Tag: Saints

Cameron Jordan had his first multi-sack game since 2022 season

Cameron Jordan had his first multi-sack game since 2022 against the Washington Commanders. The New Orleans Saints pass rush is heating up:

This time of year is usually prime time for New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan.

On Sunday against the Washington Commanders, Jordan achieved his first multi-sack game since late in the 2022 season, back on New Year’s Day 2023 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Jordan tallied up three sacks on Eagles backup Gardner Minshew in a game in which they would win 20-10.

Jordan had two sacks against Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, to bump his total to three on the season. Coincidentally, Jordan’s three sacks in 2024 have all came during interim head coach Darren Rizzi’s tenure.

It has been very evident that Cam’s play as of late has been much more impressive in this second half of the season. On Sunday, his play was crucial in containing a player like Daniels and making sure that he doesn’t extend plays on the perimeter.

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Alvin Kamara (groin) questionable to return vs. Commanders

Alvin Kamara (groin) is questionable to return in the fourth quarter of the Saints’ game with the Commanders:

This isn’t what you want to see: Alvin Kamara was seen walking to the New Orleans Saints locker room escorted by members of the team’s medical staff after scoring a long touchdown catch against the Washington Commanders. The Saints later announced that Kamara was dealing with a groin injury and was questionable to return midway through the fourth quarter.

He’s a huge loss. Kamara is the team’s best player and on Sunday brought a couple of much-needed sparks in the passing game, including that touchdown and a field-flipping catch earlier on. We’ll see if he can return. Kamara has dealt with a variety of injuries this season including a broken hand.

In the meantime, expect a heavier workload for second-year running back Kendre Miller and veteran backup Jamaal Williams. But there’s no replacing No. 41.

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WATCH: Saints use a trick play to score first TD of Week 15

Alvin Kamara caught a long touchdown pass against the Commanders, but it wasn’t thrown by a Saints quarterback:


The New Orleans Saints dug into their trick play bag to score to get on the board for the first time against the Washington Commanders.

Alvin Kamara scored his first touchdown since Week 6 and his first receiving touchdown since Week 2, but it didn’t come from a quarterback. Spencer Rattler pitched the ball backwards to Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Wilson threw the touchdown. Kamara pulled in the pass with one hand to add some extra flair at the end.

Wilson has a perfect completion percentage in his career. This was his sixth pass attempt and completion of his career, in addition to his second touchdown.

The play came off the heels of Rattler’s big pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. That pass brought them down the field, and the trick play closed out the drive.

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Saints bench Jake Haener to start the second half vs. Commanders

The Saints benched Jake Haener for Spencer Rattler to start the second half against the Commanders. The second-year pro had a very rough first half:

Here’s another change at quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. The black and gold benched Jake Haener for Spencer Rattler to start the second half against the Washington Commanders. Haener’s first half was hard to watch — he only completed four passes on 10 attempts, gaining 49 yards but losing 29 yards on 3 sacks. Most of that came on a 29-yard pickup by Alvin Kamara after the catch.

Each of Rattler’s first two passes fell incomplete, but he connected with a wide-open Dante Pettis to convert a long third down and a few plays later hit Marquez Valdes-Scantling deep downfield to push into Washington territory.

We’ll see if Haener returns to the lineup later, but his day may be over already. Rattler didn’t win a game in three starts earlier this year and was benched in favor of Haener himself, so this battle may not be over.

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New Orleans Saints set season-high in sacks vs. Commanders

In just the first half, Saints have recorded their most sacks in a game this season vs. the Commanders and rookie QB Jayden Daniels:

It’s only the first half, but the New Orleans Saints have already recorded five sacks. That’s more than New Orleans has recorded in an entire game this year. To make it more impressive, they are doing this against the elusive Jayden Daniels

Ugo Amadi,  Demario Davis, Willie Gay, Cameron Jordan, and Chase Young all recorded a sack in the first 30 minutes.

Containing Washington Commanders was a point of emphasis for the New Orleans Saints. Joe Woods told reporters this week that “We’re going to have different ways to control him and keep him in the pocket.”

There have been a few plays Daniels has used his legs to extend a play, but the Saints have done a better job than expected against him. You have to tip your hat to the secondary as well, because some of these sacks have been a product of Daniels having nowhere to go.

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Saints announce inactive players for Week 15 vs. Washington Commanders

The New Orleans Saints announced their inactive players for Week 15’s game with the Washington Commanders, who made a last-second decision on their starting center:

The New Orleans Saints announced their inactive players for Week 15’s game with the Washington Commanders, who had to make a last-second decision on their starting center Tyler Biadasz after he contracted an illness. He was a late addition to the injury report and officially labeled questionable, but wasn’t able to play.

As for the Saints? They had already ruled out starting quarterback Derek Carr (left hand/concussion), with a couple of players also unavailable on injured reserve in third-year linebacker D’Marco Jackson (ankle) and rookie wide receiver Bub Means (ankle). Washington put wide receiver Noah Brown on their own injured reserve list after he suffered a significant kidney injury.

Here are the full inactive lists from each team:

New Orleans Saints inactive players

  • QB Derek Carr
  • RB Jordan Mims
  • WR Mason TIpton
  • DE Tanoh Kpassagnon
  • DT Khristian Boyd

Washington Commanders inactive players

  • C Tyler Biadasz
  • WR K.J. Osborn
  • CB Michael Davis
  • LB Dominique Hampton
  • K Zane Gonzalez
  • DT Phidarian Mathis
  • QB Jeff Driskel (emergency QB3)

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Former Saints QB wins a state title in first year as high school coach

Former Saints QB Teddy Bridgewater led Miami Northwestern High School to a state championship in his first year as their head football coach:

Teddy Bridgewater made good on his word. The former New Orleans Saints quarterback led his Miami Northwestern High School football team to a state championship in 3A competition on Saturday night.

“Teddy Two Gloves” found immediate success in coaching high school ball at his old stomping grounds, and their playoff run is one for the record books:

  • 69-0 win vs. Barron Collier
  • 64-12 win vs. Lely
  • 48-0 win vs. Cypress Lake
  • 40-0 win vs. Eau Gallie
  • 41-0 win vs. Raines

Good for him and the young men he’s coaching. Bridgewater has done well for himself everywhere he’s been, whether as a starting quarterback in high school or in college at Louisville, or as a top-flight backup with the Saints; he saved their 2019 season by stepping in for an injured Drew Brees. Now he’s earned some coaching bona fides, too.

So what’s next for Bridgewater? He could run it back at Miami Northwestern or go looking for other opportunities, having speculated about a return to the NFL before. Wherever he goes next, it’s a safe bet that he’ll have plenty of fans cheering him on.

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Saints downgrade injured starter, won’t play vs. Commanders in Week 15

The New Orleans Saints downgraded injured quarterback Derek Carr, confirming he won’t play against the Washington Commanders in Week 15:

The New Orleans Saints downgraded injured quarterback Derek Carr on Saturday afternoon, confirming he won’t play against the Washington Commanders in Week 15. This was the expectation, but given Carr’s initial game status (doubtful), it’s now official.

Carr fractured a bone in his non-throwing hand last week and suffered a concussion on the same play, having tried to leap ahead to convert a first down. He came up short and hurt himself in the attempt. It’ll be his backup Jake Haener filling in on Sunday.

How long Carr will be out remains to be seen. Interim head coach Darren Rizzi has said he’ll be evaluated on a week-to-week basis, but if this injury lingers we may not see Carr again through the final four games. In the meantime, Haener has a big opportunity in front of him, and the second-year pro should try to make the most of it.

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Saints activate a veteran defensive lineman from the PUP list for Week 15

The New Orleans Saints activated veteran defensive lineman Tanoh Kpassagnon from the PUP list for Week 15’s game with the Washington Commanders:

There it is. The New Orleans Saints activated veteran defensive lineman Tanoh Kpassagnon from the PUP list for Week 15’s game with the Washington Commanders. In a corresponding move, third-year linebacker D’Marco Jackson was sent to injured reserve after hurting his ankle last week.

Kpassagnon injured his Achilles tendon in the offseason and missed all of training camp recovering, plus most of the regular season. It’s impressive that he’s been able to play this year at all while dealing with such a serious injury. The Saints stashed him on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) until three weeks ago, at which point he returned to practice. Now he’s been cleared to dress for a game.

And he’s arriving at the perfect time. The Saints’ pass rush has been heating up behind Chase Young and Bryan Bresee, and Kpasagnon is a versatile defender who can get after the quarterback from inside or outside, though he’s spent most of his time at defensive end. He’s also going to be a free agent in the spring so this gives him an opportunity to pad out his resume with some quality game tape down the stretch.

As for Jackson? His year is likely done, though we don’t know the severity of this ankle injury. He’ll have to miss at least the next four games on injured reserve before he’ll be eligible to return, and at that point the regular season will be over. If the Saints can manage to qualify for the playoffs despite their 5-8 record thus far, he’ll have a shot, however slim.

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Jayden Daniels’ versatility is a huge challenge for Saints defense

Joe Woods understands Jayden Daniels can hurt you with arm and legs, but the Saints are stressing the need to keep him in the pocket:

Jayden Daniels’ ability to pass and run provides the New Orleans Saints with one of their most difficult challenges of the season.

New Orleans has a poor history of stopping quarterbacks from running the football. It’s been this way for years, and Daniels is the wrong quarterback to face when that’s one of your struggles.

Defensive coordinator Joe Woods recalled when he knew the Washington Commanders quarterback would transition to the league seamlessly. “One game against a really good team he had about 100 yards on three scrambles, so right then I was like this dude is going to be a problem.”

Daniels’ speed gives him the upper hand if he has to get to the edge. Woods told reporters “We’re going to have different ways to control him and keep him in the pocket.”

Woods was sure to highlight Daniels’ ability to throw at a high level, not just run. Woods said: “I think he’s a pocket passer. I think he goes through his progressions. I think he has the arm strength to make all the throws, very accurate on his deep balls.”

His running gets a lot of attention, but Daniels will threaten New Orleans’ defense through the air and on the ground.

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