Another frustrating Saints loss and 0-2 start has New Orleans searching for answers

The New Orleans Saints are 0-2 once again to start off the season, for the fourth straight year. The New England Patriots came to town in Week 2, and absolutely ripped apart Sean Payton’s squad in front of the Superdome crowd in a 36-20 victory.

There was little the Saints could do on both sides of the ball to find success. For every good play made, there was something to offset it. The Patriots finished with 555 total yards of offense on the day, with Tom Brady leading the charge going 30-of-39 for 447 yards and 3 touchdown passes. Busted coverage, late execution in getting to Brady, and overall confusion were just some of the low points from Dennis Allen’s defense. In turn, the Saints had to play catch up from the very start, with three straight touchdowns allowed to Brady and company to start the game.

On the opposite side of the ball, Drew Brees did have a decent game by some standards, tossing for 356 yards and 2 touchdowns on 27 pass completions. However, there were 45 total attempts, and we witnessed a lot of breakdowns on offense. It was as if receivers weren’t on the same page with Brees, as there were several drops from all across the receiving threats. For example, wide receiver Michael Thomas finished with 5 receptions for 89 yards, but he was targeted 10 times on the day.

Needless to say, Sunday’s loss proved (if you somehow didn’t know already) that New Orleans isn’t the powerhouse team they once were, and the reality is that it hasn’t been like that for quite some time. Still, it’s a 16-game season, and pressing on is the only option.

“We have the right type of locker room, and we’re about to find out what we’re made of,” said Sean Payton after the game.

Payton, who admittedly said his team didn’t perform like he knows they are capable of, has to find answers for his team’s season, and sooner rather than later. The Saints now have the daunting task of traveling to Carolina to take on their NFC South division rivals, who are 2-0 after a home victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

As quarterback Drew Brees said in his post game press conference, the only direction is up. But, fans are starting to realize more and more that that’s the talk we’ve been accustomed to hearing over the past several seasons, and this team has no choice but to change the mentality of the fans by showing up on the field.