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Saints Rushing Attack vs. Dolphins Run Defense

A Covid-ravaged quarterback position and underperforming receiving corps leaves New Orleans offensive success on the legs of their running game in Monday Night's showdown with Miami.

Bob Rose

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NFL's Monday Night Football features the 7-7 New Orleans Saints hosting the 7-7 Miami Dolphins in the Ceasars Superdome.

The Saints are coming off a 9-0 road upset of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was their second straight win after five consecutive losses, and keeps them within striking distance of a postseason spot.

The strongest part of the 2021 Saints is their defense. A usually prolific New Orleans offense has struggled throughout this year because of injuries and ineffectiveness. They rank 26th in total offense, averaging just 311.7 yards per game.

The Saints have scored 22.4 points per outing, but rank a lowly 30th in passing yardage. It’s by far the lowest in head coach Sean Payton's 16-year tenure.

New Orleans has had more success on the ground. However, that's also been a challenge because of issues in the offensive line and defenses stacking the line of scrimmage.

Miami has also positioned themselves for a possible playoff berth, winning six straight after a 1-6 start. A young defense has shown some playmaking ability and ranks 17th in total yardage, giving up 349 yards/game.

The Dolphins have been inconsistent against the pass, ranking 22nd in that category. They've been much better against the run after some struggles early in the year. It's in this aspect of the game that could determine the winner of this clash.

SAINTS RUSHING ATTACK VS. DOLPHINS RUN DEFENSE

New Orleans Running Game

Oct 1, 2017; New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram (22) against the Miami Dolphins. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Saints average 117 yards/game on the ground, ranking 15th in the league. Little respect for their passing game has caused opposing defenses to stack extra defenders at the line of scrimmage. As a result, the Saints rank just 27th in yards per carry.

Pro Bowl RB Alvin Kamara leads the team with 668 rushing yards and has scored 4 times. Kamara has two 100-yard games this year and three other outings of at least 70 yards. He missed four games with a knee injury, but appears to be healthy for the stretch run.

Kamara is the NFL's most versatile and dynamic back. He’s also the team's leading receiver and has proven capable of shouldering the offensive load. However, he's averaging a career low 3.6/carry. For the Saints to unleash their best weapon in space, another offensive weapon must provide a consistent threat.

One such player could be veteran RB Mark Ingram. The franchise's all-time rushing leader, Ingram, 32, is a consistent inside threat and still has a nice burst into open space. He has 243 rushing yards and a touchdown in six games since arriving back in a trade from Houston.

Taysom Hill is far from a polished passer. What he adds is a bona fide rushing threat from the quarterback position. Hill has one 100-yard outing this season and has rushed for 311 yards and a team-high 5 touchdowns. He's a physical runner who can bull through tacklers with breakaway speed in the open field.

With Hill on the Reserve-Covid list and sidelined this week, the Saints will turn to rookie QB Ian Book in his first NFL action. Book is athletic, but not the running threat Hill is. Kamara and Ingram must carry the entire offense this week against Miami.

The Saints desperately need Pro Bowl tackles Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk back on the field. Ramczyk has missed the last five games with a knee injury. Armstead has missed four of the last six contests.

Without both of their elite tackles, the Saints ability to run off the edge has been nearly non-existent. Veteran James Hurst has done an adequate job at one tackle, but he's a better fit at guard.

Center Erik McCoy was overlooked in Pro Bowl voting, but has played at a high level all season. Guards Calvin Throckmorton and Cesar Ruiz have been inconsistent, but are solid run blockers. Especially with Ramczyk and Armstead flanking them.

Miami Run Defense

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) is stopped by the Miami Dolphins. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Dolphins rank 7th against the run, giving up 103.7 yards/game and 4.3 per carry. They had major struggles against opposing running games early in the year.

Over the first five contests, opponents averaged nearly 134 yards on the ground against Miami. The Dolphins allowed three 100-yard rushers over that span. Since then, they've held six of their last ten opponents under 100 yards as a team.

Miami's 3-4 base defense is based on speed and athleticism. They can be muscled at the point of attack, but make up for it with explosion off the snap and pursuit.

Fourth-year LB Jerome Baker leads the Dolphins in total tackles and has six of the team’s 57 tackles for loss. Rookie edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, a first-round pick, has proven to be a solid run stopper as well as dynamic pass rusher.

Defensive linemen Emmanuel Ogbah and Christian Wilkins have been disruptive forces up front. They are tied with Phillips with a team-high 8 tackles for loss. Adam Butler, Zach Sieler, and Raekwon Davis form a serviceable interior rotation.

Andrew Van Ginkle, Elandon Roberts, and Vince Biegel round out the linebacking corps. They aren't household names, but have been effective defenders against the run and pass.

Cornerbacks Xavien Howard, Byron Jones, and Nik Needham are aggressive run defenders and reliable tacklers on the outside. Veteran S Eric Rowe leads a trio of safeties who swarm to the ball in short yardage situations.

What to Watch

Oct 1, 2017; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) scores on a 12-yard touchdown reception against the Miami Dolphins. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

With rookie QB Ian Book seeing his first NFL action, it's absolutely crucial for the Saints to run the ball successfully. Book may make some plays in the passing game. However, the Saints need to move the ball on the skills of Kamara and Ingram and their offensive line.

The Dolphins have held their last nine opponents to an average of just 87 yards on the ground. Seven of those opponents — the Jaguars, Falcons, Texans, Panthers, Jets (twice), and Giants — have among the worst rushing attacks in the NFL.

Having Armstead and Ramczyk back, or at least one of them, is of critical importance to offensive success. The Saints offensive line needs to control the trenches and open lanes for Kamara and Ingram to get to the second level. 

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Bob Rose
BOB ROSE

Covers the New Orleans Saints as a senior writer for the Saints News Network.  Co-Host of the Bayou Blitz Podcast.