Taysom Hill did Taysom Hill things to close out a big Saints win. Can he repeat it this week?
When it came time to grind out the closing minutes of their second win of the season, the New Orleans Saints turned to the player they’ve traditionally leaned on in those types of spots.
New Orleans took possession with 7:35 remaining in the fourth quarter Nov. 9 at Carolina, holding a 17-7 lead. That has been unfamiliar territory for this team, but first-year coach Kellen Moore found himself doing what some of his predecessors have done in that situation — putting the ball in Taysom Hill’s hands and letting him do his thing.
“Everything kind of came together to the point where we could just rely on one of our best playmakers to go out there and make great decisions and put us in position to win,” tight end Foster Moreau said.
That final drive spanned 14 plays, 11 before three kneel-downs to chew up the final two minutes of game clock. Hill was on the field for nine of those first 11 snaps, often with the ball in his hands. And it was Hill who delivered two of the most crucial plays on the drive, twice gaining 5 yards to convert third and 4 with a read-option keeper to keep the wick on the clock burning.
“He was a big, big part of that (drive),” offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier said.
And it was also the first time this season that Hill was able to truly affect a game in the way he’d done throughout his career before a major injury ended his 2024 season.
Hill is nearing the anniversary of when he tore his ACL against the Los Angeles Rams. He missed the entire offseason and training camp, and was on the physically unable to perform list for the first four weeks of the season.
That time away made things more challenging. Not only was Hill, at 34 years old, attempting to play high-level football again after an injury that could have ended his career, but because of his rare skills and the fact that he could not practice until a few days before his season debut, his first-year coaching staff had to figure out how to fit him into the offense on the fly.
There were theories and action plans but no way to really put them into motion until Hill got back on the field.
“We knew he’d be a big piece of it,” Nussmeier said. “For us, it’s been an adjustment to figure out how best to use him.”
That played out in Hill’s first five games back. He played a total of 44 offensive snaps. When he did have the ball in his hands, it didn’t always look right. Hill scored a touchdown in his second game back, but only one of his first 18 touches went for an explosive play, and the overwhelming majority were snuffed out for next to nothing.
But New Orleans stuck with him and reaped the benefits against Carolina. Some of it was dictated by game situation, but Hill played a season-high 25 snaps and recorded a season-high seven carries. The numbers aren’t attention-grabbing (22 yards, 2.9 yards per carry), but the impact was there.
“We’ve found the last few weeks a little bit better ways in which we can utilize him,” head coach Kellen Moore said. “His unique trait is his ability to play so many different positions, and it’s just about connecting all those dots. I like the way he played the last couple weeks … it’s just a matter of giving him more opportunities.”
It would seem to make sense for Hill to get more opportunities this week against a team he has hounded throughout his career. Hill has had more success against the Atlanta Falcons than any other team, no matter the role.
As a runner, Hill has turned his 72 carries against Atlanta into 476 yards and six touchdowns. As a receiver, he’s caught each of his 12 targets for 136 yards and a touchdown. He’s carved up the Falcons as a passer, completing 76% of his attempts for 702 yards, four touchdowns and a 122.2 passer rating. As a team, the Saints have gone 11-6 against the Falcons when Hill plays at least one snap.
New Orleans certainly would like to tap into more of Hill’s history this weekend.
