New Orleans Saints 47-game streak is approaching history

The New Orleans Saints have had one dominant run defense over the past few seasons, and they’ve continued that success into 2020.

It’s not been easy, but the New Orleans Saints record of holding a single opponent rusher to under 100 yards has continued throughout 2020. On the back of Cam Jordan and Demario Davis, this defense has given up minimal yardage in the run game.

It hasn’t been easy either as they’ve faced a few of the best in Las Vegas’ Josh Jacobs and Green Bay’s Aaron Jones. Now at 47 games, the Saints are approaching history and could reach it later this season.

According to Saints Wire’s John Sigler, the record is currently held by the Philadelphia Eagles, a franchise that held a single rusher to under 100 yards for 53 consecutive games from 1989 to 1992.

They were a unit carried on the back of eight-time First-Team All-Pro Reggie White, who recorded 21 sacks in a single season.

The then Los Angeles Rams, who did it for 51 games in the late 60s, are second on the list. The Saints then come in at No. 3 in the record book, topping the old-school, Ray Lewis-led Ravens.

With Austin Ekeler and Christian McCaffrey out while every other rusher the team looks to face until said record is broken has averaged under 75 yards per game this season, there’s hope brewing that the record is in sight.

The Saints have been able to do it even without a starting defensive end on the field.

With Marcus Davenport listed as questionable for their Week 5 performance at home against the Chargers, the Saints will get more help by the fact that Ekeler will remain sidelined. The Chargers have placed Ekeler on Injured Reserve.

However, the pass-catching Ekeler has had just one 100-yard rushing performance in the last year and a half.

The bigger problem may come from Broncos’ Melvin Gordon who the team will face to potentially break the record, having tied it a week prior if the team manages to continue their top-tier strength in the run game until then.