What we learned, what is trending and final thoughts from the Saints 34-22 win

It was not always pretty, it was consistently weird, but the thing that matters is the New Orleans Saints started the 2020 season with a 34-23 win against the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Saints got contributions from all three phases to ruin Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay debut.

What we learned

This is not necessarily something new that we learned, but Sunday was our first chance to validate what we thought we already knew: The Saints are a deep, talented team that can weather a rough patch here and there from one aspect of its team because the odds are that the other two phases are going to hold the rope. The Saints offense did not operate with its usual hum and rhythm for all four quarters, but while it was searching the defense picked Brady off twice (including a pick-six by Janoris “Jackrabbit” Jenkins) and the special teams unit both blocked a kick and recovered a fumble on a kickoff (see more below). The Saints are so difficult to beat not only because of their stars, but because of their 1-through-53 depth.

Trending now

The roster rules are a little bit different this year, allowing teams to take some extra precautions against COVID-19. The practice squad was one of the areas that was most significantly overhauled in the wake of the pandemic, as teams are able to keep more tenured veterans on their practice squad and are able to elevate two per week to the active roster and revert them back to the practice squad Monday without risking the players in waivers. Saturday, the Saints elevated veterans Margus Hunt and Bennie Fowler from the practice squad. Sunday, Hunt blocked a field goal attempt and Fowler recovered a fumble on a kickoff. That is using your entire roster to your benefit.

Final thoughts

That was weird, right? I’m having a hard time getting over the fact that among the most prominent noises I heard in the Superdome Sunday was the squeal of the netting being raised behind the goal post for a field goal. I have apparently had the incredibly good fortune of having never heard that sound before Sunday, but it was impossible not to hear things. You could hear players yelling things (“Fourth quarter baby, let’s go!” one unknown Tampa Bay player yelled). The worst was when they went to a TV timeout, and they stopped the piped in noise entirely, blanketing the normally boisterous Superdome in strange, unwelcome silence. Look, it didn’t seem to bother the players, but I, for one, am hopeful we can get this behind us as quickly as possible.