Years ago, it became apparent the New Orleans Saints were without some key “easy buttons” in their offense. Motion and play-action rates were at their lowest usage in a number of years, and the team struggled to produce and maintain the offensive system of its former head coach without pillars that ensured its success.
Now, under head coach Kellen Moore, a pair of different core concepts appear to be missing from the team’s philosophy. But it’s not because the team, nor Moore, doesn’t believe in them, but rather it’s been more about opportunity.
“(From a) Game plan perspective, putting ourselves in situations where we can execute those plays, and have the confidence to run some more screens or play action,” Moore said. “Obviously, those are two categories that we got to have more opportunities at.”
When facing a team like the Minnesota Vikings, as the Saints did on Sunday, the opportunities for a screen game are abundant because they’re an aggressive blitzing team. The Vikings sent more than four rushers on 90.9% of its first-half defensive reps and notched a 61.5% blitz rate over the course of the game.
It was the highest percentage of blitzes New Orleans’ offense has faced so far this season. While the Saints kept its offense condensed, trying to get the ball out quickly and behind the aggressive pursuit, not a single screen pass was charted by major analytics sites. It’s worth making an argument for one possible screen pass during the opening drive when watching the tape; screen passes and their elements take on a variety of forms.
But beyond that, the chances appeared to be there, as Minnesota continued to blitz.
The Saints also built an opportunity for play action after a 15-play touchdown drive that was dominated by the ability to run the football. However, the chance never appeared to be taken advantage of with one play-action dropback charted in the game.
It’s easy to look at a total of 55 rushing yards and expect that play action wasn’t an option with such an unproductive ground game. But after strong-arming the Vikings defense for over seven minutes on the Saints’ lone offensive touchdown drive, and while the game remained within reach for more than three quarters, the opportunity for the action game appeared available.
For Moore, the lack of opportunity wasn’t really about what was happening on the field, but perhaps on the sideline instead.
“(Running effectively is) always an added bonus,” Moore said. “But I think more than anything just giving ourselves more opportunities to do that.”
It will be interesting to see if that turns into more called screens and play actions moving forward. It’s expected that more teams will continue to try to dial up pressure against Moore’s system. The silver lining, though, is that he has the quarterback capable of executing it all.
Quarterback Tyler Shough has compiled the No. 4 passer rating (121.6) and No. 6 completion percentage (71.4%) in the NFL on play-action throws. The team’s 7.5 yards per attempt on such passes ranks No. 16, but not every play action call has to result in a deep completion. If the concept helps avoid three-and-outs and stalled drives, that’s enough of a reason to make sure it’s part of the game plan going in.
Shough has thrown three touchdowns and no interceptions on play-action dropbacks as well.
With the opportunity for screens in matchups against aggressive defenses, and early chances to integrate more play action with a quarterback that excels in the area, all that remains is for the right play call to fit the down, distance and clock.
This will be a major storyline to watch for the offense moving forward, especially earlier in games where the situation will provide the best chance to evolve the offense further.
