NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Saints delivering their best performance of 2022 and then being eliminated from playoff contention couldn't be more Saints-y if it were a horrible officiating call.
For about 15 minutes, the Saints led Philadelphia 13-0, the Carolina Panthers led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14-0, and suddenly the impossible dream of this maddening Saints team making the playoffs looked like it would survive until the season's final week.
It wasn't to be. Thanks for nothing, Carolina. Nice job gagging away two separate double-digit leads against Tom Brady. Mickey Loomis is on line 1, awaiting your Godfather offer for Sean Payton.
He will take ALL YOUR DRAFT PICKS. Every. Single. One.
Let's not let the Saints' 2022 playoff dreams dying ruin what turned out to be the best and most fun Sunday of the season.
The Saints went to Philadelphia to face an Eagles team needing to win to lock up the #1 seed in NFC and a bye in the playoffs and punched them in the face from the opening kickoff.
The opening drive the Saints had was their most beautiful, perfect, amazing football activity of 2022. A 15-play, 9-minute touchdown drive that was impeccably designed, incredibly executed, and even included Dennis Allen being aggressive on a 4th down!
Magical.
The drive was instructive because it's what Dennis Allen wanted his offense to be in 2022 and what he is going to want it to be going forward. Allen's success accomplishing that will determine if he survives long-term as Saints head coach.
The drive consisted of Andy Dalton going 6-6 throwing and the Saints running the ball nine times, including 4 Tasyom Hill carries. A Taysom 1-yard power run capped it off.
Immaculate smash-mouth football.
The offense would only create six more points, but that was mostly a function of right tackle Ryan Ramczyk leaving with an injury and the Saints' offensive line suddenly being without three starters against the best pass rush in football.
Ramczyk was the Jenga piece that, when removed, made the offensive line collapse into a pile of rubble.
Once the Eagles realized the Saints' offensive line was completely compromised, they stopped playing zone defense, and Andy Dalton didn't have time to throw or receivers open even when he did.
Alvin Kamara ran hard between the tackles, but the Saints desperately need another running back to take the load off him and allow Kamara to do the things he's best at. The current running back situation is so bad someone named Eno Benjamin had a 9-yard run, and it felt like a cold glass of water while wandering the desert.
The offense did enough and, quite frankly, more than I expected, considering the shape of their offensive line. Pete Carmichael Jr. had a great plan, and besides an Andy Dalton interception, the Saints played a near-perfect first half.
On defense, the Saints simply ate Eagles backup quarterback Gardner Minshew like he was a Philly cheesesteak. They sacked Minshew 6 times, and besides one 78-yard touchdown throw, he looked exactly like the mediocre backup quarterback he has always been.
Cam Jordan became the Saints' career leader in sacks while collecting a three-sack game. Jordan is now just 1.5 sacks away from his 7th double-digit sack season.
Of course, Jordan was his normal, fun self after the win. Dennis Allen gave him a game ball, and Jordan said, "Without the team, there is no me. It's big team, medium me today."
Jordan continues to defy logic and father time and, at 33, still delivers at an incredibly high level. Cam isn't just the best defensive lineman in Saints history; he's probably two more seasons from Canton, Ohio.
The Saints finished off the Eagles in style when Marshon Lattimore intercepted Minshew and returned it for a touchdown. It was the first interception all year by a Saints corner.
As the Saints celebrated in the end zone, I wondered if Dennis Allen had the same thought as me, "Dang, I wish Marshon was healthy all year. The best defensive player we got probably saves us against the Bengals and Bucs just like he did today."
By the way, Dennis Allen has fashioned a defense that hasn't allowed a team to score over 20 points since Baltimore in Week 9. I don't care who you play. That's impressive.
So all meaningful football is over for the Saints in 2022, and it can't be called anything other than a disappointment. The Saints failed to win the weakest division in the weakest NFC we've ever seen.
The Saints have an aging roster, uncertainty at quarterback, and questions on what exactly Dennis Allen wants to be on offense heading into 2023.
When the Saints were 4-9 and lost a soul-crushing game in Tampa, I really believed a total collapse, like the Denver Broncos just finished, was possible.
Maybe the Saints finish 4-13, players are screaming at each other during games, and Dennis Allen would be fired once it was over? Instead, the Saints have fought their way to, if not respectability, at least competence. There is hope the Saints can fix their problems and compete seriously in the NFC in 2023.
The Saints have given me a reason to hope instead of despair for 2023, and I'm going to take it.
Ralph Malbrough is a contributing writer and Saints fan living in Houston. Email him at saintshappyhour@gmail.com, find him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter at @SaintsForecast or download the Saints Happy Hour Podcast.
(Warning: The Saints Happy Hour Podcast may contain language that is not suitable for all audiences)
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