Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
The running back room found a lot of success last week for the New Orleans Saints as the team ran for 189 rushing yards against the Buffalo Bills. Running backs Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller combined for 135 with quarterback Spencer Rattler and wide receiver Rashid Shaheed adding the remainder.
Kamara has now surpassed 50 rushing yards in two of his four games and is on pace for his first career 1,000-yard rushing season. But it’s Miller that will be in focus in Week 5 against the New York Giants.
The third-year back impressed against Buffalo, but has battled injury and availability concerns throughout his early career; a trend he hopes to break in 2025. So far throughout his career, he’s not rushed for more than 50 rushing yards in back-to-back games before. That could change Sunday.
The Bills were the No. 32 rushing defense in the NFL and the Saints did a good job taking advantage of that matchup. The Giants are hardly an improvement at No. 29. Head coach Kellen Moore and run game coordinator T.J. Paganetti are familiar with Giants’ defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s plan. The coaches faced off twice last year while Moore and Paganetti were with the Philadelphia Eagles.
In the first game, the Eagles obliterated the Giants’ run defense to the tune of 269 total rushing yards. But in the second meeting, the Eagles ran for only 51. However, the second matchup between the two teams was in Week 18 when most Eagles starters, including running back Saquon Barkley, were getting a rest ahead of the playoffs.
This week, the tandem of Kamara and Miller will be led by the tandem of Moore and Paganetti and it will be Miller’s ability to break tackles and run physically that could set the tone.
The Giants are among the league’s best tackling teams with only 17 missed tackles so far this year. While five teams are tied at 17, only one has fewer, the Atlanta Falcons (12).
Miller’s physical ability to pick up yards after contact and force missed tackles will be a very important factor of the Saints’ potential success with the ground game against the Giants.
Kendre Miller finds an opening for a Saints TD
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“I think it has a huge impact on the game from a stylistic standpoint, his ability to break tackles,” Moore said of Miller. “Just being a physical downhill runner, there’s huge value to that. There’s obviously the ability to make a guy miss, run through it, gain a big, big play. But there’s also a toll for defensive players when you’ve got a physical player coming at you play after play.”
Miller had his second-highest rushing yards total last week against the Bills with 65. He may be positioned to top his career high of 73 this weekend against New York.
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