Saints news: Scoring differential makes history, injuries mount, RB Kendre Miller may be activated

The worst thing about the New Orleans Saints' 2-2 start is what lies ahead. They needed the cushion of a 4-0 or 3-1 start to better absorb the upcoming stretch with their heads above water. But now things could go off the rails quickly, following narrow and gut-wrenching losses the last two weeks against beatable teams — 15-12 to Philadelphia (2-2) at home and 26-24 at Atlanta (2-2).

The loss to the Falcons was particularly distasteful as the Saints gift-wrapped two touchdowns with a muffed punt that was recovered in the end zone and a tipped pick six. New Orleans became the first NFL team to score 24 or more points and hold its opponent to no offensive touchdowns and lose since 1983, and that team was also the Saints.

But the Saints have outdone themselves and their Sad Sack history this time as they have the largest point differential in history at 127-70 after four games without a winning record. Secondly, injuries are mounting as the schedule toughens with the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) waiting at home for a Monday Night Football game. Then the Saints host Tampa Bay (3-1). Help may be on the way, though, as the team is considering activating running back Kendre Miller to give a blow to overworked and hurting Alvin Kamara.

No NFL team has scored like the Saints through 4 games and lost twice

Since the NFL started in 1920, no team in the league's history has outscored its opponents by as many as 57 points and not been 4-0 or 3-1, according to Pro Football Reference. Of the 184 teams in NFL history that have outscored foes by 55 or more in four games, more than half were 4-0 with the rest 3-1.

None were 2-2 ... until the Aints, aka the New Orleans Saints, on Sunday. The franchise from a drinking city with a football problem went 20 years without a winning season from 1967 through 1986 — the longest non-winning-season streak in NFL history. Now the Saints are making more history.

Only the 1981 Buffalo Bills came close to what the Saints have done. That season the Bills outscored their first four opponents by 54 points and were 2-2. They finished 10-6 and advanced in the playoffs.

"We just hadn't made the plays," a weathered Saints coach Dennis Allen. "Against Philadelphia, we ran into each other (on a go-ahead touchdown by the Eagles)."

And against Atlanta, the Saints made the plays ... for Atlanta.

"You can't give a team 14 points," Allen said.

LB Willie Gay Jr. injures hand, RB-TE-QB Taysom Hill has another injury

Saints coach Dennis Allen spent much of last week talking about injuries as he lost starting center Erik McCoy (groin) for several weeks and starting right guard Cesar Ruiz (knee) and starting middle linebacker Demario Davis (hamstring) for the Falcons game.

There are more this week, but he has a new strategy.

"We had a number of guys with bumps, bruises, whatever," a frustrated Allen said. "We'll continue to evaluate those guys. So, I'm not really going to talk a lot of injury stuff today. We've got to put out an injury report on Thursday (instead of Wednesday with the Monday night game at Kansas City). So, that'll be the next time we have a lot of injury info."

So, outside linebacker Willie Gay Jr. basically self-reported through his Instagram an update on his left hand injury suffered in the Falcons game when he left and did not return.

That's Gay with a sling on his left arm from a medical facility. Updates on his condition will follow later this week, as it will on the other above players, as Allen said.

Taysom Hill returned to action against Atlanta after suffering what Allen called a "chest" injury at Dallas in Week 2. Allen later said Hill bruised a lung, which is in the chest. And Hill looked as good as new early, gaining 24 yards on six carries and scoring two touchdowns. His 2-yard TD run in the first quarter tied the game 7-7 after Atlanta had scored on a fumbled punt return. His 5-yard TD run in the second quarter put New Orleans up 14-7.

But while blocking on another play in the second quarter, Hill got injured again and left the game for good. He hurt his ribs on the other side of his bruised lung, Allen clarified.

Alvin Kamara needs some relief, and Saints could tap Kendre Miller

Saints running back Alvin Kamara leads the NFL in combined rushing and receiving yards with 536 - 362 rushing on 80 carries (4.5-yard average) with five touchdowns and 174 receiving on 17 catches (10.2-yard average) and a touchdown.

Against Atlanta he played with bruised ribs and a hip pointer to rush 19 times for 77 yards and a 1-yard TD to put the Saints up 24-23 with 60 seconds left. He also caught seven passes for 42 yards.

The problem is there has been little relief for the 29-year-old Kamara. Jamaal Williams has rushed just 23 times for 87 yards, while the oft-injured Taysom Hill has gained 77 on 14 carries. One reinforcement could be on the way in Kendre Miller, a third round pick in 2023 out of TCU who has been on injured reserve since Aug. 27 with an injured hamstring.

A new NFL rule allows players placed on IR to be reactivated after five weeks instead of being lost for the season.

"He's made significant progress," Allen said on WWL Radio Monday night. "That's something that we're considering. We haven't made a final decision on that. Probably won't until Wednesday or Thursday. But he's closer to getting back into practice."

Miller showed promise in the season finale last season when he gained 73 yards on 13 carries with a TD and caught a 6-yard pass in a 48-17 win over the Falcons. He gained 156 yards on 41 carries on the season in eight games.