The Saints’ season in review: Tennessee Titans vs. Week 1.

The New Orleans Saints opened the 2023–24 NFL season at home against the Tennessee Titans. For the first time, preseason anticipation and fanfare surrounding the Saints’ signing of experienced quarterback Derek Carr—a four-time Pro Bowler—were supposed to matter. And thus had officially begun Dennis Allen’s second act as Head Coach in the Crescent City—one that was certain to be greatly enhanced. Who Dat Nation had high expectations for a team that they believed had underestimated their talent the season before, despite having the second weakest schedule.

We should have prepared ourselves for an extremely wild trip this past season if the first kickoff served as any sign of what was to come. Tennessee recovered the football inside the field of play after All-Pro return man Rasheed Shaheed, who was stripped of the ball before it went out of bounds, took the kick toward the left sideline. It was a 3-0 deficit early on as the Defense was able to respond to the sudden change and limit the Titans to just a field goal after the turnover. Derek Carr completed four of seven passes while leading the Saints’ offense down inside on their first real offensive possession of the season. the Titans 10-yard line, but instead of scoring, they stalled, letting rookie kicker Blake Grupe tie the score with their own 26-yard field goal. The teams exchanged a few more field goals, with the Saints advancing deep into Tennessee territory, until Carr was intercepted at the 13, giving the Titans a 9-6 lead at the half.

In second half action, both defenses maintained their stingy play as the teams continued their “Battle of the Uprights” at Caesars Superdome. Dennis Allen’s defense was able to pick off Ryan Tannehill 3 times, while Coach Mike Vrabel’s defense was able to keep consistent pressure on Derek Carr, sacking him 4 times. The game was knotted up at 9-9 before WR Rasheed Shaheed caught a touchdown with 1:23 remaining in the 3rd quarter, marking not only the Saints first TD of the game and year, but also Carr’s first as the Saints QB. That score would provide the lone touchdown and prove pivotal in this NFC/ AFC clash.

For the Titans and Saints, the fourth and final quarter offered essentially the same story as the first three chapters, with defense winning out. The Tennessee offense managed to add two more field goals, but it was insufficient to overcome the New Orleans Saints defense’s “bend but don’t break” approach. On a crucial third and six, Derek Carr was able to establish contact with Shaheed once again, setting up a 41-yard pass and grab to seal the victory. Who Dats would come away with the narrow “W” in the home opener 16-15 over the Titans with Carr throwing for over 300 yards and defensively keeping Tannehill to a 9.8 QBR.

Upon rewatching this one through to the end for the third time, I realized that a lot of the problems that plagued the Saints for a significant chunk of the season began in Week 1. Poor pass protection, “vanilla” play calling, poor red zone execution—all of these would eventually become crippling elements of a team that would finish as a 9-8 squad. However, there were also some encouraging results from DE Carl Granderson, LB Demario Davis, and WRs Chris Olave and Rasheed Shaheed’s strong plays. Notwithstanding the flaws, New Orleans would now take their undefeated record on the road when they faced the Carolina Panthers, a division opponent.

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