Saints’ running game routs Bills
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – A cluster of fans climbed the steps and headed for the exits. There remained more than eight minutes to play … in the third quarter.
Mark Ingram trotted off the field toward the bench, having just scored his third rushing touchdown of the day to give his team a 27-point lead. He found a New Orleans Saints supporter in the first row and floated a spiral for a perfect catch.
This was a day in which even New Orleans fans made plays.
The Saints crushed the Buffalo Bills, who had previously been 4-0 at home, 47-10 in an utterly dominating performance. Behind a reinvented offense built on the two-headed rushing tandem of Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara, New Orleans sent a message Sunday: Amid its seven-game winning streak, there’s no more questioning whether or not this team is for real.
“We’re actually committing to it,” Ingram said of the running game. “As a coaching staff, everybody is buying in as players. We know that it benefits our team offensively and defensively.”
All game long, the Saints offensive line unlocked and sealed gaping rushing lanes. The stats were stunning.
New Orleans rushed for 298 yards, averaging 6.2 yards per attempt, and a franchise-record six touchdowns. The Saints generated 32 first downs while Buffalo managed just 10, five of which came in garbage time with backup Nate Peterman at quarterback.
The Bills hit quarterback Drew Brees only once, did not claim one sack, and New Orleans never punted.
“Mark and (Kamara) don’t need much,” left tackle Terron Armstead told USA TODAY, “so when it opens up like that for them, that’s like stealing.”
Not coincidentally, this performance came when the Saints offensive line has been as healthy as it has all season long.
“We were just playing hot,” rookie right tackle Ryan Ramczyk told USA TODAY. “We were moving them off the ball. We just felt like they weren’t stopping us, so we wanted to keep pounding, keep pounding, keep pounding, and that’s what we did.”
In addition to the three scores, Ingram ran the ball 21 times for 131 yards. This marked his first career game with three rushing scores and the first time a Saints player reached that plateau since Week 13 of 2006.
Kamara chimed in with another 106 yards on 12 attempts and added a score.
It marked the first time the Saints had a pair of running backs eclipse 100 rushing yards since Week 16 of 2006.
At one point, New Orleans ran the ball 24 times in a row.
“We got beat physically,” Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams said. “We were out of our gaps. We were not where we were supposed to be. It just snowballed into a nightmare.”
Said Bills safety Jordan Poyer, “They were able to do whatever they wanted to do (on) any down.”
As impressive as New Orleans was on offense, the defense also kept pace.
The Saints limited Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor to nine completions on 18 attempts for 56 yards with one interception. He was pulled in the fourth quarter.
And an added benefit of having a dominant rushing attack is that New Orleans controlled the ball and destroyed Buffalo in the time of possession battle, 41:23 to 18:37.
“What was there, like 16 defensive snaps in the first half ?” Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan said. “I was contemplating running extra half gassers just to keep my conditioning.”
The Saints now return home to face the Redskins next week but then embark on a crucial three-game stretch: at the Rams, home against the division-rival Panthers and at the Falcons.
It’s a run that, when factoring the logjam of NFC teams with two losses and the conference-leading Eagles at 8-1, should be pivotal in determining the NFC South and playoff seeding.
The Saints don’t want to say it just yet, but it’s implied. If New Orleans keeps this pace, a conference title is within reach.
“We got goals, man,” Armstead said. “We’ve got plans. We’re trying to get to it.”