Saints Passing Attack vs. Dolphins Pass Defense

Will rookie QB Ian Book open a new chapter in New Orleans Saints history in his first NFL start against the Miami Dolphins?

Author:
Bob Rose
Updated:
Dec 27, 2021 2:11 PM EST
Original:
Dec 27, 2021

In this story:

New Orleans Saints

Miami Dolphins

The New Orleans Saints (7-7) will host the Miami Dolphins (7-7) on Monday Night Football to wrap up week 16 of NFL action. It's a game that has critical playoff implications for both squads. Each team needs a win to cling onto postseason hopes.

New Orleans will have to do it while starting their fourth quarterback of the year. Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian, who have started seven games since QB Jameis Winston was lost for the year, are on the Reserve-Covid list.

Rookie QB Ian Book, a fourth-round selection out of Notre Dame, will make his first start in the initial action of his career. He’ll lead a 26th ranked Saints offense that has been battered by injuries and plagued by ineffective play all year.

New Orleans, who averages just 311 yards per game, takes on a 17th ranked Dolphins defense that gives up 349 yards and 22.3 points per contest. Miami has won six straight after a 1-7 start. Their defense has allowed less than 300 yards in four of those six outings. However, Miami's winning streak has been forged against teams like the Jets (twice), Giants, Panthers, and Texans.

Will the Saints offense be able to establish balance behind a rookie quarterback taking his first NFL snap?

SAINTS PASSING ATTACK VS. DOLPHINS PASS DEFENSE

New Orleans Passing Game

New Orleans Saints rookie QB Ian Book. Credit: NY Times

The Saints average a paltry 194.6 yards/game through the air, ranking a lowly 30th in the league. It’s the team's lowest production in that category of the 16-year tenure of head coach Sean Payton.

The quarterback carousel is partially responsible for the abysmal production. Also shouldering a large share of the blame is a receiving corps short on talent and an offensive line that has struggled with injuries and inconsistencies.

Second-year wide receiver Marquez Callaway had 112 receiving yards against the Buccaneers last week. It was the first 100-yard receiving game the Saints had from a wideout or tight end in 2021. The game vaulted Callaway into the team's lead with 555 receiving yards, finally moving him past Deonte Harris, who's played in three fewer games.

Harris will miss tonight's contest also, while still serving a league suspension. Tre'Quan Smith, Lil'Jordan Humphrey, and Ty Montgomery will have to step up for a receiving corps that has underwhelmed most of the season. Smith, Humphrey, and Montgomery have just 49 receptions for 524 yards between them.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Marquez Callaway (1) catches a pass against Tampa Bay. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY

The tight end position will also be shorthanded against the Dolphins. Adam Trautman and Juwan Johnson are on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Veteran TE Nick Vannett and practice squad player Ethan Wolf will assume duties. Vannett has 8 receptions for 123 yards in five games this year.

The Saints will lean on the skills of running backs Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram for offensive production. Both players will need to move the unit with their running abilities, but each are also terrific receivers.

Ingram, who has 20 catches for 130 yards, is valuable on screens and check-down passes. Kamara is the NFL's most versatile weapon and lethal anywhere along the formation. He has 348 receiving yards and 4 scores on a team-high 38 receptions.

New Orleans will need to protect their first-time quarterback for any chance at offensive success. They'll have to do it without elite RT Ryan Ramczyk, who will miss his sixth straight game.

Their other elite tackle, Terron Armstead, looks to be a game-time decision after missing four of the last six games with a knee injury. Veteran James Hurst has filled in well at one tackle, but they desperately need Armstead.

Reserve tackles Jordan Mills and James Carpenter are unavailable because of Covid protocols. Guards Calvin Throckmorton, Cesar Ruiz, and C Erik McCoy need to give Ian Book a clean interior pocket.

Book is an accurate passer between the numbers who took care of the ball in four years at Notre Dame. He completed 63.8% of his throws with 72 touchdowns and only 20 interceptions. Book is an athletic quarterback, but doesn't have good arm strength outside the numbers.

Standing only six-feet tall, Book needs strong interior protection for clear vision of his throwing lanes. He escapes the rush well and is a tough runner, but doesn't throw particularly well on the move.

Miami Pass Defense

Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips (15) sacks New York Giants quarterback Mike Glennon (2). Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The Dolphins rank 22nd against the pass, giving up 246 yards/game. They've stiffened up through the air over the second half of the season. Miami allowed four 300-yard passers over the first seven contests, but none over their six-game winning streak.

The Dolphins have a trio of playmaking cornerbacks. Xavien Howard has four of his teams eight interceptions. Byron Jones and Nik Needham combine with Howard to hold opposing passers to 60% completion percentage and 20 touchdowns on the year.

Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard (25) intercepts a pass intended to Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (86). Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Miami allowed six outings of at least 90 yards receiving in the first seven games, but just two such outings since. Safeties Jevon Holland and Will Parks have solid range on the back end, while SS Eric Rowe provides strong slot coverage.

Inside linebackers Jerome Baker and Elandon Roberts aren't especially athletic, but are smart in their coverage drops. Outside linebackers Andrew Van Ginkle and rookie first-round pick Jaelan Phillips are used more as pass rushers in Miami's 3-4 base alignment.

Phillips has had a terrific rookie campaign and has a team-high 8.5 of the Dolphins 37 sacks. Ends Emmanuel Ogbah has 7 sacks and a team-best 21 of Miami's 110 QB hits. Christian Wilkins and Van Ginkle have supplied a combined six sacks and 28 QB hits along the edge.

What to Watch

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) scores on a 12-yard touchdown reception against Miami. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY

The Saints will need to be productive on the ground for offensive success.

Look for New Orleans to employ a passing attack that gets the ball out of Book's hands early with short and intermediate routes.

The Saints will have to give Book a clean line of sight with good interior protection. They'll also need to hold off a disruptive Miami pass rush along the edge, a much easier task if Armstead plays.

Book's strength is inside the hashes, so the Saints receivers will have to excel in traffic. There is no greater offensive weapon in the league than Alvin Kamara. Expect Kamara to be used just as often as a receiver then he is as a runner.

Covid losses will hit the Saints hard in this game, greatly thinning their defensive unit. New Orleans will have to control the game with the running game and short passes to dominate time of possession and limit the snaps their defense is on the field.