2025
2025 season · Weeks 1 to 22 · 6-11
Saints defense
Every snap the Saints defended, what it cost them and how they got there: the league ranks the player pages quote, where offenses find room, how this defense plays, and who plays in it.
- How good-0.06 EPA a play allowed, 10th of 32, and 0.08 below what the offenses they faced usually manage (8th).
- How they playThey blitz on 32% of dropbacks, the 9th-most in the league, and get pressure on 26%.
- Where offenses find roomThrough the air: -0.02 EPA a dropback, 12th, softest behind the line right (0.00 a throw).
- Who hurt themKayshon Boutte (NE): 93 yards and +10.8 EPA on 5 touches, the most anyone has managed against them.
How good is itthe defense against the league, and game by game
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA per playevery snap | -0.06 | 10th of 32 | 70th | |
| Pass EPAper dropback | -0.02 | 12th of 32 | 64th | |
| Rush EPAper designed run | -0.12 | 4th of 32 | 89th | |
| Success rateplays that gain enough | 42% | 9th of 32 | 75th | |
| Explosive rate20+ pass, 10+ run | 9% | 16th of 32 | 50th | |
| Yards per play | 5.0 | 6th of 32 | 83rd | |
| Yards per carry | 3.9 | 8th of 32 | 77th | |
| Third downsconverted against them | 36% | 5th of 32 | 86th |
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sack rateper dropback | 8.0% | 5th of 32 | 86th | |
| Pressure rateper dropback, PFR | 26% | 9th of 32 | 73rd | |
| QB hit rateper dropback | 14% | 20th of 32 | 39th | |
| INT rateper dropback | 1.8% | 17th of 32 | 48th | |
| Red-zone TD ratetrips ending in a touchdown | 53% | 9th of 32 | 73rd | |
| Points per drivetouchdown 7, field goal 3 | 1.99 | 12th of 32 | 64th | |
| Takeawaysper game | 1.2 | 16th of 32 | 58th | |
| EPA against expectationallowed minus the offenses' usual | -0.08 | 8th of 32 | 77th |
Each bar is the league's 32 defenses; the marker is the Saints. Right is better for the defense, so a low EPA allowed sits right. The pressure rate is PFR's pressures (hurries, hits and sacks) per dropback. EPA against expectation compares each game with what that offense averaged in its other games, so a strong schedule is not held against them.
They held 11 of 17 offenses below their usual EPA a play. The biggest stop: Week 10 against the Panthers, 0.40 a play under their norm. The offenses they have faced average +0.02 a play elsewhere, the 10th-toughest schedule of offenses.
vs ARIL 13-20+0.04usual -0.02
vs SFL 21-26+0.05usual +0.09
at SEAL 13-44+0.14usual +0.02
at BUFL 19-31+0.20usual +0.14
vs NYGW 26-14-0.29usual +0.03
vs NEL 19-25+0.14usual +0.16
at CHIL 14-26+0.09usual +0.08
vs TBL 3-23-0.15usual +0.00
at LAL 10-34+0.27usual +0.14
at CARW 17-7-0.42usual -0.02
vs ATLL 10-24-0.13usual -0.02
at MIAL 17-21-0.13usual -0.01at TBW 24-20-0.18usual +0.01vs CARW 20-17+0.11usual -0.05
vs NYJW 29-6-0.36usual -0.12
at TENW 34-26-0.18usual -0.16at ATLL 17-19-0.25usual -0.01Where offenses find roomthe field, the run lanes, the positions and the situations
The soft spot is behind the line right: 0.00 EPA a throw against a league -0.20. The lockdown zone is intermediate left, +0.05 a throw (league +0.35). Completions against them run 0.3 points under expected, 14th-best in the league.
Every pass they faced with a charted air distance and side, sacks excluded. Green is a zone where they allow less than the league, red more. How often shows the share of throws against them there.
Offenses run for 3.9 yards a carry against them, 8th of 32. The leak is outside left: 4.3 a carry and +0.06 EPA (league 5.0, +0.01).
| Position | Targets a game | Yards a game | EPA per target | Fantasy points allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide receivers | 15.75th | 121.56th | +0.2115th-toughest | 18.012th-fewest22.912th-fewest27.812th-fewest |
| Tight ends | 7.417th | 51.113th | +0.1712th-toughest | 7.214th-fewest9.914th-fewest12.514th-fewest |
| Backs, receiving | 4.11st | 23.63rd | +0.1325th-toughest | 17.514th-fewest19.113th-fewest20.813th-fewest |
| Quarterbacks | – | – | – | 14.07th-fewest14.07th-fewest14.07th-fewest |
Who hurt them most
| Player | Team | Touches | Yards | TD | EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kayshon Boutte | NE | 5 | 93 | 2 | +10.8 |
| Puka Nacua | LA | 9 | 98 | 1 | +7.5 |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA | 6 | 96 | 1 | +7.5 |
| Jalen Coker | CAR | 8 | 81 | 1 | +7.1 |
| Christian McCaffrey | SF | 20 | 107 | 1 | +6.8 |
| Darnell Mooney | ATL | 10 | 94 | 1 | +6.8 |
Targets, yards and EPA per target by the receiver's position, ranked 1st for the toughest defense: the same numbers a receiver's This week panel quotes against this defense. Fantasy points allowed follow the scoring switch. Who hurt them ranks every opposing player by EPA on his targets and carries against this defense.
Their biggest third-down edge is third-and-4-to-6: offenses convert 27% against a league 44%. They are stingiest in games they lead (-0.24 a play, league -0.01) and weakest in one-score games (-0.02, league +0.02).
| Situation | Plays | Allowed | League | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st down | 438 | -0.03 | +0.01 | -0.04 |
| 2nd down | 346 | -0.04 | +0.02 | -0.06 |
| 3rd down | 209 | -0.18 | -0.05 | -0.12 |
| 3rd and 1 to 3 | 55 | 62% | 60% | +2 pts |
| 3rd and 4 to 6 | 51 | 27% | 44% | −16 pts |
| 3rd and 7+ | 103 | 26% | 26% | +0 pts |
| Red zone | 129 | -0.08 | 0.00 | -0.08 |
| Two-minute drill | 117 | -0.08 | +0.03 | -0.11 |
| When they lead | 185 | -0.24 | -0.01 | -0.24 |
| One-score game | 754 | -0.02 | +0.02 | -0.04 |
| When they trail by 9+ | 220 | -0.10 | +0.04 | -0.13 |
EPA a play allowed, or for third downs the share converted (a first down or a touchdown). Green is better than the league for the defense. Score states are from the defense's side.
How they playpressure, the box, what offenses try, discipline
They send extra rushers on 32% of dropbacks and average 4.3 rushers; 74% of dropbacks see four or fewer. They allow -0.01 EPA when they blitz and -0.02 when they do not.
They put 6.4 defenders in the box on runs, eight or more on 3%. Into a light box (six or fewer) runs gain 4.0 a carry; into eight or more, 1.1.
Offenses lean on the run against them: 7 points under their expected pass rate on early downs in a neutral game. Play action gains +0.12 EPA against them on 26% of throws; screens -0.03.
48 defensive penalties for 434 yards, 29 of them first downs, the 18th-fewest. They miss 9% of tackle attempts by PFR's count, 12th-best.
The defenderswho plays, and what each one has done
Chase Young leads the pass rush with 30 pressures and 10 sacks on 50% of the snaps.
| Player | Snaps | Pressures | Sacks | QB hits | TFL | Tackles | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56Demario DavisOLB | 98% | 5 | 0.5 | 2 | 6 | 140 | 2 |
| 96Carl GrandersonDE | 69% | 23 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 54 | |
| 93Nathan ShepherdDE | 63% | 14 | 3 | 13 | 4 | 46 | 1 |
| 90Bryan BreseeDT | 61% | 13 | 2.5 | 8 | 5 | 36 | 1 |
| 94Cameron JordanLB | 53% | 22 | 10.5 | 15 | 15 | 44 | 2 |
| 99Chase YoungDE | 50% | 30 | 10 | 15 | 11 | 37 | 2 |
| 92Davon GodchauxDT | 42% | 4 | 1 | 2 | 43 | 1 | |
| 58Chris Rumph IILB | 30% | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 46 | 1 |
| 98Jonathan BullardDE | 30% | 1 | 4 | 23 | |||
| 95John RidgewayDT | 7% | 2 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
Pete Werner plays 62% of the snaps with 80 tackles and 2 sacks.
| Player | Snaps | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | Pressures | Targets | Rating allowed | Missed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20Pete WernerLB | 62% | 80 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 45 | 79.4 | 15 |
| 28Danny StutsmanLB | 18% | 53 | 1 | 12 | 81.1 | 3 | ||
| 53Jaylan FordLB | 1% | 11 | 1 | 83.3 | 1 | |||
| 45Nephi SewellLB | 0% |
Jonas Sanker is the hardest to complete a pass against: a 87.6 passer rating on 34 targets.
| Player | Snaps | Targets | Catches allowed | Yards | TD | Rating allowed | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4Kool-Aid McKinstryCB | 98% | 92 | 54 of 92 | 752 | 8 | 92.5 | 3 | 17 |
| 1Alontae TaylorCB | 96% | 94 | 64 of 94 | 608 | 6 | 90.4 | 2 | 11 |
| 33Jonas SankerSAF | 89% | 34 | 21 of 34 | 350 | 3 | 87.6 | 2 | 6 |
| 21Justin ReidS | 76% | 41 | 30 of 41 | 249 | 3 | 91.1 | 1 | 6 |
| 29Quincy RileyCB | 54% | 52 | 31 of 52 | 412 | 3 | 92.5 | 1 | 10 |
| 31Jordan HowdenSAF | 23% | 11 | 7 of 11 | 68 | 82.2 | |||
| 27Isaac YiadomCB | 13% | 15 | 13 of 15 | 159 | 1 | 110.7 | ||
| 26Terrell BurgessSAF | 11% | 10 | 3 of 10 | 43 | 54.8 | 3 | ||
| 23Julian BlackmonSAF | 6% | 4 | 2 of 4 | 7 | 56.2 | 1 |
Tackles, sacks, QB hits, TFL, interceptions, passes defended and forced fumbles are nflverse's weekly stats; pressures, targets, catches and yards allowed, passer rating allowed and missed tackles are PFR's charting. Snap share is the season average of defensive snaps.