Saints Run Defense Faces Stiff Challenge Against Physical Falcons

The New Orleans Saints return from their bye week with a road trip to face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 12. New Orleans comes into the week holding first place in the NFC South with a 5-5 record. Atlanta, also coming off a bye, is right behind them at 4-6.

The Saints were carried by their defense early in the year, but the unit has shown vulnerability over the last five contests. They still come into Week 12 ranked eighth in total defense. The Saints allow just 19.8 points and 312.7 yards per game while also ranking fifth in third down defense.

Hosting New Orleans is a physical Atlanta offense that's going back to Desmond Ridder at quarterback. The Falcons rank 15th in total yardage (335.3/game), but their 18.9 points per outing ranks a lowly 24th.

Atlanta's passing game has been a disappointment. However, they possess a bruising rushing attack that can punish opponents. New Orleans has improved against the run over last year's squad, but they've had some issues at the point of attack in recent weeks.

Atlanta Rushing Attack

The Falcons average 130.4 yards per game on the ground, ranking seventh in the NFL. They average 4.2 per carry and have had five outings this season over greater than 130 yards rushing.

Atlanta spent the eighth overall draft choice on Texas RB Bijan Robinson, a back that beats teams in multiple ways. Robinson has a team-high 612 yards rushing and has over 100 yards in two of the last four contests. He has terrific power between the tackles, but also game-breaking speed and tremendous vision.

Second-year RB Tyler Allgeier gives the Falcons a lethal 1-2 backfield punch. Allgeier, who had over 1,000 yards rushing as a rookie, has 402 yards and three scores this season. He's most effective between the tackles and runs with exceptional power and effort.

All-purpose threat Cordarrelle Patterson gives the Falcons another lethal weapon out of the backfield. Patterson hasn't been used much this season, only 76 rushing yards, but he's an explosive player with experience as a productive starter.

Atlanta announced last week that they are going back to Desmond Ridder at quarterback. They've obviously been paying attention to New Orleans. The Saints have been nearly helpless when trying to contain athletic quarterbacks. Ridder has 150 yards rushing in his eight starts this season, along with a team-high four rushing scores.

Atlanta's offensive line has some issues in pass protection, but this unit mauls opponents in the running game. Most of the Falcons success comes on their right side, where RT Kaleb McGary and RG Chris Lindstrom lead the way with authority. Veteran LT Jake Matthews and rookie LG Matthews Bergeron are equally physical on the other side, while Drew Dalman is one of the most underrated centers in the league.

New Orleans Run Defense

The Saints rank 20th against the run with an average of 113.6 yards/game and 4.3 per carry against them. They've only allowed two runners to have more than 65 yards, but have held just two teams below 100 yards on the ground.

Rookie Bryan Bresee, veteran pickups Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders, and holdover Malcolm Roach have done a nice job winning their matchups at defensive tackle. The four have combined for 10 tackles for loss.

Veteran DE Cameron Jordan remains one of the NFL's best run defenders along the edge. Fellow DE Carl Granderson is having a breakout season and leads the team with 10 tackles for loss, but can take undisciplined paths to the ball against the run. Tanoh Kpassagnon provides solid depth.

Star LB Demario Davis continues to be the centerpiece of the defense. Davis leads the team with 73 tackles, including six for loss and 45 solo stops. His instincts and ability to break down opposing offenses is unmatched. Third-year LB Pete Werner is a terrific downhill defender and has solid instincts, but has struggled against athletic runners in the open field.

The Saints have one of the league's best defensive backfields, including in run support. They'll be missing a key piece with the expected absence of CB Marshon Lattimore (ankle). However, CBs Alontae Taylor and Paulson Adebo are physical defenders that chop runners down at the corner.

Veteran S Tyrann Mathieu still has terrific instincts, but must be a more consistent tackler in the open field. Seventh-year S Marcus Maye has missed three games with suspension and another with injury. The physical and versatile Maye is an underrated key to the team's run defense.

What to Watch

This isn't the same New Orleans defense that consistently got pushed around in 2022. However, the Saints have also given up an average of 136 yards on the ground over their last five contests.

New Orleans defensive tackles are still doing an adequate job at the point of attack. The position needs to get more penetration to blow up running plays. Defensive ends have been caught out of position too often and this team has taken poor angles to the ball carrier.

Make no mistake, Atlanta is going back to Desmond Ridder because of his ability to make plays with his legs. Ridder won't have a lot of designed runs called for him, but the Saints must be able to contain him when he takes off on passing plays.

Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier are probably the most talented backfield tandem that New Orleans has faced. The Falcons heavily rely on their running game, so the Saints must come into this game with a tough old-school mentality. For a defense mired in a slump, this will be a test of both character and physicality.