The New Orleans Saints run defense has struggled against the run to start the year, ranking 30th in the NFL. They won't be getting any rest before the next game, as the Minnesota Vikings' rushing offense is ranked 17th in the league, closer to the middle of the pack. The Brandon Staley-led unit will need to find a solution and fast.
Last week, for the first time in 17 years, the Falcons were able to rush for five touchdowns in a single game. That kind of performance against the New Orleans defense also isn't a one-off, as they are ranked last in terms of rushing touchdowns allowed per game this season.
The Aaron Jones-led squad has averaged over 100 yards per game this season and has been the only bright spot on the Vikings offense, as they have the 32nd-ranked passing offense in the league. But even so, they've yet to lose a game this season while the Saints have already lost three. And if Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell keeps leaning into the wide zone runs, the risk of a fourth loss gets even higher.
The Saints have struggled to defend the run as of late
Wide-zone runs were quite literally the death of the Saints last week, with Bijan Robinson running 59 yards to the end zone on one play in that set. That makes it really unfortunate, then, that the Vikings' run game is built around the same scheme, with O'Connell bringing on former Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith as his OC to help implement it. That's why middle-of-the-pack, where the Minnesota run game is right now, would be enough to turn the tides on Sunday.
Staley does have a feasible defense to their run attack, as the Vikings' last-place passing offense gives him the luxury of loading the box. But however he decides to defend against it, he shouldn't treat their ground game lightly, because the rushing defense has been much less than par this season.
Last week, his defense allowed Atlanta to average 5.9 yards per carry and was beaten on basically every rushing attempt that evening. Players were just missing tackles left and right, with a combined 19, which also matched the total from all previous games combined. A performance that Brandon Staley said "wasn't like them," he'll have to prove his words true, or else his seat might start to get a little hot.
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