New Orleans
Purple Knights
2-2
35
FINAL
28
Little Rock
Kings
0-4
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Week 5 matchup, the New Orleans Purple Knights narrowly defeated the Little Rock Kings 35-28, showcasing the high stakes of the 2026 season. Both teams fought hard, but the Purple Knights ultimately emerged victorious, solidifying their position in the playoff race.
Malik Willis was the standout for New Orleans, throwing for an impressive 448 yards and four touchdowns, proving to be a pivotal force in the Purple Knights' offensive strategy. He connected seamlessly with Tyreek Hill, who racked up 188 receiving yards, making several key catches that kept the chains moving and the scoring alive. Their chemistry on the field was undeniable, leading to a series of explosive plays that put the Kings on their heels.
On the defensive side, the Kings made some crucial stops, highlighted by TJ Parker's 1.5 sacks and Maxwell Hairston's interception. However, their efforts were not enough to contain the relentless Purple Knights offense. The turning point came in the third quarter when Willis threw two quick touchdowns, shifting momentum firmly in New Orleans' favor and ultimately sealing the victory despite a late-game push from Little Rock.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malik Willis | QB | 32 | 27 | 84% | 448 | 4 | 1 | 145.3 |
| Jalen Milroe | QB | 29 | 17 | 59% | 235 | 1 | 1 | 81.8 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Milroe | QB | 4 | 52 | 13.0 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| Antonio Gibson | HB | 3 | 30 | 10.0 | 7 | 1 | 25 | 0 |
| Tyler Allgeier | HB | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| Malik Willis | QB | 4 | 11 | 2.8 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| Jeremiyah Love | HB | 7 | 9 | 1.3 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Jaydon Blue | HB | 5 | 7 | 1.4 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Tyreek Hill | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyreek Hill | WR | 7 | 188 | 26.9 | 44 | 2 | 57 | 0 |
| Christian Watson | WR | 4 | 94 | 23.5 | 26 | 0 | 50 | 0 |
| Xavier Worthy | WR | 2 | 88 | 44.0 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 0 |
| Jeremiyah Love | HB | 7 | 69 | 9.9 | 52 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| Kenyon Sadiq | TE | 4 | 55 | 13.8 | 9 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Jayden Reed | WR | 4 | 51 | 12.8 | 23 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Jaydon Blue | HB | 5 | 48 | 9.6 | 43 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Luke Musgrave | TE | 4 | 42 | 10.5 | 28 | 1 | 15 | 0 |
| Brian Thomas Jr | WR | 3 | 19 | 6.3 | 11 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Tyler Allgeier | HB | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 10 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Brandin Cooks | WR | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Johnny Wilson | TE | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Colby Parkinson | TE | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domani Jackson | CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Maxwell Hairston | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Smith | MIKE | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Rayshawn Jenkins | FS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Darrell Luter Jr | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Akheem Mesidor | REDG | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyle Hamilton | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| TJ Parker | REDG | 1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josiah Trotter | SAM | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DJ Turner II | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Isaiah Rodgers Sr | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tyleik Williams | DT | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalon Kilgore | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chase Young | LEDG | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Jones | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Pola-Mao | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jamon Dumas-Johnson | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryce Boettcher | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Johnson | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyrel Dodson | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Queen | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dorance Armstrong | LEDG | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Walter Nolen III | DT | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alohi Gilman | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Demonte Capehart | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VJ Payne | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Lee III | CB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cam Little | K | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Nick Folk | K | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 |

