Week 7 Saints Snap Counts and Observations

A closer look at the Week 7 Saints snap counts with some observations from their win over the Seahawks.

The Saints went in to Seattle and knocked off the Seahawks in a hard-fought Week 7 win on Monday Night Football. While the game itself leaves much to the imagination, the reality is that the New Orleans defense recovered from an early long bomb and was able to help control things. Meanwhile, the offense had its fair share of struggles, but did enough when it counted to get the win.

We take a closer look at the Saints snap counts with some observations from the game.

Offense

• Cesar Ruiz, Erik McCoy, Ryan Ramczyk, Terron Armstead, Jameis Winston - 74 (100%)
  The Saints gained 304 net yards of offense, with 94 coming on the ground and 210 through the air. Winston was sacked twice while going 19-of-35 for 222 yards and a touchdown. He also had some good scrambles, carrying it 8 times for 40 yards. The receivers need to do a better job, because some of the throws Winston made were absolute dimes.
• Marquez Callaway - 68 (92%)
  Callaway was targeted 7 times on the night and hauled in 3 catches for 32 yards. He also handled punt return duties. He had a beautiful sideline catch on the final offensive drive that put the Saints in a goal-to-go situation. There was also a play where he was wide open in the back of the end zone, but the ball ended up getting batted down by the Seahawks defense.
• Adam Trautman - 64 (86%)
  Trautman caught all of his targets and finished with 3 catches for 36 yards. He had a costly fumble on one of the plays in the second half, but thankfully it only yielded a field goal.
• Alvin Kamara - 61 (82%)
  The team's best offensive player didn't have much success on the ground, finishing with 20 carries for 51 yards. However, he did have a huge 3rd-and-10 conversion that picked up 12 yards on the go-ahead scoring drive. His major value was through the air, as he was targeted 11 times and got 10 catches for 128 yards and a score. The play he scored on he said he didn't see Winston had fumbled the snap, but it all worked out anyways. 
• Calvin Throckmorton - 57 (77%)
  Throckmorton provided an instant boost to the line after Peat went down. It looks like the team will lose him for the season, so the second-year UDFA will likely start the rest of the way. 
• Tre'Quan Smith - 41 (55%)
  Smith was targeted 3 times, but hauled in just a lone catch for 11 yards on the final offensive drive. There are some major bugs to work out with his return, and the sideline incident involving him and Winston was chalked up to just communication. There was a route in the early stages of the game that had Smith kept running, it would have likely been a touchdown.
• Kenny Stills - 32 (43%)
  Stills had a clunker of a game, failing to get any of his 3 targets. Some of those throws were on point by Winston. The weather certainly played a factor, but the Saints need some stable receiving production. Stills had been pretty solid coming into this one, so we'll see how he rebounds.
• Garrett Griffin - 26 (35%)
• Juwan Johnson - 20 (27%)
  I liked seeing Johnson getting involved early, but that lone target and catch for 8 yards was all that he got. There were plays you saw Winston looking his way, but didn't force any throws. 
• Andrus Peat - 17 (23%)
  Peat got hurt and tried to come back in, but it ended badly. As we learned on Tuesday morning, it appears that he'll be out for the year due to a torn pec. 
• Lil'Jordan Humphrey - 13 (18%)
  No stats for Humphrey, but he did have some good run blocks during the game.
• Ty Montgomery - 12 (16%)
• James Hurst - 11 (15%)
• Alex Armah - 10 (14%)
• Kevin White - 8 (11%)
  White was targeted twice, but couldn't get either of the balls. He made a few special teams plays, including downing a Blake Gillikin punt at the 1-yard-line.
• Devine Ozigbo - 4 (5%)

Demario Davis was arguably the best player on the defense last night, but Marcus Davenport needs some recognition

Defense

• Malcolm Jenkins, Marcus Williams, Marshon Lattimore, Demario Davis - 56 (100%)
  The big 84-yard play to D.K. Metcalf was the highlight of the night, but credit the Saints for just allowing 135 yards on defense outside of that play. Demario Davis was the team's best defender on the night, posting 10 total tackles (7 solo, 3 assisted) with 2 sacks, 3 QB hits, 4 tackles for loss, and a pass defense. Malcolm Jenkins had a key sack on the final defensive drive along with Davis, and he finished with 6 total tackles (3 solo, 3 assisted). While much is made of the play involving Metcalf, Williams has to make that tackle. Lattimore recovered well from that play, and was jarring all game with receivers. It was certainly a game that was getting chippy and vocal, and New Orleans responded in a big way.
• C.J. Gardner-Johnson - 51 (91%)
  Ceedy Duce had a nice pass breakup to go along with his 5 total tackles (2 solo, 3 assisted) on the evening. He continues to be important to what the Saints do defensively, and should be tested a lot in the upcoming game against the Bucs.
• Cam Jordan - 45 (80%)
  Jordan finally got on the sack sheet for the season, getting to 95.5 for his career. New Orleans sacked Geno Smith five times on the night, and could get to have a better pass rush with David Onyemata returning to the lineup. For the season, the Saints went from dead last T-30th at 8 to T-23rd at 13 with the Seahawks and Chargers. Let's not forget they are game behind a lot of the leaders, too. Jordan also had 4 total tackles (3 solo, 1 assisted).
• Pete Werner - 40 (71%)
  Werner didn't get to double-digit tackles in this one, but finished tying for second on the team in tackles with Jenkins. He posted 6 tackles (5 solo, 1 assisted), and had some moments where he was able to force some negative plays. 
• Paulson Adebo - 37 (66%)
  The cartwheel tackle is what we'll remember about this one from the rookie. He had a pass defense to go along with 4 total tackles (3 solo, 1 assisted). Who he matches up against Tampa will be intriguing.
• Marcus Davenport - 35 (62%)
  Davenport finished on the stat sheet with just one tackle and a QB hit, but he was a terror all night and made several plays that helped the defense. The unnecessary roughness call wasn't for his hit on Geno Smith, but was for the helmet-to-helmet contact on his pass rush. Getting him back will be a huge boost to the defense, as long as he stays healthy.
• Tanoh Kpassagnon - 25 (45%)
  Kpassagnon finished with a sack, QB hit, tackle for loss and notched 3 total tackles (2 solo, 1 assisted). He's up to 3 on the year, and is on pace to beat out his career high of 4 sacks. He's been a tremendous pickup for New Orleans.
• Shy Tuttle, Josiah Bronson - 23 (41%)
  Bronson, a Washington native, made his NFL debut on the big stage after being elevated from the practice squad. He finished with 2 total tackles (solo, assisted).
• Montravius Adams - 21 (38%)
• Carl Granderson, Bradley Roby - 19 (34%)
  Roby continues to be someone the Saints use on series at times. He made a big tackle for loss on one of the plays and finished with 2 total tackles (solo, assisted).
• Christian Ringo - 17 (30%)
• P.J. Williams, Kwon Alexander - 16 (29%)
  We were curious what Alexander's share would be returning to the lineup, simply because Pete Werner has been playing at a high level. In pre-game walkthroughs, we saw a package that had Alexander-Davis-Werner in it. Perhaps it was just easing Alexander back into the lineup, but this will be an interesting split to watch going forward.
• Kaden Elliss - 5 (9%)

Brian Johnson's debut went well for the Saints, and he'll be their kicker for the foreseeable future / Oct 25, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; New Orleans Saints kicker Brian Johnson (6) celebrates with holder Blake Gillikin (4) after kicking a field goal against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Special Teams (Top Reps)

• Kaden Elliss, J.T. Gray, Andrew Dowell, Zack Baun - 22
• Jeff Heath - 18
• Ty Montgomery - 17
• Carl Granderson - 13

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