"You look at our body of work here over the last five games and there's been improvement there. It just has been, it's just tangible"
There are undeniable conclusions, supported by concrete statistics, regarding the New Orleans Saints since Darren Rizzi was elevated to interim head coach on Nov. 4 following the Saints' seven-game losing streak.
First, the Saints have played better: After starting 2-7 New Orleans has won three of five games under Rizzi as the Saints (5-9) prepare to play the Packers (10-4) on Monday night at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.
Second, the Saints have defended better: Each of those five opponents have been held to 21 points or less, an average yield of 16.6 points per game after allowing 25.4 per game in the first nine.
Third, New Orleans has rushed the passer significantly better: Roughly half (18) of the team's season total (37) for sacks this season have been accumulated in the five games and, especially, the pressure from the defensive line has ramped up since the change. The Saints have totaled 39 quarterback hits in the five games.
Defensive linemen have been credited with 15 of the 18 sacks since Rizzi became interim head coach, made Joe Woods defensive coordinator and named Brian Young defensive line coach/pass rush specialist.
"B.Y., a guy who played the position, who's just been around the game so long," defensive end Chase Young said. "We go to practice, we go back to the basics – hand placements, steps, low pad level.
"B.Y., he's definitely been a great addition to just taking that role and doing his thing with it."
Overall, with three games remaining, the defense already has registered more sacks than last season's 35, and the defensive line this year has topped last year's total, 27 to 24.
"We made the change and tried to simplify things a little bit up front these last five games and that's a credit to everybody – it's credit to Joe, and B.Y. and (linebackers coach) Mike Hodges," Rizzi said. "You look at our body of work here over the last five games and there's been an improvement there. It just has been, it's just tangible."
The defense's pass rush performance in the last game, a 20-19 loss to Washington, was its most productive of the season. New Orleans sacked Jayden Daniels eight times – five by defensive linemen – and helped put the Saints in position to win it at the end. A failed two-point conversion pass attempt, after the Saints scored a touchdown on the final play in regulation, was the last play of the game.
"I don't know if I would say 'simplified,'" Woods said. "I've been using the word 'streamlined.'
"What happens within each coverage, we can run six or seven different pass rush games. We could do four or five different things in coverage based on certain things. So instead of doing five or six, we're just doing two or three. It's the same stuff, but just trying to streamline it so those guys can execute and play fast.
"We're doing a lot of the same things, maybe setting it up a little bit different. But just trying not to get too much out of a certain call."
It has allowed the Saints to get more out of several players. Chase Young (two sacks against Washington, 3.5 in the last five games and 5.5 this season) and Cam Jordan (two vs. Washington, all three sacks this season in the last five games) noticeably have been disruptive.
"I feel like these last four weeks, I feel like we've just been rushing better together, have been in tune," Young said.
"I think Chase has put a couple of really good weeks together in a row," Rizzi said. "I felt like (Dec. 8 against the Giants) was his best game as a Saint, a couple more really big plays in the game (against the Commanders).
"The pass rush – not just what Chase did – but our overall defensive line, I thought was really a bright spot (against Washington). Credit to them, credit to B.Y., credit to Joe in terms of the game plan. Those guys all produced.
"Jayden Daniels had some big plays but at the same time we really limited him. There were some negative plays that were big for us, particularly in the second half, and Chase was a big part of that."
Jordan, the franchise all-time leader with 120.5 sacks, posted a critical sack on third-and-goal from the Saints' 1-yard line in the third quarter, forcing the Commanders to settle for a short field goal.
The 14-year veteran's production has increased with his playing time.
"Cam was disappointed in his playing time earlier in the season, that's kind of been documented, that's not a big secret," Rizzi said. "He's gotten more opportunity to play, No. 1.
"I think Cam is a guy that from Day 1 has bought in 100 percent when we made changes here, not only in the coaches but the way we're doing things. I think he's benefiting from the way we've been practicing and a bunch of that stuff, and I think he's benefiting from all his years of experience and he's providing a spark for us right now.
"It's good to see the old guy in the room kind of providing the spark. He comes here every day and you wouldn't know if he was a second-year player or a 15-year guy just by the way he walks around every day. Credit to Cam – love his energy, love his leadership, love his passion.
"I've seen a reenergized guy, that's out there flying around and having fun. That's what I've seen out of Cam."
