Alvin Kamara is currently 1st in the NFL in Yards From Scrimmage. [And 1st in NFL in All-Purpose Yards] (1 Viewer)

[St. Geezy]

Interesting how the conversation went from AK is washed, not the same RB from ‘17-‘21, and can’t touch CMC to he’s being ran down into the ground once he’s outperforming CMC and every RB in the NFL.

When you have the NFL’s best RB this year, he has to be featured and fed at all costs. As long as the plays are diverse and creative and not make him prone to injury by constantly running him up the gut.

He’s never had a true workhorse season in carries (250-270+) like CMC until his projected pace this year. Kubiak is intent on running the offense through AK all 17 games and not just half of the season like SP and PC did. He has more fresh legs and durability than other RB1s at his age by having Ingram and Murray spell him over the years. Miller’s return could help AK’s run play selection be even more effective for bigger gains.

Agreed…I think that’s many years of being under SP/PC’s “Must spread the ball around” spell talking.

Saints fans aren’t used to having featured players it seems. This isn’t anything abnormal.

Pretty awesome to see what AK is and (likely) has been capable of with a simple volume uptick and a significantly better scheme.

 

[SirLoinSaint64]

Talent. Hard work. Determination.

 

[IceHot]

When we first got AK I pegged him as being similar to Leroy Kelly,

AK now has exactly the same number of career touches (1917) with only 4 less TDs but 1029 more yards from scrimmage.

He is not too far from catching Joe Perry if he can stay healthy.

 

[BayouSAINTJoe]

Agreed…I think that’s many years of being under SP/PC’s “Must spread the ball around” spell talking.

Saints fans aren’t used to having featured players it seems. This isn’t anything abnormal.

Pretty awesome to see what AK is and (likely) has been capable of with a simple volume uptick and a significantly better scheme.

I don't think we should sheet on xCSPs system like he didnt have us top 5 offensively for damn near 15 years straight. The garbage we ran the past 2 seasons wasn't his scheme. That was just plain ol lazy OCing from an OC from Payton that didn't want to be OC but also didn't want to pass up the paycheck.

I don't think Kubiaks scheme is superior...it's just different.

 

[Artifactual]

Agreed…I think that’s many years of being under SP/PC’s “Must spread the ball around” spell talking.

Saints fans aren’t used to having featured players it seems. This isn’t anything abnormal.

Pretty awesome to see what AK is and (likely) has been capable of with a simple volume uptick and a significantly better scheme.

You are correct.

Kamara was used more as a receiving target, as a change of pace back and a share the load back in CSPs offense all but one season where he was more of a bell cow back in 2020 and 2021 than any other season under CSP. In his first 4 years under CSP Kamara was targeted in the passing game an average of 102 times.

To put that in perspective, only MT13 was targeted more during that span at an average of 134 times a season, during his prime years setting NFL receiving records.

I don't think we should sheet on xCSPs system like he didnt have us top 5 offensively for damn near 15 years straight. The garbage we ran the past 2 seasons wasn't his scheme. That was just plain ol lazy OCing from an OC from Payton that didn't want to be OC but also didn't want to pass up the paycheck.

I don't think Kubiaks scheme is superior...it's just different.

You are somewhat correct.

It doesn't have to be considered dumping on CSP to acknowledge that Kamara is being used more as a primary RB now than in the past.

The two outlier years mentioned above, 2020, and 2021, were years that Kamara got a heavier load in CSPs offense than his previous average, due to reasons of necessity.

First, MT13 only played in 7 games in 2020 and then missed the entire season in 2021. Mark Ingram was no longer here to share the RB duties with AK41. Add to that, Drew Brees was aging and injured in 2020 where he only played in 12 games and missed time in some of the ones he did play in. Then add to the fact Brees retired and wasn't the QB in 2021, a year that saw a merry go round of starting QBs for the Saints. Covid. CSP turned up the volume for Kamara in 2020 and 2021 for those obvious reasons. Kamara got a heavier load in CSPs offense in 2020 and 2021 for reasons due to necessity, not by choice.

One could make an argument that the most important part of a RBs game is running the ball, hence the title "Running Back". A dual threat out of the backfield is without doubt even better than a one-dimensional player as it's not a tell what the play will be with that player on the field. But the distribution of running plays versus passing plays should be in higher favor of them being running plays.


Consider the following regarding the usage of AK41 in the past compared to the present:

1. HC-SP - OC-SP 2017 - 120 Rushing Attempts 100 Receiving Targets Total 220 56% Rushing Attempts

2. HC-SP - OC-SP 2018 - 194 Rushing Attempts 105 Receiving Targets Total 299 65% Rushing Attempts

3. HC-SP - OC-SP 2019 - 171 Rushing Attempts 97 Receiving Targets Total 268 64% Rushing Attempts

4. HC-SP - OC-SP 2020 - 187 Rushing Attempts 107 Receiving Targets Total 294 64% Rushing Attempts

5. HC-SP - OC-SP 2021 - 240 Rushing Attempts 67 Receiving Targets Total 307 78% Rushing Attempts

6. HC-DA -OC-PC 2022 - 223 Rushing Attempts 77 Receiving Targets Total 300 74% Rushing Attempts

7. HC-DA -OC-PC 2023 - 180 Rushing Attempts 86 Receiving Targets Total 266 67% Rushing Attempts

Current Pace in 2024 for Kamara under Klint Kubiak

8. HC-DA -OC-KK 2024 - 340 Rushing Attempts 85 Receiving Targets Total 425 80% Rushing Attempts


So, in the Kubiak offense Kamara is being used more as a "Bell Cow" type RB getting a higher volume of rushing attempts per game than ever before whether compared to SP or PC. Then consider that those rushing attempts are the highest percentage of his career at 80%, a 4 to 1 run/pass ratio. And it's working!

 

[sfidc3]

Too bad he’s going to be beat to death before mid season. True warrior. Been on his fan wagon since I bagged the table for us to draft him in round 2 out of Tenn. Was elated when he lasted to round 3. He’s one of the guys on the team that deserves every dime he banks.

Totally agreed, he hasn’t lost a thing ability wise, but if they continue with the amount of touches he won’t last the season……