Unprepared, Undisciplined: Saints’ Three-Phase Meltdown

This wasn’t a bounce or two. It unraveled fast and never recovered.

How it flipped (first quarter):

3rd-and-8 stop erased by a post-play personal foul on Bresee - drive lives - TD.

4th-and-1 tush-push - false start.

Punt - 95-yard return TD.

Next series: five penalties in seven snaps - blocked punt - short-field TD.

Add a 60-yard kick return and an offside on a FG block (Seattle made the retry).
Halftime: 38–6 (worst since 2005). Seattle scored on every first-half drive and reached 41 before needing a third-down conversion.

Numbers that tell the story:

Penalties: 13 flags (11 accepted, 77 yds).

Special Teams: 95-yd PR TD, blocked punt, 60-yd KR; Grupe missed a kick for the third straight game.

Pass rush: just 2 QB hits (Bresee, Jonah Williams).

Offense: Rattler 28/39, 218, TD/INT; Olave 10/57 (14 tgt); Kamara 18/42 (2.3 YPC).

3rd down: Saints 5/15; 4.1 yards/play.

I break down the minute-by-minute collapse, why the end-of-half field goal sent the wrong message, look ahead to Buffalo next week. Full recap here - LINK