Throughout the 2025 season, no matter who was under center, who was healthy on defense or who was available on offense, the New Orleans Saints struggled in one area all season long: first half scoring.
The Saints’ minus-121 point first half point differential was the second largest across the league and for any number of possible reasons, the issue simply persisted each and every week.
A big part of the issue was the team’s inability to keep its offense on the field. The Saints converted on third down just 38.4% of the time during the first half, No. 23 in the league. New Orleans also converted the seventh-fewest first-half first downs per game last year.
To help with this in 2026, the Saints made some clear investments. The free agent acquisition of running back Travis Etienne Jr. provides the team with a new explosive option out of the backfield, both as a rusher and receiver.
The first-round selection of wide receiver Jordyn Tyson gives quarterback Tyler Shough another go-to weapon in the passing game.
Additions at tight end like Noah Fant and rookie Oscar Delp help in protection while also giving Shough another pair of versatile and athletic players at the NFL’s most popular “safety blanket” position along with last year’s top tight end Juwan Johnson.
New Orleans has made some undeniable strides in adding the talent necessary to move the chains, extend drives and plays, protect and add weapons to the offense. All of which should, if execution follows the same positive path of the acquisitions, help the Saints produce much more successfully and efficiently in the first two quarters of games.
The offseason moves by New Orleans establish this as an intended benefit. If the team can get off to earlier starts, the run game the club is trying to build would then be able to help control the clock and seal victories.
The sooner it all comes together, the better with a tough stretch to open the season. But even if the Saints can catch first-half fire toward the latter half of the year, it will go a long way toward helping the team be the competitive club the front office has set out to restore.
Of the ten best teams in starting games, from a point differential standpoint seven made the playoffs last year and the two top teams in that metric both made the Super Bowl. In 2026, the Saints want to be at least in that playoff number.
