2024 Week 5, Saints 13, Chiefs 26
The Saints had multiple chances to get back in this game and win, but the Chiefs are seemingly invincible and always come away with a win. KC is the the most fortunate team in the league so far which has aided their (5-0) record. The Chiefs have a BYE this weekend and then they have their Super Bowl rematch vs. San Francisco. Of course, they have a week off before playing San Fran.
The Saints fall to (2-3) and are close to floundering. If Derek Carr is out for an extended amount of time New Orleans can kiss their playoff hopes goodbye.
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QB Report:
- Patrick Mahomes (28/39 for 331 yards, 1 INT, 6 rushes for 22 yards) threw for over 300 yards… finally. Just his second 300-yard game in his last 14 regular season matchups. Of course, the one time he throws for yards he couples that with 0 touchdowns and yet another INT.
- Derek Carr (18/28 for 165 yards, 2 TDs/1 INT) was fighting tooth and nail to keep the Saints in the game but was injured. Jake Haener (2/7 for 17 yards, 2 rushes for 11 yards) came in, and that was the end of any offensive production. New Orleans is in trouble if they go with Haener or Spencer Rattler. Haener and Rattler both kill the Saints passing game, this is bad news for Olave, Shaheed, Kamara, and the Tight Ends.
- If Taysom Hill is healthy enough to play I can see him getting 7-10+ pass attempts and maybe 15 snaps at QB. Hill can do it all and if he can play he’s going to be a big part of this offense. He throws a wrench into every opposing defense's game plan.
WR Report:
- How does the shift to Haener or Rattler affect the Saints wide receivers? Chris Olave (2-10-0/4) likely takes the biggest hit because he runs mostly mid-range and downfield routes. Those are harder throws for green Quarterbacks to hit… it’s farther, a faster overall game, tighter coverage, and likely throwing into/through traffic requires a higher degree of accuracy.
- Rashid Shaheed (4-86-1/9) won’t take that big of a hit, his production will drop a touch or it may be an explosion for him, it just depends on how Klint Kubiak adjusts the offense. Shaheed is speedy which means he could connect on a random bomb TD in any game, and possibly get more screen work with lesser experienced/talented QB play.
- JuJu Smith-Schuster (7-130-0/8) filled in for Rashee Rice nicely. Pat Mahomes has to throw it somewhere other than Kelce from time to time, and JuJu played with Mahomes for their 2022 Super Bowl campaign. I’m not the biggest fan of JuJu from a wide receiver standpoint, I think his time in this league is close to being up, but he will work in fantasy football if you are struggling for receiver depth. He had targets and produced with those targets which is more than you can say about most waiver-wire receivers.
RB Report:
- Kareem Hunt (27-102-1, 1 catch for 15 yards) is the clear lead now, Carson Steele (5-12-0) and Samaje Perine (3 catches for 25 yards) are just passing game and relief for Hunt. I’m pleasantly surprised that Hunt still has juice left in him, and it’s only right that the league rediscovers him in the place where it all began.
- Alvin Kamara (11-26-0, 6 catches for 40 yards) was stifled by the Chiefs run defense. This is going to be a persistent issue for him now that the passing game has taken a severe blow. Kamara will still get his work in but a lot of it will be in the passing game, he already leads running backs in receptions, but he might start to pass the tight ends in short order.
D/ST Report:
- Both defenses played good clean games. Mahomes did what he does when he goes against a good pass defense, rising to the occasion and playing his best football of the season. Why he doesn’t play like this every game is mind-boggling. He could have multiple 5000-yard seasons if he didn’t play down to his competition.
- I talk about him every week so why not bring him up again… Alontae Taylor (5 tackles, 2 TFLs) was disruptive again with 2 more tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
image source: (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)