Game Balls From Saints Much-Needed Win at Colts

Best performances from an impressive and resilient Saints win at Indianapolis.

The New Orleans Saints snapped a two-game losing streak with a stirring 38-27 road win over the Indianapolis Colts. Down 17-7 in the second quarter, the Saints outscored the Colts 31-10 through the last two and a half quarters to pull out the much-needed win.

This was the best offensive performance we've seen from the Saints in the 25-game regime of head coach Dennis Allen and offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael. Their 511 yards of total offense was the most they've had since a win against Minnesota on Christmas Day in 2020, a span of 46 games. It was the first 30-point game by the offense this season and the first 30-point output by the offense since Week 7 of last year.

Defensively, the Saints struggled again to generate a consistent pass rush and had tackling issues throughout the afternoon. The Colts had 371 yards of total offense and made several big plays to stay in the game. However, the New Orleans defensive line came to life in the second half, as the unit made enough plays of their own to help seal the victory. 

In honor of the World Series, here are four game balls awarded to the top performances for the Saints. 

Paulson Adebo, CB

New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo (29) intercepts a pass for Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11). Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Adebo had by far the best day of any New Orleans defender. He broke up three passes, all in crucial situations. His third quarter interception ended an Indianapolis drive and opened the game up for New Orleans . Adebo's pick prompted a touchdown march by the Saints that turned a potential go-ahead score by Indianapolis into an eight point New Orleans lead.

Primarily responsible for covering Colts WR Michael Pittman, Adebo held him to a meager 40 yards on eight receptions and prevented any big gains. He made back-to-back plays to end the Colts first drive, then a key pass breakup to set up a third and long later in the half.

Other than some late disruption from the New Orleans pass rush, the Saints defense had a somewhat forgettable afternoon. Adebo was the consistent exception. His solid coverage, sure tackling, and physical play was the defense's lone bright spot through the first 2/3 of the game.

Rashid Shaheed, WR 

New Orleans Saints receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) catches a long pass behind Indianapolis Colts cornerback Tony Brown (38). Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

On a day where Alvin Kamara had 110 total yards with two scores and Michael Thomas caught four balls for 68 yards, Shaheed was their most explosive player, catching all three of his targets for 153 yards and a touchdown. He had the second highest receiving yardage total among all players through the weekend. 

Shaheed's first catch was a beautiful 58-yard touchdown strike from Derek Carr. It was the Saints longest play of the year and gave them their first lead of the afternoon. His second catch came early in the fourth quarter, when he outfought two Colt defenders to pull in a 44-yard bomb from Taysom Hill. It put the Saints inside the Indianapolis 15 to set up a touchdown for a 35-20 lead.

The second-year wideout teamed with Carr to finally put the game away late in the fourth. On a third and 13, Shaheed bolted through the Colts secondary again and caught a 51-yard bomb to put the Saints in position for a field goal to clinch the win. Additionally, Shaheed averaged nearly 12 yards on four punt returns to put his offense in better field position to set up drives.

Taysom Hill 

Taysom Hill (7) of the New Orleans Saints rushes against the Indianapolis Colts. 

Hill had his first true ''Taysom Hill Game'' of 2023, making the most of his 12 offensive touches. He led his team in rushing, picking up 63 yards on nine touches and scoring twice. He'd also complete one of his two passes for 44 yards to set up another score and pulled in one reception for 14 yards.

Hill set up the first New Orleans touchdown with a 13-yard run on third and short to put them in the red zone. His first touchdown run was a 20-yard pinball effort through the Indianapolis defense to pull the Saints within three in the second quarter. It was the team’s longest run of the season so far. 

After his 44-yard bomb to Shaheed put New Orleans in the red zone again, Hill ultimately finished off the drive with a bulldozing one-yard scoring run. His third quarter reception helped keep a drive alive that resulted in the Saints extending their lead.

Derek Carr, QB 

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) throws a long pass against the Indianapolis Colts. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports / Oct 29, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) throws a long pass during the first quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Carr had his best game as a Saint. He eclipsed 300 yards passing for the third consecutive week, something not done for the Saints since Drew Brees accomplished it early in 2015. It took Carr 105 passes to do it the previous two weeks. Against the Colts, Carr was an efficient 19 of 27 for 310 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions while getting sacked only once and losing a fumble. 

His total would have been even more had WR Chris Olave not dropped a perfectly thrown ball that would have been an easy 39-yard touchdown. Carr moved away from pressure well, went through his reads decisively, and was more accurate with the ball than he's been most of the year. He aggressively attacked the Indianapolis secondary throughout the day, spreading the Colts both vertically and from sideline-to-sideline. 

The New Orleans offense has been under heavy criticism for much of this season. Deservedly so. For at least one week, they've quieted some of that noise.

Derek Carr was at the top of the critic's hit list. Again, deservedly so. Carr showed fans why the team wanted him so badly this offseason. He and a Saints team that dealt with a virus that ran through the squad late in the week showed strong character, resiliency, and skill to even their record at 4-4 and back into a tie for first in the NFC South.