Two takeaways following New Orleans’ Week 17 loss to Las Vegas.
The New Orleans Saints were embarrassed in their home finale on Sunday afternoon, falling 25-10 to the then three-win Las Vegas Raiders. This marked their 11th loss of the 2024 NFL season—their most in a single campaign since 2005.
Let’s discuss two takeaways from the Saints’ Week 17 loss to the Raiders:
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Is it already time to move on from OC Klint Kubiak?
It’s no secret that significant changes are needed heading into 2025. With Darren Rizzi’s momentum fizzling and the Saints increasingly likely to hire an outside candidate as their next head coach, changes at both defensive and offensive play-caller may be necessary.
When a new head coach takes over, it’s common for them to overhaul the former regime and assemble a staff that shares their vision for the team’s future. Since Dennis Allen’s firing, it’s been clear that New Orleans would also be in pursuit of a new defensive play-caller while working to identify their next head coach. However, a number of head-scratching performances in recent weeks have sparked conversations about whether they should explore the market for a change at offensive coordinator as well.
Hardly anyone would have expected this to be a topic of discussion after New Orleans put up 87 points across the opening two weeks of the season. They dropped 47 in Week 1’s matchup with the Carolina Panthers and 44 in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, with Kubiak being hailed as the savior of the franchise. But here we are today: the Saints were demolished 34-0 by the Green Bay Packers in the first shutout of the 2024 season and managed just 10 points against the Raiders’ 30th-ranked total defense this past week—all without star DE Maxx Crosby and DT Christian Wilkins. Kubiak hasn’t been able to adjust as well as he did earlier in the year and showed several moments of desperation during Sunday’s loss, including his puzzling decision to attempt the double pass again late in the second half while in dire need of a spark (WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. was sacked for a loss of three).
In an exclusive interview with NOF Network’s Nick Underhill, veteran safety Tyrann Mathieu mentioned that over the three years he’s been with the black and gold, each practice has practically felt like a walk-through. Even during training camp, changes were finally made this offseason, only to revert to their old ways come the regular season. The Honey Badger credits New Orleans’ lack of preparation as the reason for their ongoing health struggles and mental readiness, giving a detailed explanation of how seeing your opponent for the first time on game day has a massive impact on the Saints’ recurring bad habits.
Why does this matter when discussing Kubiak and his job security? Mathieu mentioned that the Saints run around 24-36 plays per practice, which he compared to the 200 or so plays a day they ran on the other teams he’s been on. While he did acknowledge the unfortunate injury luck New Orleans has faced, he doesn’t feel it’s a justified reason to take practice lightly.
If the offense only runs around 30 plays each practice, I just don’t know how you plan on having a deep and versatile playbook to pull from. You have to physically run through the plays to fully understand them. You can’t learn everything from the film room.
What do you think—should the Saints move on from Kubiak after just one season?
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Releasing veterans could do more harm than good.
In light of the defense’s recent struggles, I’ve seen three veteran team captains frequently mentioned as players who could be nearing the end of their tenure in New Orleans if it’s ultimately decided a complete rebuild is necessary—names such as Tyrann Mathieu, future Pro Football Hall of Fame DE Cam Jordan, and even LB Demario Davis, who was named an All-Pro less than a year ago.
Personally, while I understand it’s time for New Orleans to turn the page to the next chapter, I don’t think moving on from your vocal leaders—who each still make an impact—would benefit the team; in fact, it would likely hurt them instead. These three guys, in particular, have been the heart and soul of this football team throughout this rough patch over the years. They’ve been willing to restructure their contracts in the offseason to help the team financially and have expressed their desire to finish their careers sporting the fleur-de-lis, so money clearly isn’t the issue. That said, not having them on your roster in 2025—barring retirement—wouldn’t make much sense.
The experience, leadership, and accountability they bring to the table are desperately needed and invaluable when it comes to developing and mentoring young talent. Tyrann and Cam are two of the best players at their positions in NFL history, while Demario is one of the most underrated players of his generation due to his late blossoming.
While some may point to the Marshon Lattimore deal as an example of the Saints getting something in return for aging players, it’s not really the same scenario. Lattimore is 28, whereas Mathieu is 32, and both Jordan and Davis are 35, making it difficult to find a trade partner. Additionally, Lattimore struggled to stay available in his later years with New Orleans due to his “chronic” hamstring injury, which continues to pester him with the Washington Commanders. Combined with his growing displeasure with the way Dennis Allen handled things, the relationship between him and the organization appeared beyond repair as the yearly trade rumors finally became a reality. Lattimore has missed 26 of 50 games since 2022, with one left remaining this season, while the three captains mentioned—Mathieu, Jordan, and Davis—have missed just five games out of 150 combined heading into their season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Without players like them, I can’t even imagine how much bleaker the Saints’ future would look right now, which is why I don’t think they’ll part ways with them next year either—especially since now is the time to focus on developing raw prospects. There’s no better coach than a veteran teammate to guide them.
With Cam Jordan approaching Sunday’s matchup as if it could be his last home game in the dome, this feels worth noting. Although he’s certainly on the decline, his slow start was heavily influenced by his diminished role. This also ties back to coaching and the Saints’ practice habits. Jordan recorded 0 sacks and 11 pressures through nine games before Dennis Allen’s firing and Brian Young’s promotion to DL coach (with Todd Grantham taking the open DC position at Oklahoma State). With Darren Rizzi and Young at the helm, Jordan has 4 sacks and 17 pressures in just seven games. He emphasized that he wishes Young had been the defensive line coach from the get-go, highlighting effort, respect, and attention to detail as tools that were previously missing—without directly singling anyone out.
Who would you like to see the Saints select in the upcoming NFL Draft to be mentored by these vets and potentially succeed them in the future?