New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints are reportedly set to sign Blake Bortles to serve as their backup quarterback for Monday night's Week 16 game against the Miami Dolphins.

Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune reported the signing and noted Bortles is expected to practice Friday after he finalizes his contract with the team.

The Saints are slated to start rookie Ian Book on Monday with starter Taysom Hill and backup Trevor Siemian both on the NFL's reserve/COVID-19 list.

Bortles never lived up to expectations as the third overall pick in the 2014 draft across five years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He's spent the past three years bouncing around the league in a reserve role.

The 29-year-old UCF product played two stints with the Green Bay Packers this season. He signed with the team in May but was released late in training camp. The Packers re-signed him to their practice squad in early November after Aaron Rodgers landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, but they let him go when Rodgers returned.

He's also made stops with the Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos since his time with the Jags ended following the 2018 season.

Bortles has completed 59.3 percent of his throws for 17,649 yards with 103 touchdowns and 75 interceptions across 78 career games (73 starts). He's added 1,766 rushing yards and eight scores on the ground. His 80.6 career passer rating ranks 29th among active quarterbacks.

The Florida native's last regular-season appearance came in Week 13 of the 2019 season as a member of the Rams against the Arizona Cardinals. With a limited amount of time to learn the Saints' playbook, it's unlikely he'll see the field against the Dolphins unless Book suffers an injury.

Book, a fourth-round pick in the 2021 draft, is set to make his NFL debut as the fourth Saints quarterback to start a game this season.

Week 1 starter Jameis Winston suffered a torn ACL in a Week 8 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He's been followed by Siemian and Hill leading the offense.

Now Book will get thrust into the spotlight as New Orleans (7-7) tries to chase down a playoff berth in the NFC.

"One thing I know about him is that he has a strong passion for this and loves to play," Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael told reporters. "He wants to be out there, so I think those things will suit him well."

After Monday's clash with the Dolphins, the Saints finish the regular season with games against the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons. The quarterback situation for those matchups is undetermined.

The New Orleans Saints will be in rough shape offensively as they turn to their fourth starting quarterback of the season, but it could be good news for Alvin Kamara and fantasy managers counting on him in their playoffs.

Rookie fourth-round pick Ian Book is expected to start Monday night against the Miami Dolphins with Taysom Hill going on the reserve/COVID-19 list, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Though we don't know much about how Book will perform in his first regular-season action in the NFL, it should still be a positive for Kamara as he remains a must-start in fantasy leagues.

Kamara is coming off one of his worst performances of the season in Week 15, totaling just 18 rushing yards on 11 carries with two catches for 13 yards.

The five-time Pro Bowler has always been a threat in the passing game but has never really connected with Hill. Kamara has six catches in two starts alongside Hill this season and 10 in four starts in 2020, well below the running back's career average of 5.2 receptions per game.

Hill can also take away Kamara's touches near the goal line, scoring two rushing touchdowns in Week 15 against the New York Jets. Though Kamara still thrived with 120 rushing yards and a touchdown, his line could have been even better with more red-zone opportunities. 

Book is also a running threat with 17 rushing touchdowns over his three years as a starter at Notre Dame, but the coaching staff is unlikely to trust him to take it himself in his first career start.

The Saints will have no choice but to use Kamara as much as possible as by far the best offensive weapon on the active roster. 

Miami is difficult to run against (seventh in the NFL), but the guaranteed workload of 20-25 touches should make Kamara a safe option with a lot of upside in Week 16.   

Rookie quarterback Ian Book is set to make his first career start for the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. 

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, Book will lead the Saints offense against the Miami Dolphins with Taysom Hill going on the reserve/COVID-19 list. 

Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported Trevor Siemian will also be going on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Siemian started the Saints' first four games after Jameis Winston suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 7 against the Seattle Seahawks. 

A seven-year NFL veteran, Siemian threw for 924 yards and eight touchdowns in his starts. The Saints went winless in those games, with the offense averaging 20.3 points per contest during that stretch. 

Hill replaced Siemian as the starter in Week 13 against the Dallas Cowboys. After a rough first outing with four interceptions, Hill has settled in nicely over the past two games. The 31-year-old threw for 329 yards and ran for 106 yards with two rushing touchdowns in wins over the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Book was the Saints' fourth-round draft pick (No. 133 overall) in April. He spent the previous three years as the starter at Notre Dame. The 23-year-old went 9-of-16 for 126 yards and one interception in one appearance during the preseason. 

The California native led the Fighting Irish to two appearances in the College Football Playoff in 2018 and 2020. He threw for 8,948 yards and 72 touchdowns in 45 college games. 

New Orleans enters Week 16 tied with the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles in the race for the final wild-card spot in the NFC. 

The Saints will host the Dolphins on Monday Night Football this week. They will wrap up the regular season with divisional games against the Carolina Panthers (Jan. 2) and Atlanta Falcons (Jan. 9).    

The New Orleans Saints earned a 9-0 road win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night. Cameron Jordan starred for the Saints defense, recording two sacks and a forced fumble to help New Orleans improve to 7-7.

.@camjordan94 is having a night 🔥

📺: #NOvsTB on NBC
📱: https://t.co/Oqb90AsSAM pic.twitter.com/ajwFOwaBGk

— NFL (@NFL) December 20, 2021

The Saints have now defeated Tampa Bay in seven consecutive regular-season games.

The Buccaneers fell to 10-4 and had their four-game winning streak snapped. Tom Brady threw for 213 yards and an interception in the loss. It was his first shutout loss since 2006.

On #SNF, the @Saints handed Tom Brady his first shutout since Week 15, 2006 ...

Back on Dec 10, 2006:

- Brady was 29 years, 129 days old
- No currently active defensive player had yet entered the NFL
- Drew Brees was playing his first season w/ the Saints

— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) December 20, 2021

Tampa Bay would have clinched its first NFC South title since 2007 with a victory.

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Notable Stats

Taysom Hill, QB, NO: 13-of-27 for 154 YDS; 11 CAR for 33 YDS

Cameron Jordan, DE, NO: 5 tackles, 2 sacks, forced fumble

Tom Brady, QB, TB: 26-of-48 for 213 YDS, INT, fumble lost

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Saints Defense Stifles Buccaneers Offense

Watching Sunday's game, you wouldn't have known that Tampa Bay entered Sunday as the highest-scoring offense in the NFL with an average of 31.5 points. The Saints had the Buccaneers looking lost on offense, relentlessly pressuring Brady and coming up with timely stops.

Tampa Bay was scoreless in the game despite dominating the time of possession and the yardage differential.

This is the first time this year that the Bucs have been shut out in the first half. The Bucs have been shut out in the first half only twice since Tom Brady's arrival: 2020 Week 9 vs Saints (lost 38-3) and 2020 Week 15 at Falcons (won 31-27).

— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) December 20, 2021

This is one of the most dominant defensive efforts I've seen from the Saints. Just ballin' on all three levels.

— Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) December 20, 2021

Bucs came in averaging an NFL-high 31.5 points per game and are still scoreless midway through the third quarter. They're without their leading rusher and perhaps their top four receivers, but still ...

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) December 20, 2021

Per @ESPNStatsInfo, Tom Brady has only been shut out through 3 quarters twice since 2006:

Tonight, and last year when the Saints won 38-3 at Tampa.

— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) December 20, 2021

This is the 5th time that a Tom Brady-led team was shut out through 3 quarters.

- Patriots 2003 Week 1 at Bills (lost 31-0)
- Patriots 2006 Week 3 vs Broncos (lost 17-7)
- Patriots 2006 Week 14 vs Dolphins (lost 21-0)
- Buccaneers 2020 Week 9 vs Saints (lost 38-3)

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 20, 2021

Anytime the Buccaneers looked to be building momentum, the Saints squashed it quickly. When Tampa Bay drove the ball into the red zone late in the third quarter, Jordan forced Brady to fumble, allowing Marshon Lattimore to recover the ball.

Ball is loose. @Saints recover!

📺: #NOvsTB on NBC
📱: https://t.co/Oqb90AsSAM pic.twitter.com/XLWvu9j2LK

— NFL (@NFL) December 20, 2021

The pressure the Saints defense put on Brady was outstanding all night. The 44-year-old was under constant duress, and it was surprising that Tampa Bay couldn't adjust.

A lot of pressure, and three sacks so far on the night for the Saints defense.#NextGenStats, powered by @AWSCloud. pic.twitter.com/qUe6134h2g

— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 20, 2021

What a showing from the #Saints and acting head coach/DC Dennis Allen. A shutout of the NFL’s best offense puts them back at .500. They had virtually no offense and didn’t need it. Incredible.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 20, 2021

Sunday night's game might go down as the best defensive performance of the season. Tampa Bay had looked like a well-oiled machine on offense during its win streak, but that came to an end this week thanks to New Orleans playing like an absolute juggernaut on defense.

The win keeps the Saints' slim playoff chances alive. If the team's defense can continue to shut opponents down, New Orleans can make things interesting down the stretch in the tight NFC postseason race.

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Buccaneers Struggle Mightily After Losing Top Offensive Weapons

It was tough sledding all night for the Buccaneers, but things got worse after key players exited the game with injuries for Tampa Bay.

Wide receivers Chris Godwin (knee) and Mike Evans (hamstring) and running back Leonard Fournette (hamstring) were all ruled out. Godwin and Evans exited in the first half while Fournette went down in the third quarter.

Without his top offensive weapons, Brady couldn't get anything going against a Saints defense that played its best game of the season. The veteran quarterback was visibly frustrated throughout the game.

Surprisingly, Brady had trouble connecting with his favorite target Rob Gronkowski. The tight end was held to just two catches for 29 yards on 11 targets.

Tampa Bay had a late opportunity to trim the lead to one-possession game, but the drive ended when Brady threw an interception to C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson will take that!

This @Saints defense came to play.

📺: #NOvsTB on NBC
📱: https://t.co/Oqb90AKtZm pic.twitter.com/o8IFcU5O1T

— NFL (@NFL) December 20, 2021

Tom Brady threw the tablet after his INT 😳

(via @NFLBrasil)pic.twitter.com/PyvdFi30NO

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 20, 2021

Tampa Bay has not looked this way against any other team, so it's likely that this game was just an anomaly. As the defending Super Bowl champions, a veteran team like the Buccaneers should use this game as fuel for its late-season run.

What is more concerning is the health of Tampa Bay's star players. If Godwin, Evans and Fournette are forced to miss time at this point in the year, it would be a major blow to the Buccaneers as the season winds down.

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What's Next?

The Saints will go for their third straight win next week on Monday night against the Miami Dolphins. The Buccaneers will look to bounce back in another division matchup next Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.

The New Orleans Saints announced Friday that head coach Sean Payton tested positive for COVID-19.

The team said defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will serve as the Saints' acting head coach against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday with Payton returning to his usual role the following week against the Miami Dolphins.

The Saints added that Payton will have to be away from the team for 10 days "unless he meets the league requirements for a fully vaccinated individual to return to the team environment."

In March 2020, Payton became the first person in the NFL to have a confirmed case of COVID-19.

He was fully recovered in time for the 2020 season and led the Saints to a 12-4 record, NFC South title and playoff berth. New Orleans was eliminated in the NFC Divisional Round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ending what turned out to be quarterback Drew Brees' final season.

Things have been tougher for New Orleans in the post-Brees era this season, as the Saints have struggled to a 6-7 record, losing five games in a row before last week's win over the New York Jets.

Jameis Winston began the season as the Saints' new starting quarterback, but after he suffered a season-ending injury, Payton pivoted to Trevor Siemian. Now, for the past two weeks, Taysom Hill has been the starter under center.

The Saints will likely see their streak of four consecutive division titles come to an end this season with the Bucs atop the NFC South at 10-3.

New Orleans does own a victory over the Buccaneers this season, however, and the Saints are 3-0 overall against the Bucs during the regular season over the past two years.

Sunday night figures to be a major challenge for the Saints, as they will be without their head coach and will be facing a Tampa team in the midst of a four-game winning streak.

Allen, the interim head coach, does have some previous NFL head coaching experience.

In parts of three seasons as the Oakland Raiders' head coach from 2012-14, Allen went 8-28 and never won more than four games in a single season.

Allen has done a solid job as the DC in New Orleans, though, as the Saints ranked in the top five in points allowed and total defense last season, and they are 11th in both categories this season.

Winning the division is likely out of the question regardless of whether the Saints win or lose Sunday, but a win would strengthen their playoff chances significantly, as they are one of five teams tied for the final wild-card spot in the NFC at 6-7.

Somewhere on the spectrum of NFL movies—perhaps between Draft Day and American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story—comes Home Team, a Netflix film starring Kevin James that is apparently loosely based on the year New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton spent away from the NFL after he was suspended by the league as a result of its Bountygate investigation.

Just...just go ahead and watch the trailer for yourself:

Kevin James and Taylor Lautner partner up for HOME TEAM, based on the true story of New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton.

Taking the field January 28. 🏈 pic.twitter.com/c5AKM413OC

— Netflix Tudum (@NetflixTudum) December 14, 2021

Payton indeed served as an offensive assistant for his sixth-grader son Connor's team, the Liberty Christian Warriors, during his forced sabbatical from professional football. That team may not have been the rag-tag group of misfits the film portrays them as, however.

"I run the offense," he told NOLA.com in Sept. 2012. "The head coach is Brennan Hardy, who does a great job. We had our first game Saturday, and we won 30-0. Obviously, it's a completely different element. Yet you get just as excited to see the team you're a part of do well."

New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, per Amie Just and Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

If he's asymptomatic, the vaccinated 11-year veteran can return to the team with two negative tests at least 24 hours apart. The Saints' next game is Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at the New York Jets.

Ingram is the second Saint to land on the COVID-19 list after defensive end Cameron Jordan was placed there on Monday.

The Saints have been short-handed in the backfield lately with Alvin Kamara (knee) missing the last four games. However, Kamara turned in a full practice Wednesday and is expected to play.

Kamara figures to resume bell-cow back duties with New Orleans upon his return. In eight games, the former Tennessee star has 840 total yards and seven touchdowns on 178 touches.

If Ingram can't go, the Saints have a few options for Kamara's backup, including Ty Montgomery and Tony Jones Jr. Montgomery worked behind Ingram in the Saints' last game, a 27-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He finished the game with just 30 yards on eight total touches. Ingram had 10 carries for 28 yards.

Kamara and Ingram were both out during the Saints' 31-6 Thanksgiving night loss to the Buffalo Bills. Jones took the backfield reins but had just 27 rushing yards on 16 carries. He was a healthy scratch for the Cowboys game.

Game time for the Jets matchup is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET from East Rutherford, New Jersey's MetLife Stadium. Despite a five-game losing streak, the 5-7 Saints are just one game behind in the playoff race. The 6-6 Washington Football Team and 6-6 San Francisco 49ers currently occupy the final two NFC wild-card spots.

The Jets enter this game with a 3-9 record.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson reportedly would consider waiving his no-trade clause after the 2021 season for the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints or Denver Broncos, per sportswriter Jordan Schultz.

https://twitter.com/Schultz_Report/status/1468662245391572998

Previous reports had indicated that the Philadelphia Eagles may also be a possibility for Wilson if the Seahawks relent and trade him in the offseason. 

There were rumors dating to last offseason that Wilson wanted to be traded, though the quarterback himself denied them in June: 

There was a lot of people, there was a whole thing saying I requested a trade, and that's just not true. I didn't request a trade. Everything kind of started from there. Obviously, tons of teams were calling and I think that the reality was I didn't want to go anywhere else, I wanted to play in Seattle. But if I had to go somewhere, these are the teams I would go to or consider. At the end of the day I have a no-trade clause, right?

But with the Seahawks limping to a 4-8 record this season and the playoffs likely out of reach, whispers of Wilson's desire to play elsewhere have cropped up again.

The 33-year-old has had his own struggles this season, throwing for just 2,042 yards, 14 touchdowns and four interceptions while completing 67.2 percent of his passes in nine games. He has a 3-6 record as the team's starter. 

Part of his dip in play is likely due to the injured finger that cost him three games. In five contests before the injury he threw for 10 touchdowns and one interception. In four games since, however, he's thrown for just four scores and three picks. That has led to questions about whether Wilson perhaps returned too soon. 

Pete Carroll says on @710ESPNSeattle of Russell Wilson now four games into his return from hand surgery: “He ain’t perfect,” but he’s much better. Expects continued improvement back to his norm the last five games.

— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) December 6, 2021

Regardless, it's been a rough season in Seattle, and continued rumors of Wilson's potential future departure won't make it any easier. 

Former New Orleans Saints defensive end Glenn Foster Jr. died Monday, two days after he had been placed into custody in Pickens County, Alabama, according to NOLA.com's Mike A. Perlstein and Ramon Antonio Vargas.

An official from the Pickens County Medical Examiner & Coroner's Office confirmed Foster's death but declined to comment on the cause or location, citing the ongoing investigation into the case. The Pickens County Sheriff's Office and Alabama State Bureau of Investigation also failed to answer questions from or provide a comment to Perlstein and Vargas.

Two of Foster's former Saints teammates, Junior Galette and Terron Armstead, reacted to his death:

Glenn Foster introduced me to this lawyer named Everret Fineran who coincidentally quit in the midst of my lawsuit VS. The @NFL. I get a call this morning hearing that Glenn Died in the Hands of POLICE CUSTODY!!! REST IN POWER GLENN I SMELL FOUL PLAY!SMFH🥲🥲 pic.twitter.com/YsXtfitDXJ

— SACKMAN LIVES (@JuniorGalette93) December 7, 2021

I really can’t find the words to properly express 😔. Rest In Peace Glenn Foster, you’ll be missed bro! 🙏🏾💙

— T. Stead 🎤🎧 (@T_Armstead72) December 7, 2021

According to the Perlstein and Vargas report, Foster was booked Saturday on charges of reckless endangerment, resisting arrest and attempting to elude police. He was booked again Sunday on charges of simple assault and robbery.

It's unclear whether he was in police custody at the time of his death, though Perlstein and Vargas found "no indication he was released from the jail's custody before he died."

Foster spent five years at Illinois before signing with the Saints as an undrafted free agent. The 31-year-old made 17 appearances for New Orleans, compiling eight tackles and three sacks.

Following his NFL career, he worked as a real estate agent, contractor and developer and owned a granite countertop business in Louisiana.

The NFL upheld Deonte Harris' three-game suspension stemming from his arrest for driving under the influence in July.

The New Orleans Saints wide receiver appealed the punishment in November. Because of his punishment, he'll be ineligible to return until a Week 17 matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

According to NOLA.com's Amie Just, the police report said that Harris had a blood alcohol level of .246 percent at the time of his arrest near Baltimore. The report said that he told authorities he wasn't fully sober and had consumed multiple cocktails before getting behind the wheel.

An officer said they witnessed the 24-year-old traveling more than 20 mph over the speed limit and swerving across three lanes of traffic.

Harris pleaded not guilty and was ultimately sentenced to one year of supervised probation.

The NFL and NFL Players Association's joint policy on substances of abuse stipulates that a first-time violation of the policy results in a three-game suspension without pay.

Harris has already set career highs in receptions (31), receiving yards (523) and touchdowns (three) in 2021. He's also averaging 11.2 yards on 17 punt returns and 23.6 yards on 25 kick returns.

The NFL's announcement comes one day after he hauled in a 70-yard touchdown pass from Taysom Hill in a 27-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.