Gayle Benson Just Put the Saints on Notice and Now Kellen Moore and Mickey Loomis Have to Answe

The New Orleans Saints are 1-4, they've lost three straight games, and what we're watching isn't good enough. So, the message from Gayle Benson wasn't complicated.

Benson publicly addressed the Saints' disappointing start Tuesday, Oct. 13, at the Greater New Orleans Quarterback Club. She acknowledged the frustration surrounding the organization and made it clear that accountability doesn't stop with the players. Head coach Kellen Moore, general manager Mickey Loomis and ultimately Benson herself all have a hand in where this franchise goes from here. 

Her most important message was also the simplest:

“I will not accept this level of performance as our standard.”

That's what Saints fans needed to hear. But now comes the difficult part. Doing something about it.

This isn't frustration created by one bad Sunday.

New Orleans has lost three consecutive games after beginning the season 1-1. The latest was Sunday's 23-13 loss to Minnesota, when the Saints produced only 142 total yards, Tyler Shough threw two interceptions and the offense converted just 2 of 10 third downs. 

A week earlier, Atlanta came into the Superdome and beat New Orleans 45-24 on the 20th anniversary of the Saints' post-Hurricane Katrina Domecoming.

Benson specifically referenced that loss while discussing the team's current situation, and I understand why.

That was supposed to be an emotional night. Instead, Saints fans watched their biggest rival dominate them inside their own building.

Then Minnesota came to town during the weekend when Drew Brees entered the Saints Ring of Honor, and New Orleans lost again.

At some point, ceremony and nostalgia have to be replaced by winning football.

Benson didn't announce a coaching change or give Moore an ultimatum.

She didn't need to. She specifically said Moore and his staff are responsible for preparing the players, while Loomis and the football operation are responsible for constructing a roster capable of sustained success. The players, meanwhile, are responsible for preparation and execution. 

That's ownership publicly defining responsibility. And when an owner starts publicly defining responsibility, everybody should pay attention.

Moore is in his second season, and patience becomes harder to sell when the same mistakes continue appearing.

The Saints knew Minnesota would blitz. They still looked unprepared for it.

Shough finished 16-of-25 for 96 yards and two interceptions, and afterward Moore acknowledged that New Orleans' plan against Minnesota's pressure wasn't good enough. 

That's not simply a quarterback-development issue, but rather that comes down to coaching.

This is where Benson's comments become particularly interesting.

Loomis has been the Saints' general manager since 2002 and helped oversee the greatest period in franchise history. That résumé deserves respect. But history cannot become immunity.

New Orleans hasn't reached the playoffs since the 2020 season, and Benson's remarks directly connected the football staff to building a roster capable of sustained success. 

That truly matters, because for years, the Saints have operated as if they were one or two moves away from getting back into contention.

Eventually, you have to ask whether you're actually rebuilding or simply postponing one.

This roster has young pieces worth developing, Shough, Chris Olave, Kool-Aid McKinstry and others, but the organization still needs to determine exactly what the next version of Saints football is supposed to look like.

I don't expect Gayle Benson to walk into the building tomorrow and start firing people, but I also don't think her comments should be dismissed as typical owner speak.

She publicly mentioned accountability. She mentioned Moore. She mentioned Loomis. She said the current standard is unacceptable.

That's a warning.

And now everybody inside that building has an opportunity to respond. Beat the Giants, improve to 2-4 and head into the Paris matchup with Pittsburgh showing some life.

Lose again? Then we're not talking about a slow start anymore.

We're talking about a franchise that may have to make some difficult decisions about what, and who comes next.

Benson said words won't restore the fans' confidence and she's right. The only thing that can restore fan faith and confidence, is winning.