Primetime Fallout: The Saints Are In Free Fall Mode With No Parachute In Sight

If last week was crashing back down to reality for the Saints, then what was Monday night?

Oct 7, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen talks an official during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

KANSAS CITY -- The Saints are in peril, and there's no other way of putting it. After the two hot games that they put out there, they've lost three straight and are now having to do some major soul-searching for answers to get back into the win column.

It's not the fact that they lost against the Chiefs. It's the raw honesty of how New Orleans got outplayed and out coached in primetime, which is what Dennis Allen said following the 26-13 loss.

Allen said in his postgame press conference, "I think for the first time this year I felt like it wasn't, we didn't play the way we're capable of playing. So I was disappointed in that."

And Allen is right. The tackling wasn't good. Patrick Mahomes became the evasive escape artist he's notorious for. Defensively, it wasn't good. The pass rush is still struggling. Travis Kelce returned to being the dominant force he's known for in the first half. They couldn't stop the run against Kareem Hunt, who has been back with the Chiefs for less than a month. The explosive plays continued to kill the defense, and the ease of execution for Kansas City was just hard to fathom. Even when they got back into the game, their offense just marched back down to get a touchdown.

Offensively, it wasn't good either. New Orleans couldn't run the ball whatsoever and they just looked completely disjointed. Whether it was timing or miscommunication, it wasn't it tonight. Derek Carr called his interception 'boneheaded and stupid' and that felt like it set the tone for the game after it looked like the Saints could prove themselves after electing to receive. There were some moments in the game that were nice, but not nearly enough to get them to get a win.

DEREK CARR INJURY UPDATE

Right now, this is a team that is in full free fall and they don't have a way to slow down. You've gone from feeling so great about their outlook from the first two games to wondering how bad it can get now that you've seen the last three. The Saints maintain that it isn't as bad as it seems, but are you buying that?

Carr said following the game that the leaders speak up about where things are at. He mentioned Demario Davis and others with a message of, "Like we're not going to let this thing become a snowball. You can't."

"You know, sometimes the end result...no one wants to lose. The end result is not what we want, but our process and the way we work can't change. But you do have to look at it and say, each man has to look and say, 'Well what is it that I'm doing that maybe I can do something better?' And if everyone does that, then it'll be hopefully the same kind of turnaround hopefully we had last season."

Carr continued, "But our team and the unity is in a good place, and that's a good sign. We have fallen three times, but there's no quit. There's no pointing fingers. There's none of that. I'm proud of this character of this team. It's a tight group, and we're going to keep fighting."

There wasn't a particular moment after tonight's game, but he said the leaders lead throughout the season. It's just some of those moments to remind the team that they're going to be alright. But being fine won't cut it for this team. They're too talented to be in this boat again. They've improved in a lot of areas. So, where's the disconnect? We've heard that the standard isn't being met time after time after these losses, so when is enough enough?

New Orleans will try to pick up the pieces against the Bucs in the Superdome, but it might get even uglier if they can't pull it out. I guess we'll find out on Sunday.