Saints Listless Run Defense Must Wake Up Against Panthers

A porous Saints run defense looks to rebound against a bad Carolina offense to snap losing streak.

A New Orleans Saints team on a three-game losing streak hosts the 1-11 Carolina Panthers this Sunday. The Saints fell to 5-7 and third place in the NFC South with their loss to the Detroit Lions last week. They aren't out of the playoff picture, but need a winning streak plus some help along the way. 

New Orleans has done very little (okay, nothing) to help themselves so far. Even a defense that carried them early in the year has fallen on hard times. The Saints have tumbled to 15th in total defense, now allowing 322.5 yards and 21.3 yards per game. They still rank among the league leaders with 20 turnovers forced, but have been a leaky sieve in the first half of the last seven contests. 

NFC South cellar-dweller Carolina comes in with the league's worst record and on a five-game losing streak. This is their second game under interim coach Chris Tabor after the firing of offensive-minded Frank Reich. The main reason for Reich's dismissal was an offense that ranks 30th with just 267.3 yards and 15.9 points per outing. 

On paper, the Panthers look to have a capable rushing attack to support first overall draft pick QB Bryce Young. Meanwhile, the Saints are giving up rushing yards in chunks reminiscent of last year's abysmal showing. Can a punchless Carolina offense push New Orleans around as other opponents have in recent weeks?

Carolina Running Game 

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) is tackled by several New Orleans Saints. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

The Panthers average just 96 yards per game on the ground and 3.8 per attempt, ranking 26th in the NFL. Only two teams have fewer than their five rushing scores and six opponents have held them to under 100 yards on the ground. 

Third-year RB Chuba Hubbard leads Carolina with 557 yards rushing and has four of their five scores. He also has his team's only 100-yard outing of the year, picking up 104 last week against Tampa Bay. Hubbard is an underrated back with the athleticism to get outside and the toughness to pick up yards between the tackles. 

Fifth-year RB Miles Sanders has performed below expectations after being added as a free agent from Philadelphia. Sanders has only 325 rushing yards and a score in 11 games while averaging just 3.1 per carry. Since picking up 72 yards in the season opener, Sanders has yet to run for over 50 yards in a game. Nevertheless, he has game-breaking burst and excellent vision to spot the open hole.

The problem is that there have been few open holes for Carolina runners. Guards Austin Corbett and Brady Christensen are both on injured reserve. Neither Justin McCray or Nash Jensen have been suitable replacements, while C Bradley Bozeman has also struggled. 

If Sanders and Hubbard can get off tackle, the Panthers have two capable blockers that can spring them. Second-year LT Ikem Ekwonu is a mauler with good agility. Seven-year veteran RT Taylor Moton can also be a road grader in open space as a lead blocker. 

New Orleans Run Defense 

New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) gets ready for a play against the Carolina Panthers. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans gives up 125.5 yards per game on the ground, ranking 24th in the NFL. They allow 4.5 per carry, ranking 27th, but have gotten worse as the season has progressed. Over the last five games, opponents have averaged 163 yards on the ground against a porous Saints defense. 

Similar to last year, the New Orleans defensive line has gotten manhandled at the line of scrimmage recently. Khalen Saunders may be a unique piece to the team's goal-line offense, but he's not performed well at defensive tackle. The other free-agent DT addition, Nathan Shepherd, has been silenced recently after his strong start. 

Shepherd and rookie first-round pick Bryan Bresee have gotten decent penetration at times. However, Bresee needs to show improvement against teams with powerful inside running games. Arguably the Saints most consistent run defender, DT Malcolm Roach, may miss several weeks with a knee injury sustained against Detroit. 

Defensive end Carl Granderson has had a strong year. Granderson has shown tenacious pursuit of the ball against the run and as a pass rusher. However, he struggles to hold up at the point of attack when teams run right at him.

Future Hall of Fame DE Cameron Jordan is dealing with a severe ankle injury that limited him to only 17 snaps against the Lions. Jordan has lost a step, but still has excellent technique as a run defender. If he's hobbled again, reliable veteran Tanoh Kpassagnon will take his place up front. It would also limit edge depth to raw second-round rookie Isaiah Foskey, who's done little this season. 

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) runs as New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd (93) pursues. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Star LB Demario Davis is still the heart of the defense. Davis leads the team with 83 tackles, but has just six for loss. He still has elite instincts and pursues the ball with tenacity. However, he also looks to have lost a step when isolated in the open field. 

Third-year LB Pete Werner has been exposed for his limitations in the open field this season. Werner has 67 tackles, second only to Davis, but has too often been seen flailing helplessly at runners in open space. He's also dealing with a shoulder injury that forced him to miss last week. 

If Werner is out again, Zack Baun and Nephi Sewell will take his snaps. Baun was also used as defensive end depth against the Lions, a wise move to keep him out of open space. Sewell is severely limited because of his lack of athleticism, but has solid instincts. 

New Orleans has a group of talented defensive backs who are aggressive in run support. However, the entire unit has been guilty of poor angles and technique that's resulted in missed open field tackles. The best run defender of the group, S Marcus Maye, missed last week with a shoulder injury. His status is worth monitoring closely as this game approaches. 

What to Watch 

Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (6) looks for yardage on a run play against the New Orleans Saints. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY

When these teams met in Week 2, a 20-17 New Orleans victory, the Panthers managed 100 yards rushing but five yards per carry. Those numbers were somewhat bolstered by two 17-yard scrambles from QB Bryce Young. Sanders and Hubbard were held to a combined 59 yards and 3.7 per carry in that game. 

Young isn't a prototypical running quarterback. He has just 161 rushing yards. However, he has the athleticism to make plays against a New Orleans defense that's performed in embarrassing fashion against scrambling quarterbacks.

Carolina will look to establish balance with Hubbard and Sanders to ease pressure on Young. The Saints need to get interior penetration to snuff out plays in the backfield. Davis must also fire through gaps to keep the Panthers runners from getting off tackle. 

New Orleans defenders have come out flat and listless in their last seven games. They must reverse that trend to prevent a bad Carolina offense from gathering momentum, confidence, and controlling the pace of the game.