A critical Week 6 matchup awaits the New Orleans Saints when they play at the New York Giants on Sunday. The 1-4 Saints are looking to end a three-game losing streak, all at home, with their first road trip since Week 2. They'll have to do it against a surprising 3-1-1 Giants squad that has won all three of their home outings.
Most of the reason for the New Orleans struggles falls on the shoulders of a defense that's been putrid. They've been especially bad against the run, where they sit among the league's worst. In the Giants, New Orleans faces a pedestrian attack with starting quarterback Jaxon Dart out for the year. However, New York has a couple of bruising backs that could make life difficult. Here's a look at the matchup.
New York Giants running game
- 109 yards per game (16th)
- 3.7 per carry (21st)
- 1 touchdown (32nd)
New York and the
Pittsburgh Steelers are tied for last in the NFL with 1 rushing score. Yet, the Giants rank a solid 11th in red zone percentage and 8th in third down efficiency. Therefore, it seems more a matter of play-calling preferences near the goal line over short yardage struggles. New York has had their issues in pass protection, but this is a quietly physical run blocking unit along the offensive line.
Second-year back Cam Skattebo has overcome a serious ankle injury suffered as a rookie. Skattebo has yet to have a 100-yard rushing performance in 2026, but leads the Giants with 294 yards on the ground in spite of a 3.6 per carry average. A physical back, Skattebo also possesses an underrated breakaway burst. The primary backup is veteran Najee Harris, who has 97 yards and an identical 3.6 average on only 27 runs. Harris is also a physical runner, but doesn't have Skattebo's athleticism.
New York has two excellent change-of-pace backs in Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary. Tracy had 740 rushing yards last season and 839 in 2024 to lead the Giants both years, but has only 7 carries for 22 yards so far. Singletary had four seasons of at least 775 yards in a five-year stretch with the Bills and Texans, but has only 9 runs for 25 yards in his third year as a Giant.
New Orleans Saints run defense
- 148.8 yards per game (30th)
- 4.9 per carry (29th)
- 10 touchdowns (32nd)
- 19 tackles for loss
New Orleans has given up over 150 rushing yards in three games and an abysmal 5 yards per carry to opposing backs in 2026. An incredible eight players have run for at least 50 yards against them, with three 100-yard outings. That would be an even higher number of 100-yard rushers if not for Baltimore's bone-headed decision to go away from Derrick Henry in Week 2.
The Saints will be without linebacker Kaden Elliss (calf) for a third straight game against the Giants. Elliss is the team's best run defender, especially in sideline-to-sideline pursuit and play recognition. Pete Werner and Danny Stutsman are each physical in the tackle box, but both struggle in space and with play diagnosis. The Saints will also be without injured Anfernee Jennings, one of their better run defenders on the edge.
Jennings' absence means more reps for Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson on early downs. Jordan remains solid against the run, though the Saints need far more general disruption from him. Granderson is often run at with success by opponents. As is Chase Young, who has been the best New Orleans defender but is certainly far more effective in pass rush duties.
New Orleans has an active secondary against the run. However, the unit as a whole has missed far too many tackles or have often taken poor angles to the play. Safeties Jonas Sanker, Justin Reid, and Julian Blackmon need to make more plays at the line of scrimmage, particularly Sanker and Reid. Corners Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley, as is the case with the safeties, need to be better fundamentally.
Linebacker, without Elliss, has been problematic. Not nearly as big as the appalling performance of the Saints defensive line. Rookie second round pick Christen Miller has been in and out of the lineup and simply must make a bigger impact. Nathan Shepherd and Vernon Broughton have each been okay, but more is expected and needed. The depth here has been worse than putrid, forcing the Saints to often use Jordan, Granderson, or Young in down linemen spots. Almost weekly, New Orleans has been effortlessly pushed around in the trenches. The result has been a defense helpless to stop opposing runners.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Lowly Saints defense can't give ground to middling Giants run game
