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The Eagles’ Lost Play-Caller Is Walking Into a Career-Killing Storm in the NFC South

Posted on July 1, 2025 - 7:05 am by

The New Orleans Saints are teetering on the edge of infamy, with whispers of the “Aints” era creeping back into the NFL lexicon. Decades have passed since fans donned paper bags in the Superdome, a grim nod to the team’s woeful performances in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Yet, as the 2025 season looms, the Saints are poised to plummet to depths not seen since their 1-15 debacle in 1980. Leading this ill-fated charge is rookie head coach Kellen Moore, fresh off a triumphant stint as the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive coordinator, where he orchestrated a 40-22 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX on February 9 in New Orleans’ own backyard.

Moore’s meteoric rise from play-caller to head coach was a gamble the Saints took, hoping his offensive wizardry could revive a franchise mired in mediocrity. But the odds are stacked against him. According to VegasInsider.com, the Saints have the NFL’s lowest projected win total at a paltry 4.5 victories—a number so grim that betting the under feels like a safer wager than a Bourbon Street bar tab. “A successful season as Eagles OC led Kellen Moore to a head coaching position, but he could be in for a nightmare season,” wrote Geoffrey A. Knox of USA Today and Eagles Wire on June 29. “His best quarterback had health concerns. Then, he retired. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough will need to get up to speed quickly, or we could be in for another run by Spencer Rattler.”

A Season on the Brink

The Saints’ 2025 schedule is a gauntlet of despair, with only a handful of games offering even a glimmer of hope. Two matchups against the NFC South’s Carolina Panthers, a Week 16 home tilt against the New York Jets, and a Week 17 road clash with the Tennessee Titans are the only contests where victory seems remotely plausible. Beyond that, the Saints face a brutal slate of opponents, making a 1-16 record not just possible but disturbingly likely. Such a collapse would echo the darkest days of the “Aints” era and could cement Moore’s first year as a head coach as a cautionary tale.

The quarterback situation is a microcosm of the team’s woes. With their top signal-caller sidelined by retirement, Moore is left with untested rookie Tyler Shough and the enigmatic Spencer Rattler, whose potential remains more theoretical than proven. The lack of a reliable quarterback, coupled with a roster thin on talent, sets the stage for a season that could unravel faster than a Mardi Gras float in a hurricane.

A Silver Lining in the 2026 Draft?

If the Saints do implode, the silver lining lies in the 2026 NFL Draft, a quarterback-rich class that could offer salvation. Pro Football Network’s latest mock draft projects five quarterbacks going in the first round, but one name stands out above the rest: Arch Manning, the University of Texas quarterback and scion of football royalty. A New Orleans native, Manning is the grandson of Saints legend Archie Manning, who was the No. 2 overall pick in 1971 and quarterbacked the team for a decade. He’s also the nephew of former No. 1 overall picks Peyton and Eli Manning, making him the heir to a legacy that’s as much a part of Louisiana as gumbo and jazz.

Manning’s ties to the Saints run deep. After serving as the backup to Quinn Ewers at Texas for two seasons, he stepped into the spotlight in 2024, going 2-0 as a starter in place of an injured Ewers. His stat line—1,047 yards of total offense, nine passing touchdowns, and four rushing scores—hinted at the dual-threat potential that could make him the top pick in 2026. “For Arch, how tempting must the opportunity be to play in your hometown for the same franchise that brought the Manning name to the world stage?” wrote CBS Sports reporter Shehan Jeyarajah on May 11. “The Manning family is Louisiana royalty, and has been for more than 50 years … It would be a legendary homecoming.”

A High-Stakes Gamble for Moore

For Kellen Moore, the 2025 season is a high-stakes gamble that could define his coaching career. A disastrous year might not only resurrect the “Aints” moniker but also jeopardize his future as a head coach. Yet, if the Saints can endure the storm and secure the No. 1 pick, they could land Arch Manning—a quarterback who could restore pride to a franchise and a city desperate for a hero. The road ahead is treacherous, but in New Orleans, where resilience is a way of life, the hope of a Manning-led revival might just be worth the pain.