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New Orleans Saints outside linebacker Parys Haralson (98) walks away from the pile after denying a Tampa Bay Buccaneers attempt for a first down. Haralson led all Saints linebackers in stop percentage with 70.37% of his tackles coming for loss or no gain. He signed a one-year deal with the Saints to compete for a roster spot with other veterans Victor Butler and Keyunta Dawson. (Photo credit: Bill Haber/Associated Press).

This article is the first of a four-part series looking at a different aspect of the New Orleans Saints defense. The full series of articles cover these topics:

Part 1: Tackling Efficiency
Part 2: Transition from Malcolm Jenkins to Jairus Byrd
Part 3: Coverage Efficiency (Keenan Lewis Feature)
Part 4: Pass-Rushing Productivity (Junior Galette Feature)

Rob Ryan has not gotten enough credit for the defensive turnaround he created for the Saints in 2013. Under Ryan’s supervision the Saints reversed their fortunes in many categories and on-field performances without much more than a change of coordinator and shuffling of personnel. One of the areas that the Saints most visibly improved was in tackling. Ryan took the Saints back to basics and addressed what playing defense is all about: hitting the offense, and hitting them hard enough to stop them. Hitting them behind the line of scrimmage. Hitting them and bringing them down. Playing real, hard-nosed defense.

Read more: Things To Look Forward To: The Saints Defense, Part 1

"A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."