Saints Run Defense vs. Eagles Run Offense

Previewing the New Orleans rush defense against the Philadelphia running game in their Week 14 matchup.

The 10-2 New Orleans Saints are in search of their tenth consecutive victory this Sunday when they travel north to face the 3-8-1 Philadelphia Eagles. New Orleans is the league's most balanced team, with multiple Pro Bowlers on both sides of the ball. What surprises some is the performance of the team’s defense, which ranks Number One in the league.

The Saints allow just 289 yards per game of total offense to their opposition, and a meager 233 yards over their last five games. They've allowed only 20 points per game, fourth best in the league, and have surrendered only two touchdowns in their last five contests. New Orleans also ranks 8th in red-zone defense, allowing opponents to score a touchdown only 66.7% of the time they're inside the 20-yard line.

Sep 13, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) and linebacker Alex Anzalone (47) and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (22) tackle Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Ronald Jones II (27) during the second half at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY 

Their 3rd down defense has been spectacular over the last five games, allowing a 1st down on just 25.8% of 3rd downs in that span. The meteoric rise in defensive rankings has been because of massive improvements in their pass defense, but the Saints have been one of the league's best run defenses for the past three seasons.

New Orleans ranks second against the run, allowing only 76 yards per game and 3.3 per carry. Their five rushing scores allowed are the fewest in the league, and they've held 9 of their 12 opponents under 100 yards on the ground. The Saints have held 32 of their last 47 opponents below 100 yards on the ground and have not surrendered a 100-Yd rusher in 55 games, a modern-era NFL record.

New Orleans takes on an Eagles team that has struggled offensively all season and will make a change at quarterback this week, giving rookie 2nd round pick Jalen Hurts his first career start over veteran Carson Wentz. Philadelphia ranks 26th in points scored and 29th in total yards, averaging just 319 yards per game. They've averaged only 21 points per game this season and have scored less than 20 points six times, including in their last four contests.

Nov 30, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders (26) in action against the Seattle Seahawks during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY 

If there’s a bright spot to Philadelphia's offense in 2020, it’s been their 14th ranked rushing attack. The Eagles have averaged 116 yards per game on the ground, and their five yards per carry ranks third in the league. Second-year RB Miles Sanders leads the team in rushing with 631 yards in nine games. Sanders has good power between the tackles and an excellent burst in the open field. He has five games with at least 80 yards rushing but only three touchdowns this season.

Former Saint Boston Scott (286 yards), Corey Clement, and former 1,000-Yd back Jordan Howard supply quality depth. Jalen Hurts also adds another element to the Philadelphia running game with his excellent mobility and open field skills.

Nov 1, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery (32) runs with the ball with New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Malcom Brown (90) defending during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY 

Dominance along the line of scrimmage has been a major reason for the team's success against the run. New Orleans has the league's deepest group of defensive tackles, allowing them to rotate talent and stay fresh late in games. Tackles David Onyemata and Sheldon Rankins are the stars, but Malcom Brown, Shy Tuttle, and undrafted rookie Malcolm Roach have been outstanding against the run this season. These defensive tackles not only get fast penetration into opposing backfields to short-circuit running plays, but are athletic enough to get to the edge and cut down backs before they can turn the corner.

The New Orleans defensive ends garner attention for their ability to rush the passer, but this position group is stout against the run. Cameron Jordan, Marcus Davenport, Trey Hendrickson, and Carl Granderson hold up well at the point of attack. They also push their blockers back and inside to pen a runner in or force them to give ground to get outside, allowing this athletic defense to nail them for losses.

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

The key to the rush defense, and to most of the team’s defensive success, is linebacker Demario Davis. The 31-Yr old Davis is well on his way to a second All-Pro bid and leads the Saints in tackles. He has 10 of the team’s 68 tackles for loss. Davis expertly diagnoses offenses to track a runner down in the backfield, has the strength to stand up a blocker in the gaps, and the athleticism to make plays sideline-to-sideline. Kwon Alexander and Alex Anzalone are each solid run defenders from their linebacker spots, and combine with Davis to form one of the league's best trio of linebackers.

Safeties Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and Malcolm Jenkins are used often as extra run defenders near the line of scrimmage. Both are outstanding tacklers who are second and third to Davis in that category and have 8 combined tackles for loss. The Saints secondary swarms to the ball carrier unlike few others in the NFL and allow very few broken plays for extra yardage.

Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook -USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia's passing attack has struggled this season, but their running game has been more consistent. The Eagles will need that rushing attack with Hurts making his first start. It’s essential that they establish balance to take pressure off the rookie quarterback. Not a simple task against a New Orleans defense that has been stingy against the run and masterful at creating chaos for opposing offenses this season.