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NEW ORLEANS — Taysom Hill, the New Orleans Saints’ tight end, is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the season following a knee injury sustained during the team’s defeat to the Los Angeles Rams.
Interim coach Darren Rizzi addressed the media on Monday, indicating that the injury appears to be an ACL tear. “He’ll probably get a second opinion, but it looks like it will be season-ending,” he noted.
Hill, despite being listed as a tight end, plays multiple positions on the field. He was carted off after suffering a significant hit to his left knee while executing a fourth-down conversion on a direct snap in the Saints’ 21-14 loss to the Rams on Sunday. This unfortunate event came just one week after Hill achieved a career-high of 138 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns in a win against Cleveland. His versatility includes roles as a quarterback, running back, and on special teams.
“Everybody else has to step up now,” Rizzi explained. “With Hill filling so many roles, different players will have to contribute more. It’s tough to say we can replace Taysom; he’s an exceptional player, leader, and captain. This is a significant setback for us.”
Hill’s injury marks the third significant loss for the Saints’ offense this season. He joins leading wide receiver Chris Olave, who has been out since suffering a concussion in Week 9, and Rashid Shaheed, who is also out for the season after tearing a meniscus in Week 7. Additionally, Rizzi mentioned that guard Nick Saldiveri might miss the rest of the season after injuring his left knee in the fourth quarter, just one series before Hill’s injury.
Without Hill, the Saints’ path to compete in the NFC South has become increasingly challenging. Currently, with a record of 4-8, they find themselves trailing Atlanta and Tampa Bay by two games.
In his seven years with the team, Hill has accumulated 99 receptions, 437 rushing attempts, 302 passing attempts, 44 touchdowns, 19 tackles, and one blocked kick.
Rizzi commented on Hill’s unique skill set: “I don’t know if I can compare Taysom to anyone else that I’ve ever coached. There’s not another player who has been able to contribute in such varied ways.”
On a brighter note, Alvin Kamara had his third 100-yard rushing performance this year and is now just 106 yards shy of reaching 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his eight-year career. He only needs 39 additional yards to surpass his career-best total. His 206 rush attempts this season rank as the third highest of his career.
However, there are areas of concern. The Rams averaged 5.4 yards per carry, totaling 156 rushing yards during the game. Rams running back Kyren Williams stated that the team recognized at halftime that they could clinch the victory by committing to their ground game, as he carried the ball seven times in the opening series of the third quarter to take the lead. The Saints have conceded an average of 5.1 yards per carry this season, which is tied for the worst in the league alongside the New York Giants.
In a positive development for the Saints, wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who joined the team in late October following Shaheed’s surgery, has quickly become quarterback Derek Carr’s primary target for big plays. His 28-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter was the longest play of the day for the Saints and marked his fourth touchdown in the past three games.
On the downside, tight end Foster Moreau, who had been consistently reliable this season, struggled against Rams outside linebacker Jared Verse on the Saints’ final offensive series. Moreau’s inability to block allowed Verse to pressure Carr during a critical fourth-and-3 attempt from the Rams’ 9-yard line, sealing the game for Los Angeles.
Regarding injuries, while the news was grim for both Hill and Saldiveri, Rizzi expressed optimism over starting center Erik McCoy’s potential return for Sunday’s matchup against the Giants. McCoy had been sidelined during the game against the Rams after exacerbating a groin injury two weeks prior against Cleveland.
Oft-injured running back Kendre Miller, who has participated in only two games this season, may also be in line to return from a hamstring issue for the Giants game.
One key statistic to keep in mind is that the Saints managed only two sacks during the game, which wasn’t enough to disrupt Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford’s performance in the second half. In fact, in the Rams’ last five losses, Stafford had been sacked 20 times, while he faced only three sacks during their last five wins.
As the Saints’ hopes for a playoff berth hang in the balance, they are set to face the struggling Giants, who have lost their last seven games, in their upcoming outing.
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