Saints snap-count analysis from wild-card loss to Vikings

The New Orleans Saints didn’t change much of their snap counts in their wild-card loss to the Minnesota Vikings, but maybe they should have.

Special teams

  • QB Taysom Hill, 27 (84%)
  • CB Justin Hardee, 27 (84%)
  • LB Craig Robertson, 27 (84%)
  • LB Stephone Anthony, 27 (84%)
  • SS J.T. Gray, 23 (72%)
  • RB Dwayne Washington, 23 (72%)
  • DE Carl Granderson, 21 (66%)
  • CB Patrick Robinson, 21 (66%)

A handful of big play-erasing penalties and awful missed field goal aside, there isn’t much to complain about from the special teams units. They paved the way for Deonte Harris to rack up 192 return yards while limiting the Vikings to a grand total of 20 return yards. The first year of new coordinator Darren Rizzi and his staff has to be seen as a big win for the Saints. Now maybe he can figure out how to teach Wil Lutz to kick from the left hash, and maintain better discipline in the return game.

Defensive line

  • DE Cameron Jordan, 74 (94%)
  • DT David Onyemata, 58 (73%)
  • DE Trey Hendrickson, 52 (66%)
  • NT Malcom Brown, 41 (52%)
  • DT Shy Tuttle, 24 (30%)
  • NT Taylor Stallworth, 26 (33%)
  • DE Mario Edwards Jr., 24 (30%)
  • DE Carl Granderson, 8 (10%)

A lot was made of the losses of Marcus Davenport and Sheldon Rankins to injuries a few weeks ago, but the Saints defensive line handled the extra pressure put on them well. The Saints bagged 3 sacks and 5 hits as a team, as well as 9.5 tackles for loss. They held up well despite having to play so many snaps (79 is a ridiculous total, and their third-highest of the year). But some of that is on the defense’s struggles in getting off the field on third down. Something has to be said about Jordan, who didn’t come through when his team needed him to in those critical moments. Maybe they should rotate the defensive ends more effectively to keep him fresher later in games? Even the best-conditioned 280-pounder is going to slow down through what’s essentially a four-hour car crash.

Linebackers

  • LB Demario Davis, 79 (100%)
  • LB A.J. Klein, 74 (94%)
  • LB Craig Robertson, 22 (28%)
  • LB Kiko Alonso, 11 (14%)

Alonso exited the game early with a knee injury (which is separate from the quadriceps muscle issue that held him out for most of December), and Robertson played admirably in his place. But Davis and Klein were the real difference-makers in this unit, knifing through the Vikings offensive line and defending receivers surprisingly deep downfield. They accounted for a combined 15 tackles (2 of them for loss of yards), a quarterback hit, and a pair of pass deflections. Davis is the leader-by-example who kept the Saints in this game.

Defensive secondary

  • SS Vonn Bell, 79 (100%)
  • FS Marcus Williams, 79 (100%)
  • CB Marshon Lattimore, 71 (90%)
  • CB Janoris Jenkins, 70 (89%)
  • SS C.J. Gardner-Johnson, 51 (65%)
  • CB P.J. Williams, 13 (16%)
  • CB Patrick Robinson, 3 (4%)

While Lattimore had a rough day against Adam Thielen, the other Saints defensive backs turned in an inspiring performance. Jenkins made Stefon Diggs’ most notable moment a blow-up on the sideline, restrained by teammates after he failed to beat the recently-acquired Saints corner in coverage. Gardner-Johnson was a weapon all over the field. P.J. Williams played his coverage against tight end Kyle Rudolph as well as could possibly be asked on the game-winning touchdown pass; the size mismatch (and a push-off) decided that matchup’s winner. This group shouldn’t change much in the offseason.

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