Week 5 report card: Kellen Moore, Spencer Rattler get their first wins with the Saints

The New Orleans Saints finally broke through for their first win under head coach Kellen Moore, and they did it in convincing fashion. A relentless defensive effort featuring five consecutive takeaways completely stifled rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart and the New York Giants offense. Meanwhile, the Saints offense came alive with several explosive plays, energizing the Superdome crowd and providing a much-needed sense of relief after a frustrating start to the season. Many young players stepped up big in this game as well, which added confidence in this unit all around. It was a complete team performance that required timely effort and focus in the most crucial situations -- and one that could serve as a turning point in their season moving forward.

With that in mind, here are the letter grades for the Saints’ Week 5 performance:

HC Kellen Moore

A plethora of big plays on defense and a home-run touchdown shot to Rashid Shaheed finally gave Saints fans what they’ve been waiting for. A couple of early pre-snap penalties led to a slow start and had some wondering if the team had reverted back to its early-season struggles. But as the game went on, the Saints tightened things up.

Moore brought noticeable creativity to this matchup, involving Taysom Hill effectively in both the passing and running game. The only real knock on Moore’s performance came in the red zone, where his play-calling once again drew some questions. The lack of shots into the end zone before halftime was puzzling, and the offense ultimately failed to punch anything in from the red area for the remainder of the day -- something that will need to be addressed if this team hopes to build on its newfound momentum.

Grade: B

DC Brandon Staley

This performance by Brandon Staley’s defense was the epitome of a bend-but-don’t-break approach. Five consecutive turnovers -- including an 86-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown -- highlighted what was easily Staley’s best showing as the Saints’ defensive coordinator. That said, it wasn’t all perfect, as the unit did allow the Giants to move the ball fairly well through the first three quarters. Still, finding a way to take the ball away and give it back to the offense time after time made up for it. A huge step in the right direction for this group.

Grade: B+

WR Rashid Shaheed

Finally… what everyone has been begging to see, the team delivered on Sunday.

A deep-ball touchdown to the Saints’ most electrifying weapon. Quarterback Spencer Rattler connected with Rashid Shaheed on a home-run shot downfield -- an 87-yard touchdown on a deep banana route -- giving fans a long-awaited moment to exhale.

Beyond that game-breaking play, Shaheed put together an excellent all-around performance, hauling in four catches for 114 yards, including a clutch slant reception on fourth-and-five to seal the win. A truly clutch performance from the Saints wideout -- and hopefully, the start of even greater things to come moving forward.

Grade: A

Secondary

I was tempted to hand this grade to just one player, but after seeing what the entire group accomplished, it was a no-brainer that they deserved it collectively.

The Saints secondary came to play on Sunday -- easily delivering their best performance of the season. A number of young players stepped up in a major way to help carry the team to victory.

Cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry came up with two interceptions and three pass deflections on rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, marking a huge confidence boost for a player who has struggled in recent weeks. A phenomenal showing for the young corner.

Rookie safety Jonas Sanker continues to impress each week, finishing with seven total tackles, one tackle for loss, and a fumble recovery -- proving once again to be a true football magnet.

And with Justin Reid going down early, Jordan Howden stepped up in a massive way, recovering a red-zone fumble forced by defensive tackle Bryan Bresee and returning it 86 yards for a touchdown. A game-changing play from another young defender who played fast and fearless all afternoon.

Rookie cornerback Quincy Riley also turned in a strong performance in his first career start, quietly doing his job and not hearing his name called all afternoon -- a clear sign of how well he held up in coverage.

These types of performances are exactly what you want to see from a team that’s rebuilding -- young talent stepping up, gaining confidence, and making meaningful contributions when their number is called.

Grade: A

K Blake Grupe

Patience is wearing thin for kicker Blake Grupe, who has now missed five field goals this season -- already surpassing the four he missed all of last year. Two crucial misses in Sunday’s game have turned his struggles into an alarming concern, one that could soon put his job in serious jeopardy. At this point, the Saints should strongly consider bringing in another kicker to compete with Grupe moving forward.

Grade: D

QB Spencer Rattler

Spencer Rattler finally earned his first win as an NFL starter after going 0-10 over the past two seasons, and he did so with another steady performance. Rattler completed 21 of 31 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown, efficiently leading the Saints offense throughout the day.

He handled the pocket extremely well against one of the best defensive fronts in the league -- not taking a single sack — and once again avoided turnovers, which has been a bright spot in his development. His deep-ball touchdown to Rashid Shaheed quickly silenced critics who had questioned his ability to hit downfield shots.

Rattler continues to show consistent growth and poise, looking more and more like a quarterback the Saints could consider building around moving forward.

Grade: B

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints report card: Grading Kellen Moore, Spencer Rattler's first win