Matthew Paras

Is Kellen Moore the next Sean Payton? The new Saints coach doesn't have to be. New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore has drawn comparisons to another offensive mind who joined the franchise in a period of transition, Sean Payton.

“You have to be your authentic self. If I become some raging screamer, the guys are going to look at me like I’m an idiot.”

"Everyone, no matter who it is, is going to be compared to him.”

I wrote about whether Kellen Moore is the next Sean Payton:
www.nola.com/sports/saint...

Saints 53-man roster projection: Inside the team's toughest calls before cuts are made Here's what the Saints' final 53-man roster might look like once final decisions are made.

First post here in a while, but there's no better way to break it with a 53-man roster projection: www.nola.com/sports/saint...

I’ve been on it some and enjoy it. Just can’t quit the other platform.

Here for now since Twitter hasn't watched The Social Network

For #Saints fans coming on here there’s several us here already

@nickunderhill.bsky.social
@rossjacksonnola.bsky.social
@bylukejohnson.bsky.social
@matthewparas.bsky.social
@kat-terrell.bsky.social
@rodwalkernola.bsky.social

Lot more but follow everyone!

Ambush is dead. Long live Saints' ambush. 'You're woven into the fabric of families' lives.' Because of the structure of the NFL's new kickoff rule, one of the most iconic plays in New Orleans Saints and Super Bowl history — "Ambush" — is a relic of a bygone era. Its key actors will cherish ...

15 years ago today, Ambush happened and the Saints won the Super Bowl. Thomas Morstead talks about one of the biggest plays in Saints history. Story courtesy of Luke Johnson.

www.nola.com/sports/saint...

Kellen Moore had an 'incredible experience' with Saints. But focus, for now, is on Eagles. Every time Kellen More was asked about possibly coaching the New Orleans Saints on Monday, the Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator smiled and gave a similar answer that he undoubtedly had plenty...

Kellen Moore was asked about coaching the Saints. Here's what he had to say. www.nola.com/sports/saint...

What Aaron Glenn to the Jets means — and says — about the Saints' coaching search The Saints missed out on perhaps the top candidate for the job. So now what?

I had some thoughts about Aaron Glenn choosing the Jets over the Saints and what that means for the team's coaching search: www.nola.com/sports/saint...

Caution, Saints: Cut Derek Carr at your own risk. Just look at what happened to the Raiders. The Las Vegas Raiders cut Derek Carr two years ago. They haven't been better off. Avoiding the same mistake will be the Saints' aim as they decide whether to keep Carr for 2025.

I don't know if the Saints should cut Derek Carr this offseason, but if they do, they better have a concrete plan to replace him. I took a look at what happened to the Raiders after moving on from him.
www.nola.com/sports/saint...

Don't let Saints TE Foster Moreau know that this is a story about Foster Moreau. Saints QBs have a 144.1 passer rating when targeting tight end Foster Moreau, but his impact goes beyond the numbers. Just don't praise him too much.

Don’t let #Saints TE Foster Moreau know this story is abiut him

www.nola.com/sports/saint...

Ultimate Rizz: Saints' Darren Rizzi is staying true to himself in head coaching quest The New Orleans interim coach is seizing his seven-game audition in hopes of fulfilling his lifelong dream.

Ultimate Rizz: Saints' Darren Rizzi is staying true to himself in head coaching quest

www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/...

Saints' Chris Olave practices for the first time in six weeks since suffering a concussion It has been six weeks since Chris Olave last practiced with the New Orleans Saints. But the wide receiver returned Thursday after dealing with a concussion.

Some good news for the Saints: www.nola.com/sports/saint...

What's behind a 're-energized' Cam Jordan? Look at the Saints' coaching changes. Cam Jordan is not faster than Jayden Daniels. And realistically, at age 35, the New Orleans Saints defensive end shouldn’t have much of a chance against Jayden Daniels.

Cam Jordan played 41.2% of the defense's snaps this season under Dennis Allen.

Then, Darren Rizzi took over.

Jordan has since played 56.2% of the snaps — and the defensive end is rewarding the Saints after the uptick in playing time.

On a "re-energized" Jordan:
www.nola.com/sports/saint...

Will the Saints land a top 10 pick? What the last 3 games mean for their draft position. With three games left, the New Orleans Saints hold the 10th pick in the NFL draft after falling to 5-9 following Sunday’s 20-19 loss to the Washington Commanders.

I took a quick look at the Saints' current draft position, the chance they land in the top 10 and some of the recent players picked 10th: www.nola.com/sports/saint...

Sports cover featuring photo of Saints WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling being taken down by Commanders with headline 'AN INCH AWAY' Story and photo of LSU women's basketball LSU gymnast Haleigh Bryant gracefully flies over the sports masthead

In Monday's sports, the Saints were *this* 🤏 close to a victory

From @matthewparas.bsky.social: Saints nearly pull off a stunner, but fall short to Commanders after Spencer Rattler replaces Jake Haener bit.ly/3VC51S7

LSU overcomes first-half turnover issues, glides past UL bit.ly/3P0pZ9z

Derek Carr has done a really nice job avoiding negative plays this year, and that comes so much more into focus when you watch the other QBs try to play in his place.

Carr: 8 sacks taken

Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener: 19 sacks taken (2 today)

Woof. Payton Turner is penalized 15 yards for unnecessary roughness on a field goal attempt. Washington now has a new set of downs.

Before this game starts, I had a realization the other day:

Derek Carr = Carson Wentz (polarizing)
Spencer Rattler = Sam Howell (fifth-rounder once thought of as potential QB1 of their draft)
Jake Haener = Taylor Heinicke ("moxie")

It's not perfect, but time is a flat circle

Saints QB Jake Haener ready to 'let it rip' so people forget about 'crap' viral photos The New Orleans Saints quarterback can't stand the photoshoot he did his rookie year. "I would think I was a clown if I saw that too,” Haener said.

Jake Haener HATES those viral photos of himself, so he's quite ready to change his image with his first career start:
www.nola.com/sports/saint...

Chase Young wants more sacks, but feels he's having a career year. Will he get paid? As he prepares to face his former team in the Washington Commanders, Chase Young is racking up pressures, not sacks.Will that result in a payday?

“You know my rookie year I had a great year, but I don’t even think I pass rushed anywhere I am right now, even though the sack number is not there.”

Chase Young had some real interesting thoughts about his year with the Saints:
www.nola.com/sports/saint...

Once the model of dysfunction, Commanders now a potential blueprint for Saints turnaround The latest example of how to quickly turn around a franchise comes from a team once seen as the most dysfunctional in the NFL.

Some pre-game reading:

The Commanders were once a model of dysfunction. Now they're an example of how to turn a franchise around.
www.nola.com/sports/saint...

Chase Young wants more sacks, but feels he's having a career year. Will he get paid? As he prepares to face his former team in the Washington Commanders, Chase Young is racking up pressures, not sacks.Will that result in a payday?

Chase Young wishes he had more sacks. But he's fourth in the NFL in pressures. And he has some thoughts about the year he's having.

“The fact I’m winning at a high rate, being disruptive is all I want to do.”

www.nola.com/sports/saint...

Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi is going home to love and loss in New Jersey Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi grew up 15 miles away from MetLife Stadium, where he will coach this weekend. He hopes he can honor all those who show up for him — and those who can't.

I don't believe Luke Johnson is on Bluesky, so I'll plug his latest story on Darren Rizzi for him since it's just fantastic:
www.nola.com/sports/saint...

Darren Rizzi said Erik McCoy is one of the few players on the roster who could go the week without practicing and still end up playing. He called him the "exception to the rule."

Erik McCoy will be questionable for Sunday's game. He'll go through a workout tomorrow and before the game. He worked off to the side today. Interim coach Darren Rizzi called McCoy a gametime decision.

Saints practice is over and I did not see Erik McCoy or Lucas Patrick.

Alontae Taylor is a 'corner at heart.' Can he become a shutdown one for the Saints? A year ago, Alontae Taylor was benched against the Los Angeles Rams. As a rematch looms, he's in a much different spot.

“I don’t think I’ve responded to myself inside my head the best way."

Alontae Taylor wants to become a star corner. But among the challenges facing him?

"The only person that could stop Alontae from accomplishing what he wants to accomplish is Alontae.”
www.nola.com/sports/saint...

The tools of Darren Rizzi: How the Saints interim coach motivates players one prop at a time Interim coach Darren Rizzi is rebuilding the New Orleans Saints, with one construction tool at a time.

The shovel

The lunch pail

The construction vest

The hammer

The level

Darren Rizzi may look like "Bob the Builder" these days, but he's found an effective way to motivate the Saints. "It's taken on a life of its own," he said: www.nola.com/sports/saint...

Grading the rookies: Have the Saints gotten enough out of Taliese Fuaga, 2024 draft class? The Saints have a bye week, so let's take a moment to grade their 2024 draft class.

How would you grade the Saints' rookie class? I had some thoughts:
www.nola.com/sports/saint...

Times-Picayune sports cover featuring a photo of Saints' Taysom Hill spiking the ball as he celebrates a touchdown

In Monday's sports, from @matthewparas.bsky.social: Taysom Hill comes up big for the #Saints in career day over Browns for second straight win
www.nola.com/sports/saint...

Jeff Duncan: The Rizzi gris-gris is real. After another win, doubt the Saints at your own risk.
www.nola.com/sports/saint...