Los Angeles Chargers

"Who Dats who did" and "Who Dats who didn't" - Week 4 vs. Chargers

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Saints came away with their first win of the season in Week 4 action against the San Diego Chargers. There were plenty of low points and just enough high points to make the Saints victorious.

Oct 2, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) and San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) shake hands after the Saints beat the Chargers 35-34 at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Who Dat Dish’s weekly column devoted to giving shout outs to solid performances and calling out poor ones is a tough one following the Saints’ win on the road in San Diego. The team performance overall was sloppy.

There were a ton of negatives on both sides of the ball. But just as many players who put in poor performances came up big in the end. So we’ll have a lot of caveats to go with this week’s mentions.

The main takeaway, however, is that the Black and Gold are finally in the win column going into a Week 5 bye. Spending the next two weeks dwelling on an 0-4 start would have put the Saints in a place it would have been hard to get out of. Now, with a win under their belts, there’s a positive feeling going into the rest of the season.

With no further ado, let’s look at the Who Dats who did.

Sterling Moore has only been with the Saints a short time but has made his presence felt in every game.

Oct 2, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers wide receiver Travis Benjamin (12) fumbles the football as New Orleans Saints defensive back Sterling Moore (24) defends during the fourth quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

It’s hard to believe Moore only came to the team on September 6. A mere five days before the first game of the season. The contest in San Diego was only his third game on the field in Black and Gold.

Against the Chargers he had a change of scenery, playing more in the slot as fellow newcomer B.W. Webb took over on the outside.

Against the Chargers, Moore had 4 total tackles and 1 pass defensed. That’s not telling the whole story.

Moore isn’t given credit for it but with the Saints down by six in the waning moments of the 4th quarter, the cornerback slapped at a ball which had just been completed to Chargers wide receiver Travis Benjamin forcing a fumble and setting up the Saints for a game-winning touchdown drive.

TV announcers called it a drop, a simple fumble, and camera angles of the play were blocked by either players on the field or the goal post blocking the camera in the end zone. But it’s clear the Moore jabbed at the ball and it dropped out of Benjamin’s hands after that.

He further tipped a ball headed for Chargers receiver Dontrelle Inman which was a sure first down as the Bolts looked to drive for a game winning field goal.

There’s not a lot of experience or depth in the Saints cornerback corps and Sterling Moore is the current elder statesman. What he does with that experience will go a long way in determining how the Who Dats play out the rest of this year.

It’s 1,816 miles from New Orleans to San Diego but that didn’t stop a large number of Who Dats from forming up behind their boys in Qualcomm Stadium.

Oct 2, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; New Orleans Saints fans hold up a sign during the second half of the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. New Orleans won 35-34. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

There are several teams in the NFL with legions of fans who follow them religiously. The Cheeseheads of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers are legendary. But on Sunday October 2, in San Diego, Who Dat Nation gave the Saints a feeling of being at a home game for much of the day.

The travails of being a Who Dat are well noted. So many losing seasons and the wreck that was the city following Hurricane Katrina and a season spent on the road in 2005. But it’s hard to shake the faith of a Saints fan.

If you follow the Saints and their players on Twitter you got a healthy dose of thanks for the feeling the team got with those “in that number” representing the city all the way out on the West Coast.

San Diego is an amazing city to visit. Especially if you’ve dealt with a summer of New Orleans heat. But those in Black and Gold in the stands on Sunday were there for their team. Period. Finally rewarded for their dedication this season it certainly made the trip back easier with the Saints coming out on top.

John Kuhn was with the Green Bay Packers for nine seasons before being cut loose as a free agent. He’s finally starting to feel his oats as a Saint.

Oct 2, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; New Orleans Saints fullback John Kuhn (29) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the first half of the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

He didn’t put up a ton of yards in this one but Kuhn came away with 3 TDs, dashing the hopes of many fantasy footballers out there who would rather have a Brees touchdown pass. Against the Chargers John Kuhn solidified his role on this team.

On one particularly hilarious play near the end zone, Kuhn leapt as high in the air as his fullback frame would allow and intercepted a pass clearly intended for tight end Coby Fleener positioned about four yards behind him. Had it gone to Fleener it would have been a touchdown. As it was, the completion to Kuhn was a first down and good enough.

What’s important is to see the determination to finish this still productive vet was demonstrating. Finishing the day with 12 yards total and 3 TDs. That’s the lot of a fullback in the NFL and Kuhn is a welcome addition who’ll give the Who Dats a solid dose of the bull doggedness necessary to pull wins from the jaws of defeat.

Mark Ingram still isn’t getting the number of touches he should be. But he’s making the most out of what’s being given him and having a solid season.

Oct 2, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram (22) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the San Diego Chargers during the first quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Against the Chargers, Ingram put up his second 100+ yard game of the season. Just. As he did last week against the Falcons, putting up 100+ total yards. Just.

One would imagine, in the upcoming October 16 matchup against the Carolina Panthers the Saints must surely start to cut loose a little more with #22.

He’s doing it running and catching. You can see the determination in Ingram’s game and how disappointed he must be that he’s not getting more opportunities. 56 yards rushing and 49 yards receiving was what Ingram produced against the Bolts with one rushing touchdown.

He’s capable of a lot more when given the chance. When the offensive line gets its act together you can expect to see the production increase. For now, Ingram is quietly putting together yet another solid season for the Black and Gold.

And now we get to the Who Dats who didn’t.

We’ll just have two Who Dats who didn’t this week and they’re two groups consisting of multiple players.

Oct 2, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) is sacked by New Orleans Saints nose tackle Nick Fairley (90) during the fourth quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The Saints defense is easily the weakest link on this 2016 team as they have been on many teams in recent memory. No single element is without blame.

The defensive line didn’t get enough pressure on Philip Rivers, the linebackers consistently missed assignments as did the safeties. The cornerbacks once again gave away chunks.

Good grades could be given to linebacker Nate Stupar who led the team with eight tackles and defensive tackle Nick Fairley who had 1.5 sacks. You could also give a shout out to rookie defensive tackle David Onyemata who is really starting to learn the American game after coming from Canada. He’s consistently starting to get pressure up the middle when on the field.

If it weren’t for the three turnovers with less than seven minutes left, the other 53 minutes of this game were pretty atrocious.

Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen were trying some different personnel groupings this week starting Vonn Bell over Jairus Byrd at safety and with Craig Robertson filling the middle linebacker position for the first time as a Saint. Sterling Moore was moved to the slot corner position and B.W. Webb placed on the outside.

Nothing seems to be working as the Black and Gold D continues to give up huge chunks. Alignment issues are still a major concern as Chargers receivers were frequently left uncovered.

Something will eventually have to be done to change the Who Dat defensive scheme to better suit the personnel available to the team allowing them to perform best being put into favorable situations. That’s not happening right now.

If the Saints can continue to play opportunistic football and force turnovers it will give them a chance. But you can’t count on that as the Falcons displayed so effectively over a week ago.

We can hope that things get better when some injured players, Delvin Breaux and Sheldon Rankins, return, but it’s not likely those two will dramatically reshape the performance of this defense.

To their credit, the bend, don’t break approach worked on two drives in which the Chargers were held to field goals. But that’s not been the norm with this unit.

This isn’t the Saints offense we’re used to. Brees is still producing but not looking sharp. What’s the deal?

Oct 2, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) looks on during a pause in play during the fourth quarter in the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. New Orleans won 35-34. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

It’s hard to put a finger on it but the Saints offense is looking shaky this season. It’s not what Who Dat Nation has come to expect out of the Drew Brees led unit going back to 2006. He’s still pretty far up on the charts of NFL quarterbacks but something seems off.

It seems safe to say that Brees has seldom looked comfortable in the pocket in 2016. Whether it’s some concern following his shoulder injury that made him miss his first game as a Saint last year or just lack of faith in this offensive line.

Brees is getting happy feet and getting taken off his spot frequently. The offensive line the Saints are playing with these days isn’t a terribly strong unit. The guards were the soft spot and it was expected that the Black and Gold would address that over the most recent offseason. They didn’t.

Aging vet Jahri Evans was brought in at the last minute to play right guard, somehow counting twice against the salary cap following his other most recent tenure, and less than solid second year player Andrus Peat has been playing left guard. Neither are in any danger of going to any Pro Bowls. And with solid left tackle Terron Armstead being out dealing with nagging knee and hamstring injuries, the line is worse.

Peat has been playing left tackle and looking pretty lost much of the time. Tim Lelito is filling in at left guard. Backup guard Senio Kelemete was out against the Chargers. He typically would be rotating with Evans to give the aging vet some breathers. So against the Bolts a lot was being expected of some players who haven’t been consistently showing the ability to deliver.

Drew has been short hopping throws, throwing behind his targets, and frequently not being able to find anybody open. It’s a young receiving corps and gone are stalwarts Marques Colston and Jimmy Graham. But Brees has been working with these guys throughout the offseason and through three games and practices.

It’s going to take a lot of work, maybe even simplifying the playbook until the Saints can get the offensive line where it needs to be. Brees finished the game Sunday going 23 of 36 for 207 yards 2 TD and 2 INTs. Those are mid tier quarterback numbers. Not what you’d expect from this Saint by a long shot.

Granted the offense got it done when needed. But the Saints had to rely on the defense making turnovers to turn the Chargers game around. It would be foolish to expect that week in and week out.

These are some serious issues, the offensive line, that will definitely have to be addressed going into 2017.