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4 Takeaways: What the Saints' 34-0 shutout win over Patriots really says

WWL-TV sports director Doug Mouton shares his '4 Takeaways' from the New Orleans Saints 34-0 win over New England on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023.

NEW ORLEANS — You know, if I'm being honest my primary takeaway from the Saints' 34-0 win in New England is the Patriots are a train wreck.

If New England head coach Bill Belichick could win six games this season with Mac Jones at quarterback and his current team, it would go down as one of his best coaching jobs ever, because the Pats are a disaster – and this guys knows it.

But give Dennis Allen and the Saints credit, once they got ahead their killer instinct was strong – they never let up.

Let's start our four takeaways with the most important thing, Derek Carr.

#4: Carr's shoulder status

The Saints only threw the ball 26 times – the fewest this season – and only 11 in the second half – because they were so far in front – but no turnovers.

It was Carr's best passer rating this season.

What Carr and the Saints did better was *perform in the red zone.

The Saints only had 304 yards of total offense.

If they got this every week, they'd be 22nd in the NFL in total offense.

But they were 3 -for-3 in the red zone. Three trips, three touchdowns. That was the difference offensively.

The Saints were worst in the NFL in that department over the first four weeks. 

#3 Classic Kamara

Let's take a minute to appreciate Alvin Kamara, who was vintage on Sunday.

I think he was quicker and ran harder in this game than in any game in at least two years.

And remember when we used to worry about a pitch count for Kamara? He got the ball 24 times last week and 25 times this week. It's only two games, but this average – 24.5 touches a game – is the most any player in the NFL is getting the ball, and I'd argue "good" if that's what it takes to win now.

The saints just need to keep feeding him.

Seven Saints have scored at least 50 touchdowns in 'Black and Gold,' including Joe Horn and Jimmy Graham. And the Top 5, Dalton Hillard, Deuce McCallister and Mark Ingram. And the Big 2? Marques Colston and Alvin Kamara, the latter of which has the most touchdowns in team history with hopefully a bunch more to come.

#2 Leg up on the competition

Don't look now, but Blake Grupe is putting together an amazing start to the season. He hit two field goals against the Pats – a 53- and a 54-yarder – and was 4-for-4 on extra points – that's 6 for-6 on the day.

On the year, he's a really good at 20-of-21, including 3-for-3 from beyond 50.

Only three times in Saints history has kicker hit 90 percent of his field goals over the course of a season – Wil Lutz, John Carney and Doug Brien.

Right now, Blake Grupe's only miss this season was very memorable. It was the potential game-winner in Green Bay.

Hopefully, he gets another shot at a game-winner.

#1 Defensively speaking

The Saints defense was sharp.

Yes, they had the great advantage of facing Mac Jones, but they also held him to his worst passer rating of the season.

But they also held the patriots to an insanely low 1-for-14 on third down.

The Saints are now fourth in total defense, fourth in points allowed and third in third down conversion defense.

And the one stat this Saints defense is best at – they're affecting quarterbacks.

The combined passer rating against the Saints is 66.1.

That is best in the NFL. No team has been lower than that over the course of a season in four years.

The Saints defense is elite and with the offense showing signs of life, at least in the red zone, there is reason for optimism going forward.

Even if this particular win came over the self-destructing Pats.

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