The New Orleans Saints’ try at a game-winning two-point conversion was unsuccessful after a massive second-half comeback against the Washington Commanders, resulting in a 20-19 home loss.
The Saints, down 14-0 at halftime, stormed back to outscore the Commanders 19-6 in the second half. Big play after big play was made giving Darren Rizzi’s group a chance to win over one of the best teams it’s played all year. However, the day’s biggest play was no good as New Orleans dropped its second game in three weeks.
Here’s a quick recap of what happened between the New Orleans Saints (5-9) and the Washington Commanders (9-5).
Scoring summary
Second-year quarterback Jake Haener was given the nod at quarterback for New Orleans in the absence of Derek Carr. But the former fourth-round pick was inconsistent at best, completing 4 of 10 passes for 49 yards and an interception.
Haener’s lack of production combined with an explosive attack from Washington rookie quarterback Jaden Daniels and company, including two touchdowns thrown to Terry McLaurin, resulted in a 14-0 halftime deficit for the Saints.
After the intermission, New Orleans put its trust behind center in rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler, who immediately led the team to its first touchdown. The drive was capped off by a trick play that saw running back Alvin Kamara make a ridiculous catch to close the deficit. Before this, the Commanders opened the half with a Greg Joseph field goal.
Cedrick Wilson Jr. to Alvin Kamara for a 21-yd TD 🤯#WASvsNO | 📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/e76ZpEQmri
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 15, 2024
The fourth quarter started with Washington up 17-7. Joseph hit another field goal to extend the lead to 20-7. But back-to-back field goals by New Orleans kicker Blake Grupe made the score 20-13. A big defensive stand that ended in a missed Joseph field goal allowed the Saints a chance to send the game to overtime or win outright.
The two-minute drill started on the Washington 44 and included two first-down runs by running back Kendre Miller, who took over as Kamara left with a groin injury. A couple of Rattler passes to tight end Juwan Johnson were segued into a pass to fellow tight end Foster Moreau who took it down to the one-yard line but couldn’t break the plane. On the very next play, Moreau found redemption when he caught his third touchdown of the season.
Rattler to Moreau for the TD!#Saints | 📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/d5jgsyONVl
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 15, 2024
Instead of tying the game, interim head coach Darren Rizzi unsurprisingly sent the offense back out. Rattler rolled to the right and tried to find Johnson but to no avail, ending the game at 20-19 in Washington’s favor.
What the coach said
Although Rizzi was visibly frustrated with his team’s first-half performance, he told reporters after the game that the second half really showed what the Saints are capable of.
“It’s a mixture of emotions, but I don’t know if I’ve ever been more proud of a team,” Rizzi said, touting the defense. “We only gave up six points in the second half and gave ourselves a chance to win… We knew we had to contain Jayden (Daniels). He’s a phenomenal player and that’s the reason he won the Heisman (at LSU in 2023).”
Rizzi also provided some insight on the coaching staff’s decision to move away from Haener to Rattler, who started three games earlier in the year. Starting quarterback Derek Carr has batted injuries all season, going down during last week’s win over the New York Giants with a hand injury.
“We were reaching for something and just needed a change of scenery from Jake to Spencer,” he explained. “We needed some confidence.”
Numbers never lie
Sunday’s loss was detrimental to the Saints’ playoff hopes, even in a weak NFC South. While second-place Atlanta (6-7) won’t play until Monday night, first-place Tampa Bay (7-6) was up two possessions on the Los Angeles Chargers midway through the fourth quarter on Sunday evening.
As for the box score, Rattler finished 10 of 21 passing for 135 yards with one touchdown. Kamara had 70 total yards before leaving the game. Marquez Valdes-Scantling had two catches for 64 yards while Moreau had 39 yards on four catches with one touchdown.
Kamara’s third-quarter score put the veteran back in historic company, becoming the fourth player in NFL history to have 60 rushing touchdowns and 25 receiving touchdowns. He joined Pro Football Hall of Famers Lenny Moore and Marshall Faulk, along with current San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, in accomplishing the feat.
New Orleans had its most sacks of the season, bringing down Daniels eight times in the backfield. Cam Jordan (2), Chase Young (2), Carl Granderson, Ugo Amadi, and Mississippi natives Willie Gay and Demario Davis each got in on the action. Davis led the team with 14 tackles.
For Washington, even with pressure, Daniels had a solid outing. The rookie completed 25 of 31 passes for 226 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He added 66 yards on 11 carries to lead the team in rushing.
Next up
The New Orleans Saints will now hit the road to play the Green Bay Packers on Monday, Dec. 23. Kickoff from Lambeau Field is set for 7:15 p.m. CT and can be watched on ESPN.
