Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS, La. – In a game that included an 87-yard touchdown pass, no sacks and a career high for quarterback Spencer Rattler in yards per attempt, it was the New Orleans Saints’ defense that stole the show.
The team forced five consecutive turnovers for the first time since 1991 and became the first NFL team to do so since 2016.
With almost every one of those takeaways, young defenders were involved and making their statements as the future building blocks of the franchise.
One fumble simply fell out of New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart’s hands and was recovered by veteran defensive end Cameron Jordan. But the 86-yard scoop-and-score fumble recovery was run in by third-year safety Jordan Howden and forced by Howden’s draftmate and defensive lineman Bryan Bresee.
HOLY HOWDEN!
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/vjuIxrV3Ro
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 5, 2025
“We’re playing the call first of all,” Howden said of the play. “Then I think it was [Bryan Bresee] that forced the fumble and then I seen it bobble behind a lineman and I just seen open grass. So, I just picked it up and just like ‘Run. Run for my life.’”
Another Giants fumble was forced by linebacker Demario Davis and recovered by rookie safety Jonas Sanker. That was Sanker’s second takeaway in the last two games.
FUMBLE!
Demario Davis knocks the ball out, and Jonas Sanker recovers it!!!
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/32YedJ7Ne7
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 5, 2025
Sanker also had an impressive few plays in pass protection both in pass coverage deep and crashing down to force a tackle for a loss on the perimeter against big-bodied tight end Theo Johnson.
The final two takeaways of the game were thanks to the hands of second-year cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry. He had been squatting over the top of routes chasing a pick throughout the game based on the Giants’ short-passing game, and things finally broke through in the game’s final quarter.
On a fourth-and-six that some will say should have been knocked down, McKinstry went from one sideline to the other in order to get underneath a pass that was intended for Giants wideout Darius Slayton. With the angle that McKinstry had on the ball, knocking it down would have been a challenging risk, so choosing to take the interception may have been his best choice.
First career INT for Kool-Aid!
📺: CBS | @AlabamaFTBL pic.twitter.com/ArUcxRJpQC
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 5, 2025
On the next drive, he snagged another interception, this time predicting the route the Giants receiver would run because of what he’d seen throughout the game.
JAXSON DART INTERCEPTED AGAIN!
IT’S KOOL-AID SZN!!!!!
📺CBS pic.twitter.com/VjGehi8snx
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 5, 2025
“[The break on the ball] was a film study thing, but more in the game,” McKinstry said after the game. “They kept kind of running that same little play. So, I just finally decided to go and press it and jump it.”
While all of the younger defenders were showing out, one more play stood alone as a massive defensive effort. Sixth-year safety Terrell Burgess made an incredible play on a deep ball from Dart to Slayton. Burgess covered 30 yards from the time the ball was released to making the play at the catch point. The ball was underthrown, yes. But Slayton was all by himself and if not for the effort by Burgress, the result would have been a touchdown to extend a lead following the 87-yard strike from Rattler to wide receiver Rashid Shaheed.
Giants can’t connect on the flea flicker pic.twitter.com/ED8Lk5yNZ8
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) October 5, 2025
The play was revered by Burgess’ teammates and set up the Saints to attempt a field goal before halftime that could have given the team a lead with 1:25 to go in the first half.
“That was actually the play of the game,” Howden said of the play. “If you guys, really watch football, that saved a whole touchdown and that’s a big play by him. It might not be in the papers, but that’s probably like the biggest play in the game.”
Good news for Howden is that it will indeed make the papers, he was quickly assured.
These young players all made an immense difference in a game that the team desperately needed to win. All after surrendering touchdowns on the Giants’ first two possessions. A bounce back moment inside the game that could create a bounce back feel to the season for New Orleans. The Saints may still be rebuilding, but they are learning quickly that the foundation that they have on defense is worth continuing to build around. This Week 5 win was exactly the proving ground coaches and fans alike needed to see.
