(Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) The New Orleans Saints are back in the NFC South race after a decisive 28-6 win over the Carolina Panthers. The defense held the Panthers off in scoring, but once again failed to stop the run. New Orleans has the 26th-worst run defense this season and has allowed 1,710 total rushing yards and a 4.6 yards per carry average. Head coach Dennis Allen, a defensive-minded coach himself, believes he knows what’s going wrong with the team’s run defense, per Matthew Paras. Allen said New Orleans' problems defending the run come down to "space tackling." Players aren't bringing runners down when they get out in space, he said. He also mentioned controlling the line of scrimmage. — Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) December 11, 2023 Stopping the run will be crucial in the Saints’ playoff push at the end of the season. They face the New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Atlanta Falcons – four teams with good running backs who can also catch passes out the backfield to get into open spaces. Saquon Barkley, Kyren Williams, Rachaad White, and Bijan Robinson rank in the top-17 in rushing yards this season. The other key, as Allen mentioned, is controlling the line of scrimmage. The defensive linemen group of Cameron Jordan, Khalen Saunders, Nathan Shepherd, and Carl Granderson will be under scrutiny during this stretch considering what’s at stake for the Saints. The only Saints defender who ranks top-10 in run stop win rate, per ESPN, is Malcolm Roach, who missed this past week and is on injured reserve. The post Saints HC Addresses Team’s Main Problem On Defense appeared first on The Cold Wire. Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/saints-hc-a ... n-defense/
