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Saints' Power Rankings Roundup Has New Orleans Sliding as Kellen Moore Heads Into a Pivotal Bye
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- Saints' Power Rankings Roundup Has New Orleans Sliding as Kellen Moore Heads Into a Pivotal Bye
A 16-10 loss to the Steelers in Paris sent the New Orleans Saints into their bye at 2-5, and the national power rankings didn't offer much comfort. All four major outlets dropped them, and a couple of the write-ups spent more time on Kellen Moore's job security than on anything that happened on the field.
Moore has promised to evaluate everything during the week off. Here's how the analysts see the Saints heading into it.
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CBS Sports
Oct 25, 2026; Paris, FRA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) makes a tackle on New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) during the second quarter at Stade de France. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Week 8 ranking: No. 27
Week 7 ranking: No. 26
Pete Prisco dropped New Orleans one spot, the lowest of the four rankings, and he zeroed in on the ground game. "Their lack of a running game is killing this team," Prisco wrote for CBS Sports , adding that the Saints are "way too one-dimensional to consistently win games."
Sunday backed him up. The Saints ran for 18 yards in Paris and gave up 148 on the ground, according to ESPN. The run game under Moore has been the sticking point all season.
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Pro Football Talk
Oct 25, 2026; Paris, FRA; New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore talks with Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy at midfield following a game at Stade de France Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Week 8 ranking: No. 24
Week 7 ranking: No. 20
PFT still has the Saints higher than anyone else, but it dropped them the furthest, four spots. Its one-line blurb went right to the coach: "The win over the Giants may have saved Kellen Moore from a bye-week buh-bye," PFT wrote in its rankings .
FOX Sports
Oct 25, 2026; Paris, FRA; New Orleans Saints tight end Noah Fant (87) runs after the catch as Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) defends during the first half at Stade de France Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Week 8 ranking: No. 25
Week 7 ranking: No. 24
Ralph Vacchiano had a similar read. He wrote for FOX Sports that Moore "sure feels like he's barely clinging to his job" for a second-year coach, and he pointed to an offense that was supposed to be Moore's specialty.
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Injuries to Travis Etienne and rookie receiver Jordyn Tyson haven't helped, but Vacchiano noted the Saints have lost four of five and don't get a break in the schedule until nearly Christmas. "Things could get ugly, fast," he wrote. That's why the trade deadline talk around New Orleans is getting louder.
ESPN
Oct 18, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (22) celebrates with defensive tackle Vernon Broughton (91) and safety Julian Blackmon (23) after intercepting a pass intended for New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (not pictured) during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Week 8 ranking: No. 25
Week 7 ranking: No. 24
ESPN's panel moved New Orleans down one spot. This week's list named each team's best offseason addition, and Katherine Terrell passed over the big free-agent signings for cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. "The pleasant surprise the past few weeks has been Emerson," Terrell wrote for ESPN .
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Emerson began the year as a backup. He's now tied for the team lead with two interceptions, is second with four pass breakups and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 6, per ESPN.
Averaged across the four outlets, the Saints sit at about No. 25, down from roughly No. 23 a week ago. That isn't a collapse, but every outlet moved the same direction, and the reasons were the same ones that came up in what the Paris loss told us . The bye is Moore's chance to give the analysts something new to write about.
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This story was originally published by Athlon on Oct 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
