Do-it-all Saints tight finish Taysom Hill will doubtless miss the remainder of the season after injuring his knee in New Orleans’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
“It appears to be like like a torn anterior cruciate ligament,” interim coach Darren Rizzi mentioned Monday. “He will in all probability get a second opinion, however it appears to be like like it is going to be the top of the season.”
Hill transformed a key fourth down with one other bodily run on a direct snap — and that was his remaining play of the afternoon.
After a career-best efficiency in opposition to the Cleveland Browns in New Orleans’ earlier recreation, Hill was carted off the sector with a left knee harm at 4:36 of the fourth quarter as New Orleans tried to drive for a tying landing in opposition to Sunday the Los Angeles Rams.
The Saints obtained one other first down on Derek Carr’s run on the Rams 16, however after three runs by Alvin Kamara for 7 yards, edge rusher Jared Verse hit Carr’s arm whereas throwing on fourth down with 1 :09 left, and the ball sailed towards the bottom.
Hill’s standing was as a lot a subject of dialog because the 21-14 loss, the Saints’ first in three video games underneath Rizzi.
Hill, a fan favourite, waved to the group as they chanted his identify as he was carried off the sector.
In an injury-riddled season for the Saints (4-8), this one might be as damaging because the others. During the Saints’ earlier recreation — a 35-14 win over the Browns — Hill ran for 138 yards and three touchdowns on seven carries, caught eight passes for one more 50 yards, accomplished an 18-yard cross and returned a kickoff 42 yards.
Despite lacking 4 video games this season, he’s tied for the crew lead in speeding touchdowns with six and is second behind Kamara in speeding yards with 278 whereas enjoying tight finish, quarterback, fullback and infrequently lining up as a operating again .
“Taysom is a participant that you do not see numerous within the league. So having him in your crew makes an enormous distinction,” Saints tight finish Juwan Johnson mentioned. “It’s not at all times the very best factor to not have him round.”
Hill is the third key offensive participant the Saints have misplaced. He joins main large receivers Chris Olave, who suffered a concussion in Week 9 and hasn’t performed since, and Rashid Shaheed, who’s out for the yr after tearing a meniscus in Week 7.
Rizzi mentioned guard Nick Saldiveri additionally might miss the remaining 5 video games after injuring his left knee within the fourth quarter of a sequence earlier than Hill.
“We have to vary some issues,” deal with Taliese Fuaga mentioned. “Taysom is an enormous a part of this offense, an enormous a part of this crew general.”
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New Orleans was already with out beginning heart Erik McCoy, who re-injured his groin in opposition to Cleveland in Week 11 after lacking the earlier seven video games and did not recuperate through the Saints’ Week 12 bye.
“I really feel like we have been in a position to compartmentalize the scenario,” Carr mentioned after Sunday’s loss. “I assumed our focus was good. Nick will get damage after which Taysom will get damage and, like, the rallying cry is, ‘Let’s do it for them.’ I assumed our guys have been actually centered.”
The Saints have been hoping to maneuver again into the NFC South race. Without Hill, nonetheless, the search turns into much more troublesome. At 4-8, they path Atlanta and Tampa Bay by two video games.
The 34-year-old Hill totaled 99 receptions, 437 carries, 302 passes, 44 touchdowns, 19 tackles and one blocked kick in seven years with the Saints.
“I do not know if I can evaluate Taysom to anybody else I’ve ever coached,” Rizzi mentioned. ‘There’s not a man that I can consider that was in a position to do all of the various things that he was in a position to do in a single recreation, overlook about his profession.’
Associated Press reporting.
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