Tag: Kendre Miller

Kendre Miller shows dynamic potential versus the Falcons

Saints rookie RB Kendre Miller spent most of his season on the shelf, but he flashed dynamic potential in the Week 18 season finale:

The last thing we’ll see from New Orleans Saints rookie Kendre Miller was a very impressive showing with Alvin Kamara out with injury. His 73 yards on 13 carries showed his ability to carry to be the main back at some point in the future. This is a great final image for a season that was spend mostly out due to injury. Many questioned if the Saints drafted the right running back due to absence. It appears the Saints drafted an effective running back, at worst, as long as he can stay healthy.

The season finale was Miller’s first game since Week 9. His receiving prowess wasn’t showcased in this game, but we’ve seen it earlier in the season. His performance against the Falcons was all about Miller’s running ability. He showcased the burst, vision and toughness that had many excited about his future.

Miller’s touchdown run looked like he should have been tackled behind the line of scrimmage. Instead, he shifted through traffic, without the aide of blockers, past multiple Atlanta defenders. The play was reminiscent of rushing touchdowns by a young Kamara that left you asking how. The dual threat of the young player and the veteran could lead to a very exciting backfield for New Orleans in 2024.

WATCH: Kendre Miller scores the first touchdown of his Saints career

WATCH: Kendre Miller scores the first touchdown of his Saints career

The New Orleans Saints and Atlanta falcons spent the first half trading blows as rookie running back Kendre Miller found the end zone for the first time in his young career to tie the game back at 14 a piece.

It wasn’t the rookie season that many hoped for with Kendre Miller, but he has certainly flashed talent at points throughout the year. Miller played in just eight games this season and had a major impact in just three, including the Week 18 matchup against the Falcons.

With Alvin Kamara out and Kendre Miller finally healthy again, the stage was set for Miller to put his mark on the game. The rookie did just that at the right time for a Saints offense that is trying to find consistency.

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Dennis Allen won his first challenge of the 2023 season, but it didn’t count

Dennis Allen won his first challenge of the 2023 season in Week 18, but it didn’t count. Still, the Saints will take it, and the points that came with it:

Dennis Allen can’t even get credit for winning a challenge. The New Orleans Saints head coach was 0-for-3 on challenges going into Week 18’s regular season finale with the Atlanta Falcons, but he rightfully pulled out the red challenge flag early in Sunday’s contest.

Rookie Saints running back Kendre Miller rumbled into the end zone, eluding half a dozen Falcons defenders, but the officiating crew on the field initially said he was stopped short of the goal line. Allen challenged that result, and the play was overturned — but that’s thanks to an instant replay review from the NFL’s home office in New York, which radioed in the correct call at the same time.

Look, no one is complaining about this, but we have to acknowledge it’s at least a little funny. Allen has deservedly drawn a lot of criticism. That he hasn’t even won a coach’s challenge by Week 18 speaks for itself. And the fact that he would have finally got in the win column there against Atlanta is notable.

But we’ll take the points, and the extra challenge. Referee John Hussey agreed that this wouldn’t count as an official challenge from Allen so he still had both of his challenges for the rest of the game. Miller’s touchdown run helped tie things up with Atlanta, and it all broke out in New Orleans’ favor.

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Report: Alvin Kamara (ankle) won’t play vs. Falcons in Week 18

NOF’s Nick Underhill reports that Alvin Kamara (ankle) won’t play against the Falcons in Week 18, but Kendre Miller is going to be active:

This is huge: the New Orleans Saints will be without star running back Alvin Kamara for Sunday’s final regular season game with the Atlanta Falcons, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, who adds that rookie backup Kendre Miller will be active for the first time since his Nov. 5 ankle injury.

Kamara is dealing with an ankle injury of his own that knocked him out of last week’s road win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Saints rested him during practice all week before making this decision, but he was still seen as a long-shot to play all along.

Hopefully Miller can step up in his absence. The first-year pro has dealt with a ton of adversity over the last 12 months — he declared for the NFL draft after his college career ended with a knee injury before TCU’s national championship bid, costing him much of the offseason with the Saints. Then a preseason hamstring injury slowed him down. And when he did return, a midseason ankle sprain sidelined him.

With Kamara out and Miller in, the Saints’ depth chart at running back will include Jamaal Williams and practice squad call-up Jordan Mims along with Miller. Kamara accounted for 69 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards in New Orleans’ loss to Atlanta earlier this season; Williams, the only other Saints running back active for the game, totaled 10 yards from scrimmage.

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Week 18 injury report: Alvin Kamara among 7 Saints players questionable vs. Falcons

Alvin Kamara is among seven New Orleans Saints players questionable for Week 18’s game with the Atlanta Falcons on the final injury report:

Alvin Kamara is going to be a game-time decision for Week 18’s regular season finale between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons, but he’s just one of seven Saints players who are listed as questionable for this game on the final injury report.

Three players are questionable due to illness: rookies running back Kendre Miller (who also has an ankle injury) and wide receiver A.T. Perry, as well as veteran safety and special teams ace J.T. Gray. Tight end Juwan Johnson (chest), defensive tackle Khalen Saunders (concussion), and defensive end Payton Turner (toe) are also questionable with injuries, as is Kamara.

A couple of other veteran backups, safety Lonnie Johnson and right tackle Landon Young, were ruled out altogether because of knee injuries. They were starting in relief of Marcus Maye and Ryan Ramczyk, respectively, so look for some combination of Johnathan Abram and Jordan Howden to fill in at safety with Cameron Erving filling in at the right tackle spot.

Here’s the full Week 18 injury report from both teams:

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Juwan Johnson returns to practice, but no Alvin Kamara on Saints injury report

Juwan Johnson returns to practice, but no Alvin Kamara on Saints injury report for Week 18 vs. Falcons

Let’s focus on the positives for the New Orleans Saints injury report. Tight end Juwan Johnson (chest) returned to practice on a limited basis Thursday after he missed Wednesday’s session, putting him on track to play against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

But that’s the only positive development. A number of players still aren’t practicing because of injuries, including star running back Alvin Kamara (ankle). If Kamara can’t go, the Saints would have to ask backups Jamaal Williams and Kendre Miller to step up in his absence, and neither of them have really lit up the scoreboard this season. Both running backs are going into Week 18 without having scored a single touchdown in a Saints uniform.

Here’s the complete injury report from both teams on Thursday:

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No surprises on New Orleans Saints inactive list for Week 17 vs. Bucs

There are no surprises on New Orleans Saints inactive list for Week 17’s game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

There are no surprises on New Orleans Saints inactive list for Week 17’s game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: rookie draft picks Isaiah Foskey and Kendre Miller are unavailable due to injury, and backup quarterback Jake Haener is a healthy scratch again.

Right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, who was ruled out with an injury, has been put on injured reserve which will likely end his season (barring a big Saints playoff push). Veteran safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. was also ruled out due to injury. Running back Alvin Kamara and punter Lou Hedley, both questionable with illness, are officially active.

Here’s the full list of Saints inactives for Week 17:

  • DB Lonnie Johnson (injury)
  • RB Kendre Miller (injury)
  • DE Isaiah Foskey (injury)
  • QB Jake Haener
  • CB Cameron Dantzler
  • LB Monty Rice

And here’s the list of inactive Buccaneers:

  • CB Carlton Davis (injury)
  • OLB Shaq Barrett (injury)
  • TE Ko Kieft (injury)
  • LB J.J. Russell
  • DL Deadrin Senat
  • OL Brandon Walton
  • QB John Wolford (designated as QB3)

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Report: Alvin Kamara, Lou Hedley will play through illness vs. Buccaneers

NOF’s Nick Underhill reports that running back Alvin Kamara and punter Lou Hedley will play against the Bucs despite being questionable with illness:

There’s no quit in this New Orleans Saints team. Several players were listed on the injury report after either missing practice or being limited participants due to an illness going around — running back Alvin Kamara and punter Lou Hedley were both listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because of it. But NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that both of them will suit up on Sunday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium.

That’s good news. The Saints didn’t have an alternative to Hedley as a punter, and he has a heavy workload: Hedley’s 65 attempts this season are 14th-most among punters around the league. The rookie from Australia has had a rough season (his 4.02 seconds of average hang time are lowest in the league) but the team will need him against the Bucs.

As for Kamara: he’s been New Orleans’ only viable running back for much of the year with Jamaal Williams (73 carries for 222 yards) and Kendre Miller (28 rushes for 83 yards) both looking like massive disappointments after an overhyped offseason. Taysom Hill has been the team’s second-best rusher with 73 attempts for 349 yards on the ground, though a foot injury has slowed him down in recent weeks.

Kamara missed three games with a suspension and still ranks second on the team in receptions (73) and third in yards (462), though too many of his touches have been panicked checkdowns from Derek Carr as opposed to well-designed screens and big-play wheel routes like we’ve seen in the past. Hopefully Kamara can make a greater impact in Tampa Bay against a defense that has limited him to 84, 37, and 31 scrimmage yards in their last three meetings.

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Report: Rookie Saints RB Kendre Miller (ankle) unlikely to play vs. Buccaneers

NOF’s Brooke Kirchhofer reports that rookie Saints running back Kendre Miller (ankle) is unlikely to play against the Buccaneers in Week 17:

Kendre Miller is officially listed as questionable to play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, but don’t expect the New Orleans Saints rookie running back to suit up. Miller’s ankle injury has continued to linger and slow him down and “it’s trending the wrong direction for him playing Sunday,” per NewOrleans.Football’s Brooke Kirchhofer.

It’s been a very disappointing rookie year for Miller, the 71st overall pick in the 2023 draft and the fourth running back to go off the board. In-season hamstring and ankle injuries have limited him to just seven games in his first year in the NFL. He’s totaled 28 carries for 83 rushing yards while catching 9 receptions for another 111 receiving yards. He can play, but we just haven’t seen that often enough.

Miller had to sit out most of his first summer in the NFL recovering from a college knee injury. Then he injured his hamstring in the preseason and suffered a sprained ankle midway through his rookie year. It’s been a frustrating 12 months for him, the Saints, and the team’s fans. Hopefully he can get right in the offseason.

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Tampa Bay is without two starters on final Saints-Bucs injury report

Tampa Bay is without two starters on final Saints-Bucs injury report ahead of Week 17’s matchup

The New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have released the final injury report ahead of their Week 17 matchup.

Few surprises on the report for the Saints, with Ryan Ramczyk and Lonnie Johnson being the only two players listed out. Jordan Howden was upgraded to a full participant in practice on Friday. Alvin Kamara made his first appearance on the injury report this week as he missed practice on Friday with an illness.

An interesting story to watch will be the punter situation for New Orleans. Like Kamara, Lou Hedley missed practice on Friday with an illness and was listed as questionable. Hedley is the team’s only punter and Blake Grupe does not have punting experience.

For the Buccaneers, five players are listed as out for this game. Noteworthy abscesses will be star pass rusher Shaquil Barrett and starting cornerback Carlton Davis. Tight end Ko Kieft, wide receiver Rakim Jarrett and defensive tackle Mike Greene are also listed as out. Wide receiver Chris Godwin returned to practice on Friday and looks good to go for Sunday’s matchup.

Here is the full injury report for this week: