After a pair of penalty-laden preseason games, and a series of training camp practices with similar issues, one of the New Orleans Saints’ top priorities should be to work on mitigating the volume of infractions the team has been called for throughout the offseason thus far.
New Orleans currently sits with 22 penalties called against them in the preseason, per NFLGSIS. Twenty of those penalties have been accepted for a total of 162 yards, including 71 nullified yards.The remaining pair were either declined or offsetting.
The 22 called penalties are tied with the Tennessee Titans for the third most in the NFL, behind only the Seattle Seahawks (25) and Carolina Panthers (23). The Panthers have appeared in three preseason games while the Saints and Seahawks have only played in two.
This follows the trend of last year for New Orleans, who ranked No. 10 in total penalties against, including finishing No. 4 in pre-snap penalties.
The pre-snap penalties were, in large part, the core issue against the Los Angeles Rams in the team’s second preseason game along with operational penalties.
The Saints committed four such penalties, including two flags for too many men on the field (both on the defense), one for a false start and another for an illegal formation penalty coming out of a timeout.
Committing those kinds of infractions immediately forces the team to operate from behind the sticks as an offense or forces a disadvantageous situation for the defense. The impact of each penalty forced the Saints’ back from otherwise manageable circumstances.
- Too Many Men On The Field No. 1: From 1st-and-10 to 1st-and-5 for the Rams
- False Start: From 1st-and-10 to 1st-and-15 for the Saints
- Too Many Men On The Field No. 2: From 3rd-and-4 to 1st-and-10 for the Rams
- Illegal Formation: From 4th-and-1 to 4th-and-5 for the Saints
Both offensive drives with penalties (false start and illegal formation) ended in a punt within the next four plays and one of the defensive penalties assisted a touchdown drive.
These penalties shouldn’t be viewed in the vacuum of their individual play, but instead with the result of the drive in consideration. Assisting a team down the field or backing up your own offense with penalties that head coach Kellen Moore himself called “100% within [the Saints’] control,” after the game.
Getting control of the infractions will go a long way in the team’s success. While the penalties in the preseason game weren’t called against starting players, who have not taken the field for either exhibition matchup, there are signs from practices throughout training camp the issue could permeate to the starting group as well.
Ensuring this is not the case will be vital for New Orleans moving forward.
With a winnable division and talented roster, the Saints have to do their best to avoid self-inflicted wounds to better maximize their ability to win in 2026. Starting with cutting down on the penalties can be a step in the right direction.
