NFL Week 18: Key Takeaways from the Saints vs. Bucs Finale

Some final takeaways for the Saints after their predictable loss to the Bucs.

Jan 5, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Dante Pettis (17) celebrates with tight end Juwan Johnson (83) after catching a touchdown pass in the first half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images / Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The Saints season is over, and it's probably a really good thing that it is. They predictably faltered after capturing a surprising halftime lead, losing 27-19 to the Bucs and giving the NFC South for the fourth straight year. They also allowed Mike Evans to make NFL history, so there's that. Here's some final things we learned about New Orleans after the game.

Playing A Complete Game Is Impossible

It's another week and another time we're hearing 'self-inflicted' wounds and how the team can't play a complete four quarters of football. They looked good in the first half, but it was a familiar 'tale of two halves' game for New Orleans. The inconsistency in play has to get fixed and it's maddening to see what they're capable of on one hand only to crash and burn.

There's too many mental errors, inefficiency on both sides of the ball and playing completely undisciplined. It's a sign of why it's a 5-12 team and New Orleans being what their record says they are.

Spencer Rattler Rebounded Some

We saw some major growth from Spencer Rattler, and I thought he played some great football for the first 30 minutes. Unfortunately, playing a complete game on offense proved to be a very difficult task. For whatever reason it may be, it's just not happening. This game could have really given the Saints some major evidence going into the offseason, but it just feels stale after what we saw.

I don't think we're at the point where you talk about him being QB1 going into next season, especially due to the fact that New Orleans has to figure out where things are at with Derek Carr. However, I don't expect much from next season's Saints team. Is it better to keep the veteran there or go with Rattler if you're going to win 5-7 games?

A Major Defensive Overhaul Is Needed

The Saints defense finished the year showing why they are one of the worst in the league. They went from controlling the Bucs running game to getting shredded. Baker Mayfield made them look silly, and the sad part is they picked up two key 3rd-and-long conversions in the process. I was wondering whether or not Spencer Rattler would even get a chance to touch the ball again.

New Orleans will probably get rid of most of their defensive staff and they have to invest in the trenches. I believe some major upgrades are needed for a unit that was supposed to be the backbone of this team. A lot of this falls on Dennis Allen, but not all of it clearly.

Final Thoughts

The Saints probably lost Foster Moreau to a serious injury in the final two minutes of the game. He had his leg put in an air cast and was carted off the field, which isn't a good sign. That's really tough right before you're going into the offseason. Tyrann Mathieu said he's okay following a concussion.

There's a lot of confusion why the Panthers are higher seeding in the draft when the Saints are lower in the division. That's simple. The NFL's tiebreaker procedure for the draft goes to whoever has the lower SOS (Strength of Schedule) when there's a tie. The Saints had one of the easiest ones, just ahead of the Panthers. The highest they can get is 8th.

A lot of emotions flew all over the place following the game, as you'd probably expect. Darren Rizzi had to take a moment from his press conference when talking about the support he's got ever since he took over. He also said players who don't normally show emotion in the locker room did following the loss. Rizzi will get an opportunity to interview and the players do love him, but this is likely the last time we've seen him in New Orleans.

Great way for Blake Grupe to close out the year. We don't talk much about the bright spots, but Grupe has been one of them. Rico Payton, J.T. Gray, Foster Moreau and a few others are absolutely worth mentioning here. They need more players to step up more than ever going into 2025.

I like the early opponent lineup for the Saints, but that's a lot of miles to go for this team. They essentially go to all four corners of the states with Miami, Buffalo, Seattle and Los Angeles. That's some serious ground to cover, but a fun lineup if you like traveling to see the team.