In a dramatic turn of events, the New Orleans Saints came close to orchestrating an incredible comeback during their Week 7 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Saints had been struggling offensively and found themselves trailing 24-9 midway through the third quarter. However, a game-changing moment occurred after a pick-six by Derek Carr. It breathed new life into the Saints’ offense, allowing them to stage an impressive rally, ultimately tying the game at 24.
The Jaguars, undeterred by the Saints’ resurgence, responded with a 46-yard touchdown drive to regain the lead. Still, they left over three minutes on the clock in regulation, giving the Saints a glimmer of hope. With the ball in hand, New Orleans advanced to the Jacksonville 6-yard line with approximately 40 seconds left in the game.
Amidst this high-pressure situation, Derek Carr dropped back for a crucial third-and-6 play. He located tight end Foster Moreau wide open in the back left side of the end zone, delivering a seemingly perfect pass. However, disaster struck as the ball popped out of Moreau’s fingertips, resulting in an agonizing drop of what should have been a straightforward touchdown.
Reflecting on the drop, Moreau expressed his disappointment, stating, “It’s tough in front of every man, woman, and child that I’ve ever known. It’s a dark place to be. It’s the National Football League. It doesn’t come down to one play, but it comes down to one play. Our team fought hard. It’s unacceptable.”
A touchdown at that moment would have offered the Saints the option to either tie the game with an extra point or attempt a daring two-point conversion for an immediate win. Unfortunately, Moreau’s missed opportunity eliminated those choices. Subsequently, the Saints attempted to convert on fourth down, but the Jaguars managed to thwart a pass intended for Chris Olave, securing their 31-24 victory.
In the aftermath of the game, Foster Moreau was visibly distraught on the sideline, with his helmet still on. Running back Alvin Kamara came over to offer support, hugging Moreau and escorting him to the locker room.
Alvin Kamara’s response to the situation was one of encouragement: “There are going to be more plays. There are going to be bigger plays out there. I told him that he was blessed for what he had been through. That is nothing. I’m not worried about Foster not making that play.
I don’t think we should have been in that position right there saying, ‘Man, he should have caught it.’ Of course, he should have caught it. He knows he should have caught it. We are pros. If there is anyone out there who is uplifting their teammates and doing everything they can to try to get a win, then it’s him. I’m not worried about that. It is what it is. We are on to the next.”
Derek Carr echoed the sentiment that it was not just one play that decided the outcome, emphasizing the importance of supporting their teammate: “Our job as brothers, family, teammates is to go rally around him… There are 160 other plays that could’ve been changed throughout the game. I have never been a believer that you point a finger just because it happens in that moment. There’s so many things we could’ve done to not even be in that situation.”
Foster Moreau’s drop during that pivotal moment was the only miscue in an otherwise solid performance. Before that play, he had successfully caught all three of his targets for 33 yards.
