Just as their run game started showing some signs of life, the New Orleans Saints suffered a blow to the half back room, with Travis Etienne going to injured reserve due to his hamstring injury. Now heading into their only primetime game of the season, head coach Kellen Moore will have to figure out another way to get the slow starting run game going.
All while facing a Falcons team that has a 32% rush win rate, which is sixth in the NFL, the injury really couldn't have come at a worse time for New Orleans. Despite the challenge, though, Moore is confident that the rest of the room will step up to the plate.
The head coach said that the team is fortunate to have guys who have played some football. "I think Alvin and Kendre will handle that load really well. CJ has obviously found his specific role, and we got some depth on the practice squad as we navigate these next few weeks," Moore said to the media on Thursday. "I feel like we're in a good place."
The Saints offense might look a little vintage on Monday
Left on the team are Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller, and CJ Donaldson, who have yet to get their feet out from under them this season. With only 106 rushing yards from the three combined, Etienne has been the only half back to actually show up this season. One of them will have to put up a season's best performance, or else the run game will get embarrassed on the national stage.
That's why, on what will be the 20th anniversary celebration of the Domecoming, the offense on Monday night will probably look a little vintage. Not 20 years vintage but Kellen Moore will hopefully turn back the clock a little bit and make the offense play like it's the 2024 season.
Kamara arguably had the best season of his career, with 950 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Also averaging 4.2 yards a carry that year, Kamara has struggled to get his rushing numbers going in the Moore era (he only has 522 through his first 13 games played for the coach). If he can get Kamara looking anything like that against the Falcons, then that's the game signed, sealed, and delivered.
One caveat to that is the second rusher behind Kamara, because two seasons ago that was Taysom Hill, but he's already played his last game for the Saints. The team doesn't have anybody like Hill to replace that spot, leaving the RB2 job to Kendre Miller. But that should really come with no worries, because he's shown in the past that he can get the job done with the ball, even with all of his health issues.
However the Saints end up attacking the particular issue; Monday night's primetime stage has to prove that last week's uptick in rushing was the turning point for the run game. If not, then they might not be able to recreate the W from two decades ago.
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