Saints Report: Saints overcome adversity to get week five win
The Saints continued their ride on the rollercoaster that is their 2021 season this Sunday in Landover with a 33-22 win over the Washington Football Team.
New Orleans’ resiliency won them the game, overcoming turnovers and injuries by making big offensive plays and critical defensive stops, accompanied by an extraordinary performance from punter Blake Gillikin.
Saints Head Coach Sean Payton said, “He was outstanding. He was outstanding. Outstanding. Just got a game ball. What happens is when a mistake is made, it’s compounded and that happened in the second half. But he was outstanding.”
Sunday, punter Blake Gillikin was handed the game ball following a performance in which the 23-year-old had three 50 plus yard punts downed inside Washington’s 5-yard line, the first time an NFL punter has done so since at least 2000.
Gillikin’s performance was even more impressive given it was only his fifth NFL game after being on injured reserve last year as an undrafted rookie. Running back Alvin Kamara said, “I talked to Blake– I sit over there by Blake and I’m telling him do that every time. Like I talk to him every game like do it every time. He’s like yeah. I’m like no for real, do it every time. But he’s a heck of a punter I mean even from– we hid him last year and he’s contributing this year. In a big way. Sean said it. I think that’s the most I’ve heard Sean love on a punter.”
Gillikin said, “It meant a lot. I try to show up every week and do my job for the team. I would love to not punt at all because that’s means we’re doing well. But to have that kind of game and also get a win is great.”
In a game that was closer than the final score, 33-22, may indicate, Gillikin’s punting was crucial, however, so was the defense’s two interceptions, two sacks, and three stops in Washington’s five trips to the red zone. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore said, “Yeah three not seven, that’s the goal. Getting three points not seven. So that’s good on our part.”
Perhaps demonstrating the most resilience was the Saints offense. After an interception on New Orleans’ first possession and a fumble later in the first quarter, quarterback Jameis Winston threw for a season high 279 yards, including a career long 72-yard touchdown pass to receiver Deonte Harris and a 49-yard Hail Mary to receiver Marquez Callaway just before halftime. Callaway said, “Running down there and by the time I looked back the ball was in the air and then out of seeing everybody where they were at, I mean it was just clear. And you know the first one down there jumped and everybody else played off you.”
For the first time this season, Winston took every snap at QB after Taysom Hill left the game with a concussion. Additionally, the Saints lost Harris due to a hamstring injury. Winston said, ” We’re a resilient team. Obviously losing Taysom who’s such a huge part of our offense and Deonte, a huge part of special teams and offense– really both them those are our guys that we do everything with. But, man, I just really give credit to the guys that were behind them that were able to step up. That’s why we were thankful that we had Kenny Stills, who’s a veteran guy, Garrett Griffin and Adam Trautman. Oh my God, Adam Trautman had an excellent second half. He stepped up in a major way and that was big. Unfortunately, it’s next man up type of football but we’re definitely hoping to get Taysom and Deonte back as soon as possible.”
The Saints are headed into the bye week and then travel to Seattle to take on the Seahawks on October 25th for Monday Night Football.
The Seahawks are expected to be without quarterback Russell Wilson for the matchup with New Orleans after the eight-time Pro Bowler had surgery for a fractured right middle finger he sustained during Thursday’s game against the Rams.
