Saints Run Defense vs. Lions Rushing Attack

The Saints face a monumental challenge against a Detroit offense that has bludgeoned most of their opponents.

A 24-15 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday pushed the New Orleans Saints out of first place in the NFC South. A 5-6 Saints team returns home this week, but it's to face the 8-3 Detroit Lions. 

After starting the year strong on defense, the Saints have struggled there over the last six weeks. Just in the first half of those games, they've given up an average of over 18 points, 234 yards, and 58% third down percentage. 

New Orleans ranks 12th in total defense, allowing 320.3 yards and 20.2 points per contest. The Saints are still near the top of the league with 20 turnovers forced and are eighth in third down percentage, but have also slipped to 19th in the red zone. 

Visiting the Superdome is an explosive Detroit offense. The Lions rank second with 405.5 total yards per game and seventh with an average of 26.7 points. They've scored at least 30 points and have had over 400 total yards in five outings.

Detroit's passing attack has earned a lot of attention, but their running game has also inflicted a lot of damage. On the other hand, New Orleans has been giving up rushing yards at an alarming clip reminiscent of last year's struggles. 

Detroit Running Game 

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) stiff-arms Green Bay Packers linebacker Isaiah McDuffie (58). Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

The Lions rank sixth in rushing production with 137 yards per outing. Their 17 rushing scores and 4.6 per carry each rank fourth in the league. Detroit has been held to less than 100 yards on the ground just twice this season and has three games of over 200 yards rushing. 

Fifth-year RB David Montgomery leads the Lions with 648 yards on the ground. He's averaging an impressive 4.9 per carry and has reached the end zone nine times. One of the league's most underrated backs, Montgomery runs with good power and has excellent burst in the open field. 

First-round rookie Jahmyr Gibbs was expected to add versatility to Detroit's backfield. Not only has Gibbs done that, but he's also proven to be a consistently productive runner. He has 566 yards rushing while scoring five times and averaging 5.2 per carry. Gibbs and Montgomery have combined for four 100-yard outings and five more of at least 65 yards.

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs runs against the Chicago Bears. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

There aren't many carries left over, but fifth-year RB Craig Reynolds has been a solid backup. Reynolds was called on as a fill-in against the Raiders and Panthers earlier this season and managed 126 rushing yards, averaging six yards per attempt. 

Detroit has one of the most dominant offensive lines in the NFL. Even without injured guards Halapoulivaati Vaitai and Jonah Jackson, this unit has consistently blown defenders off the ball. Vaitai is on injured reserve but Jackson could return at LG after missing five of the last six contests with a wrist injury. 

The Lions have perhaps the league's best tackle combination in RT Penei Sewell and LT Taylor Decker. Frank Ragnow is a top-tier center, while RG Graham Glasgow remains a high-quality run blocker.

New Orleans Run Defense 

Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson (84) is tackled by New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) and safety Tyrann Mathieu (32). Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Saints have slipped to 23rd against the run, allowing 124 yards per game. They've given up an average of 151 yards on the ground in their last six contests, including 228 to the Falcons last week. No opposing rusher has eclipsed 100 yards against them, but the Saints have given up 11 outings of over 55 yards.

New Orleans is most often getting gashed along the edges. End Carl Granderson is having a terrific year as a pass rusher, but is getting blown off the ball when teams run at him. Cam Jordan has fared better on the other edge and remains a good defender against the run. However, most teams have their best success running at Granderson to nullify his pursuit while cutting off Jordan's angles down the line.

Jordan is also dealing with an ankle injury that could limit him on Sunday. Tanoh Kpassagnon would likely fill in, but that leaves no proven depth with Isaiah Foskey and Kyle Phillips. 

New Orleans defensive tackles have been solid against the run, but have made few game-changing plays. Promising rookie first-round pick Bryan Bresee has hit a bit of a wall after a strong start. Nathan Shepherd has been stout at the point of attack, but has gotten little penetration. Veteran Malcolm Roach is having his best season and has become one of the emotional leaders of the front line. Despite the poor numbers against the run, opponents have had a difficult time picking up inside yards on the Saints. 

Star LB Demario Davis is still the heart and soul of this unit. Davis leads the team with 79 tackles, including 49 solo stops but just six for loss. His elite instincts and tenacity still put him in position to make plays, but he's been outrun in the open field more often this season. 

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier (25) is hit by New Orleans Saints linebacker Pete Werner (20). Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Fellow LB Pete Werner is a good downhill defender and shows solid instincts against the run. Werner is second on the team in tackles and is a physical player at the point of attack. He's also been a liability in the open field and hasn't been able to make plays laterally, a major weakness for this defense. 

New Orleans has a physical secondary that's aggressive in run support. The absence of CB Marshon Lattimore (injured reserve-ankle) thins the unit a bit. Alontae Taylor and Paulson Adebo can still effectively cut down runners before they get to the second level on the edge. 

At safety, veterans Marcus Maye and Tyrann Mathieu have underachieved in recent weeks. Maye is the more physical of the two, but too often Mathieu has been moved up into the tackle box. Both have taken bad angles to the ball carrier that have allowed runners to pick up extra yardage. 

What to Watch 

New Orleans Saints defensive end Carl Granderson (96) and linebacker Demario Davis (56) tackle Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28). © Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Contrary to some belief, Detroit is not a one-dimensional pass happy offense. This is a unit that imposes their will by bullying opponents. In seven of their eight wins, the Lions have averaged an eye-popping 163 yards on the ground. 

Detroit has most of their success on off-tackle running plays, where Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have been sprung for huge gains. This is also where the Saints have been most vulnerable. The Saints have also been abysmal when dealing with mobile quarterbacks, but thankfully shouldn't have a major problem with Detroit QB Jared Goff.

This could get ugly in a hurry if New Orleans isn't able to slow Gibbs and Montgomery, especially with Jordan hobbled. Saints defensive tackles need to get immediate penetration to blow up running plays before they develop. This is an absolute must, because the Saints cannot athletically stay with Detroit backs in the open field. If New Orleans can at least stalemate their matchups up front, then Davis and Werner can burst through gaps for big plays.

The Lions have a lot of pretty offensive numbers, but the bottom line is that they like to bludgeon their opponents. New Orleans has withered against physical challenges most of the second part of this season. Doing so again will most certainly lead to an embarrassment in front of their home crowd.