Few teams invested as much in running the football and stopping the run as the New Orleans Saints did this offseason. The Saints spent big in free agency on left guard David Edwards, blocking tight end Noah Fant, and running back Travis Etienne Jr. (who struggled to get going before he was sidelined by a hamstring injury), and they used a second-round draft pick to add run-stuffing nose tackle Christen Miller while giving veteran starter Davon Godchaux a day off from practice each week to keep him fresh. And they've got nothing to show for it.
How bad has it gotten? 42-year old Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers effectively iced the game on a fourth-quarter scramble, ending Sunday's matchup in Paris with more rushing yards (8) than
any individual Saints player managed on their own, at least before he knelt to run out the clock. Tyler Shough led the team with 7 yards on the ground, while both Kendre Miller (6) and Alvin Kamara (5) failed to make headway. Rookie running back CJ Donaldson had been a bright spot but he left the game early with an unspecified injury. They kept backups Zamir White and Jarquez Hunter on the practice squad as healthy inactives.
It's time to take some cooks out of the kitchen. There are too many voices in the room for the Saints to be this effective. Just look at how many coaches are involved with the run plan each week:
- Head coach/play caller Kellen Moore
- Offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier
- Running backs coach/associate head coach Joel Thomas
- Run game coordinator T.J. Paganetti
- Offensive line coach Brendan Nugent
- OL assistants Will Clapp and Tobijah Hughley
- Tight ends coach Chase Haslett
- TE assistant Josh Hill
- Senior assistant Scott Linehan
If dismissing Moore outright isn't on the table, he needs to be pushed into trimming the staff himself. Maybe he and Paganetti aren't on the same page. Maybe Nugent is the problem (the offensive line's regression on his watch would suggest that's the case). Thomas hasn't help coach out Miller's mistake-prone style of play. Was Linehan only a training camp guest appearance or is he still around the team?
Either way, this approach can't continue. The Saints were embarrassed on a big stage they spent years asking for. All of the pressures lies on Tyler Shough's shoulders because the Saints can't run the football. Limiting the number of voices in the room, focusing on a single philosophy or two (inside zone, gap blocking, heavy personnel with multiple tight ends or an I-formation, whatever) to execute well should be a major emphasis during the bye week. If they can't figure this out, none of these guys will be on next year's staff.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 42-year old Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers outrushed every Saints player
