Saints Run Defense vs. Vikings Running Attack
London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will host the first of five international NFL games this season when the New Orleans Saints meet the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. The 1-2 Saints are considered the home team in this event against the 2-1 Vikings.
Minnesota has some of the league's best offensive talent at the skill positions, but it's a unit that's been maddeningly inconsistent in recent years. They rank 18th in total yardage after three games and are led by first-time head coach Kevin O'Connell, former offensive coordinator of the Rams. The Vikings have the balance and explosiveness to put up points on any team.
New Orleans was expected to have one of the league's dominant defenses entering the year, but has had some uncharacteristic struggles early on. Their defense ranks 13th in total yardage, including fifth against the pass, but has only forced three turnovers and has been surprisingly vulnerable against the run.
After ranking at the top of the NFL in run defense for four consecutive years, can the Saints rebound and stonewall a balanced Vikings offense in London?
New Orleans Run Defense
- 22.7 points per game (19th)
- 139.3 rushing yards/game (26th)
- 2 rushing touchdowns
- 4.2 per rush
- 9 tackles for loss
Jan 5, 2020; Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook (33) runs the ball against New Orleans Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata (93) during a NFC Wild Card game. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Over their previous 78 games, the Saints had allowed only two 100-yard rushers, both against the Philadelphia Eagles. In their first three games this season, Cordarrelle Patterson and Christian McCaffrey have both broken the 100-yard barrier.
New Orleans shut down Tampa Bay's running game in week two, but gave up a combined 346 yards on the ground to the Falcons and Panthers in their other two outings.
The Saints have a disruptive defensive front that’s gotten off to a slow start, but has the ability to dominate offensive lines. Defensive tackles David Onyemata and Shy Tuttle are terrific run defenders who slice through double-team blocking and get good push into opposing backfields.
Dec 25, 2020; New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) engages Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Riley Reiff (71). Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY
Defensive ends Cameron Jordan and Marcus Davenport are terrific pass rushers, but are also among the league's best run stoppers at the position. Carl Granderson, Tanoh Kpassagnon, and Payton Turner make up a deep unit that seals the edge well and crashes down on running backs.
Linebackers Demario Davis and Pete Werner benefit from the talent along the defensive line, allowing them to flow to the ball with ferocity. Davis is one of the NFL's best all-around defenders and has four straight years of over 100 tackles for the Saints. He explodes through gaps in the blocking to crush ball carriers, but also has elite play recognition and the speed to make plays sideline-to-sideline.
Second-year LB Werner is an emerging star after a promising rookie year. He leads the Saints with 31 tackles so far, including two games with double-digit stops. Werner expertly sifts through traffic to the ball and fluidly makes plays in the open field. Kaden Elliss provides solid depth at an otherwise thin position.
The Saints have one of the league's best defensive backfields, which includes swarming to the ball in run support. Corners Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, and Bradley Roby aggressively cut down runners at the edge, with Justin Evans and P.J. Williams providing strong depth in the slot.
Safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye are the keys to the success of the secondary against the run. Each have missed some key tackles so far this year, but both players are standout run defenders at the line of scrimmage or in space.
Minnesota Rushing Attack
- 19.3 points per game
- 103.7 rushing yards/game (19th)
- 2 rushing touchdowns
- 4.9 per rush
Jan 5, 2020; Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook (33) runs the ball against the New Orleans Saints during a NFC Wild Card playoff game. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota's running game is led by sixth-year RB Dalvin Cook, who has 203 yards and a score so far. Cook has three straight years of over 1,100 yards on the ground, including a career-high 1,557 and 16 touchdowns in 2020. A bruising runner with good vision and balance, Cook also has the speed to go the distance once in the open field.
Cook had over 90 yards rushing in Minnesota's two wins this season. He’s also dealing with a shoulder injury that could sideline him this Sunday. He’ll likely be a game-time decision. If he can't go, fourth-year RB Alexander Mattison will take center stage in the running game.
Mattison has 72 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries this season. He’s coming off a career-high 491 yards and 3 scores in 2021, providing excellent relief when Cook was banged up. Not the workhorse that Cook is, Mattison is still a legitimate threat out of the backfield as a runner and receiver.
The Vikings have a big offensive line with the athleticism to get to the second level of a defense effectively. Their top two players up front are LT Christian Darrisaw and RT Brian O'Neill, both Pro Bowl caliber blockers. LG Ezra Cleveland is a mauler at the point of attack, but C Garrett Bradbury and RG Ed Ingram have played below expectations.
What to Expect
Jan 5, 2020; New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) tackles Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook (33) during a NFC Wild Card game. Mandatory Credit: Derick Hingle-USA TODAY
In three career games against the Saints, Dalvin Cook has averaged 98 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns. Mattison is a dangerous playmaker and a great complement, but Cook is the key player in the Vikings offense despite their weapons at wide receiver.
Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins is capable of prolific passing numbers, but desperately needs an effective running game and balanced offense to be productive. The Vikings are just 3-6 in their last 20 contests when Cousins has to throw the ball more than 35 times in a game.
The Saints tackling was well below their standard against both Atlanta and Carolina, allowing runners to get big yardage after contact. New Orleans needs to get penetration into the Minnesota backfield, but also bring Cook and Mattison down on the first hit.
The key matchup here will be Demario Davis and Pete Werner versus Cook and Mattison. All four are terrific athletes, but Davis and Werner must recognize running lanes and immediately react. Expect some bone-crunching collisions around the line of scrimmage, with the ability of the Saints linebackers to shut down the Minnesota backs key to the outcome of the game.
