Saints snap counts analysis: Vonn Bell logged 104 plays vs. Falcons

By playing both defense and special teams, New Orleans Saints safety Vonn Bell saw his snap count climb to 104 against the Atlanta Falcons.

Special teams

  • LB Craig Robertson, 23 (77%)
  • QB Taysom Hill, 23 (77%)
  • LB Stephone Anthony, 20 (67%)
  • CB Justin Hardee, 20 (67%)
  • RB Dwayne Washington, 19 (63%)
  • SS J.T. Gray, 19 (63%)
  • CB Johnson Bademosi, 16 (53%)
  • TE Josh Hill, 16 (53%)

We’re only listing the players who played at least half of the Saints’ special teams snaps; more than 30 different players were on the field for at least one snap in the game’s third phase. The group who passed that cut-off make up the core New Orleans builds around in the kicking game. While he never panned out as a first-round draft pick, it’s good to see Anthony has found a role to play in the NFL. Now can somebody stop an onside kick?

Defensive line

  • DE Cameron Jordan, 65 (70%)
  • DT Sheldon Rankins, 50 (54%)
  • DE Marcus Davenport, 47 (51%)
  • DE Trey Hendrickson, 42 (45%)
  • DT David Onyemata, 42 (45%)
  • NT Malcom Brown, 37 (40%)
  • DT Mario Edwards Jr., 32 (34%)
  • NT Shy Tuttle, 24 (26%)

This game was long and drawn-out for the Saints defense, and they did a great job of rotating the big men up front to keep everyone fresh. It paid off in the end, allowing Jordan to make the game-winning sack on fourth down against an exhausted and overmatched Falcons offensive line. But nearly everyone along the defensive line seemed to make an impactful play at some point, ranging from Davenport’s sack on the first play to Tuttle insane interception (and the stiff-arm jab to Matt Ryan that followed it).

Linebackers corps

  • LB Demario Davis, 90 (97%)
  • LB Craig Robertson, 50 (54%)
  • LB A.J. Klein, 33 (35%)
  • LB Kiko Alonso, 30 (32%)
  • LB Stephone Anthony, 10 (11%)

Injuries struck the Saints here hard, forcing both Klein and Alonso to seek attention from medical staff on the sidelines. It also forced Robertson into his first extended action of the year (he logged just 21 combined defensive snaps in his previous 10 games, having sat out the season-opener with an injury). Credit to Robertson and Anthony for stepping up when the Saints needed them, and to Davis for nearly going the distance at such a physically-demanding position.

Defensive secondary

  • SS Vonn Bell, 93 (100%)
  • FS Marcus Williams, 93 (100%)
  • CB Eli Apple, 93 (100%)
  • CB Marshon Lattimore, 81 (87%)
  • SS C.J. Gardner-Johnson, 38 (41%)
  • CB Johnson Bademosi, 1 (1%)

This game set a new season-high in snaps played by the defense, surpassing their previous high-water mark (83 plays in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks) by what must have felt like a mile. but the work wasn’t over yet for two-way players like Bell, who also logged 11 snaps on special teams — putting him at an insane 104 total snaps played. Both Lattimore and Gardner-Johnson missed time with in-game injury issues, forcing the Saints to get creative on the back end with veteran backup Patrick Robinson a healthy scratch.

[vertical-gallery id=23472]

Pages: Page 1, Page 2