Saints snap counts vs. Panthers: Defense runs 76 plays too many

The New Orleans Saints defense logged 76 snaps against the Carolina Panthers in Week 12, tying for their second-most of the 2019 season.

Special teams

  • QB Taysom Hill, 25 (81%)
  • LB Stephone Anthony, 25 (81%)
  • LB Craig Robertson, 25 (81%)
  • CB Justin Hardee, 25 (81%)
  • RB Dwayne Washington, 19 (61%)
  • S J.T. Gray, 19 (61%)
  • TE Josh Hill, 16 (52%)

Here’s your core special teams contributors, who did a great job coming away with a turnover early in the game. Gray blocked one Panthers player into the punt returner and the ball deflected off of him, which Hardee recovered for a huge swing in momentum. Hill obviously recovered fully from last week’s mild concussion, as seen in his high snap count on offense and prominent contributions here. The returns unit hasn’t been the same since Deonte Harris went out with a hamstring injury; hopefully he can recover soon.

Defensive line

  • DE Cameron Jordan, 69 (91%)
  • DE Marcus Davenport, 47 (62%)
  • DT David Onyemata, 46 (61%)
  • NT Malcom Brown, 39 (51%)
  • DT Sheldon Rankins, 39 (51%)
  • NT Shy Tuttle, 29 (38%)
  • DE Trey Hendrickson, 19 (25%)
  • DT Mario Edwards Jr., 17 (22%)

The Panthers stuck to a balanced approach on offense even late into the game, calling 28 run plays (plus an unscripted scramble by quarterback Kyle Allen) against 40 dropbacks. That allowed Davenport to remain on the field and he rewarded the Saints for it with two of the game’s biggest plays in Carolina’s final two snaps, sacking Allen on third down and rushing troubled Panthers kicker Joey Lyle into his missed chip-shot field goal on fourth down. As a group, the Saints defense sacked Allen four times and consistently got pressure, but coverage fell apart on the back end without Marshon Lattimore.

Linebackers

  • LB Demario Davis, 76 (100%)
  • LB Kiko Alonso, 47 (62%)
  • LB A.J. Klein, 43 (57%)

Alonso again outsnapped Klein, making next year’s succession plan even more clear (Klein’s contract expires in March). This was a season-high for Alonso in snaps played, and he has appeared on 41% or more of New Orleans’ defensive plays in each of their last five games. The Saints are playing more sets with three linebackers now that he’s up to speed with the playbook, which may be due to Carolina’s refusal to quit running so often on Sunday.

Defensive secondary

  • S Vonn Bell, 76 (100%)
  • S Marcus Williams, 76 (100%)
  • CB Eli Apple, 72 (95%)
  • CB P.J. Williams, 70 (92%)
  • S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, 62 (82%)
  • CB Patrick Robinson, 9 (12%)

Lattimore wasn’t available in this game, and the Panthers took advantage of it. Carolina’s top wide receiver, D.J. Moore, victimized P.J. Williams in one-on-one coverage throughout the game — for reasons unknown, the Saints never adjusted to it by trying someone else against him. Moore’s crafty routes created separation before the catch and his athleticism helped pick up ground afterwards. Hopefully Lattimore can return soon. The Saints ran a nickel defense for much of this game, but the sheer volume of plays run allowed everyone to get plenty of action.

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