The Saints are four weeks into the 2027 season, and the record says 1–3. The scoreboard in Indianapolis says 48–24 Colts. On the surface, it looks like another tough chapter in a season that hasn’t found its footing yet.
But context matters—and Week 4 offered plenty of it.
Ran Into a Buzzsaw in Indianapolis
The Colts didn’t just win this game. They played like a team that knows exactly who it is.
Anthony Richardson Sr. delivered one of the most efficient performances any quarterback has had against New Orleans this season:
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19/23 passing
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321 yards
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4 passing touchdowns
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158.3 passer rating
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Zero turnovers
Indianapolis scored early, scored efficiently, and rarely put itself in bad situations. When a quarterback plays that clean and a run game adds 161 yards, you’re not just defending plays—you’re defending momentum.
The Saints simply didn’t get enough disruption early to knock the Colts out of rhythm.
Offense: Flashes of Identity, Not Full Control Yet
New Orleans wasn’t lifeless offensively. It just wasn’t dominant enough to keep pace.
John Mateer delivered a steady but unspectacular outing:
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218 passing yards
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2 touchdowns
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1 interception
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101.7 rating
The offense moved the ball in spurts, particularly through the air. E. Stowers continued to assert himself as a reliable weapon:
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99 receiving yards
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1 touchdown
And once again, D. Reid was the engine on the ground:
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20 carries
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85 yards
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1 rushing touchdown
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Multiple broken tackles
But unlike previous weeks, the Saints couldn’t impose the run game early enough to dictate tempo. Falling behind meant fewer downhill looks, fewer play-action opportunities, and more pressure to keep up through the air.
That’s not where this team is at its best—yet.
Defense: Bend, Then Break
The defensive numbers tell a clear story:
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483 yards allowed
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4 passing touchdowns
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Colts converted 63.6% of third downs
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Saints forced just one takeaway
This wasn’t about effort. Linebackers like Pete Werner and Danny Stutsman were active, finishing with 11 combined tackles. The pass rush flashed briefly, with Carl Granderson recording a sack.
But Indianapolis consistently won on early downs. That kept the Saints out of exotic looks and forced coverage to hold up longer than it should have.
Against a quarterback playing with confidence, that’s a losing equation.
Why There’s Still Plenty of Time
Four games do not define a season—especially one this volatile.
Here’s what still matters:
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The Saints have a true superstar running back in D. Reid.
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The receiving group continues to produce despite injuries.
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The defense has playmakers at every level, even if consistency is lagging.
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Mateer has shown both high-end ceiling and growth opportunities.
At 1–3, this team isn’t chasing perfection. It’s chasing cohesion.
The pieces are there. The identity is forming. The margins simply haven’t tilted in New Orleans’ favor yet.
The Season Isn’t Slipping Away—It’s Being Shaped
Losses like this sting more when expectations are real. That’s a sign of progress, not regression.
Indianapolis is unbeaten for a reason. New Orleans ran into a fully operational contender—and learned exactly how high the bar is.
There’s plenty of football left. And this Saints team, for all its early struggles, is far from done writing its story.
