By Ross Jackson
It has been a point of pride for the New Orleans Saints defense this week that they were able put Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons away late to hold on to their three-point victory.
However, before the defense took the field, Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak dialed up two perfect plays that were each one player away from icing the game, as well.
Everyone, including the running back himself, will remember Alvin Kamara’s third down drop. But the play that immediately preceded it was just as close to breaking open and sealing the win.
On 2nd and 8 with 1:53 remaining, Saints tight end Taysom Hill lined up in the shotgun and carried for four yards. But that play was just one defender away from being a huge run by Hill that would have certainly resulted in a first down, forcing Atlanta to use one of its two remaining timeouts. That would have put New Orleans in position to either run the clock out over their next three plays or at least dwindle the game down to the closing seconds before punting or kicking a field goal as time expired.
The timing would have dictated how big Hill’s run would have been. But by all indications, it would have been the team’s biggest of the game.
The run, a QB Power call, the Taysom Hill specialty, was set up almost perfectly. Fullback Adam Prentice motioned from right to left as the ball was snapped. He and pulling left guard Cesar Ruiz sealed off the outside defenders. Tight end Foster Moreau and extra lineman Oli Udoh crashed inside and closed out the lineman on the left side of the line. It was all perfectly set up.
However, there was one exception: rookie left tackle Taliese Fuaga narrowly missed his assignment on inside linebacker Nate Landman.
Fuaga climbed to the second level, one-on-one with Landman. That was well done by the rookie.
Unfortunately for the Saints, the linebacker evaded Fuaga’s block, working to his outside shoulder.
Landman was then able to wrap around and fill the gap that was otherwise perfectly set up for Hill to burst through.
That one defender turned a breakaway run for Hill into a mere four-yard gain. Kudos to Landman for working his way around the block and staying in the play to fill the gap.
But it was the perfect play call by Kubiak which needed just one more man to put it all away. This is a prime example of one of Interim Head Coach Darren Rizzi’s most popular mottos: “1/11th”.
“Even that last drive,” Rizzi said during his day-after presser. “I talk about the 1/11th. We’re one guy away from that second down run to Taysom being a gash (run), game over.”
Don’t expect Fuaga to see the same result the next time this play is called, and he ends up in a similar situation. He has proven to learn quickly throughout his rookie year so far. This one was so close.
The play everyone will think of when it comes to a “so close” moment in this game will be the dropped pass by Kamara which was another great play call by Kubiak on a 3rd and 4.
Out of a 3×2 formation, Kamara was lined in a trips bunch formation behind tight end Juwan Johnson and wide receiver Dante Pattis. Being in a third and manageable situation and having a tight end out in front of Kamara, this play had all the pre-snap indications of a quick screen to the boundary side. Or potentially the running back’s ever-reliable option route. Instead, all three ran routes pushing upfield.
Johnson broke inside on a dig, Pettis ran a pivot at the top of his route, but Kamara flew downfield. He caught linebacker Kaden Elliss (a former Saint) flat-footed and blew by him for what was a wide open and well-placed fade ball by quarterback Derek Carr. Unfortunately, Kamara could not reel it in.
Alvin Kamara dropped this potential game-ending TD 😳pic.twitter.com/Rq0GNnT87L
— Caesars Sportsbook & Casino (@CaesarsSports) November 10, 2024
“I went to the sideline,” Kamara said after the game. “And I told (wide receivers coach Keith Williams), I was like ‘that was like the lamest thing I’ve ever done in my life playing football.’ It hurt me because I could have iced it. That would have been good. But you know, we still won, so I’m good.”
Ever the honest person, Kamara.
The bottom line, though, is that New Orleans was in the right position with two stellar play calls late. Both were very close to putting the result of the game to rest. And each set up for two of the team’s most consistent playmakers showing that New Orleans knows who to rely on in those endgame situations.
There were surmountable and diagnosable things that got in the way, but nothing that can’t be addressed and improved. Fuaga won’t go on to miss many key blocks, and Kamara won’t go on to drop many wide open catch-and-run opportunities. The Saints defense was able to close it out when it was all said and done, so no harm no foul as they say.
