NEW ORLEANS — Interim coach Darren Rizzi of the Saints humorously likens himself to “Bob the Builder” during team meetings. This comparison stems from the construction-themed props he has been using to emphasize a blue-collar mentality needed to overcome the team’s recent struggles that resulted in the firing of coach Dennis Allen following a seven-game losing streak.
Rizzi has employed items such as shovels, hard hats, and even a level to reinforce his message about teamwork and preparation. Last week, he cited the importance of finishing games the right way, highlighting that a level ensures work is completed properly. “You use a level at the end to make sure you finish off the work and the job is done right,” he remarked. The Saints faced problems with maintaining leads during their losing streak, but under Rizzi’s leadership, they demonstrated improvement by securing a 20-17 victory over Atlanta and a decisive 35-14 win against Cleveland, taking charge in the second half.
Taysom Hill, the versatile tight end, praised Rizzi’s influence on the team, stating, “As you watched that game, I think you saw a team that just continued to get more and more confident.” Hill, who achieved a career-high of 138 rushing yards and three touchdowns against the Browns, added that finishing games had been a previous issue but Rizzi’s approach has resonated well with the players.
Currently, the Saints’ running game seems to be regaining momentum. After an impressive 214 rushing yards against Cleveland, they’ve averaged 156 yards over the past four contests, with their minimum total during that span being 96 yards in their win over Atlanta.
However, there were still areas of concern during the Cleveland game. The team committed two turnovers: a deep pass from Hill was picked off, and he also lost a fumble deep in the Browns’ half. The Saints ended the game with a turnover differential of minus-2 and failed to generate any takeaways. They also allowed Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson to complete five explosive plays, including touchdown passes of 89 and 30 yards. Rizzi acknowledged that those turnovers and big plays kept the game competitive, saying, “Those things are still a little bit of an Achilles’ heel.”
One standout from the match was Taysom Hill, who amassed a total of 248 yards through his combination of rushing, receiving, passing, and kick returning. His performance illustrated just how impactful he can be when fully involved in the team’s offense.
In contrast, Alontae Taylor, who is one of the Saints’ most capable defensive backs, faced daunting challenges after the departure of teammates Paulson Adebo to injury and the trade of Marshon Lattimore. Taylor was on Browns receiver Jerry Jeudy when he turned a short pass into an 89-yard touchdown, showcasing the difficulties Taylor has faced with tougher assignments.
In injury news, center Erik McCoy made his return after an eight-week absence due to surgery related to a groin injury but left during the second half after showing signs of discomfort. While he rode a stationary bike on the sideline, he seemed worried about potential tightness, although Rizzi indicated that it would likely be prudent to rest him further considering it was his first game back. “It looks like in the long run he’s going to be OK. It’s probably a good thing we have a bye week this week,” Rizzi noted.
A particularly interesting statistic shows that opposing kickers have struggled in the past two games inside the usually reliable confines of the Superdome, with six missed field goal attempts. However, only five of those misses count since one was negated by penalty. This included Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins, who managed to miss a 32-yard attempt that was ultimately followed by another failure from 27 yards, marking a rare occasion in which he couldn’t convert from within 30 yards.
Looking ahead, the Saints will enjoy a well-deserved bye week after 11 consecutive games and will return to action on December 1 against the Los Angeles Rams in the Superdome.