s season. If you really want to take a wide view of the situation, this could be a pivotal moment in Rattler’s career. That may sound dramatic, but a lot of it depends on how Rattler takes advantage of the moment.

The Saints taking a chance on a young quarterback as your Week 1 starter next year shouldn’t be out of the question. That role could be Rattler’s if he closes the season strong.

It takes a lot to get to that hypothetical, but there’s so much uncertainty in New Orleans it’s hard to consider a quarterback other than Derek Carr starting next season as a stretch. Why not Rattler?

Saints must find out who Spencer Rattler is before 2024 ends

Opinion: The Saints must stick with Spencer Rattler through the rest of the season, unless there is injury, to get a full evaluation of the rookie

Spencer Rattler should be given the opportunity to audition to be the New Orleans Saints quarterback in 2025 over the next three weeks.

A report came out Tuesday morning saying Derek Carr returning to the lineup was unlikely. With the Saints all but out of the playoff race, Carr playing in 2024 provided more risk than reward. Even if he could go, it is smart to hold him out.

This gives you a chance to evaluate Rattler for the future. This means letting him play the entirety of the season unless injury happens. Darren Rizzi switched from Haener to Rattler after just a half of football.

The Saints may be too far back in the draft to get one of the top quarterbacks this season. The future head coach may decide to see what they have in the young quarterback through next season.

Is he the quarterback who held the ball too long in his first few starts and didn’t handle pressure well? Is he the player who stepped up and delivered a bomb to Marquez Valdes-Scantling while being hit? Rattler looked like a different player than we saw in his first stint.

The only way to get that true evaluation is to see the good bad and ugly of Rattler. No more hot potato. Stick with Rattler to close the season.

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Report: Derek Carr ‘very unlikely’ to return from hand injury this season

Report: Derek Carr is ‘very unlikely’ to return from hand injury in time to play again this season

Derek Carr didn’t receive good news on his fractured hand in a recent checkup. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the New Orleans Saints quarterback is “at least a few weeks away from being able to withstand contact” after breaking his non-throwing hand in two places.

With just three weeks left in the Saints’ 2024 season, there’s a strong possibility that Carr won’t be able to get the green light to return in time to play again this year. After traveling to face the Green Bay Packers (Dec. 23) next week, the Saints will return home for a matchup with Carr’s old Las Vegas Raiders (Dec. 29) team before closing out their season on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Jan. 5).

That sentiment was echoed by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, who added that while “there was no surgery, it’s not a minor injury.” Carr’s ability to grip a football and execute his responsibilities from one snap to the next is in question, and it’s too risky to put him on the field until he’s healed up.

So expect rookie backup Spencer Rattler to start next Monday night against the Packers. Rattler outplayed Jake Haener (who got the initial start) on Sunday and should get the nod this week.

As for Carr; we may have already seen him throw a pass in a Saints uniform for the last time. His 2025 salary cap hit doesn’t match his production and the Saints have a few options worth exploring if their next head coach doesn’t intend to build around him. We’ll just have to wait and see how things develop in the weeks and months ahead.

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What’s next for Spencer Rattler after Week 15 performance?

Spencer Rattler impressed against the Commanders, and now he needs to display consistency on his improvements:

No one would have batted an eye if the New Orleans Saints had lost to the Washington Commanders by a large margin, and they were on the way to that outcome in the first half. It was only a 14 point deficit, but the Saints’ offensive struggles made a comeback feel unrealistic.

Everything changed when Darren Rizzi made the switch from Jake Haener to Spencer Rattler.

Rattler led the Saints to four consecutive scoring drives and nearly to an improbable comeback victory. He looked more confident in this game than he did the first time we saw him. Haener versus Rattler has been an ongoing debate this year, and Rattler seemed to have the edge earlier in the season.

The first few starts for Rattler didn’t go well, but he’s clearly learning from his mistakes.

One half of football isn’t enough, though. What’s next for Rattler? The next step is to see him put it together for a full game.

The rookie doesn’t need to blow you away, but what you saw from Rattler against the Commanders was big throws under pressure, playing safe, but not tight, and a comfortable feel in the pocket.

If Rattler starts next week, you should look to keep those attributes as a net positive.

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Saints’ final drive showed a glimpse of what could be a future dynamic duo

The Saints got a potential look into the future on their final drive versus the Commanders, led by Spencer Rattler and Kendre Miller:

The New Orleans Saints’ final drive felt like a look into a potential future of the offense. With 1:55 remaining on the clock, it was youngsters Spencer Rattler and Kendre Miller leading the charge down the field.

Injuries to Derek Carr and Alvin Kamara provided an opportunity to see two young building blocks in a critical situation. Together, Miller and Rattler gave the Saints the opportunity to pull off the upset.

The interesting thing about where the Saints currently are as a franchise is it’s difficult to properly assess the future. If the Saints don’t go with Darren Rizzi full-time, the next head coach will step in with a new philosophy and attitude on players.

Because of that, it’s hard to predict how impactful these type of performances are. For Miller, he can continue being a part of the rotation. His runs early in the drive caught Washington off guard and set the tone. As long as he stays healthy, Miller has shown he deserves a role with the new regime.

For Rattler, he’s either your quarterback or he isn’t. With where the Saints are going to pick in the draft this year, a new coach could decide to see what Rattler has for a year. That brings up more questions about Derek Carr’s contract.

Before we start evaluating questions that won’t be answered in the near future, Rattler has to show he can play well for an entire game. Once we’ve seen that over a couple of games, we can talk about what’s next.

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Darren Rizzi shares injury updates on Alvin Kamara, Kool-Aid McKinstry

Darren Rizzi shared injury updates on New Orleans Saints playmakers Alvin Kamara and Kool-Aid McKinstry after they were nicked up against the Commanders:

Interim head coach Darren Rizzi shared injury updates on a couple of New Orleans Saints playmakers after they were nicked up against the Washington Commanders on Sunday. Star running back Alvin Kamara made the play of the day when he caught a touchdown pass on a trick play from wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr., but he exited the game with a groin injury and didn’t return.

Rizzi said after the game was told that Kamara felt something on his long touchdown catch: “That’s what it sounds like from our medical staff. I will have more information. He’s going to get some imaging stuff, so I’ll have more on that later.”

As for Kool-Aid McKisntry — Rizzi said the rookie cornerback was diagnosed with a stinger after taking the brunt of a big hit while making a tackle, but he was given the green light to return on Sunday afternoon.

“All I know is that if we had gone back on defense, I was told he would have gone back in the game. I don’t know all the details of it, but I was told during the game on the sideline. I was just told he was good to go back in the game,” Rizzi said.

Additionally, wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling was evaluated for a concussion after getting shaken up in a collision downfield, but he was cleared to return and later got back in the game. The Saints play on Monday night next week against the Green Bay Packers so we’ll have to wait until practice resumes on Thursday for official word on everyone’s status, barring any reports or announcements sooner.

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