Tag: Update

NFC Playoff Picture: How can the Saints win the first seed?

The Seattle Seahawks were upset by the Arizona Cardinals, meaning the New Orleans Saints need some help to leap up the NFC playoff standings

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The New Orleans Saints improved to 12-3 on Sunday after defeating the Tennessee Titans on the road, but they benefited from the results of a few other games. Chief among them was the shocking upset of the Seattle Seahawks, who fell to the Arizona Cardinals in a 27-13 landslide.

This sent a shockwave through the NFC playoff picture. It’s opened the door for the Saints to not just earn a first-round playoff bye, but win the conference’s top playoff seed. Here’s how.

First, the Saints have to win the regular season finale over the Carolina Panthers. While that’s no sure thing, it should be an easier Week 17 than the Saints have enjoyed in past years, given the Panthers’ sub-par quarterback situation and interim coaching staff. But for the sake of this exercise, we’ll assume the Saints pull it off.

Next, they need some help. The Green Bay Packers must lose or tie either of their remaining games (Monday against the Minnesota Vikings, or Week 17 with the Detroit Lions), and the San Francisco 49ers have to lose next week’s game with the Seattle Seahawks. If the Packers and 49ers each lose or tie one more game, the Saints will get a top-two seed. And if the Packers and 49ers each lose or tie all of their remaining games, the Saints would have the first seed.

The only scenario in which the Saints remain the third seed would be if the Packers win both of their last two games, while the 49ers win their final game. Let’s lay it out a little more clearer:

  • Saints get the first seed if: Packers lose to or tie Vikings and Lions, 49ers lose to or tie Seahawks
  • Saints get the second seed if: Packers lose to or tie Vikings or Lions, 49ers beat Seahawks
  • Saints get the second seed if: Packers beat Vikings and Lions, 49ers lose to or tie Seahawks
  • Saints get the third seed if: Packers beat Vikings and Lions, 49ers beat Seahawks

There’s one other scenario at play where the Saints can get the second seed if they lose to the Panthers next week (going 12-4) — it would require the Packers to win out (going 13-3), while the Seahawks beat the 49ers (who would each be 12-4, with Seattle winning the NFC West). But hopefully it won’t come to that.

So for Saints fans, they have to root for their team to beat the Panthers next week, then hope for either the Packers or 49ers to get tripped up down the stretch. That’s easier said than done considering the Packers have to visit the 3-11-1 Lions after Monday’s game with the Vikings, and the 49ers will get the benefit of a Seahawks team missing left tackle Duane Brown, and running backs Chris Carson and C.J. Prosise. Odds are still good (unfortunately) that the Saints will end up being the NFC’s third seed.

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Saints rule out three players on final Saints vs. Titans injury report

The Week 16 New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans injury report highlighted Derrick Henry, Adoree’ Jackson, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

The final Week 16 injury report was issued by the New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans ahead of Sunday’s game, and it offers some insight into the status of several big names on each side of the field.

For the Saints, they’ll be without starting guards Andrus Peat and Larry Warford, as well as strong safety Vonn Bell. But standout rookie safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson is questionable to play, which is a good sign after he exited last week’s game with a concussion. If he can’t go, however, the Saints have an experienced option in place after they signed free agent D.J. Swearinger earlier this week.

Additionally, the Saints defense is expected to get a boost from ex-New York Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins. The ankle injury that would have ended Jenkins’ year with Big Blue miraculously cleared up once the Saints claimed him on waivers, and he has a real shot at pushing embattled number-two corner Eli Apple for the starting nod in Week 16.

On the other side, the Titans are managing injuries to key contributors like running back Derrick Henry and dynamic cornerback Adoree’ Jackson. Henry might be the biggest threat to the Saints’ run defense streak (having not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 39 consecutive games, including the playoffs) they’ll see this year, but he’s battling a hamstring injury. Jackson was ruled out with a foot injury.

Updates to previously-issued injury reports are highlighted in bold text. Here’s what we learned on Friday as far as who is in, and who is out for Week 16.

From the Saints

  • LB Kiko Alonso (quadricep), Did not participate, out
  • OL Andrus Peat (forearm), Limited, Questionable
  • OL Terron Armstead (ankle), Full
  • OL Ryan Ramczyk (knee), Full
  • CB Patrick Robinson (calf), Full, questionable
  • S Vonn Bell (knee), Did not participate, Out
  • OL Larry Warford (knee), Did not participate, Out
  • S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (concussion), Full, Questionable

From the Titans

  • WR Adam Humphries (ankle), Did not participate, Out
  • LB Daren Bates (shoulder), Full
  • WR Corey Davis (ankle), Full
  • RB Derrick Henry (hamstring), Full
  • CB Adoree’ Jackson (foot), Did not participate, Out
  • WR Kalif Raymond (knee), Full
  • LB Wesley Woodyard (knee), Full
  • RB Dion Lewis (ankle), Full
  • DT Jeffrey Simmons (knee), Did not participate, Questionable

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Saints share estimated initial injury report for Week 16 at Titans

The New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans posted injury reports ahead of Week 16’s game, with news on Janoris Jenkins and Adoree Jackson.

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The New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans published their first injury report ahead of Week 16’s noon kickoff at Nissan Stadium, and it carried important news for several key starters for New Orleans. The Saints have been without one Pro Bowl guard for a few weeks already, after Andrus Peat went under the knife to repair his broken arm; now that he’s nearing a return, they could be without their other Pro Bowl guard after Larry Warford injured his knee in Monday night’s game with the Indianapolis Colts.

Additionally, the Saints are short-handed at safety with a starter (Vonn Bell) and his backup (C.J. Gardner-Johnson) on the mend, and rookie reserve Saquan Hampton now on injured reserve. It’s why they signed free agent D.J. Swearinger off the street, though hopefully either Bell or Gardner-Johnson will be able to start on Sunday and keep him from being rushed into action.

The New York Giants waived cornerback Janoris Jenkins with an injury designation after he hurt his ankle a few weeks ago; the Saints claimed him on waivers, and his status is worth monitoring over the final two weeks of the regular season. If he’s cleared to practice, he should push Eli Apple for the starting job opposite Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Jenkins was not listed on Wednesday’s initial injury report, which is a great sign.

Because the Saints are dealing with a short week, they estimated practice participation on Wednesday after holding a low-intensity walkthrough session. So here is how much each injured player may have participated had they held a regular practice:

From the Saints

  • LB Kiko Alonso (quadricep), Limited
  • OL Andrus Peat (forearm), Limited
  • OL Terron Armstead (ankle), Limited
  • OL Ryan Ramczyk (knee), Limited
  • CB Patrick Robinson (calf), Limited
  • S Vonn Bell (knee), Did not participate
  • OL Larry Warford (knee), Did not participate
  • S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (concussion), Did not participate

From the Titans

  • WR Adam Humphries (ankle), Did not participate
  • LB Daren Bates (shoulder), Limited
  • WR Corey Davis (ankle), Limited
  • RB Derrick Henry (hamstring), Limited
  • CB Adore Jackson (foot), Limited
  • WR Kalif Raymond (knee), Limited
  • LB Wesley Woodyard (knee), Limited

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Saints make several roster moves before MNF game vs. Colts

The New Orleans Saints claimed Janoris Jenkins off of waivers, promoted Taylor Stallworth and T.J. Green from the practice squad on Monday.

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The New Orleans Saints shuffled their 53-man roster and 10-man practice squad on Monday, hours before their prime-time kickoff with the Indianapolis Colts. Here’s the breakdown.

Veteran cornerback Johnson Bademosi was designated to the injured reserve list, after having suddenly appeared on the Saints injury report with a foot ailment. That held him out of practice on Saturday and apparently ended his season, which is a big blow to the Saints special teams units.

Additionally, New Orleans waived journeyman defensive tackle T.Y. McGill. McGill once played for Saints defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen at North Carolina State, and their brief reunion was a cool storyline. However, the Saints saw enough out of the players on their practice squad to give them the nod for Monday night’s game.

Second-year nose tackle Taylor Stallworth was called up from the Saints practice squad after outperforming McGill in practice over the last week; he logged 300-plus snaps a year ago before exceptional depth along the defensive line demoted him this season. He’s a big body with NFL experience, and should help fill the void left by Sheldon Rankins, who also landed on injured reserve last week after injuring his ankle early against the San Francisco 49ers.

Additionally, the Saints promoted practice squad defensive back T.J. Green. Green figures to contribute immediately on special teams in Bademosi’s place, though injuries to the secondary could force the Saints to get him onto the field sooner than planned. Starting strong safety Vonn Bell and backup cornerback Patrick Robinson were both preemptively ruled out for this game.

The Saints also added a new player, claiming ex-New York Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins off of waivers. But because they play on Monday night, Jenkins will not join his new team until Tuesday, when they will be required to waive another player in a corresponding move. They attempted to claim former Arizona Cardinals and Baltimore Ravens pass rusher Terrell Suggs, but were denied by the Kansas City Chiefs, who had a higher waiver claim priority. It’s not ideal to be tweaking the roster so often this late in the season, but injuries and subpar positional play have forced New Orleans’ hand. At least they’re being proactive.

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Colts’ T.Y. Hilton a game-time decision vs. Saints, but ‘trending in the right direction’

The Indianapolis Colts are hoping to play star wide receiver T.Y. Hilton against the New Orleans Saints, but it’s far from certain.

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The Indianapolis Colts offense could get a huge boost on Monday night for their game with the New Orleans Saints. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that veteran Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton is expected to be a game-time decision to play against New Orleans, with team medical staff wanting to see how his injured calf responds during pregame warmups.

Hilton returned to Colts practice on a limited basis last week after missing Indianapolis’ last two games; the speedster is averaging a career-low 10.8 yards per reception in 2019, but he remains the focal point of their offense when healthy. His 5.0 receptions per game and 54.0 receiving yards per game set the pace for the rest of the team, and his 5 touchdown catches ties number-two receiver Zach Pascal for the lead (despite having played just 7 games this year). If his injured calf responds well on the Mercedes-Benz Superdome turf, he’ll be a big threat for the Saints defense to counter.

How would the Saints defend Hilton if he plays? The easy answer would be to assign number-one cornerback Marshon Lattimore to him, with Eli Apple covering Pascal from the other spot. But things could be shaken up with the loss of starting safety Vonn Bell, which pushes rookie defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson into the lineup in Bell’s place. Gardner-Johnson has shared time with P.J. Williams in slot coverage duties throughout the season, and the Colts make a point of rotating various receiving options (including tight ends and running backs) into that alignment to create defensive mismatches.

And as Rapoport said, Hilton will not be playing at full health if he does suit up. There’s a chance the Saints don’t assign any specific coverage to him if he is able to go, given his condition, but that runs the danger of underestimating the impact he can have. There’s absolutely a scenario where he’s able to catch a Saints cornerback at unawares and get behind them for a big gain. New Orleans has to be ready for anything with Hilton and the Colts backed up against a wall, with their season on the line.

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Cameron Jordan, five others rest on initial Saints injury report for Week 15 vs. Colts

The New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts published their initial injury report ahead of Week 14’s huge ‘Monday Night Football’ game.

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The New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts published their first injury report ahead of Week 14’s big kickoff on “Monday Night Football.” All eyes are on star Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, while the Saints have a long list of key players battling various ailments — ranging from tight end Jared Cook (concussion) and left tackle Terron Armstead (ankle) to starting linebackers Kiko Alonso (thigh) and A.J. Klein (knee). That’s hardly the position New Orleans would like to be in so close to the playoffs.

Here’s what we learned on Thursday’s injury report. Because the Saints are playing on Monday instead of the usual Sunday, this week’s injury reports will be issued on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday — so check back often for updates. Changes to each subsequent injury report will be denoted with bold text.

From the Saints

  • TE Jared Cook (Concussion), Limited
  • OL Will Clapp (Elbow), Limited
  • LB A.J. Klein (Knee), Limited
  • FB Zach Line (Knee), Limited
  • OL Andrus Peat (Arm), Did not participate
  • OL Terron Armstead (Ankle), Did not participate
  • LB Kiko Alonso (Thigh), Did not participate
  • DE Cameron Jordan (Abdomen), Did not participate
  • S Vonn Bell (Knee), Did not participate
  • CB Patrick Robinson (Calf), Did not participate

From the Colts

  • WR TY Hilton (Calf), Limited
  • CB Pierre Desir (Groin), Limited
  • CB Kenny Moore (Ankle), Did not participate

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Report: Marcus Davenport managing foot injury after 49ers game

New Orleans Saints defensive end Marcus Davenport suffered a foot injury on a non-contact play against the San Francisco 49ers.

The Mercedes-Benz Superdome was quieted late in the fourth quarter during Sunday’s game between the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers. Second-year Saints defensive end Marcus Davenport pulled up after stepping into his rush and fell to the ground clutching at his left leg. He was able to walk off the field under his own power but didn’t return to the game after logging just 21 snaps on defense.

According to a report from The Athletic’s Nick Underhill, Davenport is managing a foot injury. We probably won’t know any specifics or the severity until the Saints publish their first injury report later this week, and even then the team is notoriously private about medical issues.

Still, a foot issue is better than, say, a knee injury. Maybe only marginally so, but it is better in the sense that fewer season-threatening ailments strike players in the feet than in their knees, where important ligaments like the ACL and MCL are located. It’s worth remembering that a serious grade-three turf toe injury slowed Davenport down in his rookie year and required surgery once it wrapped up. Here’s hoping his latest problem isn’t so serious.

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Saints lose tight end Jason Vander Laan to I.R., re-sign Michael Ola

The New Orleans Saints reported two roster moves, losing backup tight end Jason Vander Laan to injured reserve and re-signing Michael Ola.

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The official NFL transactions wire for Friday, Dec. 6 listed two roster moves for the New Orleans Saints: the loss of backup tight end Jason Vander Laan to injured reserve with a vague head issue, and the re-signing of veteran left tackle Michael Ola. ESPN’s Field Yates first reported the news of both changes to the Saints’ active roster.

Vander Laan only played a handful of snaps in two games for the Saints after being called up from the practice squad, standing out as a blocker on running downs. He injured his head in Thursday’s practice and did not participate in Friday’s session before his season ended.

New Orleans waived third-year tight end Dan Arnold on Wednesday to make room on the roster for free agent linebacker Manti Te’o, and he was claimed off of waivers by the Arizona Cardinals, removing him as an option for the Saints. They’re running thin at the position with just two healthy tight ends on the active roster (starter Jared Cook and backup Josh HIll) and a defensive lineman-turned-tight end on the practice squad (Mitchell Loewen).

Ola logged 32 snaps with the Saints last season as a backup to Terron Armstead at left tackle, but a late-season high-ankle sprain ended his year. He recovered and competed for a spot on the depth chart throughout the summer on New Orleans’ 90-man offseason roster, but was released during roster cuts in August. This is his sixth season in the NFL and his eighth playing football professionally, having started out with the Arena League’s Jacksonville Sharks and CFL’s Montreal Alouettes back in 2012.

Armstead is battling his own high-ankle sprain and is officially questionable to suit up for Sunday’s game with the San Francisco 49ers, so Ola’s return gives the Saints some experienced depth at the position. Last week, they started journeyman guard Patrick Omameh in Armstead’s spot, with undrafted rookie Ethan Greenidge as an emergency option behind him.

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Terron Armstead ruled questionable to play vs. 49ers on final Saints injury report

The New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers published their final injury reports ahead of Week 14’s game in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

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The New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers published their final injury report ahead of Sunday’s big noon kickoff, including status updates for several players managing various ailments. Here’s what we learned after each team wrapped up practice on Friday.

For New Orleans, the Saints hope to all-world left tackle Terron Armstead return to the lineup a few weeks removed from a high-ankle sprain. But his practice participation has been limited throughout the week, so he’ll have to test out his ankle during pregame warmups on Sunday before they can reach a final decision. He’s officially listed as questionable to play.

If Armstead can’t go, expect veteran guard Patrick Omameh to again step into the lineup in his place, as he did in last week’s game with the Atlanta Falcons. Undrafted rookie Ethan Greenidge was active for the first time this year but didn’t get on the field thanks to Omameh’s performance in a tough spot. The 49ers boast one of the NFL’s fiercest defensive lines, so it’s anyone’s guess who plays left tackle for most of the day.

Things aren’t trending nearly so favorably on defense, where starting linebackers Kiko Alonso and A.J. Klein were each preemptively ruled out after missing practice throughout the week. The Saints signed former starter Manti Te’o on Tuesday and he could be pressed into action on Sunday against one of the NFL’s best rushing attacks, which isn’t ideal.

Special teamers Craig Robertson and Stephone Anthony are theoretically ahead of Te’o on the depth chart, but the Saints coaching staff saw enough out of their 11 combined snaps against the Falcons last week to call him up as soon as possible. Whoever ends up starting next to Demario Davis on Sunday, they need to be ready.

The Saints also lost backup tight end Jason Vander Laan to injured reserve after he suffered a head injury in Thursday’s practice. They recently waived third-year reserve Dan Arnold, so they’ll be short-handed at tight end on Sunday.

From the Saints

  • LB Kiko Alonso (Thigh) DNP, Out
  • OL Andrus Peat (Forearm) DNP, Out
  • LB A.J. Klein (Knee) DNP, Out
  • OL Terron Armstead (Ankle) Limited, Questionable
  • FB Zach Line (Knee) Limited, Out
  • OL Will Clapp (Elbow) DNP, Questionable
  • TE Jason Vander Laan (Head) DNP, Out and on injured reserve
  • CB Patrick Robinson (Calf) DNP, Questionable

From the 49ers

  • WR Dante Pettis (Knee) Limited, Questionable
  • S Jaquiski Tartt (Ribs) DNP, Out
  • DT Julian Taylor (Knee) DNP, Out
  • DE Dee Ford (Quad/Hamstring) Full
  • DT D.J. Jones (Ankle) Full
  • TE George Kittle (Knee/Ankle) Full
  • CB Richard Sherman (Knee) Full
  • T Joe Staley (Finger) Limited, Questionable
  • RB Matt Breida (Ankle) Full
  • WR Deebo Samuel (Shoulder) Full
  • WR Emmanuel Sanders (Ribs) Full
  • DL Arik Armstead (NIR) Full
  • WR Marquise Goodwin (Knee/Foot) Limited, Questionable

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Oddsmakers drop Saints to 2.5-point favorites over visiting 49ers

The New Orleans Saints are still favored to beat the San Francisco 49ers, but oddsmakers expect a razor-thin finish in a low-scoring game.

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All eyes from around the NFL world will be focused on the Mercedes-Benz Superdome this Sunday, when the New Orleans Saints host the San Francisco 49ers for a game with tremendous implications for the NFC playoff picture.

With a Saints win, the road to Super Bowl LIV is all but guaranteed to run through New Orleans. But if the 49ers prevail, well, things get interesting in the NFC West. It’s a fair bet that they would compete with the Seattle Seahawks all the way down the stretch for the first seed, with the loser falling to the fifth seed — guaranteeing their playoff journey starts on the road. Incidentally, the 49ers will visit the Seahawks in the regular season finale in Week 17.

Per updated odds from BetMGM, the Saints are still favored to defeat the 49ers, but only by 2.5 points. With an over/under of just 44.5, that implies a final score somewhere in the neighborhood of Saints 24, 49ers 21. If this game were played on a neutral field, it would be even more of a toss-up. In other words: even the oddsmakers don’t know who might win this one.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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