Things got off to an uneven start for Jameis Winston and the New Orleans Saints in their Week 5 matchup with the Washington Football Team on Sunday. Winston threw an interception to start the game, then an impressive 72-yard touchdown, then coughed up a fumble, and you just had to know head coach Sean Payton was probably going to start working in backup quarterback and utility player Taysom Hill just a bit more. Unfortunately, however, Hill was the victim of an illegal helmet-to-helmet hit from cornerback William Jackson III that led to Hill being carted off to the locker room.
He has now been ruled out of the game.
Jackson was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, and Hill was seen getting onto the cart under his own power though, which is at least some semblance of a good sign going forward, but having been ruled out might mean he’s in league concussion protocol. The Saints have a bye in Week 6, which gives Hill two weeks to heal before facing the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 25.
This leaves Winston to carry the entirety of the load for the remainder of the fight against Washington, absent a chunk of Payton’s offensive playbook designed specifically for Hill, who ended the day with a reception for 11 yards.
