By Ross Jackson
The seven-game losing streak is over. The New Orleans Saints have new life.
Even though that life is unlikely to result in a playoff appearance or a complete 180-degree turn of the season, it was still a much-needed display of passion and fight from a team that promised exactly that early in the week. Interim Head Coach Darren Rizzi has the team playing inspired football that made them look like a new team on Sunday. The Saints navigated adversity. They closed out a fourth quarter lead.
Beyond that, the team showed some other under-the-radar improvements that prove the value of strong leadership and being challenged.
1.34 – New Orleans’ run defense took a step forward in one specific area, though it did still allow 181 rushing yards. But it could have been much worse. The Saints allowed just 1.34 yards before contact in the run game. That’s a big improvement from the six games in which they’ve allowed more than 1.5 per carry.
8 – The Saints spent more time in zone coverage on third downs than man this week. 8 of their 14 third down defensive plays were in zone. That’s a stark contrast for New Orleans which has been man-heavy on third downs in the past.
12.2% – The defensive scheme didn’t change a ton without former head coach Dennis Allen, but the play calling saw several adjustments. One element that shifted the most was the team’s pressure plan. New Orleans simplified their pass rush plan to more of a down-lineman attack, relying on their coverage to force Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins to hold onto the football. The Saints blitzed on a season-low 12.2% of their pass rush snaps. The team is typically a blitz-happy one on third downs, but against Atlanta, blitzed only twice in those situations.
28 – Play action has been a major part of the Saints passing success when they can find it. Their 28% play action rate was the highest this season since Week 2.
33.3 – The offensive line kept Carr clean for the majority of the game. Per Next Gen Stats, the Saints allowed just a 33.3% pressure rate, the fourth-lowest rate allowed across the league in Week 10 with Monday Night Football pending.
57.7 – Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak was able to call a game that’s more in line with what was expected from his scheme this season. 57.7% of the Saints offensive plays included motion, the most since Week 4 at Atlanta and the first time Kubiak’s offense crossed a 50% motion rate since Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs, by our charting.
67 – The win against the Falcons was the first game of the season since Week 1 that the Saints defense didn’t allow more than 100 yards after the catch. They allowed just 67 on Sunday.
158.3 – Rizzi said that he challenged wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to be the leader in the wideout room, and he took that personally. Valdes-Scantling reeled in all three of his targets for 109 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Carr had a perfect 158.3 passer rating when targeting the big-bodied and speedy receiver.
169 – Saints quarterback Derek Carr was outstanding when blitzed. He completed 7 of his 9 passing attempts against the blitz for 169 passing yards and one touchdown strike.
6,544 – Saints running back Alvin Kamara became the franchise’s all-time rushing yards leader against the Falcons. He eclipsed former back Mark Ingram’s 6,500 yards and took over the top spot with 6,544.
