The New Orleans Saints currently have the second best average starting field position in the NFL and that’s no accident.
“When we start talking about emphasis, it’s really the first thing we’re are talking about,” Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi said. “Winning the field position battle every week for sure.”
On average this year, the Saints drives have started at their own 32-yard line. Only the Baltimore Ravens, who’ve started drives near the 33, have a better average starting field position in 2020.
One of the ways the Saints have been able to start drives with such good field position has been the play of kick returner Deonte Harris.
“Like he's one of those guys where, when they're punting to him, you're looking like, alright, like this could go to the house at any moment,” Saints receiver Emmanuel Sanders said. And so, when you've got a guy like that back there, the sky's the limit. And thank God, he's on our team."
Saints Coach Sean Payton said that statistic is basically hidden yardage and pointed to a sequence in last week’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that illustrated how it could affect a game.
“There's a sequence last week where we get the ball on the 1-yard line, half yard line, coming out and two first downs, or 20 yards, puts the ball back in a neutral field position,” he said. “Now fortunately, we were able to get more yards and then I think we punted that series. But that's a significant example of the opponent starting, as opposed to midfield, on their end of the field.
“And so whether it's the return game, whether it's the coverage unit, defense or offense, all of it directly contributes to scoring. And if you study hidden yardage as it relates to points, I think you can see then the significance."
Saints wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders said it also feels great starting drives with better field position especially considering what Saints stars Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas are capable of. He added that he hopes the team is able to continue being one of the league leaders in this category as he’s seen it pay off in the past.
“I remember '15 when I won a Super Bowl, like, Gary Kubiak was like, big on field position,” Sanders said. “And field position is huge. And so, if you can win the field position battle and capitalize on it, that's a recipe for success. And so, we've have to maintain that."
