Defense dominates Saints’ PFF grades after win over Jets

By Ross Jackson

It was the New Orleans Saints’ defense side of the ball that received the highest accolades and grades from analysts following the team’s 29-6 victory over the New York Jets.

With eight sacks and a pair of takeaways, the splash moments stood out about the defensive performance on Sunday, but the team’s consistency was notable as well. The Jets and talented running back Breece Hall were held to just 64 rushing yards, 3.2 per carry and for the sixth-consecutive game, the opposing team did not eclipse 200 passing yards.

The defense deserves the hype as it takes four of the team’s top-five grades. However one offensive player would not be denied.

Top 5

S Jonas Sanker – 92.2

DE Cameron Jordan – 82.9

DT Nathan Shepherd – 81.2

WR Chris Olave – 77.4

CB Kool-Aid McKinstry – 76.9

Sanker was coming off of a Week 15 performance that defensive coordinator Brandon Staley said was the best of the safety’s rookie year to that point. It’s likely that his game against the Jets, which is highlighted by an interception crashing down on a deep crossing route, will challenge for that title. Sanker has had a stellar rookie season. His versatility and ability to affect the game from multiple spots continues to stand out. His 92.2 grade is a career high and one of the highest received by a Saints player all season long.

Jordan became one of just nine players in NFL history to accumulate 8.5 sacks in nine different seasons of a career. He also took sole ownership of the No. 17 spot on the league’s all-time sack list, wrangling Nos. 129 and 130 on back-to-back plays. No one is sure about Jordan’s playing future beyond the 2025 season, but what is certain is that he’s closing out his year strong.

Shepherd is on the board for a sack-fumble caused against his former team while McKinstry was excellent in coverage, allowing just four catches on his eight targets including a pass breakup.

Olave couldn’t be left off of the list at the top after a career-best day. His 148 receiving yards was a career high that put him over 1,000 on the season. His two receiving touchdowns give him a new career high on the year with seven scoring catches, and now he’s two touchdowns and nine catches away from becoming the first player in franchise history with 100 catches, 1,000 receiving yards and 10 touchdown catches in a season. With several offensive weapons out, it was well-known the ball would head Olave’s way, and he still made plays.

Bottom 5

DE Chris Rumph II – 31.8

DT Bryan Bresee – 35.6

OL Dillon Radunz – 44.0

RB Evan Hull – 47.2

DL Jonah Williams – 48.1

Rumph was given a game ball after the contest after notching a sack on the day, but his grade from Pro Football Focus was the lowest of the day. He’s credited with a missed tackle and a 17-yard reception allowed on 17 defensive snaps. That’s likely to have sunk his potential grade, but overall, Rumph contributed to a win and a dominant day on defense.

Bresee left the game early with injury, but before that contributed well in the pass rush game. His grade, like that of Williams, is knocked down because of run defense. Neither were credited with a missed tackle, but only Williams was credited with forcing a negative play or defensive stop. That stop was counted as a tackle for a loss by the NFL, and WIlliams was also credited with a sack. Bresee had just one tackle as he left the game early.

Hull’s day was tough sledding in the run game, as was most of the rushing effort by the team as a whole. But with five carries totaling just three rushing yards and 0.6 per carry, it’s going to be hard to generate a positive grade. He was also given just a 5.2 grade in pass blocking.

The Saints’ interior offensive line left a lot on the field relative to the run game, which didn’t help Radunz’s case. He was also credited with allowing a pair of pressures, both hurries, and no sacks.