There are a litany of advanced statistics that can help diagnose the true impact of an NFL defense, but there are two simple ones that show what the 2021 defense has done well, and where they have room to improve.
Through five games, the Saints defense has rolled up more interceptions (9) than sacks (8), as Deuce McAllister pointed out on WWL's SportsTalk with Bobby Hebert, Kristian Garic and Mike Detillier this week.
“At some point that’s gotta flip. You’ve gotta be able to get sacks. … It’s one thing to affect the quarterback and it’s one thing to be able to hit the quarterback," McAllister said. "But if you can get a sack we can strip the football, you come up with the trifecta. That’s what we really want. But I’ll take the interceptions, no doubt about it, because that’s an automatic possession.”
Listen to McAllister's full interview in the player below. Subscribe to WWL Sports on YouTube for daily video updates.
As stated above, these stats are too simple to draw any direct lines from. For instance, the Saints have faced a pair of mobile quarterbacks the past two weeks in Daniel Jones and Taylor Heinicke that might evade a sack, but the pressure still impacted the play.
That was certainly the case in a win over the Washington Football Team, with Taylor Heinicke throwing a pair of untimely interceptions with an assist from pressure. The same holds true for the secondary, with Marshon Lattimore logging six pass break-ups. That number marked the most recorded in an NFL game since the 2017 season, with the cornerback expressing frustration after the game that he was "dropping picks" due to the cast he's playing with on his broken hand. Even without an interception, Lattimore earned the first NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in his impressive young career -- weeks after agreeing to a lucrative contract extension.
Lattimore has one interception on the year, which closed out the Patriots in Week 3. But that number could easily be three or four. The Cowboys currently pace the NFL with 10 total interceptions, one more than New Orleans.
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“He’s definitely locked in. … That’s why you paid him," McAllister said. "He has shown that he is deserving of that type of contract.”
Despite those dropped chances, the current interceptions number puts the 2021 team on pace to set a new team record for balls picked off in a season. The current marks sits at 30, set in the 1987 season.
The limited sacks total could be attributed to a group that's down two key players in defensive tackle David Onyemata (suspended the first six games) and Marcus Davenport, who has been on injured reserve since an impressive showing in Week 1. Both players are expected to return in the next few weeks, and those sack numbers will likely rise.
But what has been equally impressive is the team's work in the red zone on both sides of the ball. They've scored touchdowns on 13 of their 14 red zone trips, and allowed touchdowns on just five of the 14 possessions they've allowed an opponent to snap the ball in the red zone. Both marks are good for the best in the NFL, and an impressive record should be expected if that keeps up.
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"If we have the No. 1 red zone offense as far as scoring touchdowns, and the No. 1 red zone defense ... how can you not help but win?" Hebert said.
The Saints return to action in Week 7 against the Seattle Seahawks after a bye week, and will likely face backup quarterback Geno Smith after an injury to starter Russell Wilson. Will the sacks and interceptions continue to pile up?