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The New Orleans Saints fell to 0-2 in the preseason after its shutout 34-0 against the Los Angeles Rams.

It was truly as ugly as the score indicates as the Saints were outgained 405-293, had 13 first downs compared to the Rams’ 28, three turnovers including a pick six and 12 penalties that resulted in 96 yards.

Spencer Rattler had the better day than Zach Wilson, completing 14 of his 23 passes for 141 yards, but he was the one who threw the pick six. Wilson, who started the game, completed six of the 12 passes for 55 yards and also threw an interception.

Meanwhile, Stetson Bennett and Ty Simpson combined to throw 254 yards for the Rams with Bennett tossing for 181 yards and scoring two downs on the ground.

Rams running back Jarquez Hunter led both teams with 68 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown.

Saints head coach Kellen Moore took full blame for today’s performance.

"Regular season, preseason, does not matter. Those are not the ones you want," Moore said.

Saints Spend First Half Chasing the Rams

Unlike the last game where the Saints got off to a hot start, this week was the exact opposite as the Saints were manhandled from the get-go with the Rams building a 17-0 lead.

Los Angeles outgained the Saints 272 to 107 in half number one. The biggest difference was the passing game as Bennett torched the Saints defense, finishing off both of the Rams’ touchdown drives in the first half with rushing touchdowns.

CJ Daniels led the Rams with eight catches for 68 yards in the first half.

Possession played a huge factor in Los Angeles' favor as they held onto the ball seven minutes longer than New Orleans did in the first half and ran 47 plays compared to the 26 plays run by the Saints.

Wilson was ineffective at leading the offense as the Saints failed to gain more than 30 yards on the four drives they had in the first half. And each of them ran seven plays or fewer. He also threw a critical interception that led to Los Angeles' first touchdown of the game.

Saints Move the Ball, but Mistakes Prove Costly

The Saints finally put together a drive of more than 30 yards in the second half as Rattler led an efficient opening series, highlighted by a 25-yard pass to Jalen Moreno-Cropper. Despite heavy contact on the play, Moreno-Cropper made the catch while drawing a defensive pass interference penalty that New Orleans declined.

New Orleans moved to the Rams' 6-yard line, but Los Angeles safety Alex Cook intercepted Rattler's pass intended for Treyton Welch and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown.

The Saints reached Rams' territory again later in the half, but running back Ty Chandler fumbled after a 3-yard run. The Rams recovered at their own 3-yard line to end the threat.

Hunter would score the final touchdown of the game when he scored from 12 yards out for the final margin to finish off a dominant performance by Los Angeles and an embarrassing permance by New Orleans.

The Saints had one last chance to score points again with a 39-yard field goal, but Tanner Brown missed it.

A reminder: it’s only a preseason game. But it doesn’t excuse the silly mistakes and lackluster performance.

Winners and Losers

Who were the biggest winners for the Saints in Saturday's first preseason game? Who were the biggest losers? Check out our thoughts here.

Mailbag Submissions

Wednesdays, On SI Saints will answer your questions about what we see from our vantage point. To submit your thoughts or inquiries click here.