The Saints offense wasn’t on the field much during Thursday’s game against the Falcons as Atlanta ran 85 offensive plays and had the ball for more than 35 minutes.
Not having the ball didn’t stop the Saints from winning the game, however. They won 26-18 with both of their touchdowns coming from Taysom Hill, who continues to be listed as a quarterback despite spending most of his time running the ball, catching passes or playing special teams.
Hill caught a touchdown pass from Drew Brees and ran for a score on Thursday before the Saints called a play designed for him to throw the ball. Hill had to throw it away, but it was still a successful night’s work for a player that has captured the imagination of head coach Sean Payton.
“While he’s developing as a quarterback, there’s a lot of places he’s playing,” Payton said in his postgame press conference. “We probably need to keep getting him the ball even more.”
In the past, the Saints offense flowed through Brees first and foremost. That’s not the case anymore as New Orleans has found different ways to win games and take the burden off their quarterback with a wide cast of characters contributing to the attack. Hill fits right into that approach and Payton’s comments make it clear that he’ll remain a valuable piece down the stretch.