By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS — The run game has led to the definitive and early success of the New Orleans Saints’ 2024 offense. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has built an attack that is predicated by the run, and their next game sets up to be another opportunity to produce.
New Orleans enters Sunday’s matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles as the NFL’s No. 2 offense in both total rushing yards (370) and yards per rushing attempt (4.9). They have been dominant on the ground.
The Eagles on the other hand, have not been so successful against the run. They currently rank No. 25 in the league in rushing yards allowed and last in the league in yards allowed per carry with a whopping 6.4 yards surrendered per rushing attempt. Philadelphia has been carved up on the ground with their previous opponents ranking No. 22 and No. 27 in total rushing offense.
New Orleans has found their run game success behind Kubiak’s wide zone system. The scheme relies on runs to the outside and a zone blocking scheme that forces the entire defense to defend every inch of the field because of the mobility of the Saints’ offensive line.
Per the Fantasy Points data suite, the Saints have attempted the most zone rushes in the league thus far with 52. As a result they, rank No. 8 in the league with 5.1 yards per carry among those zone runs. Sunday is a positive matchup for New Orleans as Philadelphia’s defense ranks last in the NFL, allowing 7.59 yards per carry on zone runs against them.
Kubiak, running back Alvin Kamara and the Saints are going to look to gash the Eagles in the run game in order to control it. With an effective rushing attack, quarterback Derek Carr is kept clean, play action becomes more effective and a packed Superdome could see some more big plays come together. It will start on the ground, and through the first two games of the season, the Eagles look like a good matchup for New Orleans to continue their early-season rushing success.
