Saints Run Defense vs. Buccaneers Rushing Attack
The New Orleans Saints host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their 2022 home opener on Sunday. Both teams come in with a 1-0 record. The Saints after a marvelous 16-point comeback victory at Atlanta, while the Buccaneers throttled the Dallas Cowboys, 19-3, on the road. Tampa Bay won the NFC South in 2021, ending the Saints four-year streak of division titles.
New Orleans has won the last seven regular season meetings and leads the all-time series 39-22, including a 21-13 mark at home. Four of those wins have come since future Hall of Fame QB Tom Brady joined the Bucs in 2020. The Saints dominated Brady in those matchups, forcing nine turnovers and holding them without a touchdown twice.
Tampa's only win with Brady came in the 2021 Divisional Playoffs in New Orleans. They won that game because they were able to run the ball and because of an opportunistic defense.
Both these teams have tremendous defenses, especially against the run. The offense that manages to establish the better balance against the other's defense will win this showdown
Here's a breakdown of how the Buccaneers running game stacks up against a Saints run defense that had uncharacteristic struggles against Atlanta.
New Orleans Run Defense
2021 Rushing Statistics
- 19.7 points per game (4th)
- 93.5 rushing yards per game (4th)
- 3.7 average per rush (1st)
- 12 rushing touchdowns (6th)
- 88 tackles for loss
Oct 31, 2021; The New Orleans Saints swarm Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette (7). Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Coming into 2022, the Saints had ranked in the league's top four against the run for four consecutive years. They’d held 45 of their previous 65 opponents under 100 yards on the ground and routinely made opposing offenses one-dimensional.
Atlanta gashed the Saints for 201 yards on the ground in week one. It was the third highest rushing total given up by the Saints in their last 110 games, with only the Philadelphia Eagles achieving a higher total twice. Falcons RB Cordarrelle Patterson rushed for 120 yards, just the third 100-yard rushing performance against the Saints in their last 78 outings.
Most surprisingly, Atlanta blew the Saints off the ball at the point of attack. To prevent this from happening again, defensive tackles David Onyemata, Shy Tuttle, and Kentavius Street must win their battles at the line of scrimmage. Tuttle, a rugged run-stuffer, made two crucial stops late in the game last week to swing momentum. Onyemata is a powerhouse with freakish athleticism who needs to be a difference maker in the middle.
Starting ends Cam Jordan and Marcus Davenport are best known as pass rushers, but are also among the league's best run defenders at the position. Carl Granderson, Payton Turner, and Tanoh Kpassagnon make up a deep rotation that stays fresh late in games.
Dec 19, 2021; New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) and defensive end Carl Granderson (96) tackles Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Ronald Jones (27). Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The key to the entire defense is All-Pro LB Demario Davis. The 33-year-old Davis is a do-it-all defender who has four straight years of at least 100 tackles and 45 stops for loss in his four years with New Orleans. He’s a physical player that expertly reads opposing offenses with the speed to beat runners to the edge.
Second-year LB Pete Werner looks ready to take on a bigger role in the defense. After 62 tackles, four for loss, as a rookie, Werner had a game-high 12 stops against the Falcons. He’s a sure tackler who flows through traffic to the ball carrier and has the athleticism to make plays in the open field. Kaden Elliss is the third linebacker in an extremely thin unit.
The Saints typically employ just two linebackers and an extra defensive back. Their secondary is extremely active and physical in run support. Corner Paulson Adebo will be sidelined for a second straight week because of an ankle injury, but Marshon Lattimore and Bradley Roby are quick to cut down a back along the edge at the line of scrimmage.
Veteran S Justin Evans took the place of the traded Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and had a solid outing against the Falcons. He and P.J. Williams complement starters Marcus Maye and Tyrann Mathieu, who combined for 16 tackles in week one. They were in on one of the key plays of the win when they teamed up to force and recover a Marcus Mariota fumble deep in their own territory to keep the Saints within striking distance.
Tampa Bay Running Attack
2021 Rushing Statistics
- 30.1 points per game (2nd)
- 98.4 rushing yards/game (26th)
- 4.3 average per rush (15th)
- 18 rushing touchdowns (9th)
Dec 19, 2021; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette (7) is tackled by New Orleans Saints defensive end Carl Granderson (96). Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY
As long as Brady is playing for them, the Buccaneers offense will always be known for their passing game. However, Tampa Bay has an underrated weapon in RB Leonard Fournette. The 27-year-old Fournette was the fourth overall pick in the 2017 Draft out of LSU, but is in just his third season with the Bucs.
After a marvelous playoff run the year before, Fournette led the Buccaneers with 812 yards rushing and eight scores in 2021, averaging 4.5 per carry. Fournette is a power back at 6-feet and 228-Lbs with breakaway speed and terrific receiving ability. He started this season strong, rushing for 127 yards on 21 carries against the Cowboys.
Rookie third-round pick Rachaad White backs up Fournette, with Giovani Bernard used as a third down back. White, another big back at 6’2” and 228-Lbs., had six carries for 14 yards and two receptions for 7 yards against Dallas. Fournette has been limited in practice with a hamstring injury, but should go on Sunday. If he’s limited, then 2020 third-round choice Ke'Shawn Vaughn could see some snaps.
A bigger issue for Tampa Bay might be the health of their offensive line. Center Ryan Jensen and G Aaron Stinnie are already on injured reserve, while LT Donovan Smith has been out of practice all week because of an elbow injury. Luke Goedeke, a rookie from Central Michigan, takes over Stinnie's left guard spot.
The Buccaneers usually like to run over their left side. With the health and inexperience on that side an issue, Tampa might roll more rushes to the other side. All-Pro RT Tristan Wirfs is one of the league's best, while offseason free-agent addition Shaq Mason is a strong run blocker at right guard.
What to Expect
Dec 19, 2021; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette (7) is tackled by the New Orleans Saints defense. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Most of the same personnel remains from a New Orleans defense that dominated opposing running attacks for the last four years. I expect a squad that is highly motivated to redeem themselves after being pushed around by Atlanta last week.
To do that, the Saints defensive tackles must get inside push into the backfield against a beat up Tampa Bay interior line. That would also allow their defensive ends to crash down on plays to prevent Fournette from bouncing outside or finding an off-tackle running lane.
Davis and Werner will be extremely active in this game. Remember that Fournette is also a capable receiver. They'll be matched up with the Buccaneers backs in those situations and must prevent Brady from using short passes to his backs as an extension of the running game.
It sounds insane, but the key to the Saints defensive success against Tampa Bay has been to shut down the running game and forcing Brady to try and beat them. If successful, New Orleans has the pass rush and coverage talent to win this early season showdown between NFC contenders.
