Taysom time? Why more Taysom Hill could help Saints get over the hump

With neither quarterback 100 percent healthy heading into Thursday night's showdown in the desert, the Saints may need to put the ball in the hands of their Swiss Army Knife personified.

 In Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks, trailing 32-31, the New Orleans Saints needed someone to come up with a big play. With the prospect of falling to 1-4, and without wide receivers Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry, the team was running out of options -- running back Alvin Kamara can only do so much.

That's when they turned to quarterback-turned-tight end Taysom Hill. His 60-yard touchdown against Seattle is the longest by the Saints this season. 

Hill gave the team a lead they wouldn't relinquish. He finished the day with four touchdowns on ten touches, including a 22-yard strike to tight end Adam Trautman.

The NFL honored Hill as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after his scintillating performance.

While Hill gave the team life two weeks ago, last Sunday against the Bengals the team's usage of their utility player left plenty to be desired. Sure, he only had one fewer touch against the Bengals (not including handoffs), but with only two fourth-quarter touches -- and four pass attempts in the game overall -- offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael didn't utilize him enough. When he did, his misuse helped contribute to the team's red zone struggles.

It wasn't as if Hill was having a bad game, either. In the first quarter, Hill's five touches netted the team 46 yards. But one first-half drive highlighted the disconnect between the Saints' playcalling and what the offense does best.

On a second-quarter drive, the Saints started by gaining 59 yards on three running plays, including a 31-yard run by Hill. 

Two plays later, facing a second-and-six from the Bengals' 16-yard line, Dalton threw back-to-back incompletions and the team settled for a field goal. 

In Week 5, Hill scored two rushing touchdowns from the red zone. He had one rush attempt in the red zone against the Bengals, and it came on a second-and-12 from the 19-yard line. The team lost one yard.

In the second half, Hill only ran the ball once -- on the opening drive of the half -- and gained no yards. His three pass attempts went for nine yards, including an incomplete on first-and-10 from the red zone early in the fourth.

When former coach Sean Payton plucked Hill from the waiver wire, he made claims that he believed Hill would be the heir apparent to future Hall of Fame QB Drew Brees. His comments were met with side eyes and suspicious stares. What did he know that the rest of us didn't? While that conversation has quieted down, it's the Saints' current usage of Hill -- or lack thereof -- that's most questionable of all.