Broncos Trample Saints in Payton’s Emotional Return to New Orleans
Last night, the Denver Broncos steamrolled the New Orleans Saints 33-10 in a lopsided “Thursday Night Football” matchup. The game marked Sean Payton’s first return to the Superdome since leaving his 15-year post as Saints head coach.
Payton’s homecoming turned sour for Saints fans as Denver systematically dismantled their former leader’s old team. The Broncos didn’t unleash a flashy offensive showcase. Instead, they slowly bled out the Saints’—and the usually raucous home crowd’s—energy with a methodical ground-and-pound attack.
Denver’s offense wasn’t spectacular, with rookie quarterback Bo Nix missing some open receivers. But they moved the chains consistently all night against a depleted Saints defense. The Broncos leaned heavily on the run game, wearing down New Orleans as the contest progressed.
Even without star cornerback Patrick Surtain II, Denver’s defense dominated most of the game. They pressured Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler relentlessly, forcing two fumbles that proved pivotal.
The win had to be especially sweet for Payton. Saints fans gave him a mixed welcome of cheers and boos when he first stepped onto the field. But by game’s end, the coach had silenced the doubters with a decisive victory over his former club.
Several ex-Saints got their revenge alongside Payton. Kicker Wil Lutz, whom Payton traded for this offseason, nailed all four of his field goal tries. Tight end Lucas Krull notched a career-high 41 receiving yards. And linebacker Kwon Alexander recovered a key first-half fumble. The Broncos truly ran a victory parade all over their old stomping grounds.
For New Orleans, the loss continues a disastrous slide. After starting 2-0 and scoring 91 points in those wins, the Saints have now dropped five straight games. They’ve managed just 79 total points during the losing streak.
It’s the first time since 2001 that New Orleans has suffered back-to-back home losses by 20+ points. For context, that drought predated Payton’s tenure by five years. The Saints lost at home by such large margins only twice in Payton’s 15 seasons at the helm.
The Broncos gave New Orleans plenty of chances early, but the home team simply couldn’t capitalize. Already missing their starting quarterback, two top receivers, and two offensive linemen, the Saints defense took more hits. Cornerbacks Paulson Adebo (knee) and Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) both exited with injuries.
Many Saints fans seemed to give up after the halftime ceremony honoring Drew Brees’ induction into the team’s Hall of Fame. The stands emptied quickly as the second half began. Perhaps it was head coach Dennis Allen’s puzzling timeout right before halftime, only to have Rattler take a knee.
Perhaps Tyrann Mathieu made a spectacular interception right before halftime. Whatever the reason, the New Orleans faithful appeared shellshocked as their former coach drove the final nail into their season’s coffin.
At 2-5, things look dire for Allen’s squad. They’re too banged up to compete, and their bye week is still over a month away.
On the flip side, Denver’s defense deserves major props for their dominant showing. Just four days after the Chargers ran wild on them, the Broncos stepped up big time—even without Surtain. They kept constant pressure on Rattler and limited his scrambling opportunities. The coverage on the back end stifled the Saints’ hobbled receiving corps all night.
Linebacker Cody Barton emerged as one of Denver’s top playmakers. He strip-sacked Rattler, nearly had an interception, and after having a scoop-and-score negated by penalty, Barton picked off a deflected pass for a 52-yard touchdown to seal the win. It was a complete demolition job by the Broncos’ defense from start to finish.
Both rookie quarterbacks struggled at times in the first meeting between first-year signal-callers this season. Nix outplayed Rattler overall, but he badly misfired on several targets and got lucky when Mathieu dropped a sure interception before halftime. Nix did damage with his legs, though, and he limited costly mistakes.
Rattler looked rattled after the first strip-sack and faced constant pressure all night. He never found a rhythm after a promising opener. Like Nix, Rattler had some effective scrambles. But with his depleted receiving corps letting him down repeatedly, the passing game never got on track. Rattler’s two lost fumbles proved extremely costly before he exited late with a hip pointer.
The Saints defense continued its alarming freefall. They’ve now allowed a staggering 110 points and nearly 1,500 yards over their last three games—two of which came at home. Poor tackling, missed assignments, and a general lack of physicality plagued New Orleans all night. The injuries to Adebo and Lattimore only made matters worse.
There were far too many open receivers, and outside of a few blitzes, New Orleans generated little pass rush. At times, the defense appeared to simply give up. That doesn’t bode well for Allen, a defensive-minded coach whose former boss just came into his building and dominated.
Unless major improvements happen over the mini-bye, this Saints defense is in danger of finishing as one of the NFL’s worst units this season. This is a disheartening reality for a team known for its defensive prowess.
In the end, Payton and the Broncos left the Big Easy with a statement win. Meanwhile, the Saints grapple with the aftermath of a rapidly unraveling season.