There was a lot going on in the loss on Sunday; however, there was one really big issue on the day for the New Orleans Saints: their run defense. At home in Miami, the Dolphins managed to earn up to 164 yards on the ground against the Saints defense. Unfortunately, that doesn't even rank among the Saints' three worst performances allowed this year.
The Dolphins' leading rusher was De'Von Achane. Running through the defense like butter, he earned 134 rushing yards, which is the most he's earned all season and the most the Saints have given up to a single rusher all season. The team heavily relied on Achane and rightfully so. He averaged 6.1 yards per carry, and that is only slightly under Tua Tagovailoa's 6.1 yards per completion.
Following the game, Kellen Moore had a nonchalant response about the Dolphins offense. "They made a few plays here and there, and obviously we were able to force them into field goals, which I think was key to giving us a chance" The first-year head coach said to the media after the game.
The Saints defense can't seem to stop the run this season
The Dolphins' 164 rushing yards on Sunday is just one part of an unfortunate trend for the Saints defense. So far in 2025, they have given up 1,334 rushing yards, and while that's actually almost the league average, the New Orleans run defense actually only ranks 18th in the NFL. It's a number that is on pace to start ballooning.
In the two games since the bye week, the Saints have given up over 100 yards on the ground in both games. Seven games of that nature on the year, a third game in a row of over 100 yards rushing might actually do the team for 2025.
An obvious bugaboo for Brandon Staley's defense, it's something that he and the team will have to address fast if they hope to add a third win on the season.