The New Orleans Saints, led by rookie head coach Kellen Moore, aim to return to their roots and build the franchise’s future after starting the 2025 season with a 1–4 record.

With losses to the Cardinals, 49ers, Bills, and Seahawks, the Saints now prepare for a challenging home game against the Patriots.

After getting off to a hot start last year with a 2-0 record, many were predicting the Saints to be Super Bowl contenders. However, after each week, the Saints found themselves in a deeper hole of injuries and steadily declining play, ultimately ending with a 2-7 record before firing head coach Dennis Allen.

The Saints ended their highly anticipated season with an extremely disappointing 5-12 record.

The Saints decided to hit the reset button by hiring the Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore, as their head coach. This move was followed by numerous other coaching hires, like Doug Nussmeier for offensive coordinator and Brandon Staley as defensive coordinator.

Kellen Moore started as a standout quarterback in college before he had a very brief NFL career. After this, he decided he wasn’t done with football, so he decided to become a coach. He quickly became known for his offensive genius and ability to use the talent around him to the utmost ability.

“I think Kellen Moore will be able to pull the Saints together and thrive as the head coach. He seems like he has his stuff together,” Saint Paul’s junior Aidan LeRibeus stated.

The two new coordinators also add experience to the staff. Nussmeier is an ex-NFL quarterback who has coached for college and NFL teams alike. Staley has transformed defenses before, like the Rams, who became a defensive powerhouse under his coaching.

The Saints also acquired some more depth in free agency. One of the most exciting signings is wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who was drafted by the Saints in 2014. This adds much-needed depth to a wide receiver core that was plagued by injuries last year.

Another notable signing was safety Justin Reid. This will help the struggling secondary, especially after the retirement of Tyrann Mathieu. Another good depth signing is Isaac Yiadom. This adds a familiar face back to the team that will help bolster an otherwise young corner room. But maybe the biggest signing came from someone already on the team; the Saints decided to extend Chase Young to a 3-year, $60 million deal, but he has been hurt so far this year.

While the Saints filled in some holes and figured out their coaching situation, another big problem loomed: who would play quarterback?

“I think Spencer Rattler has the most potential out of the two. He has more experience and should continue to start over Tyler Shough,” stated Saint Paul’s Junior Lane LaBorde.

Kellen Moore, faced with a difficult decision, decided that Spencer Rattler would lead the team into battle week one, as he outplayed Shough in training camp.

The Saints took on the Arizona Cardinals for their week one matchup. It was a hard-fought game and an exciting watch. The Saints ultimately came out with a 13-20 loss.

The biggest problem was discipline. The Saints had 13 penalties and bailed the Cardinals out multiple times in crucial moments.

The new quarterback, Spencer Rattler, looked poised in his first outing, completing 27 of 46 passes for a total of 216 yards. He played well enough to keep it close until the last drive, where the Saints were stopped, putting an end to the game.

Alvin Kamara played well, averaging a little over 4 yards per carry and running for a touchdown. The defence had a shutout in the second half and played well overall, holding the Cardinals to twenty points. Ultimately, the game left many fans optimistic for the future.

After the first loss at home, the Saints looked to take on the 49ers. The game came down to another potential game-saving drive; it was cut short in the red zone with the Saints’ line caving under pressure, sealing the game in favor of the 49ers 24-17.

Quarterback Spencer Rattler showed some improvement, completing several key passes and keeping drives alive. Alvin Kamara continued to be a consistent force in the backfield, gaining solid yardage and keeping the offense moving.

Brandin Cooks made a few big plays, showing why the team brought him back. However, the Saints were held back by penalties and turnovers that killed their momentum.

Their defense played well for the most part, but was unable to come up with crucial stops in the end, leading to the Saints losing their second straight game.

In their third game, the Saints were dominated by the Seahawks, unable to find any kind of rhythm on either side of the ball. From the opening kickoff, Seattle controlled the pace, making the Saints play from behind.

The Saints could never really find their way back into the mix because of the constant onslaught of mistakes in all three phases of the game.

Spencer Rattler statistically had a decent game, apart from his late-game interception. Passing for over 200 yards and a touchdown, poor quarterback play was by no means the reason for the blowout.

The punt team was a complete disaster, with a blocked punt as well as a punt returned for a touchdown. This, combined with the apparent overall lack of spirit, led to the Saints losing 44-13.

In Week 4, the Saints traveled up to Buffalo but again came up short in a 31-19 loss.

New Orleans showed growth on the ground with Spencer Rattler, Alvin Kamara, and Kendre Miller all chipping in rushing yards, giving the offense balance. But red-zone inefficiency killed Saints drives that should have ended in scores.

A botched “Philly Special” trick play resulted in an interception, only making things worse for the struggling offense.

Buffalo’s offense, led by Josh Allen, made the Saints pay. Allen threw two touchdown passes, also running for one. The Bills’ ground attack also found room, with James Cook breaking 100 yards.

Defensively, the Saints remained disciplined and made stops, but couldn’t come up with much-needed turnovers.

Once more, mistakes and missed opportunities defined the result. The Saints dropped to 0–4, still searching for answers on both ends.

Week 5 finally brought some relief as the Saints broke through for their first win of 2025, taking down the Giants 26-14 at home.

The turning point was forcing turnovers. New Orleans was able to steal 5 possessions from the Giants. Kool-Aid McKinstry bagged two interceptions, and Jordan Howden turned a fumble into an 86-yard return TD, cementing the win.

Meanwhile, Spencer Rattler connected on a huge 87-yard strike to Rashid Shaheed, finally showing the potential of the offense.

The defense deserves some credit, too. After the early swings, they clamped down and didn’t allow much from the Giants in the second half. No collapse, no late-game breakdown.

The win, while far from perfect, highlighted what this team can look like when mistakes are minimized and momentum is grabbed. For Coach Kellen Moore and the Saints, it was a first step toward reclaiming confidence.

The Saints’ 1-4 start to the 2025 season has been a reminder of all the work ahead for the new head coach. While flashes of promise have shown themselves particularly from Spencer Rattler, Jonas Sanker, and Carl Granderson, discipline issues, costly mistakes, and inconsistency in all three phases have kept New Orleans from finding its footing.

The losses to the Cardinals, 49ers, Seahawks, and Bills have exposed weaknesses, but they have also provided valuable lessons for a team in transition.

Under rookie head coach Kellen Moore, the Saints are in the middle of a rebuild not just of a roster, but of a culture. The off-season additions, coaching changes, and position battles show a franchise trying to adapt and commit to growth. Moore’s challenge will be turning those changes into results while instilling resilience and consistency.

–

Featured Image Photo Credit: Michael C. Herbert/New Orleans Saints