NEW ORLEANS — It's becoming a common trend for the Saints that their offense doesn't wake up until the fourth quarter, and that doomed them in their 22-14 loss to the Carolina Panthers Sunday afternoon.
In the first three-quarters of their three games this season, the Saints have just 13 points.
In the fourth quarter, the Saints have scored 38 points. But that isn't a recipe for winning football games.
Quarterback Jameis Winston was 25-41 for 353 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, but was hobbled by his injuries all game.
"We have to execute better," Winston said after the game. "We can't keep having penalties, we can't keep shooting ourselves in the foot. That's all part of execution."
Head Coach Dennis Allen still believes in Winston.
“There’s enough mistakes to go around that I don’t really want to go there,” Allen said when asked if he’d consider making a change at quarterback. “I feel confident with Jameis, certainly we all need to do better.”
The Saints were down 13-0 in the 4th quarter and never led. After Mark Ingram II ran one in to cut the lead to six at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield threw a screen pass to Laviska Shenault Jr. that went for a 67-yard touchdown less than three plays later.
The Saints would eventually cut the deficit to eight points with just over a minute left, but there wasn't enough time left for a game-tying drive.
The Saints fall to 1-2 and they will face the Minnesota Vikings in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 2 at 8:30 a.m. CT on NFL Network.