Numbers to know from Saints’ loss to Patriots

By Ross Jackson

The New Orleans Saints fell to 1-5 after a 25-19 loss to the now 4-2 New England Patriots. The Week 6 bout was the Saints’ third one-possession loss of the season, but the team felt more outmatched than the scoreboard indicated. 

Here are the numbers that help tell the story of the Saints’ losing effort. 

Minus-49 – The Saints’ minus-49 point margin in the first quarter of games is the NFL’s worst scoring differential to open games so far this season. 

0 – After forcing five consecutive takeaways last week against the New York Giants, the Saints did not force a single takeaway against the Patriots. 

3 – All three of Patriots quarterback Drake Maye’s touchdown passes were on deep passes of 20 or more air yards while under pressure. 

4 – For the fourth consecutive week, the Saints’ defense has allowed touchdowns on each of their opposing team’s first pair of drives. 

8.7 – Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler set a new career high in yards per attempt with 8.7. 

29 – New Orleans’ 4.1 yards per play in enemy territory and at midfield ranks No. 29 across the NFL so far this season. 

54 – The Saints allowed just 2.4 yards per carry against the Patriots’ rushing offense. The performance ties the lowest yards per carry average the team has forced in 54 games. The last time they achieved such a stout run defense performance was in Week 2 of the 2022 season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

58.1 – Per Next Gen Stats, the Saints generated pressure on 58.1% of Maye’s drop backs. That’s the highest rate of pressure since 2018 for the team. 

59 – Saints linebacker Pete Werner played just 59% of defensive snaps during this game with backers Isaiah Stalbird (12%) and Danny Stutsman (9%) rotating in. It was Werner’s lowest snap percentage of the season and lowest since the Saints’ last game against the Patriots in 2023 (57%).

329 – Quarterback Taysom Hill scored his first rushing touchdown on Sunday since Week 11 of the 2024 season against the Cleveland Browns, 329 days ago. That game was also the Saints’ most recent home victory before toppling the Giants last week.