NFL Showdown: Can The Saints’ Ironclad Defense Halt The Eagles Rushing Attack?

Breaking down the tough Week 3 matchup between the New Orleans run defense and Philadelphia's ground attack.

New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints are 2-0 after a 44-19 beatdown of the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday on the road. This week, they return home to play against another NFC East opponent, the 1-1 Philadelphia Eagles.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the young season so far has been the play of the New Orleans offense. Lost in that avalanche of points and high-level production has been the play of the team's defense. Good defense was expected from New Orleans this season, and the unit has responded by being one of the league's best so far.

The Saints, whose defense ranks seventh in total yardage, now face an Eagle offense with tons of talented pieces. Philadelphia ranks sixth in total offense but will likely be without Pro Bowl WR A.J. Brown (hamstring) on Sunday. This may cause the Eagles to lean a little more heavily on their running game, an area where they've bludgeoned New Orleans in fairly recent matchups.

Saints Run Defense vs. Eagles Rushing Attack

New Orleans Defense

New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) stuffs a running play against the Philadelphia Eagles / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

After finishing 22nd and 24th against the run the last two years, the Saints have been stout in that category so far. New Orleans ranks third against the run after two games this season, allowing only 63 yards on the ground. Some of that can be attributed to jumping out to big leads early, but the fact that they've surrendered only 3.1 per carry certainly indicates improvement.

Statistics may not reflect it, but the Saints have been extremely disruptive along their defensive line so far. Ends Chase Young, Carl Granderson, and Cameron Jordan have gotten penetration into opposing backfields while also maintaining gap discipline.

Tackles Bryan Bresee and Nathan Shepherd have created havoc with their ability to knife between blockers. Jordan or DE Payton Turner can also be effective when they move inside, giving the defense the ability to give different looks up front.

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (32) is tackled by New Orleans Saints linebacker Pete Werner (20) / Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

New Orleans has a trio of versatile linebackers that are as good as any in the league. Demario Davis remains at the top of his game as one of the NFL's top all-around defenders. Never out of position, Davis has elite instincts and play recognition that are matched by his thunderous hits and ferocious pursuit of the ball.

Pete Werner is one of the league's more underrated run defenders at linebacker. Werner expertly plays off blocks to get to the ball carrier and is an outstanding tackler. Offseason addition Willie Gay Jr. adds tremendous athleticism to the unit and is able to chase down plays before they get around the edge.

Saints' defensive backs are arguably the league's best in run support. Safeties Tyrann Mathieu, Will Harris, and Jordan Howden are each capable of standout play near the line of scrimmage. Corners Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo are physical defenders have no hesitation on flying up to stop a running play. Lattimore (hamstring) may sit out a second straight game, leaving rookie second-round choice Kool-Aid McKinstry to take his place.

Perhaps the most dominant defender for New Orleans this young season so far has been Alontae Taylor, a third-year corner. Taylor mostly covers the slot, but has been moved around the formation expertly by coach Dennis Allen. He's responded with a team-high 15 tackles, including 13 solo stops and five for loss.

Philadelphia Running Game

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs against the Green Bay Packers / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Eagles come into Week 3 with a rushing attack that ranks eighth in the NFL. They've averaged 165 yards per game, including 186 in last week's narrow Monday night loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Philadelphia has had similar success on the ground in recent years and ranked eighth in the NFL in that category last season.

Dynamic seven-year veteran RB Saquon Barkley is the newest weapon in the Eagles' arsenal. A free-agent pickup from the Giants, Barkley has 204 yards on the ground so far this season, including 109 last Monday against Atlanta.

An explosive runner, Barkley is a scoring threat from anywhere on the field and can break out of containment in an instant. Injuries were an issue earlier in his career, but he still has three seasons with over 1,000 yards rushing and another campaign of over 960 yards on the ground.

Outside of Baltimore's Lamar Jackson or Justin Fields in Pittsburgh, Jalen Hurts is the best running quarterback in the NFL. Built like a running back and just as strong, Hurts has the speed to pull away from tacklers or the strength to run through them.

Hurts has 118 yards on the ground this season, second on the team to Barkley. In his three years as a full-time starter, he's averaged over 700 yards per season as a runner and has an incredible 42 rushing touchdowns in 64 starts.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) runs the ball against the New Orleans Saints / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Barkley and Hurts are a lethal 1-2 punch on the ground, especially when they attack defenses with Hurts on read-option plays. The two have combined for all but three of Philadelphia's rushing attempts this season and 322 of the team's 330 yards on the ground.

Despite few opportunities this year, fourth-year RB Kenneth Gainwell is a proven complementary back. While more of a receiving option, Gainwell has contributed 903 yards as a runner and reached the end zone 11 times on the ground in his first three seasons. Fourth-round rookie RB Will Shipley has yet to see any offensive snaps but was an explosive all-purpose threat in college with Clemson.

The Eagles have some new pieces along the offensive line. However, it's still a physical group capable of dominating the trenches.

Veterans Lane Johnson (RT) and Landon Dickerson (LG) are Pro Bowlers among the best at their positions. Left tackle Jordan Mailata is a mauler who blows open rushing lanes in defenses. New starters Mekhi Benton (RG) and Cam Jurgens (C) are quality blockers that help make the Eagles one of the better run blocking lines in football.

What to Watch

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) receives a snap against the New Orleans Saints / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Under new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, the Eagles haven't run as much read-option with Hurts. However, this is the same quarterback that rushed for 175 yards, three scores, and 4.9 per carry as the Eagles ran for an incredible 488 yards and 5.7 per carry while battering Dennis Allen's defenses in two games between 2020 and 2021. This time, the Eagles also have an even more explosive back with Barkley.

New Orleans is also a more athletic unit than those squads. Chase Young, Willie Gay, and Alontae Taylor are speedy upgrades to the defense. The Saints can run down ball carriers but must maintain gap discipline and match Philadelphia's physicality at the point of attack.

Hurts has improved as a passer over his time in the league but needs a productive running game to be effective. This is especially the case with top wideout A.J. Brown (hamstring) likely sidelined.

The Saints should be able to handle Philadelphia's passing attack and will likely design their game plan to challenge Hurts to beat them with his arms rather than his legs and Barkley.

This is by far the biggest challenge the New Orleans run defense has faced this season. Expect the Saints to use different defensive packages to keep players fresh. Winning on early downs and making Philadelphia feel like they cannot be reliant on the run could be the toughest test the Saints have faced to date.