Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
There was a clear division between the top New Orleans Saints players and the rest as well as another line separating offense and defense in Week 4. While the offense seemed to outplay the defense, one young defender rose to the top against the team’s toughest opponent yet.
Here are the top and bottom five Pro Football focus grades for all players that took a minimum of 15 snaps against the Buffalo Bills.
Top 5
- S Jonas Sanker – 85.0
- RB Kendre Miller – 82.8
- DE Carl Granderson – 67.3
- LT Kelvin Banks Jr. – 66.9
- RG Cesar Ruiz – 66.7
Sanker and Miller dominated the grading scale for the Saints, leading by a large separation across the rest of the roster.
While the rookie safety grabbed the club’s first interception of the season, he also forced numerous pass breakups and tackles. His day would have been even better were it not for being credited with five missed tackles on defense.
Miller rushed for 65 yards, the second-highest total in his young career thus far. He also ran in for a bruising score, working through contact to find the end zone early and accounting for the team’s first opening drive and first quarter scores.
Granderson joined Sanker as the only other defender to crack the top-ranked players after securing sack No. 4.5 on the season through just four games. Banks and Ruiz protected well in the run game, but Banks gave up five pressures in pass protection. Ruiz was credited with just one hurry surrendered before exiting the game with an ankle injury.
Bottom 5
- TE Jack Stoll – 44.0
- LB Pete Werner – 45.9
- DT Nathan Shepherd – 46.0
- DT Khristian Boyd – 47.6
- CB Alontae Taylor – 50.3
The bottom list is dominated by defenders. Stoll is the only offensive contributor listed, his grade ranked by a low score in pass blocking (37.2) and run blocking (45.5). Both of which were team lows.
After finally cracking a 50-plus grade in Week 3, Werner falls back below that threshold. His 27.8 tackling grade was second lowest among qualifying defenders.
Boyd and Shepherd took hits in run defense, as the Bills were very successful rushing between the tackles.
Taylor was dinged for being the closest defender on four completions that accounted for 77 receiving yards and a touchdown catch. He was also credited with a 149.3 passer rating on the six targets that went his way. However, it’s always important to remember that “closest defender” isn’t the same as “primary defender” in coverage.
