NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans tight end Taysom Hill will likely miss the rest of the season. after injuring his left knee in the Saints’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
“It looks like a torn ACL,” interim coach Darren Rizzi said Monday. “He’ll probably get a second opinion, but it looks like it will be the end of the season.”
Hill, who is listed as a tight end but plays a variety of roles, was carted off the field after taking a hard hit to the knee while converting a fourth down on a snap in the Saints’ 21-14 loss on Sunday to the Rams.
The injury occurred one game after he recorded a career-high 138 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns in a win over Cleveland. He has also lined up at quarterback and running back, in addition to playing on special teams.
“It means everyone else has to step up,” Rizzi said. “He fills a lot of roles, so there will be a lot of different guys that will have to be part of the solution there. It’s hard to sit here and tell you we’re going to replace Taysom. You can’t. He is a phenomenal person, player, leader and captain. “It’s a big loss.”
Hill is the third key offensive player the Saints have lost. He joins top wide receivers Chris Olave, who suffered a concussion in Week 9 and hasn’t played since, and Rashid Shaheed, who is out for the year after tearing a meniscus in Week 7. Rizzi said the guard Nick Saldiveri could also miss the remaining five. games after injuring his left knee in the fourth quarter a series before Hill.
Without Hill, however, the Saints’ quest to get back into the NFC South race becomes even more difficult. At 4-8, they are two games behind Atlanta and Tampa Bay.
Hill, who played quarterback at BYU, has 99 receptions, 437 carries, 302 passes, 44 touchdowns, 19 tackles and one blocked kick in seven years with the Saints.
“I don’t know if I can compare Taysom to anyone else I’ve coached,” Rizzi said. “I can’t think of a guy who’s been able to do all the different things he’s been able to do in one game, forget about his career.”
What is working?
Alvin Kamara had his third 100-yard rushing game of the year and is 106 yards away from the first 1,000-yard season of his eight-year career. He only needs 39 more yards to set a personal record. His 206 carries are the third most in his career.
What needs help?
Los Angeles averaged 5.4 yards per carry and finished with 156 yards. Running back Kyren Williams said the Rams knew at halftime they would win if they stuck to the running game, and he drove seven times on the opening drive of the third quarter as they took the lead. The Saints have allowed 5.1 yards per carry on the season, tied for last with the New York Giants.
Supply
Signed in late October following Shaheed’s season-ending surgery, Márquez Valdés-Scantling has become Derek Carr’s go-to big-play receiver. His 28-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter was the Saints’ longest gain of the day and their fourth score in the last three games.
Stock down
Tight end Foster Moreau, a reliable player all year, couldn’t control Rams outside linebacker Jared Verse on the Saints’ final offensive snap, allowing him to hit Carr while throwing a pass on fourth-and-1. 3 from the Los Angeles 9-yard line with New Orleans trailing by 7.
Injuries
Although the news was bad for Hill and Saldiveri, Rizzi said he expected starting center Erik McCoy to play Sunday against the Giants. McCoy was ruled out against the Rams after aggravating a groin injury two weeks earlier against Cleveland in his first game since missing seven straight.
Rizzi said oft-injured running back Kendre Miller, who has played in two games this year, could return from a hamstring injury on Sunday.
Key number
2 – The Saints’ number of sacks was not enough to prevent Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford from finding his rhythm in the second half. In the Rams’ last five losses, he has been sacked 20 times. In his last five wins, he has been sacked three times.
Next steps
With their NFC South hopes alive, the Saints travel to face the reeling Giants, who have lost seven in a row.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Guerry Smith, Associated Press