Kellen Moore can’t afford to repeat the same mistake with Travis Etienne.
The Saints’ Week 1 loss left plenty to pick apart, but one of the biggest issues was how little New Orleans leaned on its new running back. Etienne’s debut was underwhelming, yes, but the usage told the story too.
He got only 9 carries in the opener, and just four of them came in the first half. That’s not enough for a player the Saints paid handsomely to be a featured piece.
Etienne did finish with 7 catches, and he split the backfield workload evenly with Kendre Miller, who also logged 9 carries. But that still doesn’t look like the role New Orleans brought Etienne in to fill. If the Saints want a better version of their offense against Baltimore, they need to commit more fully to him on the ground.
That becomes even more important because the Ravens present a brutal challenge in the run game. Baltimore’s ability to move the ball on the ground is the biggest concern in this matchup, and there isn’t much from Week 1 to suggest the Saints are ready to suddenly shut that down after struggling against Detroit.
Lamar Jackson is a problem for just about every defense because he can hurt you as a passer and as a runner. Derrick Henry brings a different kind of punishment, with the power to wear a defense down and then hit it with long speed when the game opens up. Together, they form exactly the kind of rushing threat that can expose New Orleans.
If the Saints can’t stop that duo when Baltimore has the ball, then the next best answer is to keep Jackson and Henry off the field as much as possible. That means long drives, ball control and a real commitment to the run game. Etienne has to be part of that plan.
New Orleans won’t manage that by handing him just four carries before halftime again. Moore has a history of leaning on running backs, but Week 1 didn’t reflect that. He can’t let that happen twice in a row, especially against a team built to attack the Saints’ biggest defensive weakness.
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There is still plenty for scouts to sort through, though, because the same evaluation that points to upside also comes with questions about how complete his game will be when the NFL conversation really heats up. Even so, the early buzz is easy to understand, and if he keeps trending the way he has, New Orleans could be tracking him as a potential first-round name to know ahead of the 2027 draft. [Read more 🡒]