Kellen Moore’s Head Coaching Debut Called ‘Completely Awful’ After Saints’ Loss to Cardinals
No one thought Kellen Moore was going to go directly from his one year as Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator to making the New Orleans Saints less of a joke than they’ve been in recent years.
But to look even worse, somehow? That wasn’t in the plans, either.
The Athletic’s Mike Jones (who?) called out Moore for what proved to be a completely awful debut as the new head coach of the Saints in a 23-20 Week 1 loss to the equally moribund Arizona Cardinals.
Jones did point out the Saints … seemed to try hard?
Talk about damning with faint praise.
” … Moore’s players displayed some fight,” Jones wrote on September 10. “Quarterback Spencer Rattler had some bright spots and kept slinging despite some tough situations. But poor clock management, a few questionable decisions and sloppy play ultimately overshadowed Moore’s head coaching debut. Moore, a sharp offensive mind as a coordinator, showed his inexperience at times. He went in at halftime with all three timeouts in his back pocket and later explained he was trying his best to save his timeouts. Saving them for what, though?”
Saints Job Seemed Radioactive In Offseason
There’s probably a reason the Saints job was the first head coaching spot to open and the last to close.
New Orleans fired Dennis Allen after a 2-7 start in 2024 — they ultimately finished 5-12 — then the Saints were the last of 6 head coaching vacancies filled when Moore was hired just days after he helped lead the Eagles to a 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX on February 9 in New Orleans.
That reason? Anyone considering the Saints job also had to consider its fraught leadership situation with owner Gayle Benson and general manager Mickey Loomis — a duo that has seemingly run the franchise into the ground since the late Tom Benson’s death in 2018.
That starts with the losses of Payton and future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees in consecutive years — Brees in 2021 and Payton in 2022 — and continues with some questionable draft decisions, including taking offensive tackles in the first round each of the last 2 years.
In 2024, the Saints selected offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga at No. 14 overall — ahead of NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl edge rusher Jared Verse at No. 19 to the Los Angeles Rams and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist and Pro Bowl wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. at No. 23 to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Saints haven’t made the playoffs since 2020, when they went 12-4 in Payton’s next-to-last season.
From Record Setting College QB to NFL Head Coach
Most football fans first met Moore for the first time as the starting quarterback for Boise State, where he went 49-3 from 2008 to 2011, including an undefeated, 14-0 record in 2009, and walked away with the FBS record for wins.
Moore spent 6 seasons as a backup quarterback for the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys before going directly into coaching, eventually becoming an offensive coordinator for the Cowboys and Los Angeles Chargers before his breakthrough season with the Eagles led to a Super Bowl win following last season.
Andre Szmyt Ready for Redemption in Week 2 After Rough Kicking Performance
Browns Coach Shares Intriguing Comment on Kicker Ahead of Week 2
The Cleveland Browns could have a kicker controversy, but coach Kevin Stefanski isn’t hoping that will happen.
The Browns released Dustin Hopkins as Andre Szmyt won the kicking job out of training camp. Yet, in Week 1, Szmyt went 1-for-2 on field goals and 1-for-2 on extra points, and those points proved to be crucial in a 17-16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
After the game, many fans called for Szmyt to be cut, but Stefanski says he will handle the kicking duties in Week 2 as the team has full confidence in him.
“He will, yeah,” Stefanski said on September 10, if Szmyt will be the kicker on Sunday. “You know, young player, will only get better. Obviously, he wants to come through in those moments, we expect him to come through in those moments. But just like any player on our roster, we’ll continue to get better. We have a ton of confidence because of what we’ve seen from this young man.”
The Browns didn’t work out any kickers this week after Szmyt’s struggles, showing that the coaching staff is still confident in Szmyt.
Szmyt went undrafted in 2023 and spent the 2024 season in the UFL before signing with the Browns and winning the kicking job.
Cleveland is on the road to play the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2.
Browns Players Confident in Szmyt
Stefanski isn’t the only person confident in Szmyt.
Browns quarterback Joe Flacco and star pass rusher Myles Garrett both expressed their confidence in Szmyt after Week 1.
“Of course,” Flacco said when asked if he’s happy Szmyt is getting another chance. “No, I did not have the conversation yet over darts. We haven’t played yet this week, but of course I’m glad. Listen, that’s what this league’s about. It’s next game up, next play up. All that really matters is what you do come going forward. So, I’m excited for him, and I’m excited for our team, you know, always to get that next opportunity.”
Despite Szmyt missing some key kicks in Week 1, he’s ready to prove his teammates and coaches right for continuing to believe in him in Week 2.
“It feels good that they believed in me. I kind of flushed last weekend, just focused on this weekend… It feels good that I have the support from the teammates,” Szmyt said. “So I just want to go out there and put my best foot forward and bounce back.”
Szmyt played college football at Syracuse.
Szmyt Focusing on Week 2
Following a disappointing Week 1, Szmyt says he’s already flushed it and is focused on performing in Week 2.
Szmyt says kickers need to have a short-term memory, and he says he’s focused on making the adjustments.
“I think I put my best foot forward in the offseason, in training camp, preseason,” Szmyt said. “So like I talked about it at the end of preseason, hitting the game-winner, not letting the highs get too high and not think the lows get too low. So now obviously it sucks, but you move on and move on to this week.”
Szmyt says that after watching the film, he realized he cut across the ball at the last second, which is a change he can easily correct.
“Just need to get through it more and just stay with the kick,” Szmyt added.
Szmyt and the Browns are 11.5-point underdogs on Sunday.
