Saints snap-count analysis vs. Titans: Injuries shook up playing-time distribution

The New Orleans Saints snap count distribution was already shaken by key injuries going into Week 16’s game with the Tennessee Titans.

Special teams

  • QB Taysom Hill, 28 (80%)
  • LB Craig Robertson, 28 (80%)
  • CB Justin Hardee, 28 (80%)
  • SS J.T. Gray, 25 (71%)
  • RB Dwayne Washington, 23 (66%)
  • LB Stephone Anthony, 22 (63%)
  • CB Patrick Robinson, 20 (57%)
  • FB Zach Line, 18 (51%)
  • DE Carl Granderson, 17 (49%)
  • TE Josh Hill, 17 (49%)

Deonte Harris is the star on special teams, even if he doesn’t play as often as his peers. We shouldn’t take for granted how impressive it is that Hill has turned into a really strong special teams asset while also growing into a larger role on offense. It’s a shame that Hardee dropped the pass that would have converted a first down, but it’s just a reminder that his NFL fortunes lay at cornerback, not receiver, where he played in college.

Defensive line

  • DE Cameron Jordan, 52 (84%)
  • DT David Onyemata, 44 (71%)
  • DE Trey Hendrickson, 40 (65%)
  • NT Malcom Brown, 33 (53%)
  • DT Shy Tuttle, 21 (34%)
  • DT Mario Edwards Jr., 17 (27%)
  • NT Taylor Stallworth, 16 (26%)
  • DE Carl Granderson, 14 (23%)

The Saints ran a deep rotation along the defensive line, and it benefited them against Tennessee. They racked up five sacks and eight tackles for loss, and had a few other big plays wiped out by questionable penalties. This is a unit the Saints can lean on despite having lost Sheldon Rankins and Marcus Daveport. The bargain-bin additions of Tuttle and Granderson as undrafted rookie free agents can’t be understated.

Linebackers

  • LB Demario Davis, 62 (100%)
  • LB A.J. Klein, 62 (100%)
  • LB Manti Te’o, 22 (35%)

This might have been Davis’s best game of the year, and it could be Klein’s best performance, too. They were each disruptive at and behind the line of scrimmage, and Davis particularly avoided being picked on in free agency. However, their aggression was used against them at times when the Titans dialed up play-action or misdirection (much like the San Francisco 49ers did not long ago), and that’s something other teams can learn from if the Saints don’t adjust to it.

Defensive secondary

  • SS C.J. Gardner-Johnson, 62 (100%)
  • CB Marshon Lattimore, 62 (100%)
  • CB P.J. Williams, 56 (90%)
  • CB Patrick Robinson, 48 (77%)
  • CB Janoris Jenkins, 27 (44%)
  • FS Marcus Williams, 24 939%)
  • CB Eli Apple, 11 (18%)
  • SS J.T. Gray, 9 (15%)

Apple and Marcus Williams have been fixtures of the Saints defense, having rarely missed a snap this season (and in Williams’ case, not at all in his first few years in the league) but they were both helped off the field with injuries. Some snarky fans would point to that as addition by subtraction, but that’s a mistake. As many plays as those young players may give up in coverage, they’re also often in position to make a big play when the team needs it. If either of them are going to miss extended time, the Saints may struggle to replace them. Jenkins wasn’t encouraging in his first outing, but he’s still picking up the playbook.

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