The New Orleans Saints are on the verge of losing in the playoffs after their humiliation against the Los Angeles Rams last Thursday. There are hardly no wild card chances left. Thus, in order for the Saints to win the NFC South, they must win their final two games and the 8-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers must lose their final two. When New Orleans travels to play the Buccaneers this Sunday, they can take care of business in the first scenario in both cases. The Saints’ defense has to get back to normal following a dismal performance against the Rams if they are to survive. They rank 14th in total defense heading into Week 17, giving up 321.6 yards and 19.8 points per contest. Nevertheless, over the latter portion of the season, they have also been especially dreadful against the run.

The Buccaneers team that thrashed the Saints 26-9 at New Orleans back in Week 4 will be faced in all phases. With an average of 21.7 points and 316.3 yards per game, Tampa Bay is ranked 23rd in terms of total offense. Due to one of the weakest rushing attacks in the league, the Buccaneers have spent the most of the season relying on their passing game. Nevertheless, during their current four-game winning streak, the running game has really come to life.

The Tampa Bay Runs

The Buccaneers are merely 30th in the NFL in terms of average running yards per game (89.3). They have been restricted to fewer than 100 yards in 10 of their 15 games, and their 3.4 yards per carry is the lowest in the league. Rachaad White, a second-year running back, has taken over as the Buccaneers’ top back. Six of the squad’s eight running touchdowns come from him, and he leads the team with 873 yards on the ground. White is a sneaky back with terrific vision and quickness, but he is only averaging 3.6 yards per carry.

In the last five games, he has two performances of 100 yards or more and two more that have over 80 yards. Chase Edmonds, a three-year veteran, is White’s main backup. Edmonds has only gained 133 yards on 42 attempts without a score. Sean Tucker (15–23), an undrafted rookie power back, completes the depth chart as a power back. Deven Thompkins, a return specialist, is another useful tool for jet sweeps and reverses.

The Bucs are only thirty-first in the NFL in terms of average ground yardage per game—89.3 yards per game. They have the lowest carry average in the league (3.4), and in 10 of their 15 games, they have been kept to fewer than 100 yards.

The Buccaneers’ lead back position is now filled by second-year running back Rachaad White. With 6 of the squad’s 8 running touchdowns and the most ground yards (873), he leads the team in this regard. Despite averaging just 3.6 yards per rush, White is a sneaky back with strong vision and quickness. With two games over 100 yards and two more of more than 80 yards, he has been on a roll lately. White’s main backup is three-year veteran Chase Edmonds. Only 42 carries have resulted in 133 yards and no touchdowns for Edmonds. Sean Tucker (15–23), a rookie power back who was not selected, completes the depth chart. On jet sweeps and reverses, return specialist Deven Thompkins can also be a very useful tool.

Throughout the second half of the season, the Saints have played virtually embarrassingly against the run. They rank 25th in both categories after giving up 4.5 yards per carry and 127 yards per game on the ground. Over the last ten games, opponents have averaged 145 yards of rushes against the Saints, which leads the NFL during that time. Although this year’s defensive tackle performance is better than last, it still has to improve. rookie selected in the first round Bryan Bresee has the appearance of a future star, but astute run blocks can move him out of place. Khalen Saunders hasn’t played much of a role until recently, but Nathan Shepherd has been the position’s most reliable stopper against the run.

To stop opposing running games, the Saints defensive tackles need to improve their penetration because they have only surrendered nine tackles overall. The New Orleans defense has been particularly susceptible to the run at this point. Future Hall of Famer Cam Jordan has seen a sharp drop in his production and has been sidelined for a month due to a serious ankle injury. Carl Granderson is an excellent ball-chaser who has had a breakthrough season as a pass rusher. Granderson, too, is susceptible to being blasted off the ball by opponents that run off-tackle plays directly at him. seasoned DE Although Tanoh Kpassagnon is a good backup, injuries to rookie second-round pick Isaiah Foskey have forced him to play more than expected. Since being switched from off-ball linebacker to rush end, Zack Baun has performed noticeably better. Because of his small stature, opponents have been able to run right at him. A 2021 first-round pick, Payton Turner, may be activated following a 14-game stint on injured reserve.

It is evident that Demario Davis is still capable of being a very good linebacker. With 108 tackles, including nine for loss, Davis leads the team and continues to have excellent instincts. He’s lost a step sideline to sideline, but he’s still relentless in his chase. Because of this, opposition backs have been able to outrun him to the corners, particularly considering how little resistance the defensive ends have frequently provided to off-tackle plays. At linebacker, Davis has had no assistance from his running partner.

Pete Werner has 80 tackles, which is second on the squad, but only three of those have gone for loss. on his third season, Werner has significantly declined and has become a significant liability on the open field. The run support defense backs from New Orleans never give up. However, the defense has been plagued by subpar tackling and weak ball angles. This is especially true at safety, where Jordan Howden, a rookie, and Tyrann Mathieu have given up many big plays. The cornerbacks Paulson Adebo, Isaac Yiadom, and Alontae Taylor have also failed to make several important tackles on the second level.

In addition to pressuring Baker Mayfield into errors, the Saints will undoubtedly need to restrict Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, two of Tampa Bay’s top wideouts. The previous three times these teams have faced off, though, the Buccaneers have dominated New Orleans. In their Week 4 victory over the Saints, the Buccaneers ran for 114 yards, offering just enough danger to move the gears and create opportunities for play-action passes. Running plays from Tampa Bay might be directed to the left, behind Tristan Wirfs, and right at Carl Granderson. To stop Rachaad White from cutting back and rushing to the other side, the Saints must win the line of scrimmage even if they stack their defense to that side. The defensive tackles for New Orleans must be outstanding. Not only should they impede Tampa Bay’s running game to render them one-dimensional, but also as pass rushers. Interior penetration will be essential to stopping the Tampa Bay offense, even on off-tackle runs.