Overreactions from Saints heartbreaking loss to the Eagles

The New Orleans Saints suffered an implosion on Sunday that saw them drop a game against the now 4-8-1 Philadelphia Eagles. Plenty went wrong, but the easiest way to sum up the issues is that the team failed in all three phases of the game.

The offense looked stale, much of that can be attributed to the playcalling and backup quarterback Taysom Hill’s decision making. On the other side of the ball, the defense looked incapable of containing Eagles rookie backup quarterback Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia’s run game. Even the Saints special teams unit looked worse for wear after kicker Wil Lutz missed two field goals, easily a game changing factor.

Of course with this loss meant that the hot takes and overreactions were flowing. If you are apart of Saints Twitter then you were well aware of what was going on. Here are the best overreactions from the game:

The world is ending because the team lost a game for the first time in nearly three months

I have seen the meltdowns everywhere since Sunday. How can the 10-2 Saints lose to a lowly 3-8-1 Eagles with a backup quarterback? A lot of it had to do with the mentality of both teams. New Orleans firmly believed that even without proper preparation that they could not lose. Additionally, Philadelphia has every reason to keep fighting, a win against the Saints might be the spark they need to make a December push into the playoffs.

Pretty much the entire thread above is representative of what Saints fans were thinking and feeling yesterday. Yes, the team lost, and fans are welcome to feel how they want. All emotions are valid. However, it is an overreaction to call out players, especially Alvin Kamara, for what they deem as a failure. New Orleans currently sits at 10-3 and very likely could end up 13-3 or 12-4. The first seed in the NFC is not out of reach, and New Orleans has already clinched a playoff berth and very likely the NFC South.

With as much success as this team has had since the 2006 season, it is hard to envision what true ineptitude and failure looks like. Sunday was an implosion by the team that was nothing more than a lack of preparation and motivation, not anything deep rooted. Let’s save the hot takes and calling players out individually for another time.

It is time to bench Taysom Hill for Jameis Winston

This is a popular overreaction, perhaps the one I have seen the most of since the loss. Taysom Hill has never looked “great” but he has been serviceable, and at times he has shown flashes of why head coach Sean Payton publicly places so much faith in him.

In his first four starts Hill has thrown for 834 yards, 4 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and has rushed for another 209 yards and 4 touchdowns. Yet, what most will focus on is the fumbles, and rightfully so. Hill has proven that fumbling has become endemic with him and his ball security has become an issue.

To be fair, I was in the camp that firmly believed Jameis Winston should be the starter when Drew Brees went out with 11 fractured ribs and a collapsed lung a month ago. Yet, Hill was trotted out and helped silence a lot of the critics. I still think Winston has the pedigree and the talent to be the starting quarterback, perhaps even beyond 2020. But, with four games under Hill’s belt and the reigning Super Bowl champions on the docket next, I don’t think Winston would be able to have as much success with just a week of practice and first team snaps under his belt as Hill would at this point.

This offense, as it is built, can only reach its peak with Brees under center. But, with Hill having four games under his belt, the team has adjusted to the new gameplans, and tossing Winston out there on a whim would only cause more harm than good at this point in the season and Brees’s recovery timeline.

Cut Andrus Peat and let’s move on

It is really tough to watch a player who just signed five-year, $57.5 million contract get worked week in and week out. Yet, that is where we are with Peat. However, there have been glimpses of solid play from the left guard and there aren’t many options at the position in the NFL that are as talented as Peat. I understand Saints fans would probably argue that just about anyone, including their Uncle Billy could do a more admirable job, but at the end of the day, Peat was the best option on the market at a position of need.

Pro Football Focus has him graded at a 57.1, just slight above average for the position, but his four sacks allowed are tied for third among all at his position. His 2020 season has actually seen marked improvement from his last two seasons, and having just turned 27-years-old, there is still room and time for improvement. Cesar Ruiz and Nick Easton are other options at the position, but Ruiz has relatively little experience playing guard considering he has played center most of his football career. It is hard to ask a rookie in the NFL to make that change. Easton has played well this year, but the improvement from 2019 to 2020 could be explained due to the small sample size of 2020. Essentially, he hasn’t had time to make mistakes yet. And with a concussion, it is possible his snap count could dwindle further.

With Easton out, it will fall back on the shoulders of Peat, Ruiz and McCoy to try and stop the Chiefs pass rush this weekend. Peat has the talent to succeed, and as of writing, he still remains the only option moving forward.

What are your overreactions? Let us know in the comments. Make sure you follow Canal Street Chronicles on Twitter at @SaintsCSC, “Like” us on Facebook at Canal Street Chronicles, follow us on Instagram at @SaintsCSC and make sure you’re subscribed to our new YouTube channel. As always, you can follow me on Twitter @KadeKistner.