Gayle Benson rarely says much in public, which is exactly why Tuesday landed so hard on Kellen Moore. Speaking at the Greater New Orleans Quarterback Club two days after the Saints’ 23-13 loss to Minnesota, the owner looked at a 1-4 start and an offense that went ice cold again and said publicly what plenty of people around Metairie have been saying privately.
“That is not acceptable to me, and it falls short of what our fans deserve,” Benson said, per Crescent City Sports. “I will not make excuses, and I will not accept this level of performance as our standard.”
Benson put names on the problem
Benson went further than a general call for improvement. She assigned responsibility by name, and the head coach was first on the list.
“Kellen Moore and his coaches are responsible for preparing our players to perform,” Benson said, according to NFL.com. “Mickey Loomis and our football staff are responsible for building a roster capable of sustained success. Our players are responsible for their preparation and execution.”
She did not announce any changes, but the numbers behind her frustration are easy to find. Moore is 7-15 in his second season, and the Superdome has turned into a problem venue, with the Saints losing 14 of their last 19 home games dating to Week 3 of the 2024 season. Sunday’s loss came on the night Drew Brees entered the Ring of Honor, and Tyler Shough finished with 96 passing yards and two interceptions as the offense managed 142 total yards.
Moore’s own read on Monday was measured. “Sometimes, you go through storms,” he told The Associated Press. “Inevitably, storms end. But we’re going through a little bit of one.”
The Giants trip is the first answer
Benson’s challenge was simple: “We cannot change the results of our first five games. We are responsible for what we do next.” What comes next is a trip to MetLife Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX against John Harbaugh’s 3-1-1 Giants, who have been rolling with Jameis Winston since Jaxson Dart’s knee injury ended his regular season.
The Saints have won the last three meetings in the series. They will need a fourth before the Paris game against Pittsburgh, because a 1-6 record on the flight home from France would make Tuesday’s lunch look like the first warning rather than the last.
Moore sounded aware of what has to change, especially against defenses that keep sending pressure. “Everyone is going to follow suit with that until you address it and you find the solutions,” he said on WWL Radio.
Benson closed her remarks with a line aimed at the people filling the Dome. “I expect better. Our fans deserve better. And I am determined to see that we deliver it.” In New Jersey this weekend, Moore gets the first chance to show her she was heard.
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