Needless to say, expectations weren’t high for the New Orleans Saints offense going into 2024.
Even with new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak roaming the sidelines, fans couldn’t erase memories of an offensive unit that was anemic for much of 2023.
Then came Sunday’s season-opener against NFC South rival Carolina, in which the Saints scored 47 points, gained 379 yards of offense and looked competent for four entire quarters.
One of the biggest struggles for the Saints in 2023 was a lack of opening-drive scores. The result of the first series of 2024? A beautiful touchdown throw from quarterback Derek Carr to receiver Rashid Shaheed.
THE NEED FOR SHAHEED!
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/n2sQeJgaa1
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 8, 2024
An 11-play, 79-yard scoring drive put the Saints up 17-0 at the end of the first quarter, and a touchdown pass from Carr to Juwan Johnson stretched New Orleans’ lead to 30-0 in the waning moments of the first half.
Foster Moreau mossing folks
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/wRc2ZVtnBv
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 8, 2024
30-0 Saints
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/5dS4RMQgxh
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 8, 2024
Rushing touchdowns from Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams would help close the scoring on a 47-10 beatdown of the Panthers that put the Saints’ newfound offensive firepower on full display.
Handshakes for errrrrrybody@A_kamara6 | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/qD6oltrqr9
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 8, 2024
IT'S A TD FOR THE 1ST SWAGG KAZEKAGE@jswaggdaddy | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/h5lMy64fsz
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 8, 2024
One game against a Panthers team that will likely finish in the basement doesn’t guarantee a deep run for the Saints in 2024, but it answered perhaps the most crucial question for the team going into the season — will the offense be competent enough to utilize playmakers and beat the teams it should beat?
New Orleans’ defense and special teams units both had starring roles in the Week 1 victory, but the Saints’ offense is rightfully earning much of the attention.
When a team struggles on offense as badly as the Saints did in 2023 — and every season since Sean Payton’s departure, for that matter — games like this matter that much more. Saints fans aren’t expecting a Super Bowl run this season, but a playoff berth while playing in what’s still the weakest division in football isn’t an unreasonable request.
A much more formidable opponent in Dallas lies ahead next Sunday, but if the Saints’ offense shows up like they did on Sunday, there’s no reason they can’t pull off the road upset.
Offense may only be good for selling tickets, but it’s a pretty handy tool for selling hope, too.
