Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
In the heyday of New Orleans Saints football, the team sported high-octane offenses. Former coach and quarterback duo Sean Payton and Drew Brees drummed up some of the most explosive offenses in the NFL throughout their years.
The team still holds the record for most total yards gained in a single season after a 7,474-yard 2011 year set the mark. That season also ranks second all-time in passing yards with 5,505.
But as of late, the Saints’ offense hasn’t been nearly as explosive or productive. In 2024, New Orleans ranked No. 21 in total yards with just 5,442. The top offense in the league belonged to the Baltimore Ravens who went for 7,224, for reference.
It’s no mystery that offense has lost its luster in the Big Easy. But that’s something that the Saints’ new staff and direction hope to change in the coming years. The work begins in 2025, but the results may come much later.
Remember when the Chiefs offense used to be fun pic.twitter.com/RQvg2jJTWN
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) June 23, 2025
New Orleans invested in its new offensive leadership last year by bringing in now-Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. The hope was to bring with him the Shanahan/Kubiak wide zone run scheme that would help to open up all areas of the offense.
However, between a slew of injuries and the growing predictability of the play calling, the team’s success quickly hit its ceiling with a two-game win streak to start the season. The Saints lacked in both explosive rushing and passing plays.
The Run Game
Per the NFL’s own stat tracking, the Saints had just seven rushes for 20 or more yards (T-No. 24), with only one for 40 or more. New head coach Kellen Moore is coming to New Orleans following a Super Bowl run with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Last year, the Eagles had just as many 40-plus yard runs as the Saints had 20-plus. Meanwhile, the Eagles ranked No. 2 behind only the Ravens with 27 rushes of 20 or more yards.
Moore, and run game coordinator T.J. Paganetti, who also came over from Philadelphia, are set to make the Saints’ ground game much more explosive in 2025, even though they won’t have running back Saquon Barkley this time around.
Moore’s previous rushing offenses have continuously produced at a high level. The Saints will hope that remains true in New Orleans.
The Passing Game
In 2024, the Saints threw 588 total passes primarily between former quarterback Derek Carr and young passers Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. Of those passes, 65.3% travel less than 10 yards through the air, per Next Gen Stats. However, per Next Gen Stats, the team was tied at No. 7 with the Ravens for the most deep passes (20 or more air yards) in the league.
That shows that aggression wasn’t missing for the Saints. It will be interesting to see if that aggression will remain under Moore.
In 2024, the Eagles ranked No. 30 in downfield passing attempts with just 39. But in 2023, Moore’s Los Angeles Chargers offense tied for No. 11 on such attempts. Moore’s offenses in Dallas ranked all over the map from No. 2 in the NFL in 2021 to the mid-20s in 2022.
This could be a perfect example of Moore’s desires to lean in on what players do best. And with speedy wide receivers like Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed and Brandin Cooks at the top of the wideout depth chart, the deep passing game wouldn’t be a surprising complement to the rushing attack. Both young quarterbacks Rattler and rookie Tyler Shough have big enough arms to threaten downfield.
It’ll look different than it did nearly 15 years ago, but the Saints are set to pursue more explosive elements to their attack with a revamped coaching staff, new identity and young talent.
