Saints Midseason Grades: Nowhere to Go but Up on Some

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Now that the Saints have gotten past the midway point in their season, Saints On SI grades their performance and how to improve those grades.

Offense = C-

The Saints offense has shown some promise, especially in the passing game, but has a long ways to go there. The biggest bug-a-boo is the running game that showed a glimmer of hope against the Browns and has that glimmer possibly getting a little brighter with the return of Travis Etienne Jr from Injured Reserve on the horizon, as long as the offensive line can do a 180 from where it has been this year.

Offensive Line = D

Though injuries have washed through the front five, that has not been the problem. No matter the group, no consistent openings have been made for running backs, their quarterback has been put on his gluts and run for his life way too often. There is either a talent problem, scheming problem, or a coaching problem here.

Head coach Kellen Moore made a couple of moves after the bye week that seemed more like a smoke screen to cover up bigger issues. We will see as the season wears on whether or not firing your run coordinator, bringing up a journeyman running back, and the return of your big money back will clear that smoke a bit.

Quarterback = B

Tyler Shough is not only the leader of this offense, he is THE reason there are three wins up on the board for the Saints. While there was no running game and his offensive line was not protecting him on a regular basis, Shough made do with what he has had. He is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL in a number of categories, yet his team has produced three wins.

We have seen a quarterback mature right in front of our eyes, and it's good to see. Now, if he can just get a little help elsewhere.

Running Backs = D+

It's sort of hard to grade a running back room when the holes to run through are few and far between. However, we can look at other areas, such as blocking, being able to run effectively when given the chance, and holding on to the ball. This group of backs has not graded well, no matter the metrics, and the return of Etienne might not make a difference. Here's the main issue: it took until Week 9 of the season, the Saints eighth game overall, before a running back could get past 70-yards rushing, and it was by a journeyman running back who has been on team's practice squads for most of his career. The only other back to get to the "magic number" of 70-yards rushing in a game is no longer on the team.

There are quite a few reasons the coaches agreed with us (not that they asked) and parted ways with former 3rd round draft pick Kendre Miller. He was, by far, the lowest graded person by Pro Football Focus (PFF) in all categories but one: run blocking. Miller's pass blocking was unequivocally the worst grade on the Saints squad, but only two points worse than Alvin Kamara's efforts there.

Receivers/Tight Ends = C

These grades would be better if the guys catching the ball would do a couple of things better: block and compile more yards-after-catch (YAC).

Tight ends Juwan Johnson and Oscar Delp are ranked amongst the worst pass blockers on the team, yet that is close to half of what they must do.

Kamara is second on the team in YAC per reception at 6.9-YAC. Etienne is third at 5.7-YAC. Johnson 4th at 5.1-YAC. Chris Olave is tied for 10th on the Saints with fellow receiver Devaughn Vele at a tepid 2.9-YAC.

Who leads the team in yards after catch, you might ask? Audric Estimé, at 12-YAC. Of course, it's a small sample size, but still quite telling.

Defense = D+

Though two of the top sack specialists in the league are playing on the Saints right now, and there was improvement against the run last week versus the Browns, this is still one of the lowest ranked defenses in the league, settling in at #29 out of thirty-two teams in yards per game allowed (370.5). Though defending the rushing game gets most of bad news, giving up over 133-yards a contest, the Saints pass defense gives up over 100-yards more per game. That pass rush may be the savior for the secondary.

Defensive Line = C+

We wanted to give this group a "B" but couldn't. Here's our reasoning.

Though the pass rush by Chase Young and Carl Granderson is among the elite in the NFL, the rest of this line is mediocre at best in the pass rush department and stopping the run has been a headache. Only against the Giants has this D-line come through against the rush. For the other seven games, it's been a crap shoot. In half their games, the opponents have had a runner reach the century mark. Though there are seven other players involved, it's the front four that make or break stopping the run. This group has not done that.

Linebackers = D+

We believe the return of Kaden Elliss will help this group immensely. However, Elliss was not in the mix for half of the first half of the season. Though Danny Stutsman is loved by fans, he's not there yet as a starting linebacker. And if you need to get a feeling for where Pete Werner is as a linebacker, look back at the stiff arm by tight end Harold Fannin put on Werner that knocked him to the turf in the Browns game.

Secondary = D-

It might just be the coverage defensive coordinator Brandon Staley employs, but this group of defensive backs is giving up way too many big plays and is getting beat on simple routes. The lowest coverage grades given by PFF on pass coverage is on safeties Julian Blackmon and Justin Reid. Cornerbacks Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley are just a few points better. Though the run defense for the secondary is graded better, Martin Emerson Jr is one of the lowest graded on the team in run support.

Special Teams = C-

This grade is lower because of Daniel Carlson and the erratic blocking on punt and kickoff returns for most of the first half of the season. Things got better in the last couple of weeks though.

Punter Ryan Wright and long snapper Zach Wood are studs. You rarely have to worry about a bad punt or snap with those two. They are as automatic as you can get.

Carlson, on the other hand, was a coin flip when it came to field goals, while his kickoffs left a lot to be desired. The move to get Charlie Smyth back in the game can help, if he can only solve that left hash mark issue.

Coverage has been outstanding, but blocking on kickoff and punt returns has not, until the last couple of weeks, when we got to see seams open up for returner Barion Brown. It's amazing how the rookie can show off his speed when he has a lane to run through.

Coaching = F

We were contemplating a little higher grade, but did not for a number of reasons.

Offensive line play is a detriment to this team.
Pass blocking is iffy and needs to improve to keep your quarterback healthy.
The run game is horrid.
Rookie wide receivers are not performing up to task.
Secondary coverage is sketchy at best.
Stopping the run is not happening.
Waiting this long to cut Miller and Carlson shows questionable decision making.

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