By Ross Jackson
After a clunky start for the New Orleans Saints, playing mostly second teamers, things picked up on Sunday.
The Black and Gold eventually took a fourth quarter lead but couldn’t hold it. A Tennessee touchdown with 1:25 on the clock gave the Titans the lead. A last gasp effort from the Saints offense fell flat, and the Titans claimed the preseason’s final chapter, 30-27.
With many of the starters in street clothes, the final score felt elementary. The path to that result did yield some notable storylines, though.
Starting tackles Taliese Fuaga and Trevor Penning both participated in the first few possessions. Penning did not have the game he needed. He surrendered two pressures and missed a big block on a run play, something has always been the strength his game. Penning needed to make a statement Sunday, and it did not look like he made the one he wanted.
The Saints defense struggled to make plays in rhe bakcfield both against running backs and the Titans’ mobile passers. Sure, the starters did not play. But some key rotational contributors still saw some action and came up a little short from time-to-time in this area.
Second-year quarterback Jake Haener started the game and took the third quarter. Rookie passer Spencer Rattler played the second and fourth. Rattler’s second quarter provided a ton of excitement for the hometown fans in attendance with a beautiful throw to wideout Equanimeous St. Brown and a later scoring drive that led to a 54-yard field goal.
The Saints also found a lot of success in their run game as the first half went on. Their ball-carriers combined averaged 5.4 yards per carry through the first half.
New Orleans was also three yards away from what might have been the play of the preseason across the league when wideout Samson Nacua nearly ran back a missed field goal on a kick-6 return. His 106-yard effort, however, was ruled out at the three-yard line just short of a score.
The Saints went into the half trailing 10-13.
Haener returned as the second half began. Not to be outdone by his competition, he led a field goal drive to start the second half after a takeaway by the Saints’ defense. Linebacker Monte Rice stripped the ball out of Titans running back Jabari Small’s hands, and the fumble was recovered by safety Millard Bradford.
Haener almost capped the extra possession off with a touchdown pass to wide receiver A.T. Perry. Unfortunately, rookie offensive lineman Josiah Ezirim was called for a holding penalty which negated the play. Grupe then drilled a 38-yard field goal to tie the game up at 13.
New Orleans then went bend-don’t-break on defense, holding the Titans to a 31-yard field goal. The defense had a couple of shots at quarterback Mason Rudolph but again struggled to finish sacks.
After the Saints’ next possession was closed out on a sack-fumble on Haener, the defense forced a quick three-and-out as quarterback Malik Willis took over at signal caller for the Titans. New Orleans’s defense wasted no time. Cornerback Rico Payton flew off the edge for a sack, and that was immediately followed up by a split-sack between defensive linemen Isaiah Foskey and Kendal Vickers.
With only six seconds left in the third quarter, the Saints sent Rattler back out. However, it was a different rookie that made the big plays for this drive. On four rushes throughout the drive Jacob Kibodi compiled 42 of his 50 rushing yards, capping the drive off with an 11-yard touchdown to reclaim the lead for New Orleans.
Clinging to a 20-16 lead, the Saints defense buckled and surrendered a big touchdown catch by Bryce Oliver streaking down the right sideline.
Rattler and the offense answered with a long seven-play, 70-yard touchdown drive that included a big connection between Rattler and Perry for 27 yards. Kibodi then bowled over a defender on his way to his second touchdown run of the day.
New Orleans eventually turned things back over to Haener with just over two minutes left in the game. The result was a quick three-and-out.
A short punt by Lou Headley set the Titans up with a short field, and the visitors cashed that in for a the go-ahead touchdown.
With 1:25 left on the clock, the Saints received the kickoff down 30-27.
Running back Jordan Mims had a nice return, but Titans elected to rekick following an illegal formation penalty called on tight end Michael Jacobson. The tight end then followed up with a holding penalty that pulled 10 yards off of an impressive return by running back James Robinson.
By the time it was all said and done, the Saints ended up with the ball on their own 15-yard line with barely over a minute left in the game. A curious draw play bled more time off the clock and despite a nice completion to wideout Stanley Morgan Jr. the drive fizzled after a non-call on what looked like defensive pass interference down the field.
In this one the highlights were among the offense. Rattler, Perry and Kibodi headlined the top performers. Rattler finished 7-of-13 for 105 passing yards and a touchdown pass. He made a great case for himself as the team’s new backup quarterback.
Next up for the Saints: roster cuts which need to be complete by Tuesday afternoon.
