JACKSON: Surprising Saints OL paving the way
09/17/2024
By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS — The story of the New Orleans Saints’ early success has been the team’s revamped offensive approach under new coordinator Klint Kubiak. All of the motion, play action and innovative defensive elements dominate the conversations, but the Saints have had a major lift from a unit that was under much scrutiny this offseason.
The team’s offensive line has been a revelation protecting quarterback Derek Carr extremely well and paving the way for a revitalized running game led by Alvin Kamara.
New Orleans is currently third in the NFL in total rushing yards with 370. Simultaneously the team has surrendered the second-lowest pressure percentage in pass protection. Their 7% pressure rate falls just above the Detroit Lions’ leading mark of 5.6%
What the offensive line also lands in the top 6 is both of ESPN’s major blocking analytics. They are No. 2 in run block win rate and No. 6 in pass block win rate. Add in the context that they have maintained such high marks in all of these areas even after competing with a Dallas Cowboys pass rush that piled on 46 sacks last year and includes one of the NFL’s best defensive players in pass rusher Micah Parsons.
Through the first two games of 2024, the Saints’ offensive line has produced two impressive individual performances as well. Pro Football Focus (PFF) has ranked two interior offensive linemen from New Orleans as their highest graded lineman across the entire NFL. Center Erik McCoy (95.9) and left guard Lucas Patrick (92.6) rank No. 1 and No. 2 respectively among all NFL offensive linemen.
Bear in mind that Patrick is an all-new addition to the team’s starting lineup and the Saints have a rookie starting left tackle in first-round pick Taliese Fuaga and a major position change for now-right tackle Trevor Penning. There were a lot of question marks for this unit and so far, they have emphatically curbed many doubters.
Without doing so, New Orleans’ offense may not be making the headlines they are now. But because they have collectively answered the call, the Saints are making waves as one of the NFL’s best offenses and teams.