With little to play for other than a .500 record, the Saints appeared ready to put away the Panthers when they scored a touchdown to go ahead 24-13. Inexplicably, they fell apart after a botched replay review failed to give them a fumble recovery they should have gotten deep in Carolina territory.
In slightly more than 15 minutes, the Panthers scored four consecutive touchdowns and held on to a 44-38 win.
In one sense, this was an entirely appropriate end to an incredibly disappointing season. The Saints were inconsistent from start to finish, so why be surprised at one more belly flop in the final half?
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Offense: C
It is hard to be too critical when Drew Brees throws for 396 yards and four touchdowns, but the offense played a significant role in the second-half meltdown. The Saints’ four possessions during Carolina’s four-touchdown spree were a three-and-out, a Brees interception, a five-play, 23-yard drive and a three-and-out that ended with a sack. By the time the offense revved up again for two straight touchdowns, it was too late. Brees’ pick gave him an NFL-high 19 for the season, a number the Cowboys’ Tony Romo equaled Sunday night. Tight end Jimmy Graham ended one early series with a dropped pass, adding to his NFL-leading total, and WR Marques Colston dropped one, too. The running game was nonexistent aside from a couple of nice gains by Chris Ivory. Last week’s grade: B+
Defense: F
Linebacker Jonathan Vilma made a really nice play for the second pick-six of his career and first as a Saint, reading a misdirection screen to DeAngelo Williams and stepping in front of Cam Newton’s pass to give the Saints a 14-10 lead in the second quarter. Don’t blame Vilma, who also made a team-high eight tackles, but the second half was a debacle as the Saints ended up shattering the NFL record for yards allowed in a season. The stretch right after the unfavorable replay view was mind-blowing. Newton converted a third-and-17 with a pass to a wide open Louis Murphy. On the next snap, Saints DTs Tom Johnson and Sedrick Ellis ran into each other, helping Williams race untouched for a 54-yard touchdown. Steve Smith caught a 31-yard pass to set up the go-ahead score, and the defense never recovered. Williams, who was having a terrible year, rushed for a franchise-record 210 yards on 21 carries. Carolina finished with a season-high 530 yards. Last week’s grade: C
Special Teams: D
Garrett Hartley kicked a season-long 53-yard field goal on the last play of the first half, but it was a bad day for the kicking game, too. Thomas Morstead, who was on pace to break the NFL record for net punting, blew the opportunity with his worst day of the season. He shanked his first punt 26 yards out of bounds, but the backbreaker was a 69-yard punt return off a 61-yard punt that set up Carolina’s final touchdown. Morstead admitted he kicked the ball too far for the hang time he put on it. A couple of onside kicks failed late, and Graham and Will Herring compounded matters by committing personal foul penalties at the end of them. Last week’s grade: C
Coaching: D
The Saints have appeared rudderless during several games without suspended coach Sean Payton, and this was another example. They lost their intensity after the botched replay review, then lost their composure. That falls on the leadership from the sideline, and interim coach Joe Vitt said emphatically the performance was unacceptable. Before the game, the Saints talked ad nauseam about the significance of building momentum into the offseason by finishing with a three-game wining streak, but they didn’t back it up with focused, intense play in the second half. Payton, who agreed to a contract extension on Friday night, can’t get back into the building soon enough. HIs first decision will be what to do with a defense that failed miserably under new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Last week’s grade: B
Follow Saints reporter Guerry Smith on Twitter @CBSSaints.