DAT’S DAVIS: Uncertainty Abounds for Saints in Lead up to Jets Matchup

NFL: Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Saints, moving forward from their loss to the Dallas Cowboys, have a fairly easy schedule the rest of the way, starting with a game against the New York Jets on Sunday, December 12th. However, their offensive injuries are continuing to present obstacles and now they have to overcome losing their stalwart DE Cameron Jordan.

Jordan, who has never missed a single game for the Saints since being drafted back in the 2011 NFL Draft, has been placed on the COVID-19 list as a result of a positive test. His perfect attendance record with the Saints is now in jeopardy & his absence is leaving the defensive line even more wounded.

DE Tanoh Kpassgnon was placed on the Injured Reserve list last week, while DE Marcus Davenport, the team’s best pass-rusher, missed last week’s game against the Dallas Cowboys with a shoulder injury. It remains to be seen if he will return to practice this week. DT Malcolm Roach was designated to return from Injured Reserve.

Wide Receiver Deonte Harris has officially been suspended for three games by the NFL due to his offseason DUI arrest. He challenged the suspension, which delayed it taking effect but lost. Now he will miss the next three weeks, making him eligible to return for Week 17, the last game of the Saints regular season. I recently wrote about the significance of Harris’s loss, to the Saints offense, and how it would leave the Saints crippled should Harris’s attempted appeal fail.

Harris now has 31 Receptions for 523 yards, which eclipses Wide Receiver Tre’Quan Smith’s career high of 448 receiving yards back in 2020. He’s a diamond in the rough, to be sure. As a Saints fan, the continuous loss of so many critical players is concerning and will make it hard for the team to find its rhythm as their schedule progresses. Let’s hope the relative weakness of their opponents prevails over the team’s own handicaps.

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