Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
While an 87-yard touchdown pass is being heralded as a major change in the New Orleans Saints passing attack, there are a few other changing trends in the team’s offense that suggest a passing game evolution.
The Saints most targeted routes this season appear to be hitches, outs, slants and flats. However, over the last two weeks, there has been a clear shift in some of the team’s passing tendencies.
Per SūmerSports, the Saints have increased their usage of intermediate crossing routes with those patterns earning a 14.55% target share in Weeks 4 and 5 versus 10.43% (plus-4.12%) in Weeks 1-3.
Similarly, the analytics tracking shows a 4.82% decrease in targets to the flats.
These trends suggest that the Saints, who have also seen an uptick in screen pass usage, are seeking bigger plays as the season continues. Head coach Kellen Moore has already shown a propensity to set up and break tendencies, and he looks to be making additional, gradual shifts in the team’s passing game as quarterback Spencer Rattler and the offense settles into its new and changing scheme.
The Saints have continued to rely on staple routes like hitches, slants and outs. But it’s clear that the offense is opening up and expanding its passing game threat.
