What did we learn a bout the New Orleans Saints this week? Their loss to the Atlanta Falcons was hard to watch — it’s not too often you see a team take an L after putting up 24 points without allowing a single offensive touchdown. That reflects too many self-inflicted wounds and mental mistakes. If they aren’t cleaned up, these things build and build until the become insurmountable.

Here are our seven takeaways from Week 4:

1. The pass rush unit is still weak

Kirk Cousins was kept clean the entire game. Payton Turner registered the only sack of the game for New Orleans. Outside of that, Cousins wasn’t pressured often and that led to the defensive backs having to cover for longer than they should.

2. Paulson Adebo is taking a step back

Paulson Adebo had a career season in 2023. He entered 2024 looking for a new contract, but he hasn’t played up to the same standard he set last year. The Falcons consistently attacked him, and his pass interference put the Falcons in field goal position.

3. The Saints are more efficient running to the left side

Too many times the Saints ran to the right side of the line of scrimmage. It is clear the most effective runs come when running towards Taliese Fuaga and Lucas Patrick. Trevor Penning has struggled to set the edge, and these trends go beyond Week 4.

4. Playcalling is still not perfected early in the year

The first two weeks for the Saints they had a combined 91 points, which was outstanding as they performed way above expectations. Then the Erik McCoy injury occurred, and playcalling went down with it, as the Saints have 36 points in the next two games (an average of 18 between Week 3 and Week 4). Conservative playcalls on first and long, or the run game being ineffective due to schemed gaps, it got ugly on offense at times these past two weeks.

5. The Saints are losing to themselves at times

A muffed punt by Rashid Shaheed for a touchdown, a pick-six thrown by Derek Carr right into the hand of Matthew Judon which got tipped up and grabbed, and then later on the Paulson Adebo defensive pass interference giving up 30 free yards. The Saints lost to the Falcons no doubt, but many of the issues were self imposed throughout this game, which made it even more difficult to try and win this matchup.

6. Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed need to be the focal points

The passing offense for the Saints today was completely put onto the backs of Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, who had a combined 16 receptions for 170 yards on 21 targets, while the remainder of the receiving stats were 12 receptions on 15 targets for 69 yards. The Saints were without A.T. Perry again, and yet these two receivers held it down in the passing game and gave the Saints a shot on offense. Giving them more opportunities will only improve things.

7. Things could get ugly quickly for the Saints in the NFC south

For the Saints, the NFC south standings had them at the top, now they sit third in the division behind the Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers beat down a Philadelphia Eagles team this week that the Saints were unable to beat, and the upcoming matchups for the Saints are difficult. They have the Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos (on a short week), and then Los Angeles Chargers for their next four games. If the Saints can turn things around they may have a less tough stretch, but if they look like they have the past two weeks things could get very ugly very quickly.