New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara missed week one with a knee injury, despite practicing throughout the week. Now that he's participating again, there's no reason he shouldn’t make his season debut on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. Kamara's return will add another dynamic weapon for Kellen Moore and the Saints’ offense.
Kamara sprained his MCL in the Saints' joint practice against the Dallas Cowboys, and he was expected to miss about a month. However, he’s ahead of schedule, and Moore said the veteran was healthy enough to play last week, but took precautions and kept him out after Wednesday's practice.
"I think it was just a matter of time on task, getting a full week's work," Moore said. "I thought he did an amazing job to put himself in a position last week to practice really well. And so he's in a great place.
Alvin Kamara will bolster the Saints’ rushing attack and form an explosive tandem with Travis Etienne.
The Saints signed Travis Etienne this offseason to form a dynamic duo with Alvin Kamara. Both players are explosive and threaten a defense with their elusiveness, quickness, and vision. As a result, the offense would always have a dangerous option with fresh legs available in the backfield.
However, fans didn’t get to experience this in week one with Kamara’s injury. Kendre Miller played well and is a fantastic athlete, but needs more experience before reaching that caliber. This was evident, as the defense keyed in on Etienne, especially when the passing game failed in the first half.
The offensive line still needs to improve and make lanes, but Kamara’s return should help the run game’s efficiency. Don’t expect him to reach 15+ carries; that won’t happen with the split backfield. But he will be a valuable option when Etienne’s tired and as a pass catcher.
This is pivotal against the Ravens' elite run defense, which allowed 102 rushing yards in their week-one win against the Indianapolis Colts. On its own, this number isn’t staggering, but the Colts have a great run game anchored by Jonathan Taylor. Baltimore’s front seven is a strong unit that can make an offense one-dimensional if they aren’t executing at a high level.
All of the focus will be on Tyler Shough heading into the game, but Kellen Moore’s run game will quietly be the deciding factor for the offense’s success. Fortunately for them, they will get veteran Alvin Kamara back, who will form an elite tandem with Travis Etienne. Don’t be shocked, for this group looks entirely different than what it did last week.
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