Doing a run-game review for this year’s New Orleans Saints could be simply summed up in just a couple of words that summarize the team’s struggles: “It’s not working.” But a deeper look into the why behind that truth is more enlightening.
From a glance, run games are often held to the fire or celebrated because of the performances of the running back room. It makes sense. They’re the ones that are seen carrying the ball the majority of the rushing attempts and often make the highlight play that everyone sees.
But the Saints’ struggles in the run game start well before the ball is handed to a back. It begins with the offensive line, sure. But even before that, it all starts with the system and plan of attack.
Putting offensive linemen in position to win in the run game is easy to spot, though not always easy to execute. Ideally, the run game is built on the backbone of double teams and, for an outside zone team, movement.
When the Saints snapped the ball for a run play against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Paris, there wasn’t much of either moving in that direction.
Offensive linemen often ended up in one-on-one situations, which can be dictated sometimes simply by the number of defenders in pursuit. When the run game up front is outnumbered, even talented players such as center Erik McCoy and tackle Taliese Fuaga, who have been the team’s highest-graded run blockers so far this season, experience trouble holding up long enough for the back to hit the hole.
This becomes increasingly challenging when the team is trying to use a zone-run concept, requiring lineman to move laterally to block an assigned area. If the defensive line is able to cut them off, or beat them to the punch, they can’t get in a proper position.
The Steelers often did this with interior linemen lined up over the outside shoulder of McCoy before slicing across his face at rookie right guard Jeremiah Wright after the snap. The action often forces a one-on-one and changes the path to the point of attack for the linemen.
With that, the Saints have created only 0.88 rushing yards before contact per carry this season, No. 25 in the NFL. That, combined with the team’s No. 26 ranking in yards after contact per carry (2.64) are not a good recipe for success.
The Saints’ running backs are solid creators in space, but often go down at first contact, especially when met in the hole, which has happened all-too-often for the team through the first seven games.
The culmination of the team’s struggles truly set in during their game in Paris, France.
Backs Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller and CJ Donaldson, along with some scrambling efforts from quarterback Tyler Shough totaled a paltry 18 yards rushing on 17 attempts, the franchise’s worst rushing yards performance since 1999.
As the team self-scouts and evaluates itself throughout the bye week, their run game should be the club’s top priority. Especially with the return of top rusher Travis Etienne Jr. expected in the coming weeks.
