Taysom Hill leads Saints past Seahawks in a 39-32 shootout

Losers of three games in a row, the floundering New Orleans Saints (1-3) were trying to right the ship as they welcomed the Seattle Seahawks (2-2) into the Mercedes Benz Superdome. The Seahawks, led by a rejuvenated Geno Smith, were presenting a strong challenge to the Saints’ defense. On the other hand, New Orleans’ offense has been a shell of its Drew Brees’ era self. Would both teams leave the game with a 2-3 record? Or would the Saints prove to us that they are simply a bad team in this 2022-23 NFL season? Read the recap below to find out.

In the first half, the Saints would show a better offense gameplan than they had before, scoring 17 points and at one point, leading the Seahawks 17-10. However, the issues that have plagued New Orleans all season reared their ugly head, as Alvin Kamara, who had played well all day, would fumble the ball in a two-minute drive with the Saints leading 17-10. The Seahawks would capitalize, with Tyler Lockett beating Paulson Adebo deep for a touchdown. After a missed extra point, the Seahawks led the Saints 19-17 at halftime.

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In the second half, the Saints would get a gift early, with a somewhat questionable DK Metcalf fumble that would be upheld by the referees upon review. The Saints would capitalize, driving 30 yards for a touchdown from Andy Dalton to Chris Olave to take a 24-19 lead. The Saints would keep the Seahawks off the scoreboard in the third quarter, while adding another touchdown, this time a pass from Taysom Hill to tight end Adam Trautman. Going into the fourth quarter, New Orleans led 31-19.

In the fourth quarter however, the Saints’ secondary would prove its downfall again, allowing Tyler Lockett to get behind them once again and letting Geno Smith throw a 40-yard bomb to make the score 31-25 after a failed two-point conversion. With the Saints offense having gone dormant, the Seahawks would add yet another big play, a 69-yard run by Kenneth Walker to give Seattle a 32-31 lead with about half the fourth quarter to play. the play was Seattle’s sixth of 30-plus yards on the day. A defensive performance just as woeful as the offensive performance has been all season long.

Thankfully for the Saints, they had Taysom Hill today. On the very next drive, Hill took a snap and rambled 60 yards into the end zone on third-and-one for a touchdown. After a successful two-point conversion, the Saints led 39-32.

After a crucial sack of Geno Smith by Cam Jordan, the Saints would take over at their 30-yard line and run the ball efficiently to bleed the clock and force the Seahawks to take their timeouts. Andy Dalton would find Tre’Quan Smith for a vital first down pass, extending New Orleans’ drive. Alvin Kamara would then seal the victory, with a block by, you guessed it, Taysom Hill, and a first down that gave the Saints a 39-32 victory.

New Orleans, at 2-3, snaps a three-game losing streak and brings back some good feelings in the Big Easy.

Below is a quarter-by-quarter recap of the game.

FIRST HALF

First Quarter

• Saints begin with the ball and return the kickoff to their 22-yard line. Saints begin with a good run by Alvin Kamara. Saints move into Seahawks’ territory on a run by Taysom Hill. On 3rd-and-5 the Saints stall. Wil Lutz makes a 56-yard field goal.
• NO: 3 - SEA: 0
• Seahawks begin at their 25-yard line. On 3rd-and-5, Geno Smith scrambles and finds DK Metcalf for a 50-yard touchdown.

• NO: 3 - SEA: 7
• Saints begin at their 11-yard line and Andy Dalton finds Chris Olave for a first down at the 30-yard line. Saints stall and punt.
• Seahawks take over at their 25-yard line. On the second play, Rashard Penny gains 32 yards on the ground into Saints’ territory. Seahawks stall and Jason Myers makes a 56-yard field goal.
• NO: 3 - SEA: 10
• Saints return the kickoff to their 31-yard line using Taysom Hill instead of Deonte Harty who got hurt. Saints face a 3rd-and-5 as the quarter ends.

Second Quarter

• Saints get a first down on a Seahawks’ offside penalty and move into Seahawks’ territory. Saints get inside the red zone on a run by Taysom Hill. Alvin Kamara runs inside the 10-yard line and Taysom Hill finishes the drive with a touchdown run.

• NO: 10 - SEA: 10
• Seahawks begin at their 25-yard line. On third down, Cam Jordan sacks Geno Smith, Hawks punt. Marquez Callaway returns the punt to the Saints’ 31-yard line.
• Dalton gets sacked on first down by Al Woods and Saints go three-and-out and punt.
• Seahawks take over at their 20-yard line after the touchback. Seahawks go three-and-out. They try a fake on 4th-and-9 and Saints stop them and recover the ball at Seattle’s 13-yard line.
• Alvin Kamara runs for four yards on first down, then Taysom Hill finishes the short drive for a touchdown.

• NO: 17 - SEA: 10
• Seahawks take over at their 25-yard line. Smith throws two passes and gets the Seahawks into Saints’ territory. Seattle gets into the red zone at the two-minute warning. Seahawks stall in the red zone and settle for a short field goal.
• NO: 17 - SEA: 13
• Saints begin at their 25-yard line with 1:42 remaining on the clock and one timeout. New Orleans drives into Seahawks territory. Alvin Kamara fumbles and Seahawks recover at the Saints’ 47-yard line with 20 seconds left. With 12 seconds left, Geno Smith finds Tyler Lockett for a touchdown. Seattle misses the extra point.

• NO: 17 - SEA: 19
• Saints let the time expire as New Orleans trails by two at halftime.

SECOND HALF

Third Quarter

• Saints kickoff and the Seahawks return the ball to their 23-yard line. On the first play of the drive, DK Metcalf fumbles, the play is reviewed and upheld. David Onyemata recovers.
• Saints take over at the Seahawks’ 30-yard line. Saints get a first down with Taysom Hill. Dalton finds Chris Olave in the end zone, but he drops the ball while being wrestled to the ground. Saints challenge the call and win. It’s a touchdown for Olave!
• NO: 24 - SEA: 19
• Seahawks take over at their 25-yard line. The Saints defense stiffens and forces a three-and-out.
• Saints take over at their 21-yard line and after recording a first down, they stall and punt.
• Following a touchback, Seahawks take over at their 20-yard line and go three-and-out. Marquez Callaway returns the punt near the Saints’ 40-yard line.
• On the second play of the drive, Andy Dalton throws an interception, and the Seahawks take over at midfield.
• Seattle eventually stalls and is forced to punt after a holding penalty drives them back.
• Saints take over at their 21-yard line. On the second play of the drive, Alvin Kamara catches a screen pass for 54 yards to the Seahawks’ 22-yard line. Two plays later, Taysom Hill finds Adam Trautman for a touchdown.

• NO: 31 - SEA: 19
• Seahawks start at their 25-yard line and run for two yards as the quarter ends.

Fourth Quarter

• Hawks get a pass interference penalty on Marshon Lattimore that moves them to midfield. Geno Smith finds Tyler Lockett for a touchdown. Seahawks miss the two-point conversion.

• NO: 31 - SEA: 25
• Taysom Hill returns the kickoff to the 23-yard line. The Saints run the ball to a first down, then Dalton finds Marquez Callaway for another first down. New Orleans benefits from a defensive holding penalty to keep the drive alive. Saints face a 4th-and-3 just past midfield and punt.
• Hawks take over at their 22-yard line. On second down, Kenneth Walker runs for 69 yards for a touchdown.

• NO: 31 - SEA: 32
• Saints begin at their 30-yard line. On 3rd-and-1, Taysom Hill runs for 60 yards into the end zone for a touchdown. Just like that, the Saints are back on top. Saints go for two and Mark Ingram plunges into the end zone to convert.

• NO: 39 - SEA: 32
• Hawks take over at their 25-yard line. On 3rd-and-2, Cam Jordan sacks Geno Smith to give the Saints the ball back.
• Saints take over at their 30-yard line and run the ball to force the Seahawks into taking their timeouts. On 3rd-and-4, Andy Dalton finds Tre’Quan Smith for a first down to keep the drive alive. Saints keep running Kamara and reach the two-minute warning facing second down-and-6. Kamara runs for a first down, forcing Seattle to take their last timeout and sealing the victory for the Saints
• Saints Win 39-32 in an old-fashion shootout.