It only took one game for Saints fans to regret their $51 million investment
Many New Orleans Saints fans were eagerly anticipating the return of edge rusher Chase Young, hoping that he would provide a spark to a pass rushing unit that had sack numbers that would suggest the pass rush was better than it truly was.
Young missed the first five games of the season due to a calf injury. In his return, he was showed his fatal flaw is still present. Young struggles to finish at the quarterback
The New Orleans Saints came up short in another tightly contested match, falling 25-19 at home to the New England Patriots in week 6. Despite a strong effort, the Saints defense couldn’t come up with a stop when it mattered most.
With the game on the line late in the 4th quarter, the Saints pass rusher failed to apply pressure on Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who made them pay, by delivering a 21 yard strike to wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, that eventually sealed the game.
Chase Young’s quiet return disappoints but shouldn’t cause panic
Young’s return to the field was a bit underwhelming, as the former number 2 overall pick recorded just one tackle and failed to record a sack or quarterback hit in his debut. However, he did manage to post a 20% pass rush win rate on 15 pass rush snaps, which is a respectable percentage coming off of a five game absence. Still, this didn’t meet the expected production from their $51 million investment.
Last season, Young did a solid job of generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but he often struggled to finish plays, finishing the season with only 5.5 sacks. In his return against New England it felt like more of the same. Drake Maye operated in the pocket with comfort for most of the game, as Young and the rest of the Saints pass rush were a step too slow on numerous passing attempts.
While Young did not have his best day, it is important that this was his first action back from injury in a brand new defensive scheme. It will take some time for him to get comfortable and fully acclimated. Judging his performance based on a single game is premature, Saints fans should wait for a larger sample size before hitting the panic button.
Rashee Rice Drops Hype Video Ahead of His Return for Chiefs' Week 7 Showdown
The Kansas City Chiefs are getting back one of their top playmakers ahead of their Week 7 showdown against the Las Vegas Raiders. After suffering a six-game suspension for violating the NFL‘s personal conduct policy, Rashee Rice will officially return.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport indicated that Rice is on track to play on Sunday, as he has been progressing through an injury as well. With his return imminent, the star receiver posted an epic hype video ahead of his first game back for the regular season.
The just under 30-second video showcases the offseason work that Rice has been putting in. There is also a small caption that reads, “The Rashee Rice Return,” along with a date of 10/21, signaling his return against the Jaguars.
Without Rice in the lineup, the Chiefs have relied on Travis Kelce, Hollywood Brown, Tyquan Thornton, and a bit of Xavier Worthy. Worthy was expected to be the top receiver, but a shoulder dislocation knocked him out for multiple games.
The Chiefs have also had a very uncharacteristic start to the season, going 0-2 in their first two games. Following that, the team has now won three of their last four and are beginning to look more like their championship selves.
With Rice returning, the Chiefs might be even more dangerous. The young receiver had a strong rookie season in 2023, hauling in 928 yards and seven touchdowns.
Rice was expected to emerge again in 2024, but suffered an injury that led to surgery to repair his LCL and hamstring. He only appeared in four games, putting up 288 yards and two touchdowns.
Following the suspension, Rice can now rejoin the Chiefs for the remainder of the year. Though there is no telling how effective he will be at the start of his return, he adds another dimension for Patrick Mahomes and the offense.
