The New Orleans Saints take on the Tennessee Titans this Sunday, winning their fourth straight game. If successful, it would be the first time the Saints have won four consecutive games since the 2020 season. The Saints enter Week 17 with a 5-10 record, while the Titans enter Week 17 with a 3-12 record.
A lot of New Orleans’ recent success can be attributed to their defense. The Saints rank ninth in total defense and have held opponents to less than 305 yards in their past six games. New Orleans is now struggling against a Titans offense that ranks just 31st in total yards and near the bottom of the NFL in most categories. The Saints’ strongest area is in pass defense, an area where Tennessee rookie No. 1 pick Cam Ward hasn’t shown much promise due to the lack of talent around him.
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titans passing game
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165.3 yards per game (31st)
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60.2% completion rate
Cam Ward played every snap behind Tennessee’s center. Ward has thrown for two touchdowns in each of the past three games but has not thrown for more than one score in the first 12 games. He failed to pass for 200 yards in eight games and completed less than 60% of his passes in seven games. Still, Ward is a good athlete with a strong arm and huge game potential.
Tennessee doesn’t give their young quarterback much help, especially at wide receiver. Chimere Dike is Ward’s top receiver, but only has 41 catches for 341 yards. Rookie wide receiver Elic Ayomanor is a huge threat but only has 34 catches and 428 yards. Van Jefferson and James Proche combined for 359 yards on 30 catches. Running backs Tony Pollard and Taj Spears are both legitimate receiving threats. Pollard had 28 catches but only 179 yards, while Spears became a reliable target out of the backfield with 37 catches for 256 yards.
Tight end is where the Titans test their opponents’ defenses the most. Athlete Chig Okonkwo had 51 catches for 503 yards, leading the team in both metrics. Rookie Gunnar Helm finished second on the team with 356 yards and 43 catches. The Titans have the worst average per reception in the NFL and the second-worst yards per pass attempt.
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Like the receivers, the Titans gave Ward no help. The protection continued to fail, causing Ward to flee for his life and significantly reducing his accuracy. No quarterback had more sacks than Ward, 51 times, and he gave up a league-worst 387 yards.
saints tunnel defense
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177.3 yards per game (5th)
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65.2% completion rate
New Orleans has held opponents to less than 185 net passing yards over the past six games and has accomplished that feat in eight of the past nine games. The young secondary matured quickly and nearly eliminated most of the wide receivers they faced. Sophomore cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry leads the Saints with three interceptions and 11 pass breakups. Rookie Quincy Riley was equally impressive, breaking up eight passes and intercepting one in 11 games. Even on the catches they allowed, Riley and McKinstry were often in good position and inches away from the offense.
Rookie safety Jonas Sanker has some first-year blunders, but otherwise shows good instincts and excellent range. Sonker is a natural playmaker with 2 interceptions and a fumble recovery. Alontae Taylor is undoubtedly a playmaker. Taylor may have been inconsistent in coverage, but had 2 picks and 8 pass breakups. He was also an excellent blitzer, finishing with 2 sacks and several other pressures. Safety Justin Reid is the veteran presence in the backfield. After a slow start, Reed has performed well of late and lived up to the expectations upon his arrival.
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Demario Davis continues to challenge the “father of the era” at the guard position. What little Davis loses in agility is offset by his incredible awareness and anticipation when defending or rushing the passer. Sophomore linebacker Isaiah Starrbird may be the most underrated of all New Orleans backs. Stalbird usually fills in for Pete Werner in obvious passing situations and has good athleticism in coverage. Where he really wreaked havoc was as a blitzer, where he had 2 sacks and 5 pressures.
New Orleans’ pass rush has improved this season, which should help their young secondary. Chase Young had seven sacks and 24 pressures in just 10 games, easily the best of his six-year career. Cameron Jordan has proven he still has plenty of great football left in him. Jordan has 16 pressures and a team-high 8.5 sacks, six of which have come in the past six games. Carl Granderson has cooled down significantly after a hot start to the year, but adds athletic depth on the edge in Jordan and Young.
Up front, the Saints will miss Bryan Bresee (knee), their most athletic forward. However, Nathan Shepherd quietly led the defense with 13 quarterback hits and three sacks. A rotation of Jonathan Bullard, Jonah Williams, John Ridgeway and Davon Godshaw must make up for Bresee’s absence. Don’t be surprised if coordinator Brandon Staley adds some extra blitzes or uses Jordan up front with Granderson on the edge to disrupt Cam Ward and hit his athleticism.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints vs. Titans QB Cam Ward’s defensive strength
