New Orleans Saints: 3 Takeaways vs. Patriots in Week 2
By Nick Sparrow
The New Orleans Saints hosted the New England Patriots in Week 2 of the NFL season. Here are three takeaways from the game.
The NFL’s Sunday slate of Week 2 games kicked off between what figured to be a high-scoring matchup between the New Orleans Saints and the New England Patriots. Both teams entered Week 2 looking to avoid going 0-2 as these are teams with playoff aspirations and only 12 percent that go winless in their first two games enter the postseason.
The game did not disappoint as the two quarterbacks combined for 784 passing yards and five touchdowns, as the Patriots cruised to a 36-20 victory over the Saints. Let’s take a look at three big takeaways for New Orleans in the loss.
3. The Running Back Situation Remains Unresolved
The New Orleans backfield was a major question entering the season no clarity has been provided in their first two games. The Saints signed running back Adrian Peterson and drafted running back Alvin Kamara to join Mark Ingram in their backfield. Kamara makes sense as a change of pace back due to his speed and pass-catching ability, but the Peterson signing didn’t make sense due to the skillset he shares with Ingram. Many people wondered how the Saints would effectively utilize these three backs in their offense.
The quick answer seems to be that the Saints won’t utilize. At least, the Saints do not know how yet. In Week 1, the Saints rushed the ball 21 times with Kamara getting the majority of touches. Kamara rushed seven times for 18 yards and also caught four passes for 20 yards. Peterson and Ingram both rushed six times for 17 and 18 yards, respectively. This game suggested that the Saints were trying to split time equally among their backs and see who can perform best, which in the case of Week 1 was none of them.
On Sunday, the Saints rushed the ball only 17 times. Peterson and Ingram each rushed the ball eight times for 26 and 52 yards, respectively. Although Ingram had the most success, 28 of his 52 yards came on a single play. Kamara only rushed once for a gain of one yard, though he still caught three passes for 51 yards.
The Saints seem have found a role for Kamara, similar to what Darren Sproles used to be for them on offense. However, head coach Sean Payton has no clue what to do with Ingram and Peterson and it seems to be hurting both of their performances.