Saints allowing fewest yards per game (284.9) in NFL
John DeShazier | Senior Writer - NewOrleansSaints.com
It's the players.
The New Orleans Saints' defensive spike rests on the shoulders of the players who have collaborated to vice-grip opponents for a month on Sundays, after struggling to find their footing out of the gate in 2020.
The Saints – 9-2, winners of eight straight and leaders of the South Division and NFC standings entering Sunday's game against Atlanta (4-7) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium – currently are the NFL's top defense in yards allowed (284.9 per game), second in rushing yards (76.6), tied for fourth in forced turnovers (18) and fifth in in passing yards (208.3) and scoring (20.5 points).
But for the last month, New Orleans has been downright miserly: 209 yards per game allowed (52.3 rushing and 156.5 passing), eight points per game and 12 turnovers forced. Throw out the Denver game, because the Broncos didn't have a quarterback and mustered just three points under that extreme circumstance? OK. In the other three games, 241 yards (204.7 passing and 36.3 rushing) and 10 points per game allowed, with nine turnovers forced.
"I do think this – I think we were doing a lot of really good things early in the season," Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said. "But yet, there was a handful of things that came up to bite us and really kind of soured the overall defensive performance. And I think we've done a lot better job of guys executing, putting their eyes in the right spot. ...
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