SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Who knows how much the canceled joint practices with the San Francisco 49ers caused the New Orleans Saints to alter their playing-time plans for Sunday’s preseason game.
But coach Dennis Allen gave the starters an extended run Sunday, and he’ll be pleased with the results.
After an underwhelming opener last week against the Arizona Cardinals, the Saints’ starting offense played three series over 1½ quarters in Sunday’s 16-10 loss to the 49ers, and they delivered with an encouraging 16-play, 95-yard touchdown drive to cap their evening.
New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s fingerprints were all over the New Orleans’ lengthy drive, which ended with a 1-yard score from Taysom Hill. Kubiak called 10 run plays to just six pass plays, and the Saints’ rushing attack came to life in ways that were hard to find last year.
Starter Derek Carr, who went 7 of 9 for 47 yards, was also sharp when needed: He hit Chris Olave deep in the middle of the field for 19 yards and got the ball out quickly when pressured, connecting with rookie Bub Means with the pass rush in his face to convert a fourth down and keep the touchdown drive alive.
The 8-minute, 17-second drive also did a lot to make up for two unproductive series to begin the game. The first-team offense had back-to-back three-and-outs, marking another slow start for a Saints starting offense that failed to cross midfield last week. But things clicked on the third series, quieting concerns.
Let’s dive into the major takeaways from Sunday’s game.
The run game is back?: Carr said recently the most exciting part of the Saints new offense is the run game, and that was evident against the 49ers. The Saints created clear lanes for their rushers, who flourished with open space. Jamaal Williams, who averaged just 2.9 yards per carry last year, racked up 32 yards on five attempts — good for 6.4 yards per carry.
In all, the Saints’ starters combined for 64 yards rushing on 13 attempts. That is 4.9 yards per carry — a mark that New Orleans’ surpassed just once last season. Their season-high in yards per carry was 5.3 in a Nov. 26 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. They crossed the 4.5 mark just twice.
New Orleans Saints' Taysom Hill (7) is congratulated by teammates after scoring against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of a preseason NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024.
Taysom RB1: With no Alvin Kamara (back), the Saints’ first carry went to none other than Taysom Hill. That’s not a huge surprise given the former quarterback has been taking a fair share of reps at running back this summer, but Hill may very well be the the team’s second-best rusher behind Kamara.
Also, Hill also received several fullback reps over Adam Prentice. While Prentice got work with the starters, it’s worth noting that Hill has shown he can handle lining up in that spot in the event the Saints opt not to carry a traditional fullback on their initial 53-man roster. A fullback is important to the scheme Kubiak wants to implement, but perhaps the Saints will decide that Hill can do the job. At the very least, that’s something to keep an eye on before cuts are due Aug. 27.
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