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These are great days in New Orleans and part of the reason is the city’s crime rate has cratered while the New Orleans Saints are flying high with a 2-0 record.

And Saints fans are claiming all that is intertwined.

Local crime experts are reporting that NOLA has gone 18 days without a murder, which is notable considering that only two years ago, per data compiled by the Wall Street Journal, New Orleans was considered the murder capital of the United States.

Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA;  New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) waves a towel in front of a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader during the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

NOLA Crime Capital No Longer

New Orleans had 41 homicides per 100,000 residents back then. New York, by comparison, had 2.4 homicides per 100,000 residents. So, the Big Easy was big time dangerous.

But WDSU reported overnight that figures from the Metropolitan Crime Commission said the 18-day streak without a killing is the longest New Orleans has gone since MCC started tracking murders in 2019.

“No one is declaring victory and saying we can go home and celebrate,” MCC spokesman Rafael Goyeneche said, “We have had some streaks where we had 10, 12, and 15 days [without a homicide], but never 18.”

Goyeneche credited an increase in policing, more state police presence along with more arrests and traffic stops are all contributing factors.

Saints fans have another contributing factor:

The Saints. 

Saints Perhaps NFL’s Best Team

The Saints are leading the NFC South with a 2-0 record. And not just that.

The offense has scored 91 points, which is leading the NFL now and is also tied for the fourth-most in NFL history through two games. The Saints scored on each of their first 15 drives this season in blowing out the Carolina Panthers (understandable) and Dallas Cowboys (which was a shocker, suggesting much bigger things are ahead).

Quarterback Derek Carr leads the NFL with a 142.4 passer rating and is tied for the league lead with 5 touchdown passes.

All of this is being done in the first year of new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Kubiak is the son of former Texans head coach Gary Kubiak and worked under San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan.

Fans Give Carr, Kubiak Credit

Kubiak has brought the Shanahan offense, with its multiple pre-snap motions, to New Orleans.

It has worked on the field. And some folks are claiming it is helping to stop crime away from the field. 

And at first blush one might simply dismiss this as fan over-enthusiasm. 

Neither Carr nor Kubiak are walking a beat on Bourbon Street. 

The Saints defense is fourth-best in limiting opponents to 14.5 points per game, but it isn’t limiting actual crime.

But to totally dismiss the effect of the city’s beloved team looking like champions as part of the overall feel of the town is probably not right, either.

And it is undeniable that when people feel good – for whatever reason – it’s probably harder for them to work up the anger or carry out the schemes to kill somebody.

It also may not be completely coincidental that the current streak of peace without homicides has closely paralleled the start of the NFL regular-season.

Whatever your stance on this, the point is these are good times in New Orleans.