Tyler Shough, Kellen Moore Share Saints Owner’s Frustration About 1-4 Start

The New Orleans Saints looked poised for success in the first three weeks, but collapsed in Week 4 and struggled in Week 5.

Owner Gayle Benson said at a community luncheon this week that the 1–4 start is unacceptable and that she will do whatever it takes to improve the team.

“I hear the frustration directed toward our team and our organization. It is not lost on me. Our fans invest their time, their hearts in the Saints,” Benson said Tuesday in a speech to the Greater New Orleans Quarterback Club’s October meeting.

“They are right to expect more than we have delivered. As an owner, the responsibility does start with me. I will not make excuses, and I will not accept this level of performance as our standard. I am committed to making the decisions necessary to improve this team. Everyone in this organization understands the urgency. We must prepare better, execute consistently, and correct the mistakes that are costing us the games.”

The Saints lost a heartbreaker, 31–30, in their season opener against the Detroit Lions on a failed game-winning two-point conversion attempt in overtime. In Week 2, they upset the Baltimore Ravens 24–17 in Baltimore.

In Week 3, the Saints fell 35–27 to the Las Vegas Raiders; they had two chances to score a touchdown, but both drives ended in fumbles. They were blown out by the Atlanta Falcons 45–24 in Week 4, then lost to the Minnesota Vikings 23–13 last week.

Head coach Kellen Moore said at his press conference on Wednesday that he agreed with his owner.

“She—like all of us— we all want better results, and that’s how this business is. We’ve got great guys in this building that are doing everything they can to find the formula, and all we can control is moving forward, as far as playing better, coaching better, giving ourselves the opportunities moving forward,” Moore said.

Moore said he had not spoken to Benson in person, but would see her at the Saints’ facility throughout the week. Having coached under Jerry Jones in Dallas and Jeffrey Lurie in Philadelphia, Moore has experience with owners that demand greatness, but noted that the NFL is a results-oriented business.

He said he and Benson wanted the same thing, lamented missed opportunities that cost them a couple of wins, and said he wanted to capitalize on those opportunities in the future.

Quarterback Tyler Shough said he noticed the social media commentary, but the team doesn’t let it affect their daily grind.

“I think it starts with controlling what we can, and all of a sudden the narrative changes, or not, or we continue to slip, and we’ve got to find a way to control that … more than anything, it just starts with us, one rep, one practice,” he said.

“The only way we can change that is by having a really good practice. We’re going to have some meetings right now, and we go out there and do our job and go win in New York against one of the top teams in the NFC right now. They’re playing really well. That’s a good statement for sure. So that’s what we can control.”