New Orleans Saints 2014 Offensive Grades
Oct 5, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas (23) scores a touchdown in the second quarter of their against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Mark Ingram, Khiry Robinson and Pierre Thomas all had moments during the 2014 season where they shined. Before the season started, I stated that if the Saints did not rush for at least 420 attempts, collectively, they wouldn’t reach the Superbowl, or the playoffs. Sadly, I was correct.
The team rushed the ball 406 times during the 2014 season, and, saw a great deal of success with the exception of a few games.
Starters:
MARK INGRAM. A. Was there a better, more consistent player on offense this season than Mark Ingram? In my opinion, there was not. Mark finished the season just under 1,000 yards (964) and also had career highs in receiving (29 receptions, 145 yards). We will have to wait and see if the Saints attempt to retain his services for next season, but he certainly earned whatever paycheck he receives.. RB. New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints. KHIRY ROBINSON. B-. It wouldn’t be fair to say Robinson “underperformed”. Playing in the same number of games as last year (10), Robinson’s 362 yards on the ground, 4.8 YPC and 3 TDs were all career highs. Still, injuries held him back and many fans expected more of a 1-2 punch with Ingram and Robinson. 2 lost fumbles in only 84 touches also bring his grade down just slightly. Looking forward to seeing more from him in the future.. RB
C+. This might seem like a low grade for one of Saints fan’s favorite players, but keep in mind that Thomas posted career lows in rushing while also struggling with injuries. Thomas turned 30 this year, and while only recording 90 total touches and missing 5 games the signs would say the end is drawing closer. However, with that said, I still would rank Thomas as one of the best 3rd Down RBs in the NFL. 222 yards on the ground and 378 receiving just weren’t enough production for me to give him a higher grade.. RB. New Orleans Saints. PIERRE THOMAS
D. Erik Lorig didn’t register a single first down for the Saints in 2014 rushing. While he did reel in 2 receptions for first downs (9 total receptions), more was to be expected from a player the Saints signed a 4 year contract who earned more monetarily than the player who outperformed him. Lorig might be a player who sees the chopping block during the offseason if the team feels Johnson is the answer at FB.. FB. New Orleans Saints. ERIK LORIG
Reserves: (Players who saw limited snaps/playing time)
Cadet saw more action this season (partly due to Thomas’ and Robinson’s injuries) than many probably anticipated. While only recording 10 rushing attempts for 32 yards, he saw a lot of snaps in the Saints passing situations. Cadet was targeted 51 times in the passing game (only 4 behind Thomas) and collected 38 receptions for 296 yards. He wasn’t as effective, or elusive after the catch, as Thomas, but he did better than I thought he would based on pre-season performance. For a reserve player, a “C-” isn’t a bad grade.. RB. New Orleans Saints. TRAVARIS CADET. C-
New Orleans Saints. AUSTIN JOHNSON. B. I was pretty disappointed when Austin Johnson was placed on injured reserve on November 4th. He sits in the reserve category because he started (and appeared in) less games than Erik Lorig, but by our grading here at the Believer he performed much better. While carries aren’t a stat you necessarily look for in a FB, 5 of Johnson’s 8 carries were for first downs. He was able to consistently power himself forward when asked to keep drives going while also being a capable blocker. Johnson also was credited with 2 receiving first downs, the same number as Lorig. I credit this to Johnson having a clearly superior beard to Lorig.. FB
Next: Offensive line: Age becoming a factor