Saints Show Exactly Who They Are Again

After bumbling away a chance to control their own fate, here's where the Saints stand going into their last two games.

New Orleans Saints playoff hopes were all but squashed in a 30-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night. The loss was far worse than the final score would indicate. Los Angeles took a 30-7 lead early in the fourth quarter, with New Orleans scoring a couple of late touchdowns to make the score respectable. 

The Saints were pushed around on defense all night by the Rams, giving up 133 yards on the ground and over 4.5 per attempt. They were equally helpless against the Los Angeles passing game. Matthew Stafford was barely touched on his way to 328 yards passing, with Puka Nacua, Demarcus Robinson, and Cooper Kupp combining for 21 of his 24 completions for 298 of those yards.

Offensively, the Saints were nearly as putrid. New Orleans managed just 35 yards on the ground, averaging a laughable 2.2 per carry. Derek Carr threw for 319 yards and got big games from wideouts Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. However, two awful play calls on failed fourth down conversions in the first half was a microcosm of the evening. 

The loss dropped New Orleans to 7-8. They'll still be listed as ''in the hunt'' when pundits break down the NFC playoff picture through this weekend. Let's be real though, their mathematical chances at earning an NFC wild-card berth are slimmer than a person hitting the lottery in back-to-back drawings. Head-to-head losses to fellow playoff hopefuls Minnesota, Green Bay, Detroit, and Los Angeles along with a 4-6 record within the conference took care of that.

Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) runs the ball against the New Orleans Saints. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

In other words, the Saints dug their own hole.

Believe it or not, New Orleans still has a fairly strong chance at winning the NFC South. They must win their final two games at Tampa Bay and home against Atlanta. Of that there is no doubt. A loss in either contest would officially, and perhaps mercifully, eliminate them. Additionally, a Tampa Bay victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars would also significantly reduce the Saints' playoff hopes. Jacksonville is expected to be without QB Trevor Lawrence (concussion) this Sunday against the 7-7 Buccaneers. 

These are the first four NFL tiebreakers when deciding a tie between two division leaders.

1. Head-to-Head 

2. Divisional Record 

3. Record Against Common Opponents 

4. Conference Record 

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) after a catch against the Los Angeles Rams. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY

If New Orleans wins their last two games, they'll finish with a 9-8 record while going 4-6 in the NFC South and 6-6 in the conference. This would also eliminate the Falcons from the race, who come into Week 16 with a 6-8 record. 

The Buccaneers are a different story. Beating them next week would nullify head-to-head in the event that both teams finish 9-8. If Tampa Bay loses to New Orleans and beats Jacksonville this week and Carolina (currently 2-12), then they'd finish the year at 9-8. In that scenario, the Buccaneers would have a 4-2 record in the NFC South but 7-5 record in the conference, thereby taking the tiebreaker over New Orleans. 

In other words, the Saints need Tampa Bay to lose to either Jacksonville this week or Carolina to end the year while winning their final two. This scenario would make New Orleans the NFC South champion. 

Again, the Saints have dug their own hole. In two years under Dennis Allen, they are 1-13 against teams that have a .500 or better record when they play them. They are also 4-6 over that span against NFC South opponents, universally recognized as the worst division in football. 

Consistently outcoached and outperformed, the Saints once again did everything that bad teams do. As a result, watching the playoffs at home for a third consecutive year will likely be their well-deserved reward.