Following the victory over the Giants on Sunday, the New Orleans Saints could finally come out of a game proud of what their rushing offense did. This improvement didn't necessarily come from a scheme change by Kellen Moore, but rather the depth of the running back room coming into play. Ironically enough, the Saints delivered their best rushing attack of the season even when they weren't at full force.
New Orleans gathered a season-high 175 rushing yards, most of which were in route to 34 consecutive points scored. It was really thanks to that long-lost part of the offense that the Saints were able to come out of this one alive. All while RB1 Travis Etienne is on injured reserve, the W against the Giants is bound to be the favorite game of the season for that room.
Furthermore, even though Alvin Kamara was active, that doesn't mean he was fully healthy either. He's been battling his own injuries this year and even missed time earlier this season due to a sprained MCL. So when marching into MetLife Stadium, the running backs had a statement performance at only half power.
Saints RB Kendre Miller led the rushing attack
It was the black sheep of the group, Kendre Miller, who led the charge for the Saints' running backs. He had his best game since his rookie season, gathering 70 rushing yards on 20 carries. It's a no-pun-intended giant performance for Miller, who has battled injuries throughout his career and has missed 31 games out of a possible 57.
The running backs were playing so well that Tyler Shough had to get in on the action, with his biggest rushing game since week three. While there unfortunately wasn't much schemed runs, aside from a read-option at the end of the first half, it was still enough to push the Saints forward. When the final whistle blew, he was averaging 6.4 yards a carry, second most on the team behind C.J. Donaldson.
Although he was battling injuries, Alvin Kamara still managed to have his best game of the 2026 season. Gathering 69 total yards and one touchdown, he put on a vintage performance that is sure to be seen on future highlight reels. What's more, he even etched his name in the record books, becoming the sixth player in NFL history with 5,000 career rushing and receiving yards.
With Etienne not eligible to be back until week nine, Miller and Kamara need to continue splitting reps when they take on the Steelers in Paris. They finally found a rushing attack that way, so there's no reason to change it, especially after it helped you get your first win since September.
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