The Warrior: Alvin Kamara Keeps Fighting Amid Saints Lost Season

This Saints season may have devolved into disaster, but you wouldn't know it from the performance of Alvin Kamara

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) runs the ball against the Carolina Panthers / Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints continue to sink to the lowest levels of the National Football League. Now at 2-7, the Saints have tied their franchise record for the second longest single-season losing streak at seven games after Sunday's loss at Carolina.

New Orleans made an overdue move in firing Dennis Allen on Monday. However, Allen was far from the only thing wrong with this team. For too long, it's seemed like the Saints have played without fire or intensity, and they've certainly exhibited undisciplined play on a consistent basis.

Interim coach Darren Rizzi is the epitome of intensity. Rizzi has promised that the Saints will fight, play hard, and not be boring to watch. Whether the players do that on the field will determine if Rizzi gets strong consideration for head coach after the season is over.

One player that Rizzi and the Saints can rely on is someone who has continued to excel even as the season has crumbled.

Alvin Kamara

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) runs against the Carolina Panthers / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Kamara has been a warrior all year, no matter who was in the lineup around him. He's had to be, because in recent weeks he's been the only source of offense for the Saints. Despite almost all of the attention from opposing defenses, he's somehow remained productive with no blocking, few receiving threats, and erratic quarterback play.

In Sunday's loss to Carolina, Kamara rushed 29 times for 155 yards and caught six of nine receiving targets for 60 yards. He and Taysom Hill (60 total yards) were responsible for 79% of the team's offensive output for the afternoon.

Kamara's 215 yards from scrimmage were a career best. His 155 rushing yards tied a career high. It marked only the fourth time in Kamara's career that he went over 120 yards rushing in a game. The 29 rushing attempts were the second highest of his eight-year NFL tenure.

Always a consistent performer, Kamara is on pace to reach new heights in 2024. His season high in offensive snaps is 659, achieved in 2020. At 420 snaps after nine games this season, he's on pace to shatter that mark.

Surprisingly, Kamara has never had a 1,000-yard rushing season. He's well on pace for that this year with 660 yards on the ground. His career-best was 932 rushing yards in 2020, with three other years of at least 880 yards rushing.

Kamara, 29, also remains one of the best receiving backs in the NFL. He has 46 receptions for 367 yards and a score this season, leading the team in both targets (63) and catches. The fact that he's remained effective as a pass catcher without another viable rushing threat and no receiving depth to attract attention is impressive.

Closing in on History

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) jukes past Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (8) / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Just as impressive are Kamara's career numbers. His receiving stats of 551 catches for 4,586 yards are not just career franchise records for a running back, but put him among the top-7 of any pass catcher in team history. They are also among the best career receiving numbers of any running back in the history of the NFL.

With 15 receptions, Kamara will move past Michael Thomas to second place behind only Marques Colston as the Saints all-time receptions leader. Along with his receiving marks, Kamara is also the Saints career leader in total touchdowns (85) and rushing scores (60).

Kamara's now eyeing up an equally iconic record in team history. With 6,489 career yards on the ground, Kamara needs just 12 rushing yards to also pass Mark Ingram as the Saints all-time career rushing leader. If he accomplishes the feat next week, he'll do it in 12 fewer games than Ingram.

Warrior Still Battling

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Frankly, it's been easy to watch the Saints and openly question the effort of at least a few players. Especially as a season that started with such promise disintegrated into a 2-7 pit of despair. No such accusations can be made of Kamara this season.

At only 29, it feels like Kamara has been around forever. His name at the top of so many team records just strengthens that feeling. Yet, Kamara continues to play extremely hard and with incredible productivity.

It's a well-known fact that the Saints have a rebuilding project ahead of them. With the recent signing of Kamara to a two-year contract extension, one of the best players in franchise history will be a huge part of that rebuild for at least the immediate future while still being good enough to potentially keep the Saints competitive in the present.