Numbers to know from Saints’ loss to the Bears

By Ross Jackson

Following their 26-14 loss to the Chicago Bears, the New Orleans Saints have dropped to 1-6 on the season. In another frustrating showing, New Orleans struggled across multiple phases of the game and despite some high-points, wasn’t able to put together enough to steal one on the road. 

Here are the numbers that help tell the story of the loss in the Windy City. 

Minus-52 – The Saints rank last in the NFL in first quarter point margin with a negative-52 mark. The team is in first by a three-touchdown difference of 21 points with the Tennessee Titans and Washington Commanders tied for the second-worst margin of minus-31.

 

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0.2 – Through the Saints’ first five drives, the team gained an average of just 0.2 yards per play. 

1 – Saints rookie cornerback Quincy Riley grabbed his first career interception. 

2 – This was the first multi-touchdown game for wide receiver Chris Olave, who had a pair of receiving touchdowns.

3 – Per Next Gen Stats, Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler struggled against the Bears’ Cover 3 defense. He completed just eight of his 14 passing attempts for 34 passing yards and threw two interceptions against Chicago’s three-deep look. Otherwise, he was 12 of 18 for 199 passing yards along with two passing touchdowns and one interception. 

Rattler’s three interceptions against the Bears were a career-high. 

3.4 – The Saints have converted just 3.4% of their third-and-eight or more opportunities so far this season, converting just one of 29. 

44 – New Orleans rushed for just 44 yards on the ground. That was a season-low for the team. It’s their lowest rushing total since picking up just 46 rushing yards in Week 5 of the 2024 season against the Kansas City Chiefs. Week 16 of 2023 was the last time the team rushed for less than 44 yards when it picked up just 35 against the Los Angeles Rams. 

57 – Olave’s 57-yard completion was the longest of his career. 

70 – Kicker Blake Grupe’s 70% field goal percentage is the lowest among all placekickers in the NFL with at least 10 attempts. His 33.3% rate on field goals between 40-49 yards is the second-lowest of the same qualifying group. 

222 – The Saints’ defense let up 222 rushing yards, the most since Weeks 6 and 7 of last year when the team surrendered 277 and 225 in back-to-back games. 

231 – Rattler threw for 231 of his 233 passing yards inside the pocket on Sunday. He also threw both of his touchdown passes inside the pocket as well. In Week 7, the offense struggled to find plays outside of structure with only one pass completion and two interceptions when Rattler left the pocket. 

1999 – The last time the Saints started a season 1-6 was in 1999. The team finished that season 3-13 with the No. 2 overall pick, which had already been sent to Washington as a part of the team’s baffling blockbuster trade for the 1999 overall pick in order to select running back Ricky Williams.