Alvin Kamara leads depleted Saints defense against Panthers

Alvin Kamara will once again almost single-handedly lead the New Orleans Saints’ rushing attack when his team takes on the Carolina Panthers this Sunday. It’s no surprise that Kamara is the team’s primary offensive weapon. Due to injuries at the position, he may also be the team’s only real option at running back.

Kamara leads the Saints with 505 yards in eight games, averaging 4.2 yards per carry and scoring six of his team’s 10 rushing touchdowns. He also added 307 yards as a receiver on a team-high 40 receptions. With the exception of WR Chris Olave (31 catches), no other player on the active roster has more than 18 receptions.

After throwing for more than 100 yards in each of his first four games, Kamara snapped a streak of three straight outings under 70 yards with 122 yards last week against the Chargers. That included a season-best 55 receiving yards.

Injuries have hit the New Orleans defense hard again this week. Kendre Miller (hamstring) will miss another game with the injury, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. Jamaal Williams is also considered questionable this week with a groin injury.

Either way, Taysom Hill is the most consistent running back on the roster outside of Kamara. Hill has had injury problems this year and only competed in four of the team’s eight events. However, he was healthy enough to return to action last week against the Chargers after missing four of the previous five games.

Hill has just 97 yards on the field this year. He finished second on the team in rushing behind Kamara over the last three years, totaling 1,350 yards on the ground during that time and scoring 29 rushing touchdowns over the last seven years.

Part of what makes Hill and Kamara so dangerous is their immense versatility. The Saints need to be able to create another legitimate threat in the backfield to maximize their all-round skills. Kamara and Hill can feed off each other up to a point, but in order for either of them to line up around the formation more effectively, another defender must be available.

With Miller out again and Williams likely to join him on the sideline, offensive options will be limited. The Saints have two young defensive backs on their practice squad. Expect at least one, if not both, to be called up against Carolina.

Undrafted in 2023 out of Fresno State, Mims spent most of last season on the Saints practice squad after being released by the Buffalo Bills. He appeared in two games last season, playing 13 snaps on special teams and three on offense without a single touch.

A solid training camp and preseason have cemented Mims’ spot on the active roster this summer. He didn’t expect much action from Kamara and Williams. Most of his work came in the Tampa Bay rout, when he rushed once for five yards and caught two passes for another 13 yards. He also rushed four times for 11 yards on Carolina’s opening day.

The Saints released Mims over the weekend. Just a few days later, they brought them back to their training squad. With Miller and likely Williams on the shelf, he seems almost certain to get a call-up to the lineup for Sunday.

Mims also adds value as a kickoff returner. With WR Rashid Shahid out for the season, the Saints used Kendre Miller and Jamaal Williams in that role. If promoted, Mims could even become the number two option going back to Kamara in many situations.

A fan favorite, Kibody came to New Orleans as an undrafted rookie this offseason from Louisiana after starting his collegiate career at Texas A&M. He rushed for 729 yards and eight touchdowns for the Ragin’ Cajuns last season.

Despite a solid preseason in which he was second to Mims in rushing yards, Kibody entered the bottom of the rotation in late August. He was placed back on the practice squad, where he remained until the Saints released him in early October. After losses and injuries to Miller and Williams last Sunday, New Orleans re-signed him to the practice squad this week.

At 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, Kibody is a strong runner. He may lack the elusiveness and versatility in the open field of Mims and, of course, Kamara. However, he can be a strong inside runner and could provide value in short-yardage situations if elevated against the Panthers.

The Panthers enter Week 9 ranked last in points allowed and 31st in total defense. They also rank dead last in the rushing game, giving up an average of over 156 yards per game on the ground. Carolina allowed six opposing ball carriers to gain at least 75 yards against them, including two 100-yard rushers.

New Orleans returns starting quarterback Derek Carr after a three-game absence due to injury. However, the Saints’ offensive success is based on their running game. In Week 9 they were ranked 21st in both total offense and meters.

The Saints rushed for 180 yards in Sunday’s 47-10 rout of Carolina in the opener. They had 370 yards on the ground in their first two games, but in the six games since then they’ve averaged 93.5 yards per carry and 3.7 per carry.

Kamara gained 83 yards against Carolina in Week 1, adding 27 more as a receiver. In 12 career games against the Panthers, Kamara averaged just 57 yards but scored eight touchdowns. He also averaged about five receptions in those games, but only for 30 yards. New Orleans will likely need more in both categories if they want to win this weekend.

The return of Derek Carr will certainly boost the offense. Taysom Hill’s presence gives the Saints an added element of strength and unpredictability. But Alvin Kamara will be the main key to any offensive success the Saints achieve this Sunday.