Canal Street Chronicles
Sunday’s loss was a microcosm of a 2-9 season that has gone off the rails. The Saints didn’t just lose to a division rival, they lost because they couldn’t execute the basics and nothing is more basic in the modern NFL than a kicker hitting from inside 50 yards indoors.
The Grupe Error
Blake Grupe’s performance against Atlanta was the final nail in a coffin that has been being built since September. Missing from 38 and 47 yards in a game where points were at a premium is inexcusable. In a dome. At home. Against a bitter rival.
Grupe has now missed eight field goals this season, the most in the NFL. For weeks, fans have watched potential wins dissolve into “almost” because the kicking game, once a staple of consistency in New Orleans during the Wil Lutz era has become a liability.
Head Coach Kellen Moore called the performance “frustrating,” a polite understatement for a special teams meltdown that deflated the entire roster. When your defense is holding the line but your offense can’t capitalize, the kicker has to be the safety valve. Instead, Grupe was a puncture wound.
A Roll of the Dice with Justin Tucker
The most headline-grabbing news, however, isn’t that the Saints are looking for help, but who they are looking at. As reported by Nick Underhill, a tryout invitation was extended to Justin Tucker and Cade York.
Strictly from a football perspective, it makes sense. Grupe isn’t getting it done and now an adjustment is needed. But this isn’t the Justin Tucker of 2019. This is a 36-year-old coming off a 10-game suspension for personal conduct violations, who was released by the Ravens.
By bringing in Tucker (along with former LSU standout Cade York), the Saints are signaling that they are willing to overlook some significant “baggage” for a shot at competency. Tucker held a 73% FG percentage but for a 2-9 team with zero playoff aspirations, is it worth it?
Bringing in a new kicker this week is necessary, but it’s not a solution. Whether it’s the controversial veteran Tucker or the unproven York who gets the job, they will be walking into a locker room that knows the problem is much bigger than just who is kicking the ball.
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