Coming out of the 2017 NFL season, there were a few thoughts in my mind about the future of the New Orleans Saints. To my best memory, in order, they were:
- Can the secondary continue their hot streak?
- Can the pass rush make strides going forward?
and…
3. Where do the Saints turn for reinforcements to their front seven, specifically in the linebacker spot?
The Saints didn’t disappoint in addressing question number three in free agency. Soon after, the Saints announced the signing of former New York Jets linebacker Demario Davis to a 3-year deal.
Davis was coming off a career-best year, in which he led young Jets defense with a career-high 165 tackles. He added to that total with five sacks, three passes defended, and a fumble recovery.
The question after that was: could Davis continue his solid performances in the inside linebacker spot, and provide a presence that would fill some of the holes in the Saints defense, possibly leading them to a Super Bowl appearance?
To answer that question, yes.
Demario Davis Steps Up Big As New Orleans Saints Win Their Toughest Challenge Yet
Davis has been a focal point of recent games for the Saints, in a defense that has struggled to stop opposing offenses. Davis has provided his fair share of superb defensive performances. The most recent one came in yesterday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams. Davis led the Saints defense in tackles with five solo tackles, seven total tackles, while also adding a forced fumble as well as a quarterback hit on Jared Goff.
Davis was instrumental in the win, which handed the Rams their first loss of the season after an 8-0 start. He could easily be seen buzzing around the field in coverage through the whole game. He also served in filling holes in the defensive line to slow down the league’s leading rusher Todd Gurley.
Gurley is having a career-best season with 868 yards already. Davis and the defense held Gurley to just 68 yards on 13 carries last night. Though Gurley still averaged 5.2 yards per carry and added a touchdown, it was one of the best efforts at containing Gurley so far this year.
Davis, who currently leads the Saints in both solo tackles and total tackles overall, provided support for the young defensive line, which was missing the up-and-coming Marcus Davenport. Davis is tied for second on the Saints defense in tackles for loss, and also provides additional support for the struggling secondary. He also has the speed and physicality to cover tight ends in the passing game.
Davis, sporting a shiny gold-colored sleeve on his right arm, flew around the field last night, making coverage plays ranging from marking physical tight end Gerald Everett to providing central zone coverage on the explosive rams receiving corps.
Davis currently leads the Saints in tackles, is 21st in total tackles in the NFL, and 24th in assisted tackles. The improvement in production at the linebacker spot can be easily seen from years past.
Head Coach Sean Payton said that the absence of the much-improved Manti Te’o from last night’s lineup was a tactical change, and has nothing to do with the health of the former Notre Dame star who has recently found success with the Saints.
The Saints took measures to attempt to slow down the dynamic Rams rushing game. Los Angeles frequently brings out their offense in a package with three receivers. The Saints wanted to keep a large amount of cornerbacks active on their roster. This led to the scratching of Te’o.
With Te’o being a healthy scratch, Davis’ big performance was much needed against the Rams offense. He featured heavily last night, playing 52 out of the Saints’ 60 defensive snaps.
Davis was among those who spent the most time on the field, along with Marshon Lattimore, P.J. Williams, and Eli Apple. The cornerbacks played all 60 defensive snaps last night. The Saints ran a massive amount of their defense in the nickel to stop the run. This change led to the usage of players like Williams and Davis being utilized in coverage often.
Williams came up big as well last night. He made crucial plays in coverage, including breaking up a fourth-down pass to former Saint Brandin Cooks, which pretty much sealed the result of the game in favor of New Orleans.
The defense allowed 483 yards of total offense but did just enough to get off of the field, stopping the Rams offense four times. This served to allow the Saints offense to do exactly what it has done all season: score in loads.
The game, high-scoring in nature as expected, ended at 45-35 in favor of New Orleans. The defense managed to contain one of the best offenses in the NFL. This gave just enough for Brees and the offense to get the job done. The performance included stopping a Rams fake field goal in the first half. The narrow stop shifted momentum considerably in favor of New Orleans.
The Saints defense hasn’t been perfect, to say the least. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder though, and they’ve done enough for the Saints to win in important situations already this year.
New Orleans has beaten strong playoff contenders for four straight weeks. They’ve grabbed wins over the Washington Redskins, Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings, and now the Rams.
The schedule doesn’t get any easier for Davis and the Saints. The back-stretch of the season will see them paying visits to some tough teams. The stretch includes last year’s Super Bowl winners the Philadelphia Eagles. They’ve also got tough divisional matchups against the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Davis, alongside other key players like Cam Jordan and Lattimore, will need to continue their run of good form if the Saints are going to stay hot. Playoffs are looming in the distance, and all routes lead to Atlanta.
