Why are the Saints so bad at running the football? (1 Viewer)

[Snakehead]

It's pretty obvious they are trying to reduce the hits on AK. He's in year 7 of an average 3-6 year career and he's never had a complete season without missing time due to injury. The RB depth with Miller out is thin so if we make a playoff run and everything points to it at least coming down to the last week or two, they will need AK as healthy as possible. The 3-game suspension this season might end up being huge since that was 3 games of carries/hits he doesn't have on his body. I'd expect once we get leads in games to have Williams, Hill and Robinson to get most of the carries to keep those hits off of AK.

Who cares if he wasn't in on the first drive, he's not going for a games started streak.

 

[Rouxble]

Because Loomis was trying to get our LT bust to work. Since Pete has been in at LT, we have been a better running team.

I think it has more to do with RB’s not named Kamara being a drag on our run game. While we did improve slightly at RB runs after Peat took over (3.4 to 3.7 per attempt), Kamara has received 70% of the RB runs since that change after only getting 40% in the first six weeks due to his suspension. Kamara is averaging nearly a full yard per attempt more than Miller and Williams.

 

[NUSaintsfan]

The execution of the players has been poor and the talent on the OL has diminished which is a reflection of the front office. I’d put OL coaching at the bottom of the list as Marrone was successful in the early years in NOLA prior to his promotions to Head Coaching gigs.

Coaches can’t execute the plays for people missing assignments or calls. A couple of examples that have been consistent:

Missed stunt pickups often results in a sack at inopportune times (3d down). Too many times stunts were not picked up by the linemen working on a double team. Carr (as do most QBs) performed well in a clean pocket and played how most expected.

OL getting bull rushed because of poor footwork is another culprit. Peat has done better but Ram on the other side along with the guards have been consistently inconsistent whether it’s been run blocking or passing downs.

Lineman not getting off a combo block to the LBs often leads the LBs free to tackle the RB for minimal gain. Watching Travis Kelce last night showed how lineman are supposed to get to the second level after a combo block. Ruiz often whiffs on his blocking assignment and Ram appears to be diminishing physically.

All that being said, I wouldn’t be mad if the Saints drafted an offensive lineman early.

 

[saintfan-n-alexla]

i dont think we have the Ingrim , Murray type back - the 2 new backs Williams and Miller havent been able to do much due to injury

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

When SP and Drew were cooking, LBs had to set deep bc we attacked the middle of the field relentlessly
AK also had the wheels to get to sideline so D had to spread a bit
Now it seems like the D just stacks the box and dares us to go over and around
and…we don’t

 

[blackadder]

I was looking at league stats by team. The one area that we are particularly weak in is yards per carry. We rush for 3.7 ypc. The only worse teams at running the ball are the Jags and Raiders at 3.6 and the Bucs at 3.5.

I couldn’t find the ypc breakdown by player, but I would imagine, without Taysom, we would be the worst in the league.

We have five first round draft pick offensive linemen that we drafted on the team. Are any of our offensive linemen good run blockers? Are any particularly bad? Is it the coaching: OL coach, OC?

Other than a few seasons sprinkled in here and there the Payton scheme has never been great at running the ball. Inconsistent at best and just bad at worst.

 

[Cgrob81]

It ALWAYS starts with the O line. Kamara and Williams doesn't just forget how to run. Both were leading rushers at some point in they're career until running behind this O line.

 

[Cgrob81]

When SP and Drew were cooking, LBs had to set deep bc we attacked the middle of the field relentlessly
AK also had the wheels to get to sideline so D had to spread a bit
Now it seems like the D just stacks the box and dares us to go over and around
and…we don’t

Pass protection usually isn't good enough and defenses know it. It always starts up front. Defenses sack Carr immediately after the ball is hiked when defenses blitz. So why not stack the box if your blitzers can get to Carr in under 3 seconds.

 

[SweetT]

It's pretty obvious they are trying to reduce the hits on AK. He's in year 7 of an average 3-6 year career and he's never had a complete season without missing time due to injury. The RB depth with Miller out is thin so if we make a playoff run and everything points to it at least coming down to the last week or two, they will need AK as healthy as possible. The 3-game suspension this season might end up being huge since that was 3 games of carries/hits he doesn't have on his body. I'd expect once we get leads in games to have Williams, Hill and Robinson to get most of the carries to keep those hits off of AK.

Who cares if he wasn't in on the first drive, he's not going for a games started streak.

AK41 has averaged 185 carries for his career. That’s not a lot. CMC missed the majority of 3 seasons and still has almost the same amount of carries. Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry (both drafted after AK41) have more carries than him. AK41 has had a luxury most backs never get, by having a good RB partner (MI, T-train). At some point, you have to ride your playmakers. Our offense clicks when AK41 is in the game. If our offense is clicking, then you keep him in on that drive to get TDs. Our offense has stalled too many times this year, with him on the sideline. Look at the best teams in the league. The difference is they utilize their playmakers by a wide margin. I watch too many teams and see their best players being subbed out for almost entire drives, which stalls their offense as well. Makes no sense.

 

[Snakehead]

AK41 has averaged 185 carries for his career. That’s not a lot. CMC missed the majority of 3 seasons and still has almost the same amount of carries. Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry (both drafted after AK41) have more carries than him. AK41 has had a luxury most backs never get, by having a good RB partner (MI, T-train). At some point, you have to ride your playmakers. Our offense clicks when AK41 is in the game. If our offense is clicking, then you keep him in on that drive to get TDs. Our offense has stalled too many times this year, with him on the sideline

And as soon as he gets a tweaked ankle/pulled hamstring late in the game when it doesn't matter, the know it all fans on here will be screaming that he shouldn't have been on the game.

 

[SweetT]

And as soon as he gets a tweaked ankle/pulled hamstring late in the game when it doesn't matter, the know it all fans on here will be screaming that he shouldn't have been on the game.

The point is to rest them/sub them out when the game is won. Not when we are down, tied game, or close game. AK41 has said that he wants to be the guy we lean on. Go rewatch his press game pressers. Plus, injuries are part of the game. Can’t play scared and I know the players don’t play scared

 

[sammymvpknight]

The Saints have been bad at rushing the ball for years. It’s a mentality, and ultimately our OL is soft

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Not sure, but when we flip the ball backwards to Kamara it so often seems to end in lost yards

Extension of the run = Let's line Kamara up at WR and hand the ball off to him via an 8 yard cross field pass vs turning around putting it in his chest a few feet away.

 

[luvdasaints]

Let’s ask ourselves why are we taking AK41 out on 2nd down and even 3rd downs these days?
drives me nuts

I do agree with this but when you pay as much money for someone like Williams you expect he can earn his keep. I think its more play calling and run blocking but so far Williams has not met expectations at all.

 

[mr.t]

I was looking at league stats by team. The one area that we are particularly weak in is yards per carry. We rush for 3.7 ypc. The only worse teams at running the ball are the Jags and Raiders at 3.6 and the Bucs at 3.5.

I couldn’t find the ypc breakdown by player, but I would imagine, without Taysom, we would be the worst in the league.

We have five first round draft pick offensive linemen that we drafted on the team. Are any of our offensive linemen good run blockers? Are any particularly bad? Is it the coaching: OL coach, OC?

Actually TH has not been doing too well lately. I think that defenses have figured him out.