When Alvin Kamara is on the field, it's no mystery which player gives the Saints the best chance to move the ball.
And while the Jets inexplicably allowed the Saints' star running back to go wild for 145 total yards in Week 14, it's unlikely the Bucs make a similar gaffe in their game planning for a pivotal rematch this weekend.
WWL Radio's color analyst expects to see a single safety in the middle of the field, man-to-man on the edges, and help to Kamara wherever he is.
“Tell the Saints receivers and tight ends, ‘you beat us,’” McAllister said.
Hit the play button in the embed below to listen to McAllister's full interview as you read on.
It'd be a similar approach to how the Seattle Seahawks played in the second half of Week 7, selling out to stop the RB after he logged more than 100 yards and a touchdown in the first half.
The Saints can get around that in some creative ways, but much of that will hinge on the availability of Mark Ingram. The veteran missed Week 14 after a positive COVID test, and still hadn't returned to practice as of Wednesday. If he's unavailable, it'll be second-year UDFA Tony Jones Jr. in the backup role, and Kamara's usage could be up again in the range of the 31 touches he logged in the win over the Jets.
"My sweetspot for Alvin is between 20 and 25 touches, and so if you have to be up, so be it," McAllister said. "Do what you have to do."
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But how about on the defensive side for the Saints? McAllister expects to see a similar approach, but instead of the running back, the focus will be taking away Bucs WR Chris Godwin.
That means Marshon Lattimore on an island with Mike Evans, as we've seen many times before, and likely one of Malcolm Jenkins or CJ Gardner-Johnson in single coverage on Rob Gronkowski. The help would be funneled to whomever of Bradley Roby or Paulson Adebo pulls the starting assignment against Godwin, who pulled down 8 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown in Week 8.
"I want to completely eliminate Godwin, in a sense. It’s going to have to be a perfect throw. And we know Brady will see coverages, but that’s kind of how I will try to play that," McAllister said. "And I know you can’t do it every down, but my money downs? That’s what you’re gonna get.”
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