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The New Orleans Saints hit the road for the third straight week when they faced the Philadelphia Eagles. Week 14 served as a wake up call for New Orleans, who fell to the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21. This was a huge blow to the Saints’ chance for the NFC’s top seed.
The Saints streak of not allowing a 100-yard rusher came to an end after 55 games. Two Philadelphia players each reached the century mark. Running back Miles Sanders rushed 14 times for 115 yards and two touchdowns while rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts rushed 18 times for 106 yards in his first NFL start.
The first seed now currently belongs to the Green Bay Packers, who own the tiebreaker over New Orleans from their Week 3 matchup.
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Third-round tight end Adam Trautman caught his only target for 12 yards which gave the Saints a first down late in the second half. He saw 15 snaps on offense and 9 snaps on special teams.
Undrafted rookie Malcolm Roach got 24 snaps at defensive tackle. While New Orleans defensive line generated little to no pressure, Roach recorded two tackles on the day.
Undrafted rookie wide receiver Marquez Callaway remained on injured reserve after suffering a knee injury against Denver in Week 12 but is eligible to return for the Week 15 matchup against Kansas City.
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24th overall pick Cesar Ruiz played 39 snaps at guard after Nick Easton exited the game with a concussion. Third-round linebacker Zack Baun’s 15 snaps came exclusively on special teams.
The Saints must put this loss behind them as their path to the top does not get any easier. They will host the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs next week before facing the Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers to close out the season.
New Orleans will most likely have to win out to give themselves the best shot to overtake Green Bay for the number one seed in the NFC. Quarterback Drew Brees’s status remains unclear for Week 15. Brees (ribs) was designated to return from injured reserve but still has “a ways to go” in recovery.
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