Saints’ run defense fixes the “old” during bye week, then puts it to work against Browns

The question coming out of New Orleans’ bye week was simple: could its run defense stop feeling like it had to reinvent itself, and instead execute with consistency? Against the Cleveland Browns, the Saints’ answer was yes, and it started with fundamentals they said had been inconsistent earlier in the season.

In its self-evaluation, New Orleans’ staff focused on tackling, block handling, and physicality. Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley said the Saints did not install anything new, arguing the team improved by “execut[ing] fundamentally better” the defense it had run throughout the year and the prior season.

Before Sunday’s overtime 23-22 win over Cleveland, the Saints were allowing 139.4 rushing yards per game, the fourth-highest mark in the league, and had multiple games where opponents put up at least 145 rushing yards. The team also had been on the wrong side of several long-run outcomes, according to the club’s own recap.

Against Cleveland, New Orleans allowed 95 rushing yards on 34 carries (2.8 yards per carry) and limited Cleveland’s longest run to 12 yards. While the Saints still sit near the bottom of the league in rushing yards allowed overall at 133.9 per game, the club’s internal message was that the standard for physical, disciplined football can be reached.

Linebacker Kaden Elliss described the week’s work as a challenge rooted in self-scout, saying it was uncomfortable to review how the defense had been taking on blocks and tackling without the expected physicality. Elliss added that the bye gave the group time to analyze immediately after the Pittsburgh game, and to push the players toward the level the staff believes is required.

New Orleans enters its next task with that adjustment as the point of emphasis, hoping to carry the defensive response forward in Sunday’s matchup against Carolina in the Caesars Superdome.