Who Dat Nation, I’ve got to be real with y’all — this one hurt. The Saints had chances against the Raiders, but the way we handled the fourth quarter left me shaking my head. What really stings is how the team looked in the fourth quarter. The Raiders kept pushing, and instead of fighting back, the Saints seemed to fold. The energy dropped, the defense got pushed around, and the offense couldn’t find answers. It was like the team gave up before the clock hit zero, and that’s not the Saints football we expect in the Dome. And while many will argue that the fumble call was the refs screwing us I think that it was a fair call and the real blame lies with the saints failing in the fourth quarter, I’ll always support this team, but I’m not going to sugarcoat it. The Saints had opportunities, and they let them slip away. The numbers will show some decent performances, but the eye test says we didn’t finish. Final thought: Kick the field goal. Play all four quarters. Don’t give up. That’s how you win in the NFL.

WHO DAT ⚜️

Alright, Who Dat Nation.

I’ve had a night to think about this one.

It didn’t help.

Raiders 35. Saints 27.

We’re 1–2. Las Vegas leaves New Orleans 3–0.

And the frustrating part isn’t that the Raiders came into our house and completely outplayed us.

They didn’t.

The Saints led 27–16 in the third quarter. They were moving the football. Tyler Shough had thrown four touchdown passes. Chris Olave went over 100 yards. The Dome was alive.

For a while, this looked like the game where everything started coming together.

Then we gave it away.

So Tony has some questions.

First Question: Why Not Kick the Field Goal?

This is the one that’s still bothering me.

The Saints had driven to the Raiders’ 29-yard line. On third-and-4, Shough was hit from behind while trying to throw. The ball came out and Las Vegas recovered. New Orleans Saints

And yes, we’re going to talk about whether that should have been a fumble.

But before we even get there, I’m asking something more basic:

Why were we putting ourselves in that position?

When you’ve got points available in a close football game, when do you take them?

When do you stop trying to win every decision on a spreadsheet and say:

Give me the damn points.

Daniel Carlson is your kicker.

You’re in field-goal range.

You’ve got the lead.

I’m old school enough to ask the question.

Why not kick it?

Maybe some of you think going for it was absolutely the right decision.

Fine.

Tell me why.

Because Tony is still trying to understand it.

And Yes… Another Fumble Call

Here we go again.

Shough gets hit while attempting to throw. The ball comes loose.

Fumble. Raiders football.

If you’re sitting there thinking you’ve seen something like this before, you have.

The Saints themselves noted that the play looked very similar to the Jared Goff play in Detroit that was ruled an incomplete pass. ESPN reported that the Saints again left a game confused about how the quarterback fumble rule was being applied. New Orleans Saints

Do I like it?

No.

Do I understand why Saints fans are pissed?

Absolutely.

But I’m not giving this team permission to hide behind the officials.

Because that wasn’t the only reason we lost.

Not even close.

Four Possessions. Four Turnovers.

Here’s the number that should make everybody sick.

Every Saints possession in the fourth quarter ended in a turnover.

Lost fumble.

Interception.

Lost fumble.

Lost fumble.

Four possessions. Four turnovers. New Orleans Saints

You aren’t beating many NFL teams doing that.

You sure aren’t beating an undefeated team.

And that’s where my second big question comes in.

Where Was the Ball Control?

We had this football game.

Not figuratively.

We had it.

New Orleans led 27–16 with 5:46 remaining in the third quarter.

From there, Las Vegas scored 19 unanswered points.

Final:

35–27. New Orleans Saints

What happened to protecting the football?

What happened to protecting the lead?

What happened to making the Raiders chase us?

Sometimes winning football isn’t complicated.

When you’ve got an 11-point second-half lead at home, you don’t need to become Superman.

Move the chains.

Run the football.

Protect your quarterback.

Protect the ball.

Take the points when they’re there.

Make the other team beat you.

Instead, we helped beat ourselves.

Don’t Put All of This on Shough

And before everybody starts beating up Tyler Shough, Tony isn’t joining that crowd.

Was the fourth quarter bad?

Absolutely.

But look at the whole game.

Shough finished 29 of 42 for 250 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. New Orleans Saints

Four touchdown passes.

That’s not why I’m walking away from this game discouraged about the quarterback.

Actually, I’m encouraged.

For most of the afternoon, I thought Shough looked pretty damn good.

The problem is that NFL games aren’t 45 minutes long.

And young quarterbacks have to learn something veterans already know:

Sometimes the biggest play is the one you don’t try to make.

Protect the football.

Live for the next down.

Take three points.

Let your defense work.

That’s part of becoming an NFL quarterback too.

Olave Keeps Doing His Job

Chris Olave:

9 catches.
107 yards.

No touchdown.

Didn’t matter.

He was productive again and continues to give Shough a legitimate No. 1 target. New Orleans Saints

And how about the tight ends?

Juwan Johnson caught two touchdowns.

Noah Fant caught two touchdowns.

Every one of Shough’s four touchdown passes went to a tight end. New Orleans Saints

There were plenty of good things happening offensively Sunday.

That’s what makes losing this one hurt even more.

Tony Isn’t Blaming the Refs

Were there calls I didn’t like?

Yep.

Do I think Saints fans have every right to question how that Shough fumble was handled compared with what we saw in Detroit?

Yep.

But Chase Young said something after the game that Tony agrees with.

The Saints can’t base their wins on what the officials decide. They have to play through it. New Orleans Saints

That’s football.

Bad call?

Get the ball back.

Questionable call?

Stop them.

You don’t like what the referee did?

Don’t turn it over on your next possession.

That’s how you answer it.

Here’s What Bothers Me Most

Detroit showed me this team could fight.

Baltimore showed me this team could finish.

Las Vegas showed me something else.

This team still doesn’t know how to protect a football game.

That’s different from not having talent.

And maybe that’s actually the encouraging part.

The Saints weren’t blown off their own field.

They weren’t hopelessly overmatched.

They were leading an undefeated team by 11 points in the second half.

Then they self-destructed.

That can be fixed.

But it has to be fixed.

Because eventually, saying we almost had them gets old.

So Tony Wants to Hear From YOU

I’ve given you my opinion all season.

Now I want yours.

Was Tony right or wrong?

Should the Saints have taken the field goal when they had the opportunity?

Was Shough’s play really a fumble — especially after what happened with Jared Goff in Week 1?

Was coaching too aggressive?

Did the Saints abandon ball control?

Or is Tony just being an old-school fan who needs to accept how football is played today?

Don’t just hit Like. Tell me.

If you think I’m right, tell me why.

If you think I’m full of it, tell me that too.

That’s what Who Dat Nation is supposed to be.

Different opinions.

Same team.

And after watching us turn a 27–16 lead into a 35–27 loss, I know we’ve all got something to say.

Let’s hear it, Who Dat Nation.

— Tony from the Westbank

WHO DAT!

Alright Who Dat Nation, it’s finally time for the home opener. The Saints are back in the Dome this Sunday, and we’re squaring off against the undefeated Raiders. They’re 2–0, we’re 1–1, and this game feels like a measuring stick for both teams. Kirk Cousins is steady — you know what you’re getting with him. But Tyler Shough? He’s been one of the hottest quarterbacks in the league through two weeks. The numbers back it up: big yardage, smart throws, and the kind of poise you want in a young QB. If Shough keeps that rhythm, the Raiders’ defense is going to have their hands full.

This one’s going to be close. The Raiders are legit, but the Dome energy is different. Shough makes just enough plays, the defense bends but doesn’t break, and the Saints walk out with a win.

Final Score Prediction: Saints 27, Raiders 24.

Alright, Who Dat Nation.

The first two weeks I picked against us.

Detroit?

Unfortunately, Tony was right.

Baltimore?

Tony was wrong — and I’ve never enjoyed being wrong so damn much.

So here we are.

Week 3.

The Raiders are coming to New Orleans 2–0. The Saints are 1–1. And for the first time this season, the boys are coming through that tunnel in the Dome.

I’ve made my pick.

And this time…

TONY’S TAKING THE SAINTS

There you go.

No “prove me wrong.”

No hedging.

No trying to take off the black-and-gold glasses.

Well… maybe they’re still sitting a little crooked on my face.

But I’ve seen enough through two games to believe New Orleans can win this football game.

Tony’s pick: Saints 27, Raiders 23.

And before we get into why, I’ve got to talk about something bigger than Sunday’s game.

Because this week I’ve been thinking about another night in that building.

A night I’ll never forget.

Tony Was There 20 Years Ago

September 25, 2006.

Twenty years ago this week.

If you were in that Dome that night, I don’t have to explain it to you.

You felt it.

And I was there.

The Saints hadn’t played a game in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina. Our city had been through hell. People had lost homes. People had lost family. Neighborhoods were still trying to figure out what coming back even meant.

Then the Saints came home.

U2 and Green Day played before the game.

The Falcons got the ball.

They couldn’t move it.

Atlanta lined up to punt.

And then…

STEVE GLEASON.

Straight through the middle.

Blocked punt.

Curtis DeLoatch recovered it in the end zone.

TOUCHDOWN, NEW ORLEANS.

The Saints went on to beat Atlanta 23–3.

But those numbers don’t tell you what happened in that building.

I remember the noise.

I remember the feeling.

I remember looking around and realizing this wasn’t just people celebrating a blocked punt.

It felt like an entire city releasing something it had been holding inside for more than a year.

For a few hours, nobody was talking about insurance companies, FEMA trailers, blue roofs or what neighborhood was coming back.

We were Saints fans again.

We were home.

Twenty years later, I can still feel that moment.

And every time I walk into that Dome, some little piece of that night is still there.

That’s why Sunday’s home opener means a little more to Tony this week.

Now Let’s Talk About THESE Saints

Nostalgia isn’t beating Las Vegas.

The Raiders are 2–0 for a reason. They’re coming into New Orleans undefeated, and this isn’t some automatic home-opening victory we’re entitled to because the crowd is wearing black and gold.

But I’ve watched Tyler Shough these first two weeks.

And I’m starting to believe in this kid.

Against Detroit, he threw for 410 yards and three touchdowns and nearly completed an unbelievable comeback.

Against Baltimore, the numbers weren’t as flashy.

They were better where it mattered.

27 of 34.
252 yards.
One passing touchdown.
One rushing touchdown.
Zero interceptions.

And when New Orleans needed him in the fourth quarter?

He delivered.

Again.

Kellen Moore said after Baltimore that the game doesn’t seem too big for Shough. Through two weeks, we’ve seen why.

But Tyler Needs Some Damn Help

Here’s one thing I don’t want Sunday:

Shough running for his life.

Las Vegas can get after the quarterback, and the Saints cannot make a habit of asking their young quarterback to rescue them every fourth quarter.

Protect him.

Get the running game going.

Let Travis Etienne Jr. and that backfield take some pressure off him. Etienne dealt with a hamstring issue this week but practiced fully Friday and carries no game-status designation.

And then find No. 12.

Keep Feeding Olave

Chris Olave had 182 yards against Detroit.

Baltimore made stopping him a priority and he still caught eight balls for 86 yards and scored the touchdown that started that fourth-quarter comeback.

Las Vegas knows exactly where Shough wants to go.

I don’t care.

Find ways to get Olave the football.

But Baltimore also showed us something important.

If everybody concentrates on Olave, Shough is becoming comfortable finding somebody else.

That’s what this offense needs to become.

Not Shough-to-Olave or nothing.

Make defenses cover everybody.

Don’t Let 2–0 Scare You

Las Vegas is undefeated.

Good for them.

They’re also walking into our building.

The Raiders have Maxx Crosby coming after Shough, Brock Bowers creating problems at tight end and enough weapons that the Saints can’t afford one of those sleepy starts we’ve seen these first two weeks. The Raiders’ own preview identifies Crosby and Bowers among the matchup’s central players.

That’s probably my biggest concern Sunday.

STOP WAITING UNTIL THE FOURTH QUARTER.

Detroit taught us that this team won’t quit.

Baltimore taught us that this team can finish.

Now I want New Orleans to show us something else:

Start fast.

Let somebody else spend the afternoon trying to climb out of a hole.

And Let That Dome Be the Dome

The Saints haven’t played at home yet this season.

Sunday changes that.

I want Shough to experience what that building sounds like when the Saints give those people something to believe in.

I want the Raiders dealing with the noise.

I want false starts.

I want Crosby and that defense looking across the line and realizing the Saints aren’t the easy Sunday afternoon somebody might have circled before the season.

And I want the Who Dat Nation involved from the opening kick.

Because I’ve been inside that building when the crowd became part of the football game.

I know what it sounds like.

Twenty years ago, Steve Gleason blocked a punt and that Dome damn near exploded.

Nobody is asking these Saints to recreate September 25, 2006.

You couldn’t recreate it if you tried.

That night belonged to that city, that team and that moment in history. Gleason himself has reflected this week on how that one play became connected not just to his career, but to New Orleans’ recovery.

But Sunday’s team gets a chance to create its own memory.

Tony’s Pick

I’ve got the Saints.

SAINTS 27
RAIDERS 23

I want to see Shough continue growing.

I want Olave involved.

I want the offensive line protecting its quarterback.

I want the defense making Las Vegas earn every yard.

And most of all, I want to see whether the team that fought back in Detroit and finished the job in Baltimore can finally put together four quarters of football.

The Raiders are 2–0.

Let them come in undefeated.

They don’t have to leave that way.

Twenty years ago this week, I sat inside that Dome and watched a football game become something much bigger than football.

Sunday, I’ll be watching again.

Different players.

Different coaches.

Different Saints era.

Same Dome.

Same city.

Same Who Dat Nation.

Tony finally picked the Saints.

Now don’t make me regret it.

WHO DAT! ⚜️

— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank

Hey Who Dat Nation! My name’s Drew — I’m 16, born and raised a Saints fan, and I’m pumped to be joining WhoDatNation.com as a new contributor.

I grew up in the Dome, learned to hate the Falcons and Bucs early, and I follow the NFL like it’s my second language. Between fantasy football, Madden, and digging into stats, I see the game a little differently than the old-school fans.

Here’s my deal: I love the Saints, I want them to win every Sunday, and I’ll celebrate the big plays. But I’m not here to just hype blindly — if Shough lights it up, I’ll say it. If the defense gets pushed around, I’ll say that too. And if the numbers show a player is better than people think, I’ll point it out.

I’m part of Who Dat Nation — The Next Generation. Let’s ride this season together. WHO DAT! ⚜️

Alright, Who Dat Nation, Tony’s got some news.

Starting this week, you’re going to start hearing from somebody new around here — Drew.

Drew is 16, grew up loving the Saints, going to the Dome, and most importantly, already understands two of life’s basic rules:

Hate the Falcons. Hate the Bucs.

Kid’s off to a good start.

But Drew sees football differently than an old guy sitting around with a cigar and a newspaper. He’s looking at stats on the computer, running his fantasy team, playing way too much Madden, and watching this Saints team through the eyes of the next generation of Who Dats.

And that’s exactly why I want him here.

He’s going to support our Saints, but I told him one thing:

Don’t blow smoke. If they’re good, say they’re good. If they stink, say they stink. Call it like you see it.

Now, are Drew and Tony always going to agree?

Absolutely not.

And I have a feeling that might be half the fun.

So give the kid a chance. Give him hell when you disagree with him. And remember — some of us old Who Dats aren’t going to be around forever.

Somebody has to keep hating Atlanta.

Welcome to Who Dat Nation, Drew.

The Next Generation has arrived.

— Tony from the Westbank

WHO DAT! ⚜️

Well, Who Dat Nation…

Tony was wrong.

I picked Baltimore.

I told these Saints to prove me wrong.

They did.

And I couldn’t be happier about it.

The New Orleans Saints walked into Baltimore, fell behind again, stared at another fourth-quarter deficit and this time didn’t leave us talking about how close they came.

This time they finished the damn job.

Saints 24. Ravens 17.

We’re 1–1.

And maybe — just maybe — we’re starting to learn something about this football team.

Here We Go Again…

I’m sitting there watching Baltimore go up 7–0.

Then 14–3.

Halftime comes and we’re down 14–6.

I’m thinking, Boys, we’ve seen this movie already.

Last week in Detroit, New Orleans dug itself a 21-point hole and somehow fought all the way back before losing 31–30 in overtime.

I loved the fight.

I hated the ending.

So when Baltimore stretched its lead to 17–9, I wasn’t interested in another story about how these young Saints never quit.

At some point, you’ve got to win one.

And that’s exactly what they did.

Tyler Shough Did It Again

Last week Shough threw for 410 yards and led that crazy comeback in Detroit.

This week?

The numbers weren’t as flashy.

They were better.

27 of 34.
252 yards.
One passing touchdown.
No interceptions.

And when the Saints absolutely had to have a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, Shough didn’t throw it.

He took it himself.

Fourth down. One yard. Game on the line.

Quarterback sneak.

Touchdown.

New Orleans finally had the lead, 23–17, with 1:28 remaining. The extra point made it 24–17.

That’s the difference between last week and this week.

Against Detroit, Shough showed me he could fight back.

Against Baltimore, he showed me he could finish.

And Don’t Forget Olave

Remember what we talked about before the game?

Baltimore knew Chris Olave was the guy they had to stop.

Well…

8 catches.
86 yards.
1 touchdown.

And that touchdown couldn’t have come at a better time.

With New Orleans trailing 17–9 in the fourth quarter, Shough found Olave for a 21-yard touchdown.

Then the Saints went for two.

Travis Etienne Jr. got it.

17–17.

All of a sudden, Baltimore had a football game on its hands.

Again.

Fifteen to Nothing

Here’s my favorite number from this entire game:

15–0.

That’s what New Orleans did to Baltimore in the fourth quarter.

The Saints entered the final quarter down 17–9.

They left Baltimore winners, 24–17.

That’s not garbage-time scoring.

That’s not making a bad final score look respectable.

That’s taking over a football game when it matters most.

And after what happened in Detroit, that means something to me.

Because now we’ve seen this team get punched twice.

They got back up twice.

The difference is that this time, they walked away with the win.

Zero

Here’s another number I love:

0.

That’s how many turnovers the Saints had.

Last week against Detroit, New Orleans turned it over three times.

This week?

Shough didn’t throw an interception.

The Saints didn’t lose a fumble.

Zero turnovers.

Amazing how much easier winning gets when you don’t hand the other team the football.

And Then Blackmon Shut the Door

Of course Baltimore wasn’t going away quietly.

Lamar Jackson got the football back with 1:28 remaining and a chance to tie the game.

And every Saints fan watching knew exactly what we were thinking:

Please don’t do this to us.

Baltimore started moving.

Then, with 20 seconds left, Lamar went deep.

Julian Blackmon picked it off.

Ballgame.

No overtime.

No controversial ending.

No sitting around wondering what might have happened.

Shough took a knee.

Saints win.

Maybe Tony Needs to Keep Picking Against Them

Before the season, I had the Saints losing the first two games.

Detroit?

Tony was right.

Barely.

Baltimore?

Tony was wrong.

Beautifully, wonderfully wrong.

And after watching these first two weeks, I know one thing:

This team has more fight than I gave them credit for.

I’m not ready to start planning a parade down Poydras Street after one win.

We’ve still got problems.

We’ve still got to figure out how to start games better.

We can’t spend every Sunday waiting until the fourth quarter to become the football team we want to be.

But there’s something happening here.

Last week they were down 21–0 and refused to quit.

This week they were down eight in the fourth quarter and didn’t just fight back.

They won.

That’s progress.

So Tony Will Say It

I picked Baltimore.

I was wrong.

The Saints proved me wrong.

And Who Dat Nation, I’ll gladly take that L.

Because the one that matters belongs in the Saints’ win column.

1–1.

Now we’re coming home.

The Las Vegas Raiders are coming to New Orleans next Sunday.

And after what I’ve watched these last two weeks?

Maybe Tony better be a little more careful with that Week 3 prediction.

Then again…

If picking against them is what it takes to get this team going, I might have found my job for the rest of the season.

WHO DAT! ⚜️

Well, Who Dat Nation, here we go again.

Last week I picked Detroit.

I said the Saints would lose 27–24.

They lost 31–30 in overtime, so technically Tony got the little L next to the Saints right. But anybody who watched that game knows I didn’t exactly have it figured out.

Down 21–0 on the road, I thought we were headed toward one of those Sundays where you turn the television off and go find something productive to do.

Instead, Tyler Shough and this Saints team got off the damn floor.

They fought back, tied the game, forced overtime and got within one play of walking out of Detroit with a win.

So now we’re headed to Baltimore.

And guess what?

I picked against us again.

Yep. Tony Picked Baltimore

When I made my season predictions, I had the Saints starting 0–2.

I’m not changing it now just because New Orleans showed me something in Detroit.

Baltimore is 1–0. We’re 0–1. The Ravens have Lamar Jackson. They have Derrick Henry. And we’re playing our second straight game on the road. Baltimore also has history on its side in this matchup, leading the Saints 6–2 all time.

So yes.

Tony’s pick: Ravens win.

But I’ll tell you something else.

I hope I’m wrong.

Because after what I saw last Sunday, I’m a whole lot more interested in this football team than I was when they were down three touchdowns.

Tyler, Now Show Me What Week 1 Taught You

Tyler Shough threw for 410 yards and three touchdowns against Detroit.

He also threw two interceptions.

That’s the whole story.

I’m not going to pretend the interceptions didn’t happen because I liked the comeback. And I’m not going to pretend the interceptions erase what that kid did afterward.

He kept throwing.

He kept attacking.

And when the Saints needed points to stay alive, he helped bring them all the way back.

Now comes the part I’m interested in.

What does he do with the experience?

The first game is over. The nerves should be different. He’s been punched in the mouth in a regular-season game, made mistakes, brought his team back and experienced an overtime finish.

Baltimore isn’t going to care about any of that.

So settle down, Tyler.

Protect the football.

And show us Week 1 wasn’t just one crazy afternoon in Detroit.

Everybody in Baltimore Knows About No. 12 Now

Chris Olave went for 10 catches and 182 yards last week.

You think Baltimore didn’t notice?

Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey made it pretty clear this week that limiting Olave is where Baltimore’s defensive plan starts. ESPN noted that Baltimore played zone on 76 percent of its defensive snaps last week, so they’re not going to simply forget where Olave is and let Shough feed him all afternoon.

That’s where this gets interesting.

If Baltimore dedicates extra attention to Olave, somebody else has to make them pay.

Devaughn Vele showed something last week.

Juwan Johnson showed something.

The Saints need enough weapons around Olave that Baltimore can’t just say:

Take No. 12 away and the offense disappears.

Make them choose.

And Then There’s Lamar

Here’s the matchup I’m watching.

The Saints played zone defense on 95 percent of Detroit’s dropbacks in Week 1. ESPN’s research points to a pretty significant difference in Lamar Jackson’s recent performance against man versus zone coverage.

Does that mean we’ve discovered the magic formula for stopping Lamar Jackson?

Come on.

If it were that easy, everybody would do it.

But it does make the Saints’ defensive approach worth watching.

Because Lamar can destroy you with his arm, destroy you with his legs, and just when you think you’ve got him contained, Derrick Henry comes running through the front door.

New Orleans has to stay disciplined.

Don’t give Lamar easy running lanes.

Don’t let Henry turn four yards into 14.

And for the love of everything black and gold, finish the damn tackle.

One Thing Nobody Talks About Until It Goes Wrong

Zach Wood is dealing with a calf injury and did not practice Thursday. That’s a name most fans probably don’t talk about very often—and that’s usually a compliment for a long snapper.

Wood has handled the Saints’ long-snapping duties for 149 consecutive regular-season games entering this season. That’s reliability you don’t appreciate until suddenly it isn’t there.

Special teams isn’t the sexy part of a Baltimore road game.

But one bad snap on a punt, field goal or extra point can become the biggest play of the afternoon.

Keep an eye on it.

So What Does Tony Want to See?

I don’t need another moral victory.

I liked the fight in Detroit. I liked seeing a young quarterback refuse to fold. I liked watching this team come back after getting buried.

But eventually you’ve got to turn “almost” into “won.”

Baltimore is a tough place to do it. The Ravens are a tough football team. That’s why I picked them.

But here’s the beautiful thing about predictions:

The Saints don’t have to give a damn what Tony thinks.

Go protect the football.

Get Olave involved without becoming dependent on him.

Keep Lamar contained.

Make somebody besides the stars beat you.

And if we’re still standing there in the fourth quarter with a chance to steal this thing?

Maybe those black-and-gold glasses I talked about before the season won’t look so crazy after all.

I picked Baltimore.

Now prove me wrong. Again.

And this time, finish the job.

WHO DAT!

Alright, Who Dat Nation.

I thought we were moving on to Baltimore.

Apparently not.

That Chase Young strip-sack, Jonas Sanker scoop-and-score is STILL all over my Facebook feed. Everybody has an opinion. Everybody has watched the replay 47 times. And apparently nobody is going to stop talking about it.

So fine.

Let’s talk about it.

First, let me tell you what Tony saw.

I saw Chase Young get to Jared Goff. I saw that football come out. I saw it travel BACKWARD. I saw Jonas Sanker pick it up and take it to the house.

And when I watched it live?

Touchdown Saints.

I didn’t need a law degree. I didn’t need a 300-page NFL rulebook. Ball went backward. Saints picked it up. Six points.

Except that’s not how the NFL rule works.

The replay officials determined Goff had already started his forward throwing motion before Chase Young’s hit affected the throw. Under the NFL rule, once that forward throwing motion begins, the play can be ruled an incomplete forward pass even though the contact causes the football itself to go backward. That’s why replay took the touchdown away.

Now here’s where Tony stands.

Do I like the rule? Hell no.

Because if you’re sitting on your couch watching a football leave a quarterback’s hand and fly backward, every football instinct you’ve developed over the last 40 years is screaming:

THAT BALL IS LIVE.

Apparently even Jared Goff wasn’t sure why it wasn’t a fumble, and Dan Campbell said he initially thought Detroit had lost the play. So Saints fans weren’t crazy for looking at that replay and wondering what the hell just happened.

But there’s a difference between saying “I hate that rule” and saying “the officials ignored the rule to screw the Saints.”

From everything I’ve read since the game, I can’t honestly say the second one.

The NFL applied its interpretation of the throwing-motion rule. I may think it’s ridiculous that a football can physically travel backward and still be treated as an incomplete forward pass, but that’s the rule they used.

And here’s the other thing.

Would that touchdown have changed the game?

Of course it would have.

Detroit was leading 7–0. Instead of the Saints tying it up, the touchdown disappeared. In a game New Orleans eventually lost 31–30 in overtime, seven points are pretty damn hard to ignore. The Saints’ own recap called that overturned touchdown a turning point in the first half.

But I’m still not going to sit here Monday morning and say:

“The refs cost us the game.”

We turned the ball over three times. We fell behind 21–0. We had opportunities. We fought all the way back. And after scoring in overtime, we had the football in our quarterback’s hands with one play to win it.

That’s football.

So Tony’s final ruling?

I hate the rule.

I understand why Saints fans are pissed.

I understand why the NFL overturned it.

And I damn sure understand why we’re still talking about it.

But Baltimore is next.

At some point we’ve got to stop trying to get those seven points back and go earn the next seven.

WHO DAT.

LIONS 31 — SAINTS 30 (OT)

“I picked Detroit. But after watching that comeback, don’t tell me this team doesn’t have some fight in it.”

Then I’d absolutely do “THREE GUYS WHO SHOWED UP” like the preseason graphic:

1. TYLER SHOUGH — QB
   35/56 • 410 YDS • 3 TD • 2 INT
   The interceptions matter, but so does what happened afterward. He helped bring the Saints back from 21–0, threw the tying touchdown with 1:07 left, then answered Detroit’s OT touchdown with another TD drive. That’s the kind of fight Tony wanted to see.
2. CHRIS OLAVE — WR
   10 REC • 182 YDS • 18.2 AVG • LONG 47
   This is exactly what we talked about before the game: get Olave involved. He was the Saints’ biggest weapon and gave Shough a legitimate difference-maker downfield.
3. JUWAN JOHNSON — TE
   3 REC • 54 YDS • 1 TD • LONG 27
   His 9-yard touchdown with 1:07 remaining tied the game 24–24, and his 27-yard reception in overtime put New Orleans at Detroit’s 8 and helped set up the final touchdown. That’s clutch production.

I considered Kendre Miller because he scored the Saints’ first touchdown, and Noah Fant because he caught the overtime TD. But if we’re choosing three players who best tell the story of the whole game, Shough–Olave–Johnson is my trio.

The “Three Things We Learned” section

This is where Tony can really sound like Tony:

✓ THIS TEAM DIDN’T QUIT
Down 21–0 on the road and they fought all the way back. Last year’s Saints might not have finished that comeback.

✓ SHOUGH HAS SOME DAMN FIGHT IN HIM
410 yards and three touchdowns don’t erase two interceptions. But neither do two interceptions erase what he did bringing this team back.

✓ TURNOVERS WILL KILL YOU
New Orleans had 469 yards to Detroit’s 369 and still lost. Three Saints turnovers versus one for Detroit is the statistic Tony should circle in red.

Then I’d give the decision at the end its own box:

TONY ON GOING FOR TWO

“I’M GOOD WITH IT.”

“On the road. Overtime. You’ve just driven the field and scored. You’ve got one play to beat Detroit. I have no problem with Kellen Moore putting the ball in his quarterback’s hands and saying, ‘Let’s win the damn game.’ It didn’t work. That doesn’t mean it was the wrong call.”

And at the bottom I’d set up Week 2:

0–1 DOESN’T FEEL GOOD.
BUT THIS DIDN’T LOOK LIKE A TEAM READY TO LAY DOWN.

NEXT: SAINTS AT RAVENS — WEEK 2