After a victory at the New York Giants that snapped a three-game losing streak, the 2-4 New Orleans Saints head to Paris for NFL history. Their Week 7 game against the 4-2 Pittsburgh Steelers is officially considered a home game, but will be the first ever NFL game to be played in France. The Steelers come into this meeting on a two-game win streak and victors in three of their last four contests.
New Orleans has been mostly abysmal in their attempts to run the football this season. However, they are coming off their best rushing output of the year in New York. The Saints will face a Steelers defense that ranks a solid 9th overall, but one that has some clear vulnerabilities. Here's a look at how the New Orleans running game may fare against Pittsburgh defenders.
Pittsburgh Steelers run defense
- 103.2 yards per game (14th)
- 4 yards per carry (18th)
- 4 touchdowns (6th)
- 37 tackles for loss
Pittsburgh has held just two of their six opponents under 100 yards on the ground but have allowed an average of only 99 rushing yards in their last four games. Included in that stretch was holding Jonathan Taylor of the Colts to a season-low 45 rushing yards. Bijan Robinson of Atlanta (83 yards) is the only opposing runner to gain over 80 rushing yards against the Steelers.
Linebackers Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen are the fulcrum of the Steelers run defense. Wilson, a very underrated defender, has outstanding instincts and burst to the ball. He leads Pittsburgh with 55 total tackles, including 6 for loss. Queen, 38 tackles, isn't nearly as instinctive as Wilson but is a superb athlete. Cole Holcomb, another with good instincts, also sees some significant reps at linebacker.
Pittsburgh has a physical and disruptive defensive line rotation. Veteran Cam Heyward, taken 31st in the same 2011 NFL Draft where the Saints selected Cam Jordan at 24th overall, is still playing at a high level. He's joined up front by 2023 second round choice Keeanu Benton and Yahya Black, though this rotation is severely thinned with Derrick Harmon and Sebastian Joseph-Day on injured reserve.
Edge rotation T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nate Herbig, and Jack Sawyer make up a disruptive pass rush. However, all four are also highly underrated as run defenders. Herbig and Watt are tied with Wilson for the team lead at 6 tackles for loss. Just behind them is Jalen Ramsey at 5 stops for negative yardage. Ramsey heads up a secondary with Asante Samuel Jr. and Jamel Dean that is aggressive in run support. Safety Jaquan Brisker is second on the defense with 41 stops, as the Steelers routinely pack the tackle box to impede rushing progress.
New Orleans Saints Running Game
- 97.3 yards per game (21st)
- 3.8 per carry (21st)
- 6 touchdowns (10th)
Running back Travis Etienne Jr. remains on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Even before he went down in Week 3, this team had not been able to establish their rushing attack. The Saints have run for fewer than 100 yards in four of six outings, getting held to under 70 yards in three games. However, their 175 rushing yards against the Giants is their highest output of this season.
Kendre Miller has taken over the team rushing lead with 153 yards, but averages only 3.1 per carry. Alvin Kamara has chimed in with 120 yards on the ground but an equally low 3.4 per carry average. Undrafted rookie CJ Donaldson has evolved into the short yardage back in many instances and has a 4.8 average for his 81 yards. Without Etienne, coach Kellen Moore has rotated the three backs without a defined role.
While the backs need better productivity, this offensive line has done virtually nothing to aid their cause. Tackles Taliese Fuaga and Asim Richards, the injury replacement for Kelvin Banks Jr., have not been able to get push on the edge. On the inside, Erik McCoy, David Edwards, and Cesar Ruiz have not opened cutback lanes for their runners or established any control of the trenches.
One injury to watch is Ruiz, who practiced very little this week after suffering a knee injury against the Giants. If Ruiz can't go, rookie fourth round pick Jeremiah Wright will take his place at right guard. Wright played extremely well when replacing Ruiz against the Giants, as the Saints ran for 109 yards in the second half alone. Most of that was behind Wright and Fuaga on the right, with McCoy and Edwards opening backside lanes. It's that kind of push off the line of scrimmage that New Orleans needs against the Steelers. Look for Kellen Moore to continue rotating Miller, Kamara, and Donaldson. The three can be effective, but only if the Saints control the trenches.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints run game hopes to build on recent momentum against Steelers