Saints’ Week 1 Ends in Disappointment but Not Despair: Rookie Coach Kellen Moore Sparks New Hope for Fans!
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Not much was expected of the New Orleans Saints this season.
That hasn't changed since their 20-13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1.
Still, there were signs that rookie coach Kellen Moore could make New Orleans into a tough out as he tries rebuild a franchise that has missed the playoffs for the past four seasons.
The Saints never folded on Sunday.
They even threatened to tie the game in the final seconds - thanks to a blocked Cardinals field goal attempt, a hurry-up drive that produce a Saints field goal, a three-and-out by coordinator Brandon Staley's new defense, and another no-huddle drive inside the Arizona 20.
That gave quarterback Spencer Rattler - in his second NFL season and first as an opening-week starter - three chances to pass for a tying touchdown. He almost connected with tight end Juwan Johnson, who had two hands on the ball, but was hit high and low by two converging safeties and couldn't hold on.
"The effort and play style were some things we talked a lot about," Moore said.
Apparently, that message got through.
Even with the inexperienced Rattler under center, the Saints outgained Arizona in total yards, 315 to 276, and had more first downs (21-19).
"We gave ourselves a chance," Moore said. "Ultimately, we are here to win football games, and we have to compete and clean things up. While I love the effort, love the energy, love how the guys in the locker room played, we just have to play better."
The Saints' new defensive scheme under Staley had a strong debut, giving up 276 total yards - and 130 yards through the air. New Orleans also sacked Kyler Murray five times despite playing without starting edge rusher Chase Young, who was out with a calf injury.
The Saints could use a little more push in the running game. They gained 107 yards as a team, with no rusher gaining more than Alvin Kamara's 45 yards on 11 carries. But they were playing without guard Trevor Penning (foot) and played much of the fourth quarter without right tackle Taliese Fuaga, whose knee was bothering him.
Although Johnson was unable to hold on to that potential tying pass in the final seconds, he was the Saints' most productive player in passing game. He caught eight passes for 76 yards and was a big reason the Saints even were still in the game at the end.
The Saints expect cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry to validate their decision to start him in his second NFL season. But he had a tough assignment in the opener against Marvin Harrison Jr., who caught five passes for 71 yards and a touchdown.
Safety Julian Blackmon has a shoulder injury that Moore said could sideline him for the season. Moore said Fuaga's status will be updated on Wednesday. It also remains unclear Penning or Young might return this week.
0 - The number of wins any QB on the Saints' roster has as a starter. Rattler will head into his eighth career start with an 0-y record. Six of those came last season while Derek Carr was hurt and the banged-up Saints were slumping to a 5-12 record. Rattler's backup, Tyler Shough, is a rookie.
The Saints host San Francisco on Sunday.
Golden Knights Goalie Gunning for Canada’s Starting Role
Adin Hill is entering the first year of a six-year contract extension with the Vegas Golden Knights. The 29-year-old puck-stopper started a career best 50 games last year for the Knights and emerged as an integral piece of the Vegas organization. He also made his case to be an integral piece of Canada's 2026 Winter Olympics Roster.
The Golden Knights starter served as a backup to St. Louis Blues veteran and Canada starter Jordan Binnington at the 4 Nations Face-Off earlier this year, and the two are leading the race for the top role next winter. Hill faces a tough task trying to usurp the starting job from Binnington, a former Stanley Cup winner, but he's the challenger best equipped to do so.
Give More Than You Get
Hill was solid in nearly every aspect of goaltending last season. According to NHL EDGE, his save percentage in all offensive zone locations was above the league average, watermarked by a nearly perfect .978 save percentage on long-range shots on goal and a .897 save percentage on mid-range shots on goal. Both figures ranked above the 60th percentile of all NHL goalies last season. His goals-against average of 2.47 ranked in the 90th percentile among goalies.
Hill also was routinely making saves on quality scoring chances when the Golden Knights’ defense broke down. MoneyPuck’s model for expected goals calculated 135.53 expected goals were launched on Hill, but he only allowed 121 goals against. That resulted in his goals saved above expected finishing at 14.5, better than the figures posted by notable top netminders like Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars and Linus Ullmark of the Ottawa Senators.
Size Advantage
Hill stands at an imposing 6’4” and 215 pounds. He possesses the ideal size for a modern goaltender, and it’s a huge part of how his game succeeds. His long legs allow him to move laterally with ease and less effort, nearly eliminating the bottom half of the net.
It also makes him ideally suited to withstand the rigorous tournament the Olympics will surely be. Teams in the field like Czechia, Finland, Sweden and the United States have the forward depth to keep pushing and get to the high-danger scoring areas. One possible way to combat that is Hill’s large frame.
His size also eliminates angles for shooters. When he pushes off his post, he leaves the shooting forward with no net to see. This is exhibited by his save percentage on unblocked shots. Using MoneyPuck’s data on unblocked shot attempts from last season, Hill posted a low-danger save percentage of .973, a medium-danger save percentage of .888 and a high-danger save percentage of .730.
Why is that impressive? Each statistic exceeded expectations. The same model of expected goals from MoneyPuck predicted an expected high-danger save percentage of .679, an expected medium-danger save percentage of .877 and an expected low-danger save percentage of .971, meaning that Hill performed above expected in all three offensive zones. The only other goalie to start 40 games and also outperform the expected save percentage last year was Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets.
One Tweak Could Be the Difference
One issue I’ve noticed while observing Hill is that he can play a bit deep in his crease. It’s likely a byproduct of his hulking size in net, but it can be to his detriment. He can be susceptible to shot deflections because of this, and he also can give up an occasional juicy rebound.
By moving up a bit in his crease, he could eliminate this issue. Already a sturdy goaltender when it comes to fighting for position, taking that little bit more of space could cut down shooting angles even more, reduce the frequency of deflections beating him and rebounds.
If he can do that, Binnington’s starting job is far from a guarantee. The winning experience of the Blues goaltender is a huge advantage, but Hill’s own success in the NHL combined with a career-best season pushing him into 2025-2026 makes him the biggest challenge for Canada’s starting goalie job.
