NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 2019 SEASON IN REVIEW TEAM AND PLAYER NOTES • GAME SUMMARIES • ROSTERS • DEPTH CHART • TEAM, SUPPLE - MENTAL, INDIVIDUAL AND LEAGUE STATISTICS • PLAYER MINIBIOS 2019 SAINTS FINISH 13-3 AND CAPTURE THIRD STRAIGHT NFC SOUTH DIVISION TITLE; TEAM HOLDS 24TH PICK IN 2020 NFL DRAFT yards per reception. RB Alvin Kamara became only the 2019 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS second Saint to post 1,300 total yards from scrimmage in SEASON IN REVIEW three straight seasons and the first to be named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons. New Orleans end- The New Orleans Saints (13-3) secured their third con- ed the regular season having the fewest turnovers (eight) secutive NFC South crown and hosted a playoff game for in a single season in NFL history and tied for the fewest their third straight season for the first time in franchise his- lost fumbles (two). Brees, Thomas and T Terron Armstead tory. The Saints, who posted a 7-1 record on the road, tied were selected to the Pro Bowl. C Erik McCoy, the club’s for the best mark away from home in franchise history and second round draft pick opened every contest and was went 6-2 at home, have won 37 regular season games in named to the PFWA’s All-Rookie team the past three seasons under Head Coach Sean Payton, The Saints defense, led by a group with a mix of youth the highest win total in the league since 2017 as the first and experience, advanced even further in defensive coor- club to win at least 13 games in back-to-back campaigns dinator Dennis Allen’s fourth full season, posting 50 sacks since the 2016-17 New England Patriots. for the first time since 2001, ranked third in the league with WR Michael Thomas won his second consecutive NFL 51, led by Pro Bowl DE Cameron Jordan who posted 15.5 receiving title, totaling an NFL-record 149 receptions for takedowns. LB Demario Davis led the team with 111 tack- 1,725 yards, the seventh-highest single-season total in les and added four sacks in spearheading a unit ranked in league history and also a team record. Thomas’ nine the top-five in rushing defense for the first time since 1986- touchdown grabs tied for the team lead. Thomas was se- 87. Both who provided the Saints defense with a solid vet- lected as a Pro Bowl starter and as a first-team AP All-Pro. eran presence, were selected as Associated Press All- Pros. In the secondary, S Vonn Bell led the NFL with five The quarterback position also featured significant con- fumble recoveries, CB Marshon Lattimore was selected to tributions from all three players on the roster. QB Drew his second Pro Bowl, joining Jordan on defense and S Brees became the NFL’s all-time touchdown pass leader, Marcus Williams led the Black and Gold with four in- as he completed 281-of-378 passes for 2,979 yards terceptions. DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson posted 46 takles, (74.3%) with 27 touchdowns and only four interceptions one interception, eight passes defensed, one forced fum- with a career-high 116.3 passer rating. Brees led the ble and one recovery as he was PFWA All-Rookie. league in completion percentage for the third straight sea- son and ranked second in passer rating. While Brees was Under the supervision of Darren Rizzi for the first sea- sidelined with a right thumb injury, Teddy Bridgewater son, the Saints boasted one of the top special teams in the stepped in and won all five of his starts, completing 133-of- NFL in 2019. Special teams were led by Pro Bowl selec- 196 passes (67.9%) with nine touchdowns, two intercep- tions in K Wil Lutz, who set a club-record with 32 field tions and a 99.1 passer rating. Taysom Hill excelled in a goals and a career-high 144 points and rookie WR/RS De- hybrid offense/special teams role, completing three of six onte Harris, who averaged 26.8 yards per kickoff re- passes for 55 yards, carrying 27 times for 156 yards with a turn and 9.4 yards per punt return with one touchdown. P TD and catching 19 passes for 234 yards and six scores. Thomas Morstead ranked among league leaders with a 43.1 net punting average and second-year DB J.T. Gray Brees took advantage of two other weapons in his arse- led the coverage units with 16 special teams tackles and nal. TE Jared Cook posted 43 receptions for 705 yards one blocked punt. Harris, who was selected with Lutz to and nine touchdowns, leading league tights with 16.4 the Pro Bowl, joined Gray as All-Pro selections. Saints 2019 Season In Review 2 WEEK 2: Rams 27, Saints 9; September 15, 2019 @ Los GAME SUMMARIES Angeles Veterans Memorial Coliseum – New Orleans struggled to put together consistent drives on offense and WEEK 1: Saints 30, Texans 28; September 9, 2019 @ despite a gritty defensive effort, struggled on offense when Mercedes-Benz Superdome – After a rough start and both Drew Brees and Teddy Bridgewater quarterbacked trailing by as much as 11 points at halftime, the Saints the team after Brees was sidelined with a right thumb injury pulled off a thrilling 30-28 comeback victory, complete with that required surgery and sidelined him for five subsequent six sacks, a safety Marcus Williams pick, a balanced of- contests. After struggling with penalties, the Saints offense fense and a 58-yard field goal as time expired. was unable to overcome that on third down, finishing just 4- of-13 on their third down attempts. In the Monday night opener, QB Drew Brees finished with 370 passing yards, two touchdowns and a 105.8 rating. Following an interception by Rams S John Johnson, Los WR Michael Thomas topped the receiving corps with 123 Angeles capped their first drive, a seven-play 3:43 minute yards on ten receptions. WR Ted Ginn Jr. added seven drive with a 24-yard field goal by K Greg Zuerlein to get on receptions for 101 yards and a 41-yard grab. RB Alvin the scoreboard first, a lead they never relinquished. After a Kamara led the team in rushing with 97 yards on 13 second unsuccessful series by the Saints Brees was forced carries and had seven receptions for 72 yards. Latavius to leave the game with a thumb injury. However, the Rams Murray carried six times for 43 yards with a 30-yard TD. offense was unable to score on their next three offensive drives, as a sack by defensive end Cameron Jordan ended The rough start began with an unproductive first offensive one and a fumble recovery by the All-Pro end the other. drive for New Orleans followed by a series where Texans OLB Whitney Mercilus picked off a Brees pass intended for On the Saints’ first possession of the second quarter, pow- Murray at the Houston four-year line. Houston QB Deshaun ered by a 19-yard punt return by WR/RS Deonte Harris, K Watson then engineered a seven-play, 94-yard drive that Wil Lutz connected on a 30-yard field goal to put the ended with a 21-yard rushing touchdown by the third-year Saints on the board. Following a failed fourth down attempt signal-caller. New Orleans’ offense wouldn’t remain score- by the Saints and a subsequent 20-yard run by Rams RB less for long though as K Wil Lutz drilled a 32-yard field Todd Gurley, Zuerlein converted a 22-yard field goal at goal. The Texans then extended the lead to 14-3 on a two- the end of the first half. Besides a pair of field goals, the yard touchdown from Watson to WR Deandre Hopkins. Saints offense wasn't able to get going in the second half and the Rams used an four-yard touchdown run by Gurley The Saints got the ball first in the third quarter and scored and a two-yard touchdown connection between QB Jared their first touchdown of 2019 and moved within four on Goff and WR Brandin Cooks to extend the lead. Murray’s scoring run. But the Texans answered with a 16- yard touchdown connection from Watson to Hopkins. How- ever on New Orleans’ next possession, the Saints an- WEEK 3: Saints 33, Seahawks 27; September 22, 2019 swered back with a seven-yard touchdown pass from @ CenturyLink Field – RB Alvin Kamara powered the Brees to QB Taysom Hill, followed up by Williams’ pick. New Orleans offense, grinding out 161 total yards from On the first play of the fourth quarter, New Orleans took scrimmage and two touchdowns to stake the Saints to a 33 their first lead of the night when Brees connected with wide -27 victory. The Saints defense and special teams did the receiver Tre’Quan Smith on a 14-yard touchdown. Follow- rest, stopping four fourth down conversions and dominating ing another Lutz field goal, the Texans answered when the kicking game, while creating 13 points. Watson found Texans wide receiver Kenny Stills for a 37- Kamara rushed for 69 yards and caught nine passes for 92 yard touchdown connection with 37 seconds left in the con- yards, scoring touchdowns on the ground and through the test. air. QB Teddy Bridgewater, starting in place of an injured Brees then completed three quick passes and spiked the Drew Brees, completed 19-of-27 passes for 177 yards ball twice.