Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota made his return Sunday after having missed the team’s last two games with a knee injury. For them to come out and respond like they did in an emotional, roller coaster of a game – there were numerous times they could have said it’s over, and they never did. “It will cost us a game if we don’t get it under control”.
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On the winning play from the Saints’ 5, Mariota rolled to his right, pivoted and then threw back across the field to his left for Fasano, who was wide open in the back of the end zone.
The Saints had a chance to take the lead, but kicker Kai Forbath was well short on a 46-yard field attempt with 56 second left.
Former Oregon State star Brandin Cooks had a 38-yard touchdown catch from Brees and finished with four catches for 71 yards. The only one I thought was questionable was the first one by Karl Klug that negated a Titans’ interception.
I’ll touch briefly on the Brandon Browner locker room incident.
“To get that consistency that we’re looking for we’re going to have to be better in a lot of areas, or else it’s going to be a kind of a streaky, here-and-there type of deal”. We just struggled getting off the field. “There are a number of things that are frustrating about this loss”.
Prior to Sunday’s overtime defeat at the hands of Tennessee, the New Orleans Saints had built momentum with 3 straight wins and 4 victories in their last 5 games. He was 28-39 for 371 yards, four touchdown passes and he didn’t throw an interception. And he was disappointed by a Saints run game that averaged less than three yards per carry. If you can not run the ball, you pretty much have no chance to win the game.
“Obviously, it’s unfortunate. It just happens”, Byrd continued, stressing that the play cannot be compared to a fly ball in baseball, in which teammates can communicate without worrying about the opposing team’s players in close proximity.
“The stands was the target, to be honest, ” Mariota said. All the credit goes to them. You’ve just got to get back and keep working, keep hustling.
The final blow came when Mariota found Anthony Fasano for a 5-yard touchdown on the first possession of the extra period.
Actually, the Saints nicely overcame it on offense.
But the Saints stalled offensively from there, and the Titans (2-6) ramped up. He wasn’t quite as prolific against the Titans, completing 28 of 39 passes for 389 yards, with three touchdowns. His ability to get the ball out quickly made it hard for New Orleans to apply pressure. Zach Strief helped inside for Jahri Evans which created a gap that allowed Brian Orakpo to shoot through. He also caught a quick slant for a critical 2-point conversion that tied the game at 28 in the fourth quarter. This ended up working, as the Titans did not give up a sack to New Orleans on Sunday. But against the Titans, the Saints were not able to move the ball on the ground.
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“It was a low snap and the protection was poor”, Payton said. I know it is very frustrating to Payton.
