NEW ORLEANS — It was possible to have a little optimism heading to Los Angeles. The Saints had won two in a row.
But then, the Rams' opening drive goes 95 yards for a touchdown and you quickly remember that the two-game win streak was against the Panthers and the Giants – NFL scrubs.
The Rams are a good – a legitimate playoff team.
Simply put, the Saints were beaten soundly on both sides of the ball.
The one most positive thing you can say about Dennis Allen is where we start our four takeaways.
#4) Hard play...
The Saints played hard for Dennis Allen.
Even when this game was over – or certainly seemed over – the Saints never quit.
The fourth-quarter rally does mean something. Dennis Allen inspires a level of fight in his team that's admirable, but let's be honest, did anyone really think the Saints had a chance to rally and win this one?
I think the answer is "no."
Playing hard – even when down big – is a common theme, but you know what else is?
#3) Not good enough...
The Saints aren't good enough to beat good teams, and that's been proven all season.
The Saints are better than the NFL's bottom feeders, 6-0 against these "bad" teams, but in three games now against good teams – and I think the Rams are a really good team – the Saints are now 0-3.
But here's the thin, against the middle of the pack, they're 1-5.
This math tells you they're better than bad, but not as good as mediocre and they surely do not look like a playoff team.
Like every New Orleanian, I wish they were, but they're just not.
#2) Outcoached...
And what really struck me Thursday night was how badly Sean McVay beat Dennis Allen head-to-head.
McVay runs the Rams' offense. Allen runs the Saints' defense.
They went head-to-head every time the Rams had the ball, and McVay won that battle big.
And I think it influenced all of Dennis Allen's decision-making.
He tried an on-side kick and went for it on 4th down three times – all uncharacteristic of him.
Allen said he was being aggressive, but those decisions felt more desperate than aggressive.
Here are the three best quarterback performances against the Saints this season: Baker Mayfield had a great day beating the Saints back in October, and so did Jared Goff in November. But Matthew Stafford's 120.7 is the best quarterback rating against the Saints this season. Stafford picked the Saints apart.
And here are the three best-rushing efforts against the Saints this season: Atlanta's Bijan Robinson ran for 91 yards against the Saints; the Colts' Jonathan Taylor ran for 95; and Thursday night, Kyren Williams ran for 104.
The Rams had the best passing effort of the year against New Orleans and the best running performance of the season against the Saints. Sean McVay won that head-to-head big, which leads me to number one.
#1) The future...
What happens after the season?
Here are a few facts.
The Saints have one of the oldest rosters in the NFL and they played one of the weakest schedules in the league.
They're under .500 again, and they've been out-classed by every good team they've played this year.
Those are facts.
I don't see how you spin that into a plan to keep this coaching staff in place.
The Saints were slightly below mediocre last year in football's weakest division, and they're slightly below mediocre this year in football's weakest division.
And there is no evidence that things are getting better or would ever get better without large-scale changes.
I'm not convinced changes will come.
But I'm definitely convinced they should, and I think the overwhelming majority of Saints fans and season ticket holders believe that, too.
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