Ethen Meyers
Ethen Meyers
Founder/Writer
Ethen is the founder of The Kneaux, growing up in Slidell, LA he was a huge fan of the New Orleans Saints and Hornets/Pelicans and even catching some New Orleans Brass/VooDoo games in his youth. He turned a passion project for himself into The Kneaux and hopes to watch it Greaux into something that can be enjoyed and talked about for years.
Panthers prowl down to New Orleans for NFC South Divisional Duel Saints are coming off a fresh and dramatic loss to the Detroit Lions yet still that have a shot at winning the NFC South division. Atlanta and Tampa Bay may have won, but the Saints have the 1-11 Panthers in the dome and should be a game we win. The Falcons are facing Buccaneers, and despite it making the top of the NFC South even more crowded, a Bucs win is ideal for the Saints. With the current records of the NFC South all being abysmal, winning the NFC South title is the only way to get a playoff spot as the divisional games late make it hard to think anything but winning them all is a clear path to the playoffs. The Matchup: The NFC South showdown between the New Orleans Saints (5-7) and the Carolina Panthers (1-11). The Panthers are playing for pride, and a new head coach at this point, so while their record may say one thing, a young and hungry team in the same division may punch the Saints early, it is all about not allowing them to find a groove and keep them with their head down. The game will be held on Sunday, December 10th, 2023, at the Caesars Superdome at noon CST and broadcast live on FOX. Series History: New Orleans Saints vs Carolina Panthers will be one of many with the Saints holding a slight edge at 30-28 in the head to head matchup. They have played each other since the 1995 season and share the same division so the games are always going to be played with an extra edge. While it feels like the Saints should have an overall better record, our best years with Drew Brees were some of the Panthers best years as well as they had Cam Newton from 2011-2019 where he won Rookie of the Year and league MVP. Team Rankings Comparison:
The Recap- Saints Vs Lions Saints lose Derek Carr to injury yet again, and lose at home welcoming more boo birds to enter the dome that was dominated by blue. Team Stats (Saints/Lions) Final Score: 28-33 First downs: 23-18 3rd down efficiency: 6/12 - 6/13 Total yards: 362 - 347 Red Zone Efficiency: 4/4 - 3/5 Penalties: 6 for 50 yards- 6 for 45 yards Turnovers: 2 - 0 Time of possession: 32:10 - 27:50 Takeaways The red zone offense took a huge leap going 4/4. The defense is becoming just as inconsistent as the offense. Derek Carr is playing banged up. Winston gives hope, not a better outcome. Staff not quite sure when or how to use the weapons we have. Offense The Saints offense looked slow, and sad. Then out of nowhere they put points on the board. Saints HC Allen said that he feels they are explosive as an identity and the one thing that shocked today was their 100% success rate in the red zone. Derek Carr has struggled in the red zone his entire career, you as a coaching staff have to recognize that and make changes, today it felt like they did. Unfortunately, the Saints had two costly turnovers that took the energy out of the ball and the building and the offense could never finish the comeback they mounted out of the half. This game wasn't atrocious for the offense, which means no changes are likely and we will be finishing the season with the pieces in place minus any injuries/lingering issues for Carr. Carr finished the game in the locker room with more concussion and shoulder issues. Defense Our defense is what felt like would keep us relevant this season, and while they are still playing well, they seem to be tapering off. I have made comments a few times that I fully expect this defense to start slacking off, despite what felt easy touchdowns they did give up I feel despite giving up 33, the defense did enough to win this week and the offense couldn't get it done. We will see if the defense continues to trend down, but for now I think they are good enough to win games, even in the playoffs. Saints Stock Exchange (Sponsored By… Nobody) Just a quick hit section each week to highlight which Saints players/staff have their stock value increasing and decreasing after each game, 3 up and 3 down: Stock Up Taysom Hill Alvin Kamara Nephi Sewell Olave did everything you expected your best receiver to do today, but that is the primary reason I excluded him. This was a game where we leaned on AK and Hill a lot, and it paid off. It was an interesting choice to exclude Hill in 2 of the final 3 plays after he picked up 4 on first down. We had plenty of time, timeouts left, and the ball. All we really needed to do was put our feet in the ground which is something they did all day. As far as Sewell, he had a couple of sneaky good plays, admittedly I didn't know much about him coming in, but when you heard his name it was for good reasons. Stock Down Lou Hedley Alontae Taylor Zack Baun I do not think much needs to be said about Hedley, while numbers will tell you he has done the same or better as who he replaced, that does not mean he is doing well. There is a reason he replaced someone, and I fully expect him to be out of a job with the Saints come of the offseason. I am a huge fan of Taylor, but man was today rough. He seemed to take bad angles, and miscommunicate a few times which led to big plays for the Lions. Zack Baun mostly got beat today, but I don't fully blame him. Baun came in for Werner who is versatile and seemed to show he is more of an edge player, versus a versatile linebacker. The reason that Sewell came in was partially for coverage situations, which may have been something the coaches decided on the fly seeing Baun struggle away from the line of scrimmage. Conclusion The Saints have had multiple opportunities to win the games we have lost. This was the first one that felt like it was going to be an embarrassing loss but the Saints made it a game once again. A part of me wishes it would have been am embarrassing loss, purely because it would have at least sparked something. A players only meeting seemed to turn the Pels around, but no such turnaround has happened or appears to be in sight. Make sure to follow The Kneaux on Twitter/X.
We chat with #USFL New Orleans Breaker QB Davis Cheek - Growing up and playing at home. - Balancing life, spring and fall football. - Chance at starting. - And more! Make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and let us kneaux what you think!
The Recap- Saints Vs Jaguars
Derek Carr Quarterback Derek Carr was California born, attended college in California, and wound up a pro on a California team. The Raiders may have packed up and went to Vegas, but it may have been around that time that Carr realized that not only were the Raiders due for a change of scenery, but maybe he was too. Carr lasted three seasons in Vegas before he found his way down to the bayou in hopes to revitalize his career, and give his former head coach in Dennis Allen the fair shake they thought they deserved his rookie year. We are only two games in, but I think one thing is ringing true, Derek Carr would have won a lot more games with even a mediocre defense. Sitting at 2-0 and looking at going head-to-head with a young inexperienced QB for the second week in a row, Carr is still looking to prove some doubters wrong. It feels like Carr is getting just as much hype as he is hate as some folks compare his first two games as a Saint to HOF Saints QB Drew Brees, while others do not consider him an upgrade over his current backup Jameis Winston. Either way you look at it, it feels like an unfair comparison, I am personally a big fan of letting a player be a player, and leave the comparisons at the door. I could throw stats at you, bore you with how he did this and that, but this isn't about that. This is about Derek Carr showing that not only does he want to play here, but it looks like he is loving his time here. When you bring a guy in to be the leader of your offense, that can go a whole lot further than just having some talent. The stats he has today will not be the stats he has tomorrow, and he can only get things like timing and in game decisions down by being in that beloved black and gold. A pro bowler 4 times one as recent as last year. Votes for league MVP in just his 3rd year. It feels crazy that he is somehow already 31, but also only 31. He has a lot of tread left on his shoulders and a lot of energy to give. Carr still has a lot to prove; a lot to prove to the fanbase that has embraced him, a lot to prove to the league, and a lot to prove to himself. Time will tell where Carr ranks as a Saints QB long term, but either way he is our QB1 and we are rocking with him. -Ethen Meyers @BeInTheKneaux
Jayden Daniels Quarterback Jayden Daniels was a highly touted four-star player when he came out of high school after graduating early from high school in late 2018. Although the California native received several offers from big-time schools like the University of California (CAL), Utah, and UCLA, Daniels opted to travel eastward and continue his career on the gridiron at Arizona State University as a Sun Devil. Daniels joined recently hired coach Herman “Herm” Edwards at ASU. Daniels was selected to lead the offense over fellow recruit Joey Yellen. He would become the first true freshman starting QB in program history and shine in his freshman season. Jayden was named a freshman All-American by ESPN and led Arizona State to an 8-5 record that included a Sun Bowl win versus the FSU Seminoles and an MVP-winning performance in the season finale. After spending three years with the Sun Devils, Daniels decided it was time to move on and find a better opportunity for himself. After Jayden announced that he would enter the transfer portal in 2022, it became clear he’d be a sought-after target. Daniels’ transfer came amidst investigations and coaching losses within ASU, but the star QB has not shied away from bringing his talents to higher competition. LSU and Daniels developed a chemistry that allowed the dual-threat player to commit to playing under coach Brian Kelly and moving to the boot where he was named the starter last year as part of a talented quarterback room. Daniels spoke on his transfer process last year and said, “Just the opportunity to come here, an opportunity that presented itself to come in and compete at the highest level against the best conference in college football, the SEC West. So to be able to go here, be around the talent that matches where I’m trying to go, I’m trying to be. So that’s the reason why I chose to come here.” In the Tigers’ first season with Kelly and Daniels at head, they notched numerous achievements for the program by earning just their second win versus Alabama since 2011 and their first since the 2019 National Championship squad. LSU secured the SEC West title and picked up their tenth win of the season in 2022 with a 63-7 blowout bowl game victory against Purdue. Fast forward one year; LSU is in the thick of the SEC race again three weeks into the 2023 campaign. Daniels is a competitor on the football field, and it shows as he finds himself a Heisman Award contender. The West Coast dynamic playmaker has found his untapped potential in the SEC and is making himself a true Bayou Boy of the South. - Jason Watson Jr. @JWatsonJr__ Michael Pratt Quarterback Michael Pratt has bayou roots, and while he doesn't display it often he definitely has that "Florida Swag" in his attitude on the field. Growing up in Boca Raton, FL and attending Boca Raton High School until winding up at Deerfield Beach High School his senior year graduating as a three-star recruit. Pratt had offers from schools like Western Michigan, Toledo, Yale, and Harvard but opted to keep his talents in the south and committed to Tulane, even beating out his presumed favorite Florida Atlantic. Pratt wound up at Tulane as he felt the school offered the best of both worlds for academics and football. Just 3 games into his freshman season Pratt became the starter for the Green Wave and finished off the year going 5-4 and eventually losing against Nevada in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. His second year left a lot to be desired finishing at an abysmal 2-10 but still posting 21 touchdowns and only 8 interceptions with the only knock being his completion percentage sitting close to dipping to 55% for the 2021 season. Pratt turned something on going into the 2022 season, and whatever it was, it worked. Pratt threw for 27 touchdowns and only 5 interceptions, adding in another 478 rushing yards and notching 10 scores on the ground. While a long-shot, he even heard whispers of the Heisman, but he would have to double those numbers coming from a 2-10 year to get serious consideration there. Yet still, it had to make Pratt realize he could be whatever kind of quarterback he wanted to be, but knew the one he needed to be. The one thing you want to see in a QB with professional aspirations is progression, and looking at his stats it is no secret he has done that every year at Tulane. In 2022 Pratt became the best "NFL" version of himself he could be bringing Tulane to the Cotton Bowl and eventually beating USC in a thriller of a game. Pratt only has one game under his belt prior to his injury, but in that one game he impressed and turned around and doubters of yet another year of success and progress. Pratt posted a 93% completion rate for nearly 300 yards and 4 touchdowns with zero interceptions and only one incompletion. Since then, Pratt has had to watch from the sidelines while he recovered from a knee injury. Pratt has earned the patience of Tulane fans to come back stronger, turning down multiple NIL deals to leave the program but he chose to stay. Now we sit here and wait, wait until Pratt returns against another Louisiana school in Nicholls. The Wave's defense held down the team and K12 did enough to hand the team back to Pratt still getting Top 25 votes, and sitting at 2-1. The injury may have been a set back, but Tulane still has the chance to show the world they are truly a football school that can produce an NFL ready quarterback in Pratt. -Ethen Meyers @BeInTheKneaux