A significant problem for the New Orleans Saints in 2023, their first season with Derek Carr at quarterback, was their lack of a strong downfield passing game. Indeed, Carr’s 7.1 yards per attempt last year were tied with three other pivots (Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield, Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, and Tennessee’s Will Levis) for 15th in the 32-team league. So it was not exactly easy to predict him taking specific deep shots against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday. But Saints’ radio analyst Deuce McAllister did just that:
@dmcallister26 calls the 70-yard @RashidShaheed touchdown from @derekcarrqb before the play. A thing of beauty and one of my favorite moments in any booth, ever. Engineer Robert Carroll called Deuce “Nostra-Dulymus” @WWLAMFM @Saints #SeeYouLaterBye pic.twitter.com/q1KK5Gne2f
— Mike Hoss Voice of Saints (@MikeHossComm) September 16, 2024
For the record, here’s how that play looked on the Fox TV broadcast:
CARR TO SHAHEED 70 YARDS 🔥
📺: #NOvsDAL on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/GV0MW5cduw— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024
Oh, and that went 54.5 yards in the air:
Derek Carr’s 70-yard TD to Rashid Shaheed traveled 54.5 yards in the air, Shaheed’s 7th reception over 50 yards of air distance since the start of 2023, most in the NFL.
No other receiver has more than four.
Powered by @awscloud pic.twitter.com/TbRwaOCfgk
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 15, 2024
McAllister’s specific call there of “Give me something up top against the rookie” was better with the help from play-by-play voice Mike Hoss of “That would be Caelen Carson?”, spelling out what he was specifically talking about, but he still did definitively call this. And this speaks to the value of a veteran analyst, as play prediction like this often gets highly praised (as long as it works, and there are always some who don’t want to know what’s coming).
McAllister joined the Saints’ radio broadcasts on WWL in 2016 (after the death of predecessor Hokie Gajan). He’s been a notable figure there since, also appearing on New Orleans Fox affiliate WVUE and in other media roles. He grew up in Ludlow, Mississippi, then played as a running back for the Ole Miss Rebels in college before spending all eight of his NFL seasons (2001-09) with the Saints, following their selection of him in the first round (23rd overall) in the 2001 NFL draft. And he certainly got some further attention for this prediction.
[Mike Hoss on X/Twitter]
About Andrew Bucholtz
Andrew Bucholtz has been covering sports media for Awful Announcing since 2012. He is also a staff writer for The Comeback. His previous work includes time at Yahoo! Sports Canada and Black Press.