Breaking 3news: New Orleans Saints MUST Focus On FIXING Offensive Line Woes, Struggles In Secondary Over Bye Week

New Orleans, La. The bye week has arrived for the New Orleans Saints, and it could not have come at a more necessary time. Sitting at 2-5 after a dispiriting 16-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Paris, the Saints have stumbled into their off week with two glaring deficiencies that threaten to derail whatever remains of their season: an offensive line that cannot generate movement in the run game, and a secondary that has been carved up with alarming consistency. Both issues were on full display at the Stade de France. The Saints mustered a mere 18 rushing yards on 17 attempts against Pittsburgh, the sixth-lowest rushing total in franchise history and their worst ground output in nearly three decades. Quarterback Tyler Shough, despite completing nearly 79% of his passes for 278 yards, was forced to carry an impossible load because the run game offered no complementary threat. His one interception, a red-zone mistake in the third quarter, proved catastrophic precisely because New Orleans could not afford any margin for error. The offensive line’s failures are not a new development. The unit has been a persistent liability all season, despite significant investment. The Saints signed guard David Edwards to a four-year, $61 million deal in March and have drafted three tackles in the first round over the past five seasons. Yet the results have not followed. Shough has faced more pressure than any quarterback in the league, and the run game’s 3.5 yards per carry ranks fifth-worst in the NFL. According to Next Gen Stats, Saints running backs are averaging just 0.83 yards before contact, also the fifth-worst mark in the league, suggesting defenders are meeting ball carriers almost immediately after the handoff. The loss of left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. to a severe high-ankle sprain requiring surgery has compounded the problem. Banks, the No. 9 overall pick in 2025, was the Saints’ best run blocker before his injury, leading the unit with an 80.6% run block win rate. His replacement, Asim Richards, has struggled mightily in pass protection, allowing 17 pressures on 144 pass-blocking snaps compared to Banks’ six pressures on 94 snaps. The drop-off has been stark. Center Erik McCoy acknowledged the inconsistency but stopped short of assigning blame. “Our motto is and always will be, ‘Take care of the down guys first,’” McCoy said. “Do I think there’s room for growth there? Yes. It’s hit and miss. Some plays yes, some plays no. Some games yes, some games no. There’s not a consensus”. The secondary presents an equally urgent problem. Against Atlanta earlier this season, the Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. averaged a staggering 11.2 yards per attempt on just 20 throws, systematically exploiting cushion and blown assignments. Cornerbacks Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley have both endured brutal stretches. McKinstry has allowed 13 catches on 22 targets for 209 yards, while Riley has surrendered three touchdowns on just 21 targets. Safety play has offered little relief. Jonas Sanker has allowed 17 completions on 19 targets, and veteran Justin Reid, who entered concussion protocol during the Paris game, has allowed 13 catches on 15 targets with no forced incompletions. The numbers paint a grim picture: the Saints’ primary defensive backs have collectively surrendered 57 completions on 79 targets for 657 yards, seven touchdowns, and just one interception, allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete over 70% of their passes with virtually no disruption. Head coach Kellen Moore has resisted wholesale staff changes, telling reporters after the Paris loss that the team must “evaluate everything” but declining to commit to any specific moves. Still, pressure is mounting. Offensive line coach Brendan Nugent has drawn scrutiny for a unit that has regressed despite continued investment. The case for parting ways with Nugent rests on a simple premise: the players have not forgotten how to block, but the coaching and scheme are not reaching them. For Moore, the bye week represents a critical juncture. The Saints have lost 16 of their 24 games under his leadership, and the same issues, an inability to run the ball, protect the quarterback, and defend the pass — have recurred with frustrating regularity. Changes to the coaching staff, particularly along the offensive line, seem increasingly likely. Reassigning run game coordinator T.J. Paganetti to take over the line room is one option that has been floated, given his background under Philadelphia’s Jeff Stoutland. The secondary may require a harder reset. Justin Reid’s concussion in Paris forced Jordan Howden into action, and the communication breakdowns that have plagued the back end all season were evident even before Reid’s exit. Whether the solution lies in scheme adjustments, personnel changes, or simply better tackling, the Saints cannot afford to keep bleeding explosive plays. Shough, for his part, has shouldered blame that does not belong entirely to him. The young quarterback has performed admirably under adverse circumstances, but the Saints’ one-dimensional offense has made his job untenable. As one analysis put it, asking Shough to be perfect every week while the run game offers nothing is “unrealistic” and “unsustainable”. The bye week offers no games to win, but it offers something equally valuable: time. Time to diagnose, to coach, and to change. The Saints return to action with their season already on the brink. If the offensive line and secondary remain unfixed, the losses will continue, regardless of which continent they play on. For Moore and his staff, the message is clear: the problems are known. The solutions must come now.