NFL News & Analysis

NFL Week 5 Game Recap: New Orleans Saints 33, Washington Football Team 22

Landover, Maryland, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Marquez Callaway (1) celebrates with New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) after connecting on a touchdown pass against the Washington Football Team during the fourth quarter at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Jameis Winston threw four touchdown passes, including a second-half Hail Mary, and the New Orleans Saints outlasted the Washington Football Team 33-22 in Week 5.


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New Orleans Saints

Quarterback

The box score will look a bit better for Jameis Winston than his PFF grade. He completed 15-of-30 passes for 279 yards, four touchdowns and one interception while taking two sacks, but his grade on first review is under 60.0. One of his scores came on a second-half Hail Mary, as well. The up-and-down nature of his play was evident with his two big-time throws and two turnover-worthy plays on the day. He completed just 4-of-14 passes that went more than 10 yards in the air for 167 yards and two touchdowns.

Jameis Winston Week 5
Passing yards Touchdowns Interceptions Big-time throws
Turnover-worthy plays
279 4 0 2 2
Running Backs

Alvin Kamara gained 49 of his 71 rushing yards after contact while forcing two broken tackles, including a 23-yard touchdown run. He also caught five passes for 51 yards and another score, but he dropped three of his targets on the day.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Marquez Callaway hauled in the first-half Hail Mary for a touchdown and caught another three passes for 36 yards and another score in the game. He finished with four receptions for 85 yards and the two scores. Only 12 of his receiving yards came after the catch. Deonte Harris only had one target on the day, but he caught it while running wide open over the middle of the field and took it to the house for a 72-yard touchdown.

Offensive Line

Pass protection was a bit of a travesty for New Orleans. Calvin Throckmorton, Andrus Peat and Ryan Ramczyk allowed four pressures apiece, and Winston was under pressure on 53% of his total dropbacks. Tackle James Hurst and center Cesar Ruiz were the only two Saints offensive linemen who actually held their own. The duo allowed just two pressures between them.

Defensive Line

New Orleans' defense faced little adversity in the run game. Six of the eight defensive linemen who played north of 30 defensive snaps in the game earned PFF run-defense grades above 65.0 on first review. Carl Granderson led the group with four total pressures and a 75.4 PFF grade.

Linebackers

Demario Davis and Peter Werner combined for seven total defensive stops and zero missed tackles in the game. Werner also recorded a forced incompletion and allowed just 16 yards in coverage. Davis, on the other hand, was beat for more than 80 yards in coverage and will likely finish PFF's grading process with a sub-60.0 PFF coverage grade as a result.

Secondary

Marshon Lattimore was a one-man wrecking crew in coverage. He allowed just two receptions on nine targets for 31 yards (two first downs) and recorded seven forced incompletions, by far the most of any defensive back in a single game this season. He should finish PFF's review process with a 90.0-plus coverage grade.

Washington Football Team

Quarterback

Taylor Heinicke was yet again a roller coaster for Washington. He recorded three big-time throws and three turnover-worthy plays in a losing effort against New Orleans. He completed just 20-of-41 passes for 248 yards, zero touchdowns and two picks en route to a sub-50.0 PFF passing grade on first review. A whopping 21 of his pass attempts went for more than 10 air yards, but he completed just seven of them for 126 yards and the two picks.

Running Backs

Even though he did find the end zone twice, Antonio Gibson totaled just 60 rushing yards on 20 carries. He only forced one missed tackle and gained 40 of his yards after contact. And he only added another 12 yards on two receptions in the passing game.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

New Orleans' secondary, specifically Marshon Lattimore, suffocated Washington's receiving corps. Star wideout Terry McLaurin was clamped up for most of the game and caught just 4-of-11 targets for 46 yards and two first downs with zero drops. The team's leading receiver, Adam Humphries, caught three of his five targets for 73 yards and three first downs.

Offensive Line

Rookie right tackle Samuel Cosmi earned 70.0-plus grades in run blocking and pass protection before suffering an ankle injury that kept him out for the rest of the game. Backup Cornelius Lucas came in for Cosmi and allowed zero total pressures on his 34 pass-blocking snaps. Center Chase Roullier was the only Washington offensive lineman with a notably underwhelming performance. He allowed total pressures and earned the lowest PFF pass-blocking grade on the team on first review.

Defensive Line

Washington's defensive line had a field day against New Orleans. Second-year phenom Chase Young should finish reviews with the highest grade of the bunch with his two defensive stops, six total pressures and a strip-sack. Matt Ioannidis, Da'Ron Payne and Montez Sweat all had three or more pressures, as well.

Linebackers

Both Cole Holcomb and Jamin Davis earned sub-30.0 PFF grades on first review. Neither player made a significant impact in the run game, and even though Holcomb had the interception, he still allowed three first downs and 70 yards in coverage on PFF's first review of the broadcast film.

Secondary

Safety Landon Collins was at fault for a lot of Washington's woes in coverage. He allowed more than 140 yards and two touchdowns in coverage, earning a sub-30.0 PFF coverage grade in the process. No other Washington defensive back allowed more than 21 yards in coverage.

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