The 5-10 New Orleans Saints will head to Nashville for a date with the 3-12 Tennessee Titans this weekend. As the season winds down and both teams are already eliminated from postseason contention, this Sunday will serve as an opportunity to earn valuable reps for young, developing players and put bragging rights on the line.
Tennessee’s offense ranks near the bottom of the league at 31st overall. They average fewer than 260 yards per game and only score 16.7 points per game. New Orleans’ defensive play has elevated tremendously over the second half of the season. They rank ninth overall in the NFL by allowing averages of just 303.5 yards and 22.5 points per contest.
First overall pick Cam Ward has tossed for 2,866 yards to this point in the season. While he has not put up any video game-like numbers, he has played well enough for the Titans to be excited about the team’s future at quarterback. Ward is completing over 60% of his passes and has a nearly 2:1 touchdown to interception ratio.
In a turn of events for Tennessee’s run game, it has been former Dallas Cowboy Tony Pollard as the head horse for the Titans rather than 2023 draft pick Tyjae Spears. After missing the first four weeks with an injury, Spears returned to the lineup, where many expected him to be the lead back for the Titans. However, Pollard has held a firm grasp on the starter role for the season.
Pollard has accumulated 949 yards on the ground with five TDs on more than 200 carries as opposed to Spears’ 263 yards on just 63 totes with two scores. Spears has been used more within the passing game, but not by much. He’s had nearly ten more receptions and under 100 more yards receiving than Pollard.
Chig Okonkwo has been the Titans’ leading pass catcher with just over 500 yards through the air, although he has just one score. For that matter, only three other players have multiple scores for Tennessee offensively. Wideouts Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor have four and three TDs, respectively. Tight End Gunnar Helm has found the end zone twice this season.
Demario Davis is leading the Saints with 131 total tackles this year. He has been a menace around the field this year with three pass deflections, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Davis also has earned six tackles for loss.
Defensive end Cameron Jordan has proven to still be efficient in his aging years with New Orleans. He has eight and a half sacks this year, followed by Chase Young, who has seven. Both edge rushers have a forced fumble as well.
Cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry leads New Orleans in both interceptions and passes defensed. He’s managed to bat away 11 passes this season and picked off three more from opposing QBs.
New Orleans is coming off their best defensive performance all year last week when it limited the New York Jets to just six total points. They held New York to a combined 4-19 on third and fourth down attempts while forcing two turnovers.
If Brandon Staley’s group can get anywhere near as good a job as it did last Sunday versus the Titans, Tennessee fans will be in for a long day.
