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Don't Miss Out: Commanders-Saints Live Updates, In-Game Analysis, Notes for Week 15

Keep up with all the Saints action in Week 15 as they host the Commanders in the Superdome.

John Hendrix

Dec 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) celebrates his interception during the second half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Dec 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) celebrates his interception during the second half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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NEW ORLEANS -- The stakes are pretty high for Sunday's game in New Orleans, as the Commanders (8-5) look to fend off the Rams in the current NFC Wild Card race. For the Saints (5-8), they have to pull off the upset if they want to keep very slim chances of capturing the NFC South alive. Jayden Daniel returns to Louisiana, as well as Marshon Lattimore returning home to make his Washington debut.

Commanders vs. Saints: Don't Miss a Moment – Your Complete Game Day Guide

Pregame Notes

  • Paulson Adebo was on the field talking to some Commanders staff during pre-game warmups. That's the first we've seen of him in a while.
  • Unsurprisingly, but Marshon Lattimore was getting a lot of love from his former teammates in pre-game warmups. I feel like the reception will be very positive.
  • While it's not as dominant of a storyline, Chase Young and John Ridgeway III get to take on their former squad today.
  • This is the healthiest the Saints have been in a while. I know it probably doesn't count for much, but it's fascinating how some of the injuries have been reduced since Darren Rizzi took over.
  • If the Saints want to have a shot at today, it's going to have to start up front. New Orleans didn't run the ball last week against the Giants and they have to play much better on Sunday.
  • Yeah, that Commanders uniform doesn't look right on Marshon Lattimore.
  • Darren Rizzi, Carl Granderson and Chase Young made sure to show some pre-game love to Lattimore before the Commanders went to the locker room.
  • Alvin Kamara needs 62 rushing yards today to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career.
  • Saints defense introduced today. They're gonna have to be on it for sure.
  • Wayne Martin is today's Saints Legend of the Game.
  • Chase Young was out for the coin toss today. He, Pete Werner and Alontae Taylor led the Who Dat chant.
  • Jake Haener is up first after Washington won the coin toss.

First Quarter - Commanders 7, Saints 0

Scoring

  • Commanders, 5:28 (12-56, 6:39) - Terry McLaurin 16-yard pass from Jayden Daniels

Notes

  • Very nice return by Kendre Miller to open the game.
  • Alvin Kamara is going to be a big focal point of today's game.
  • Holding wipes out a big completion from Jake Haener to Cedrick Wilson Jr. on 3rd-and-3. Haener gets sacked on the ensuing play and makes a first drive look like a clunker.
  • Noticeably nice contingent of Commanders fans in attendance. You might be able to hear some 'defense' chants.
  • Nice special teams rep for Jaylan Ford on the punt. He's up because of D'Marco Jackson being out.
  • LSU-Alabama moment there for Jayden Daniels and Kool-Aid McKinstry. They had some jawing after the run.
  • An unneccesary roughness call on Payton Turner puts the Commanders offense back on the field after holding them to a field goal attempt. Just brutal. Darren Rizzi was none too happy and let the officials know about it.
  • Olamide Zaccheaus' touchdown reception was wiped out due to an illegal shift on him.
  • Commanders picked a holding call that didn't matter. They were able to get it into the end zone via Daniels to Terry McLaurin from 16 yards out on a 2nd-and-Goal play. You give Daniels enough time and he'll make you pay.
  • That's a beautiful hookup from Haener to Alvin Kamara. That's a big play of 29 yards.
  • Already two sacks on Jake Haener, which is two too many. They had to burn a timeout afterwards because of the play clock. That's been an issue all season.
  • It ended up going to 3rd-and-22 on that drive. This isn't going to cut it. You need to get Haener settled in to have a chance.

Big Plays

Second Quarter - Commanders 14, Saints 0

Scoring

  • Commanders, 5:38 (10-53, 5:47) - Terry McLaurin 3-yard pass from Jayden Daniels

Notes

  • Looks like Jayden Daniels has had his man a couple times in this game. Chase Young picks up a big sack to force a 2nd-and-14.
  • Saints defense gets off the field. Cam Jordan gets Jayden Daniels for a big sack to turn Washington away. Per the Saints PR team, that's the 48th different player he's sacked.
  • Marquez Valdes-Scantling has had some really good moments, but missing that crosser on 2nd Down wasn't one of them.
  • Jake Haener just trying to make something happen and makes a bad decision on the run throwing a pick to Mike Sainristil. Got to play better than that.
  • Willie Gay Jr. was credited with a sack on that no-gain play for Jayden Daniels.
  • Saints defense is doing what they can to hang in there, but it's not enough right now.
  • Washington is now 4/6 on 3rd Down. Daniels was given the first down on the outside run with Pete Werner in pursuit.
  • Nice pass breakup by Ugo Amadi to set up a 3rd-and-3.
  • Washington converts another 3rd Down, and that's a huge hookup to Zach Ertz for 19 yards to set up a goal-to-go situation. He was down after the play. It looked like concussion territory.
  • Prior to the ensuing Saints possession, they had 25 total net yards of offense. 29 came on the pass hookup to Alvin Kamara. You read that right.
  • Another sack on Jake Haener. This is ugly. They're down to 21 total net yards.
  • While there isn't much to take away in this game right now, that's another great special teams play by Rico Payton and J.T. Gray.
  • Carl Granderson shoots in there and had Daniels for a sack. Instead he gets out of it and picks up a first down. Rough.
  • Demario Davis was credited with a sack on another no-gain play like Willie Gay Jr. was. That's the fourth sack of the day.
  • Ugo Amadi picks up a sack to turn Washington away in the two-minute offense.
  • Looked like Marquez Valdes-Scantling ran into Matt Rhea on the sideline incompletion and got hurt.
  • J.T. Gray keeps making it happen on special teams.
  • That was one of the ugliest first half offensive performances I've seen covering this team.

Big Plays

Third Quarter - Commanders 17, Saints 7

Scoring

  • Commanders, 8:12 (11-63, 6:48) - Greg Joseph 23-yard field goal.
  • Saints, 5:45 (6-71, 2:27) - Alvin Kamara 21-yard pass from Cedrick Wilson Jr.

Notes

  • First real big explosive play the Saints have given up on the day. Brian Robinson picks up 20.
  • Cam Jordan picks up another sack and turns Washington away.
  • It looks like Spencer Rattler is going in for the Saints. Jake Haener has a ball cap on. Rattler has his helmet on.
  • Rattler indeed goes in for New Orleans. They have to win this game and well the offense wasn't getting anything done. It's a tough spot for Haener.
  • Rattler was able to find Dante Pettis on 3rd-and-10 to keep things interesting.
  • That's a helluva catch by Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Saints inside the 25.
  • We got some trickery out of the Saints offense, who had to find a way. Cedrick Wilson Jr. takes a backwards pass and then flings it to Alvin Kamara for the score. That was an insane catch by Kamara.
  • Demario Davis is playing his tail off in this one.
  • That's what Jayden Daniels does for you. That was a backbreaking play for New Orleans. They could have captured some major momentum.
  • Chase Young picks up his second sack of the day. Very nice day for him and he's starting to find a groove.
  • Darren Rizzi wanted to challenge that play and Greg Joseph ended up missing, but the officials said it was void due to the clock running out. Yikes. They haven't had a great game.

Big Plays

Fourth Quarter - Commanders 20, Saints 13

Scoring

  • Commanders, 14:56 (9-45, 5:49) - Greg Joseph 41-yard field goal
  • Saints, 11:09 (9-51, 3:47) - Blake Grupe 41-yard field goal
  • Saints, 6:57 (7-59, 1:09) - Blake Grupe 51-yard field goal

Notes

  • Spencer Rattler doing a great job of staying alive while Foster Moreau got open to help get 12 yards.
  • Some really nice runs by Kendre Miller now. The Saints offense looks like one this half.
  • Saints benefit from a personal foul roughing the passer call on Dante Fowler Jr. I don't know that many have been called in favor of New Orleans.
  • Two batted passes in a row with Valdes-Scantling being the target on each play. That's tough.
  • Alvin Kamara went to the Saints locker room. Oh boy.
  • Carl Granderson makes up for earlier and gets a sack on Daniels. That's a big stop. Let's see if the Saints can do anything with it.
  • Demario Davis went over 100 tackles for the 8th straight year.
  • Alvin Kamara has a groin injury and is questionable to return for the Saints.
  • Dante Fowler Jr. picks up another roughing the passer penalty. That was certainly weaker than the first. Despite that, Rattler hung in there and found Moreau for 19 yards.
  • Huge catch by Marquez Valdes-Scantling to pick up 25 yards, but he and Jeremy Chinn got hurt on the play. That was rough.
  • Some miscommunication leads to the Saints drive stalling out.
  • Big kick by Grupe. Saints are still alive but they're going to need to stop Washington first.

Big Plays

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John Hendrix
JOHN HENDRIX

I officially started covering the New Orleans Saints & other NFL topics in 2011. My work has been featured on various outlets over the years. I worked closely with Skyhorse Publishing in Fall 2018 to update the book, Tales From the New Orleans Saints Sidelines, which filled in all Saints material from the 2013-2017 seasons. Prior to joining Saints News Network, I served as the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Canal Street Chronicles for 3.5 years, and before that with FanSided's Who Dat Dish as the Managing Editor for several years. I have also had experiences of being a freelance Saints reporter for The Sun Herald in Biloxi, MS and a contributing writer for WDSU, a local NBC TV station in New Orleans. I have appeared on a vast amount of TV and Radio shows, both nationally and locally. For tips, comments, or suggestions, please contact me at johnhendrix@saintsnews.net

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