GumboBC

If the Saints are to have any chance at being a playoff team, the defense must be able to stop the run. Last year the Saints defense allowed an alarming 4.7 yards per carry. Most of the damage was done right up the gut of the defensive line where Jonathan Sullivan resides.

Sullivan had a less than spectacular rookie season and simply didn't make many plays. This year Sullivan needs to become more active and disrupt things in the opposing team's backfield. When you're selected with the 6th overall pick, and you're a defensive tackle, you are suppose to be disruptive. If Sullivan can live up to that billing, it will go a long ways to making the defensive line respectable.

Joining Sullivan this year at the other DT position is Brian Young. Young is not a household name or a guy that's going to "wow" you with his athletic ability. But he is a guy that's going to bring it every down. Which wasn't the case with Grady Jackson last year. Grady simply got wore down and took too many plays off last year. Which led to teams having a lot of success runing the ball late in the game. Having Brian Young should pay divdends in the 4th quarter when the defense needs to get the other teams offense off the field.

Of course, the defensive tackles are only the 1st line of defense in stopping the run. The MLB must also come up and stuff the run. Last year the Saints inserted Orlando Ruff in at MLB about mid-way through the season in hopes he could be a difference maker. But, Ruff simply did not get in on enough plays. He was either too slow or too late to the point of attack.

This offseason the Saints drafted MLB Courtney Watson and hope they have found their man. After 4-years of less than stellar play from ANY of the linebackers, I'm sure Saints' fans hope he is the answer too!! Courtney brings more speed and athletcism than any MLB the Saints have had in Haslett's tenure. Except for maybe Cie Grant. But injuries have kept him from showing what he can do. Watson needs to live up to his billing if the Saints defense doesn't want to see runningbacks in their secondary!!

In the 1st preseson game against the Jets, the middle of the defense did a pretty good job of stuffing the run. However, Curtis Martin and co. found too much success on the outside. Too often the DE's, Howard and Grant, were rusing too hard and not sealing the outside. When that happend the linebackers were not in position to make the tackle. Sedrick Hodge, James Allen, and Derrick Rodgers need to diagnose the plays better and come up and force the play back to the inside. If they can't do this, the seconday will once again lead the defense in tackles.

Tonight will be a very good test to see if any progress has been made in those departments. The starters should play the entire 1st half. Turning this run defense around is going to be a work in progress. Let's hope that progress comes quickly and some of the new faces truly make a difference.