It’s pre-season! It’s pre-season! It’s pre-season! That’s what Saints fans need to tell themselves after a 30-27 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night. The loss came after New Orleans had taken the lead 27-23 on a Marcus Murphy touchdown run, with 2 minutes left in the game. The Who-Dat Nation can handle the loss, because it’s pre-season! But, the fact that the injury bug bit in the 1st pre-season game may be a little harder to take. On the Saints 1st defensive drive, cornerback Brandon Browner was carted off to the locker room at the end of Baltimore’s 16-play, 80-yard scoring drive to open Thursday night’s preseason tilt between the two teams.
Browner appeared to suffer the injury at the end of the drive when his lower leg was hit by the helmet of Saints linebacker Hau’oli Kikaha. Browner signed with the Saints after winning a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots last season. Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe sustained an injury and also went to the locker room. He also came up limping and then went to the locker room under his own power. Also, Delvin Breaux, a New Orleans Native, also left the game after breaking up a pass in the 1st quarter.
Saints 3rd String Quarterback Ryan Griffin threw for 112 yards and was 10-17 with one touchdown. Starter Drew Brees dressed, but didn’t play. Baltimore put up 17 points before the Saints would crack the scoreboard.
New Orleans had 16 penalties for 143 yards, and Head Coach Sean Payton says when you win the turnover battle, you should win the game. Unless, you have so many penalties. “We wanted to win. But, we just had to many penalties., just to many!”
Payton and the Saints will practice against the New England Patriots in advance of next Saturday’s pre-season matchup in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.