Saints Run Defense vs. Chiefs Run Offense

After their worst outing of the season, will the New Orleans rush defense rebound against the Kansas City running attack in Week 15?

The 10-3 New Orleans Saints had their nine-game winning streak snapped in stunning fashion last Sunday in a 24-21 road loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. One of the most surprising aspects of that loss was the performance of the New Orleans run defense, which gave up 246 yards on the ground. It was the first 200-Yd rushing performance by an opponent against the Saints since the third game of the 2016 season.

Despite that debacle, the New Orleans defense still ranks 2nd in the league in total yardage, allowing 299 yards per game. Their rush defense also ranks 2nd, giving up 89 yards per game on the ground, 3.7 per carry, and a league low 7 rushing touchdowns. Philadelphia's Miles Sanders and Jalen Hurts both rushed for over 100 yards against them last week, snapping a streak of 55 consecutive games without allowing a 100-Yd rusher, but the Saints have still held nine of its 13 opponents under the century mark.

Sep 27, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY 

New Orleans will host the 12-1 and defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday. The Chiefs have the 1st ranked offense in the NFL, rolling up 429 yards per outing and average 31 points per game, second highest in the league. Kansas City is best known for a prolific passing attack led by QB Patrick Mahomes, but they have an underrated running game that keeps opposing defenses off balance.

The Chiefs rank 17th in rushing offense, averaging 111.7 yards per game and 4.5 per carry. Rookie 1st round choice Clyde Edward-Helaire has been a terrific addition to an already explosive offense. Edwards-Helaire leads the Chiefs with 724 yards rushing and 4 scores and has two outings of over 100 yards this season. He is a compact but powerful back who is effective between the tackles and elusive in the open field. Kansas City signed productive veteran Le'Veon Bell at mid-season to bolster depth. Bell's best days are behind him, but he has 162 yards in seven games and can still beat defenses in the open field.

Nov 29, 2020; Tampa, Florida, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (25) runs the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY 

Kansas City won't use Mahomes as a runner in the way that the Eagles used Jalen Hurts against the Saints last week. However, Mahomes is the team’s second leading rusher with 250 yards and has terrific mobility. New Orleans must also guard against end around plays from the speedy Kansas City wideouts. Especially Tyreek Hill, who has 122 yards rushing and has averaged over ten yards per carry. Kansas City's offensive line has struggled to get push at the point of attack in short yardage situations this season. The Chiefs rank 4th in 3rd down percentage, but mostly because of Mahomes and the passing game, and just 20th in red-zone offense.

Philadelphia's rushing performance aside, the Saints have dominated the line of scrimmage most of the year. A deep defensive tackle rotation, led by David Onyemata and Sheldon Rankins, has gotten great penetration at the snap to blow up running plays in their infancy.

Nov 15, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata (93) stops San Francisco 49ers running back Jerick McKinnon (28) during the first quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive tackle Malcom Brown, one of the league's better interior run defenders, missed last week's loss with a shoulder injury that has him questionable for this game. If Brown misses the game, tackles Shy Tuttle and rookie UDFA Malcolm Roach must do a better job with their inside matchups. Defensive ends Cameron Jordan, Marcus Davenport, and Trey Hendrickson are outstanding run defenders, and the entire defensive line has excellent athleticism to cut down a runner along the outside.

The Saints have 70 tackles for loss this season and have stuffed several short yardage rushing plays. The dominance of the defensive line has helped All-Pro LB Demario Davis to flow to the ball unencumbered. Davis is an outstanding athlete with elite play diagnosis that allows him to make plays all over the field. Fellow linebackers Kwon Alexander and Alex Anzalone join Davis to form one of the league's more athletic linebacking units. Safeties Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and Malcolm Jenkins are terrific run defenders in a secondary that swarms to the ball carrier.

Nov 22, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints linebacker Kwon Alexander (58) waits for the snap against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The poor outing by the New Orleans run defense last Sunday seems more likely an aberration than a trend, but the team must rebound this week. The Saints must establish control of the line of scrimmage early and do a far better job in their gap responsibilities than last week. Their defense will have enough problems with the dynamic Kansas City passing attack. If the Saints can shut down the run to make the Chiefs one-dimensional, they have a much better chance for defensive success.