Back in early November, things weren’t looking great for the New Orleans Saints. The defense got picked apart by a red-hot Los Angeles Rams offense, and it wasn’t pretty.
Matthew Stafford, playing like an MVP candidate, torched them for four touchdowns and posted a near-perfect 140.8 passer rating. Kyren Williams added 114 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
By halftime, the Rams had almost 300 yards of total offense, and they finished with 438 in a dominant 34-10 win.
That loss could’ve sent the Saints spiraling. Instead, it became a turning point.
Since that game, New Orleans has flipped the script. Over the last six weeks, they’ve quietly become one of the stingiest defenses in the NFL.
They now lead the league in total defense, allowing just 258.7 yards per game, and they rank second in scoring defense, giving up only 15.8 points per game. That’s not just a bounce-back - that’s a full-on resurgence.
Sunday’s win over the Jets was the latest example. The Saints held New York to just 195 total yards and six points, notching their fourth win in six games.
And it wasn’t a fluke. The advanced metrics back it up: in four of those six weeks, the Saints have ranked in the top 10 in Expected Points Added (EPA) per play - a stat that measures overall efficiency.
Even in their “down” week, a win over Carolina, they were still middle of the pack at 17th.
What’s really stood out during this stretch is how tough they’ve been against the pass. Since Week 10, the Saints are allowing just 137.3 passing yards per game - the best mark in the league.
Sure, the quarterback slate hasn’t been elite - they’ve faced Bryce Young twice, Baker Mayfield, Tua Tagovailoa in rainy conditions, and backups like Kirk Cousins and Brady Cook. But even against that group, you still have to execute, and the Saints have done just that.
In those six games, opposing quarterbacks have combined for just four touchdowns and five interceptions, with a passer rating of 72.2. That’s not just locking things down - that’s dictating the game.
Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, in his first year with New Orleans, deserves a ton of credit for this turnaround. His unit has climbed to ninth in total defense and 14th in scoring defense overall - and that’s before Monday night’s Colts-49ers game even factored in. They’re also getting it done situationally, ranking fourth in third-down defense and 11th in the red zone.
This Saints defense isn’t just surviving anymore. It’s thriving - and doing it at the right time.