Saints Run Defense Looks For Continued Improvement Against Panthers

After finishing strongly in Week 1, the Saints run defense will be challenged to take early control of division rival Carolina.

The New Orleans Saints will try to improve their record to 2-0 when they visit the 0-1 NFC South rival Carolina Panthers on Monday night. New Orleans largely rode the back of a strong defensive performance to pull out a 16-15 win over the Tennessee Titans to start the season. Carolina dropped a 24-10 road decision to the Atlanta Falcons. 

The Saints opened last week by struggling against the run, reminiscent of last year, when they ranked 24th in the league. They'd rebound in the second half to look similar to the unit that stifled runners between 2018-2021.

Despite their loss, Carolina had a productive day on the ground against Atlanta. They rushed 152 yards and averaged nearly 4.9 per carry. The Panthers have almost entirely new faces at wideout, running back, and tight end, along with rookie first overall draft choice QB Bryce Young.

To support the new face of the franchise, Carolina will need to establish their running game. The New Orleans goal will be to shut down the run and force Bryce Young to win the game against their outstanding pass defense. 

Saints Run Defense vs. Panthers Rushing Attack 

Carolina Running Game 

Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (6) runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Panthers traded RB Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers after six games last season. They still finished 10th in the league in rushing production. The Panthers averaged 130 yards per game on the ground all of last year, but an even more impressive 151.6 in the 11 games without McCaffrey. 

Carolina added former Eagles RB Miles Sanders in free agency. Sanders, a five-year veteran, is coming off a career-best 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022. He's an explosive back with underrated power between the tackles capable of shouldering a big workload. 

Third-year RB Chuba Hubbard helped ease the loss of McCaffrey last year. With 1,078 yards over his first two seasons, Hubbard is a powerful complementary back capable of starting when called on. Sanders had 72 yards on 18 carries against Atlanta last week, with Hubbard adding nine carries for 60 yards.

Carolina's offensive line continues to have issues with pass protection, but it's a group that is developing into a solid run blocking unit. Led by LT Ikem Ekwonu, the sixth overall choice in the 2022 draft, the Panthers fire off the ball with authority. Ekwonu is already one of the league's best young tackles who the Panthers like to run behind. 

Veteran LG Brady Christensen was placed on injured reserve earlier this week. His spot will be taken by either Nash Jenson or former Saint Calvin Throckmorton. Veteran C Bradley Bozeman is a power blocker in the middle. He'll be flanked by impressive rookie fourth-round pick Chandler Zavala at right guard. Reliable seven-year veteran RT Taylor Moton mans the outside. 

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

Tennessee ran for 63 yards against the Saints in the first half, averaging 4.9 per carry.  New Orleans tightened up slightly in the final two periods, giving up 41 yards on the ground. They'll still need to show that they are an improved unit over the one that plummeted to 24th against the run last season. 

Those struggles caused the Saints to do a complete makeover at defensive tackle. New interior additions Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd controlled the line of scrimmage against the Titans better as the game progressed. Rookie first-round pick Bryan Bresee also made plays as part of the four-man rotation. Perhaps the most consistently impressive of the group was fourth-year DT Malcolm Roach, who was disruptive throughout the game.

New Orleans has arguably the best group of edge run defenders in the league. Perennial Pro Bowl DE Cam Jordan is as effective at defending the run as he is terrorizing quarterbacks. Fifth-year DE Carl Granderson has developed into a fine all-around defender and a solid complement to Jordan in all situations. 

The loss of DE Payton Turner (toe) is a potentially big blow after a terrific preseason and strong start. However, Tanoh Kpassagnon is an underrated contributor who's made plays for this defense in the past. The Saints have already promoted DE Kyle Phillips to the active roster. Rookie second-round choice Isaiah Foskey may also see his first regular season action. 

Linebackers Demario Davis and Pete Werner are an outstanding duo against both the run or the pass. Werner had eight tackles against Tennessee and looked to be the same emerging star we saw last year before a mid-season ankle injury. 

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) is tackled by New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) and cornerback Marshon Lattimore (23). Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Davis remains one of the NFL's best all-around defensive players. He led all players with 10 tackles against Tennessee, including nine solo stops, while playing at a superhero level in the second half. A tremendous athlete and hitter, Davis also has elite instincts and play recognition that always puts him in the middle of the action. 

New Orleans defensive backs are extremely active in run support. Corners Marshon Lattimore, Alontae Taylor, and Paulson Adebo are physical players who regularly make stops on the edge to contain plays.

Safety Marcus Maye played his best game as a Saint against the Titans, which included a few critical stops of Derrick Henry in the open field. Tyrann Mathieu is a force at the line of scrimmage, often acting as an extra linebacker. 

What to Expect 

New Orleans Saints defensive end Malcolm Roach (97) goes up against Carolina Panthers center Matt Paradis (61). Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY

The Panthers need to run the ball effectively to establish balance for Bryce Young. They ran 32 times for 154 yards against Atlanta, averaging 4.8 per attempt. Sanders and Hubbard accounted for most of that, but the Saints must also be aware of WR Laviska Shenault on jet sweeps.sweep.

New Orleans will create a major advantage if they can stop the Panthers on the ground and force the rookie Young and a pedestrian group of receivers to beat their formidable pass defense. Doing so early on should also prevent Carolina from establishing any momentum. 

The Saints have come out listless in three of their last four matchups against an inferior Panthers squad. Carolina ran for a combined 316 yards in two games over New Orleans last season. This is a much different offense, but still one that will attack New Orleans off tackle with Sanders and Hubbard. 

New Orleans will need to get quick penetration with their defensive tackles. Doing so will allow the ends to crash inside to prevent off-tackle plays and free LBs Davis and Werner to burst through open gaps. 

Above all, the Saints must come out with far more intensity than they have in their last four meetings against the Panthers. If this is indeed a truly elite defense, than they'll quickly extinguish the young Carolina offense in front of a national Monday night football audience.